Debra Kay Leland

by From Whence Came A Stranger. . .

  She felt her face blush red at his words despite herself.

  “I see that I am.”

  She did not answer knowing that her reddened face told more than words ever could.

  “And why would thy brother need to send thee such a message? I wonder, m’lady, I believe ye did speak with the boy…”

  She lifted innocent eyes and looked at him as she shook her head. “Nay, I did not even see him…! I—I only felt the thing pressed into my hand, and when I looked—”

  His brows knitted together further as he cut her off. “Are ye so accustomed to having things pressed into thy hand from behind that ye do not even take notice anymore when someone touches thee?!”

  She flushed at his accusing tone and looked away not knowing what to say. “’Twas not like that! Ye make it to seem as if I were being cunning and deceitful, and I was in no way trying to do so!”

  “I see. But, how can ye be sure that it was Turin in the first place?”

  She looked down at her tightly clasp hands on her lap. “I—I cannot…”

  “I agree, ye cannot, and yet ye hide this thing from those who are here to protect thee.”

  She looked away again, her mind turning in circles as she rubbed her temples. She had been sure it was Turin, there was no reason for him to give the necklace to another, but even if he had, why?! It just didn’t make sense to her!

  He paused and studied her uncertain frown for a long moment. “What does the necklace mean, Miranda? If it is really from Turin, then ye know what his intent was, tell me where he is and I shall go and see him myself and if there is a need, I shall see to that also... And in the end, we shall know if it was truly Turin who sent it to thee or not.”

  She glanced up but could find no words to answer him. It was true that she needed to know who had sent her the satchel, especially if it wasn’t Turin; and yet she feared for him and felt as if she were betraying his trust in her by even telling him this much!

  He tilted his head warily, his eyes narrowed as he took in her reaction. She lowered her head again, not able to meet his eyes and it worried him. “Why do ye not tell me what ye know? I am here to help thee, I had hoped that by now that ye would have known it to be true. Who else can ye trust with this, Miranda?”

  She glanced at him then lowered her head again, and he was taken back at how very much she herself looked like a mere child to him now...

  “How can I say what I do not know…?”

  “But ye are hiding something, girl. I can see it in thy eyes and so can Edmund.”

  She couldn’t answer his soft spoken words; not until she had a chance to talk with Turin, but being locked in her room even prevented that! She closed her teary eyes, feeling as if she were betraying her brother even now in all she has spoken to this man!

  “Have they come in peace to Whittington?”

  Her reply was barely a whisper. “I—I could not think of why he would come here to find me except that it was important to him…” She dropped her head then and would say no more.

  He came forward and knelt in front of her, refusing to allow himself to touch her as he spoke in soft hushed tones. “Have ye considered how it looks to thy father-in-law, Miranda, when ye cannot even answer simple questions like this?” He dropped his head with a deep sigh. “If the boy is caught it shall not go well for him, thine own secrecy condemns the lad.”

  She looked up at his words with wide frightened eyes. “Nay!”

  He took her trembling hands in his. “Then tell me if they come here in peace, Miranda?”

  She bit her lip as she tried to think of what to say, in truth she just wasn’t sure and it scared her. She knew it was very possible that they were angered by her disappearance and meant to take her back one way or another, despite her father-in-law’s wishes.

  He whispered her name again and she felt her heart break. “Miranda… Trust me…”

  She did trust him, though she knew not why. “…I—I do not know why he has summoned me.”

  He frowned at the word ‘summoned’ but said nothing of it to her. “…But ye know where he is?”

  She nodded silently, and then drew her hands from his seeing in his eyes that she had already said too much.

  “And will ye tell me?”

  She only shook her head silently, pulled between her love for her brother and her loyalty to her father-in-law…

  He dropped his head and sighed again. “Ye do not know what a deceitful game ye play, m’lady, for if ye did, ye would not hide this from thy father-in-law, nor risk Turin’s life as ye have. It is best if ye stay here where ye can in no way respond to the ‘summons’.” He stood then and looked down into her startled face. “And as for me, I take my leave of thee, my lady…” He turned and walked out the door without another word, leaving her trembling in the wake of his words.

  The guard at the entrance merely glanced at her before he closed the door securely. She stared after him, swallowing the guilt and fear that rose up within her at his words, and feeling even more guilty for betraying Turin. She got up and went to the window and looked out, she knew they would be out and looking for him, and what chance did a small boy have against Edmund’s guards! Somehow she’d have to get word to him…

  Garrick took the stairway back down to the great hall and entered the solar with a frown. Lydan and his uncle stood by the window speaking in low voices, and when he entered they turned to him as if they had been expecting him all along. “Well? Did she speak to thee?”

  “She let certain things slip unintentionally—I believe.”

  “Such as?”

  “She feels as if she needs to protect her brother in this. The satchel was sent in place of a note for neither can read or write, uncle.”

  “But what could it mean then? Did she say?”

  “’Tis a summons.”

  “A summons?!”

  “Aye, but I believe she does not know exactly why.”

  “But she does know where she is being summoned to?!”

  “She would not say, nor would she tell me if they mean us peace or not… I believe for now the best place for the lady is in her chambers, for her own safety and so that she shall not attend to ‘this summons’ until we have gotten to the bottom of this ourselves. We can in no way be sure it really is her brother, or if someone is using this to lure her away from Whittington.”

  Edmund lips drew into a grim line. “I agree…”

  It was then that a guard burst in breathlessly as a shout of alarm was sounded upon the castle walls. “A signal fire!” They ran in the direction he was pointing. A moment later all three were up the stairs and to her chambers before any of them could think, the guards right behind them as Edmund yelled, “Open the door!”

  He rounded the corner and neared her door as the guards worked the lock hastily. “Open it! Hurry!”

  The lock burst free and the door was thrust open, and all three men ran past her and into the room heading for the open window! Edmund grasped the burning sheet that billowed in the strong breeze and ripped it lose from the where she had it tied before he let it fall to the ground beneath. He stood there watching it a long moment before he turned angrily and pointed to the window, making her take a cautious back till her back ran up against the wall, her eyes wide with fright. “What is this, Miranda?! Was this a sign too?! Were ye alerting them that ye were locked in thy chamber, so they would know which room to find thee in?!”

  There was nowhere for her to go as she stepped even farther to the side, her back sliding against the cold hard stone wall, not even able to find her own voice to answer his angry words as she stared into his cold unblinking eyes.

  Garrick grabbed his uncle’s arm instinctively when he saw the real fear that was in the girl’s frightened eyes. “Uncle…”

  Edmund glanced at him, then at his arm, before Garrick slowly dropped his hand to his side again. He lifted his cold dark eyes as he spoke. “I am displeased with ye, Miranda, very displeased. Should I have ye bound s
o that ye can cause me no other trouble?!”

  She was too afraid to even look away from his cold dark eyes.

  “Uncle, have one of the women attend her and have a pallet brought in. See that she is not left alone so she can in no wise do such foolishness again.” But even as Garrick spoke, his uncle’s angry eyes never left her.

  “…Increase the guard in the castle and on the walls, have everyone searched who comes and goes from the bailey… And—search William’s room also and see if there was more than what we have already seen...!” He stood there for a long moment then said in a cold hard tone. “There shall be no further foolishness from thee!” He glared at her for a long moment then strode out.

  Lydan paused and cast her a suspicious look then and walked out also. Garrick dropped his head as he spoke, bracing his strong hands on his hips as he shook his head slowly. “…Why, Miranda? Can ye not see what ye are doing to William’s father?”

  She looked at him with guilt in her true blue eyes. “…I—I’m sorry…”

  He lifted his eyes, but not his head. “Sorry? Good lord, Miranda, do ye have any idea what ye are doing here?!”

  “If—if I can just go and meet with him, then—”

  “Nay!” He paused then and stared at her curiously. “My God, ye know where they are, do ye not?! How? From a mere stone?!” He made a noise as his eyes scanned the room. “I shall search thy chamber, Miranda, I shall tear it apart piece by piece, and if I find whatever it is that told ye were they are, I swear I shall…!”

  She shook her head frantically as she looked around William’s chambers not willing for another to touch a thing there! “Nay!”

  He paused and turned his back on her. “Was that the reason for the sign in thy window, to tell him that ye could not meet them—or was it possibly a warning to hide themselves for ye had been discovered?! Or to know which chamber ye were in?!” Without another word he moved toward William’s chest and threw it open.

  She jumped up and cried out, “Nay! Please, stop!”

  He straightened at her choked sob and stared at her with dark eyes.

  She sank to the floor where she stood and looked away hesitantly as hot tears ran down her flushed cheeks; her hands shook as she spoke unsteadily, “…There—there was a map…”

  He ran a tense hand through his long hair. “Good God! Where were ye to meet him?!” He rushed to her and took her arms firmly lifting her to her feet. “Tell me! If Edmund finds him first ye know what shall happen!”

  She bit back another sob at the threat of his words. “In—in the forest beyond, by the big oak tree in the corner of the meadow...”

  He dropped her arms and raced out the door without another word. She slumped onto the chair beside her and held herself hoping she had done the right thing in betraying her brother’s trust to a man she hardly knew…

  Lord Sheridan looked up with narrowed eyes. “She told ye and ye did not come to me first?!”

  Garrick answered solemnly. “…Aye, she told me for fear of bloodshed, which I thought was best to thwart also. Apparently, the burned sheet was enough to make them leave the area, for I found hardly a sign.”

  “Hardly a sign?”

  “Only footprints—two men and a boy’s, it would appear… And Uncle, from the looks of it, I believe they are on foot and I would think that they would not be much of a danger to us.”

  His uncle sighed and turned towards the window again. “Do ye think these are the same men that the villager talked about?”

  “Aye, I do.”

  Edmund turned then and sank into his chair with a sigh. “I just cannot understand why she is hiding this from me?”

  Garrick looked at Lydan who sat calmly by the window listening to what was being said. “I truly believe she does not know what they want; but they came in secret, that much is true. I believe she thinks she is protecting them by not telling of it all.”

  His pinched the bridge of his nose and then lifted his eyes to his nephew. “She seems to trust ye more so than even I…” He sighed again before he continued, “…Alright, go talk to her and see what else she shall say.”

  He drew a long sigh then nodded without a word and left.

  Edmund watched his nephew with a frown, it disturbed him that the girl would turn her back on him like this, for hadn’t he taken her into his home and treated her like his own, yet this is how she would repaid him…?

  He looked up at Lydan who stood and walked towards him. “The girl is trouble, uncle…”

  He didn’t want to admit it, but right now he had to agree.

  The sound of heavy footsteps again echoed from the hallway, the keys jingled in the lock and the door was opened without a knock. The older woman who had come to attend her was on her feet and out the door without a word, making her feel even more alone than before. Garrick closed the door and looked at the girl who was still seated on her bed, noticing that she would not meet his gaze now. “I went to the meadow, there was no one there and nothing was left that I could see save some footprints in the dirt.”

  She looked up at his words with worried eyes.

  “… I just wanted thee to know that I narrowly stopped Edmund from dispersing his guards on the place and hunting him down.”

  She dropped her head again, not sure of what she could say; but knowing with her whole heart that this was becoming more dangerous than she could ever have imagined.

  “Why a necklace, Miranda? Was it thine or another’s?”

  She hesitated in her answer. “We have been over this all already…”

  “And we shall go over it again and again until I am satisfied. Now, was it thy necklace?”

  She dropped her head. “…Nay …’Tis my brother’s.”

  His lips drew taunt on one side. “I saw a youth’s footprints near the tree…”

  She looked up at him again with worried eyes. “…I truly do not know what he wants, I swear it! But—but he came here in secret and—and I shall not betray him…” Her brows knit together then as she wondered if she already had. “Oh leave me! I have nothing else to say to thee!”

  He watched her wipe away hot tears that escaped the corners of her eyes. “Miranda, what if I asked my uncle if he would allow me to take thee to the boy and find out why he is here…”

  She slowly raised her head at his words and eyed him suspiciously. “Why…? Why would ye do such a thing?”

  “If it prevents bloodshed, I do not see how I cannot.”

  She worried at his words. “…Oh, I don’t even know where he is… He is just a boy—and no threat to those here.”

  “Aye, but the men with him may be. Miranda, I saw the footprints of two men also.”

  She looked away more than concerned at his words. “I—I only have one brother… But one of the men could have been my da I suppose, though I do not understand why he would not have had Phillip or Thomas send a message to me. Oh, it—it does not make sense!”

  “Nay, it does not… Could thy brother have been coerced into doing this?”

  She shrugged not bothering to look at him while she spoke. “He loves me… he would rather die than see me hurt… Unless he does not know the others intent...”

  He straightened then. “I shall speak to Edmund…”

  She looked up and caught his gentle gaze before he turned and walked out the door again. She stood and walked to the narrow window as her maid came in quietly again and cast her a wary glance.

  Her head spun at the weary thoughts that swept through it, she wished she knew what was going on and why Turin would come to her in such secrecy…! She lowered her head again, her stomach clenching with guilt knowing that she had just managed to betray both William’s father and Turin the same time…!

  Garrick found Edmund alone in his solar with an empty cup of wine his hand and a dishearten look in his eyes. He looked up as his nephew settled in the chair to his right and then dropped his gaze again. “…And what did she have to say this time?”

  Garrick f
olded his arms in front of himself and lowered his head. “… I am sure she doesn’t understand why her brother would come here in secrecy, but somehow she feels as if she needs to protect him until she knows what he wants. She feels loyalty to thee, Edmund, do not think otherwise, I can see it in her eyes; but she also feels the need to protect her family. I offered to take her to them, just to see what she would say—then we would have known if she was keeping something more from us or not, but she had no idea where to find them now. Though, she is worried, that much is true.”

  His uncle met his eyes warily. “I do not know what they could want except to take her back with them, and that I shall not allow! She is no longer a simple peasant girl, she is the widow of my son, and her child is my only heir…! I shall never let her go with them, never!”

  The next day was quiet, neither her father-in-law nor Garrick came to see her and it worried her. The older woman they’d sent sat quietly in the corner embroidering, not bothering to even speak to her as she sat looking out the tall narrow window waiting and worrying. Her meals were brought to her, an armed guard stood ready at her door, and the day wore on just as the day before…

  She heard the draw bridge being lowered and knew that the armed escorts that had left that morning was finally returning. She wished she only could but catch a glimpse of them to see if Turin was among them but she could not see the entire courtyard from her window. She sighed and paced the quiet room again, hoping all would be well, yet there was nothing she could do to help…!

  The evening meal was delivered to her, and her maid and the guards were changed with only hushed murmurs, and yet no one had spoken of the men’s return. She picked at the tray of food and glanced out the window wondering where Turin was, and if he was safe. The long evening bore late and still no one had come…

  That night she lay in the darkness, her maid asleep aside her bed on a pallet, though the guards were not. She could hear them pace and murmur quietly, though she couldn’t tell what they said. She had thought that Garrick or her father-in-law would come to see her, yet no one had and it bothered her. But then what had she expected, had she not betrayed them along with her brother?