by Alexa Aston
Farley mentioned they’d have to try that more often once they left Stanbury.
Madeleine took comfort in that she’d be gone from Stanbury soon. She hated staying in one place so long for fear Henri would discover her whereabouts. She’d even had a few nightmares of Henri finding her. No, her time with the troupe had run its course, and she must meet her obligation to Evan and then return to France.
She’d not informed Farley about her leaving. It hadn’t come up again since before Gwenith fell ill. Madeleine would simply tell him that she was taking Evan to his father and would return as soon as she could manage. He didn’t need to know about her plans to cross the channel for France. She knew she owed him more but her fear outweighed any loyalty.
Every evening, Madeleine told a story after the play ended. Ashby called for one that first night, and it became a ritual for Garrett’s guests. They seemed most enthralled with the tales from the Arabian Nights. They also enjoyed the legends surrounding King Arthur. Her mother had told her these stories every night for years. Madeleine had dreamed of someday finding her own Arthur and creating a world of beauty and goodness not unlike Camelot.
It surprised her when several guests gave her gold coins for her efforts.
“Look not so startled, Madeleine,” Ashby said as he pressed a coin into her palm. “You are most entertaining and it makes them feel better to reward you in this manner.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she murmured.
“Ashby, Madeleine. After all, we are old friends.” He winked at her and went on.
Madeleine found herself very pleased with the additional funds. They would make her trip go much more easily. She would have more than enough to pay for her passage to France. This way, she could give the jewels she’d saved to the Mother Superior of the convent she joined, thus guaranteeing her keep for the rest of her natural life.
The group had only one more day at Stanbury before they loaded their belongings and headed further west. Madeleine promised, after Lyssa’s insistent pleadings, that she and Evan would spend the day with the young girl. Annie saw to the packing of a picnic lunch for them and so they set off to explore, Luke tagging along.
The threesome followed a stream into the forest that surrounded Stanbury. They stopped at a shady spot for their meal. Cook had provided hunks of bread and cheese, cold chicken, and sweetmeats. They enjoyed their feast then lay on the blanket playing with Luke.
The heavily wooded forest blocked out much of the sunlight. Madeleine did not realize that the sky had become dark or that rain was on its way until a sudden thunderclap startled them.
“Quickly, children, let’s pack up and head back to the castle. I fear we’re about to get caught in a downpour.”
Evan and Lyssa gathered up the leftovers and placed them in the basket.
“Let’s put Luke in the basket, too,” Madeleine told them. “He’ll never be able to keep up with us. Besides, he’s acting a bit skittish because of the thunder.”
Just as Evan reached for the kitten, a loud thunderbolt rang out. The kitten scrambled up a nearby tree, running out onto a slim branch that hung over the water. He clung to the limb, clearly terrified by his first storm.
Lyssa wailed. “We can’t leave without Luke!”
“Shush, love, of course we won’t.” Madeleine, though tall, could not reach the kitten. “Come, Evan, climb upon my shoulders and mayhap you can reach Luke.”
She bent and let Evan scamper up on her shoulders, his legs hanging down, swinging happily. She stood under where Luke was perched but Evan could not grasp him as the kitten moved back and forth with every noise that rang from the sky. Madeleine urged Evan to stand upon her shoulders but the little boy did not have the skill to do so.
Lyssa was crying heartily now. Drops of rain hit Madeleine in the face. She hesitated, knowing she must go up into the tree and reclaim Luke or Lyssa would be heartbroken. But the thought of climbing that high made her heart rebel, pounding so loudly she thought it might pop from her chest.
Madeleine had never understood her fear of heights, which had been with her from her earliest memories. Only her greater fear of Henri suppressed it long enough for her to escape from Frothmore by climbing from the keep’s window to flee through the sally port. That had been a much greater height than this tree but she’d still been deathly afraid.
Oh, Mary, Mother of God, be with me now, be with me now. Please, please, be with me now. This prayer echoed over and over in her mind.
Mouth dry, her stomach in knots, she said, “I must go up and get Luke. Stand back.”
She lifted her foot and placed it into a knothole as she grabbed the lowest branch available. Hoisting herself up, her knee groaned under the strain. Madeleine climbed until she could go out on the limb Luke had chosen to cling to in his fear. She eyed the kitten, his fur now soaked, wondering whose fear was greater. All she wanted was to return to the sweet ground where she belonged. God had not meant for her to be as a bird, flitting in this tree.
“Come on, Luke,” she said to him in gentle, coaxing tones. “Come see Madeleine, my good boy.”
Lightning crackled, causing Luke to slowly back further onto the branch. A loud boom rang through the forest and the terrified kitten skittered even further away, his fur standing on end.
“No, sweet kitty, come here,” Madeleine begged. She scooted out as far as she dared on the slender limb. After stretching, she had the kitten within her grasp.
Madeleine stroked him to calm him. “That’s my boy,” she purred and clasped him in her hand just as thunder roared again.
The children began clapping, jumping up and down with their joy. Suddenly, Madeleine felt the branch begin to give. Her eyes widened and she tightened her grip on Luke.
“Evan,” she said cautiously, not wanting to frighten them, “the branch seems as if it could break at any moment.” She paused, licking her lips. “I’m going to lower Luke to you. Please do your best to catch him.”
“Yes, Maddie,” Evan said, his eyes round. He held his arms up. Madeleine pried Luke from his perch, said a quick prayer, and dropped him.
Evan made a perfect catch. He handed the yowling kitten to Lyssa and stared back up at her.
“Can I help ye, Maddie?”
She heard how frightened he was. “No, just stay there. I’ll—”
But she never completed her sentence. The limb, which had been groaning under her added weight, snapped without warning and dumped her into the ice-cold stream, her leg buckling from her weak knee. She landed clumsily on rocks that bit into her flesh as her leg twisted under her.
A scream tore from her throat as blinding pain flashed through the injured leg. Fortunately, the water was not very deep so she remained at an awkward angle, half on her side, half on her back inches from the bank of the stream. At least she wouldn’t drown.
Lyssa began crying as Evan jumped in and tried to lift her. Madeleine gasped as the pain returned in waves and she began retching violently.
Finally, she opened her eyes. “You must go for help, Evan. I cannot get out and you’re too small to hoist me.” She grimaced and bit her lip, trying to control the pain shooting through her back and leg.
“Go, Evan. Take Lyssa with you. Hurry, please.”
Evan took Lyssa’s hand and they began running. Luke howled pitifully as he was jostled along.
Madeleine waited until they were out of her sight before she cried out. If she leaned back, she could rest her head against the bank. She did so and then surrendered to the pain.
Chapter Sixteen
Garrett smiled to himself as he gazed up at the darkening skies. His guests had enjoyed a week of perfect weather, which meant he’d been suffering through a week of being the perfect host. He’d tired of his group of visitors almost immediately, but having the special show each evening for Stanbury guests was the only idea he’d had to hold the mummers here after the faire ended.
Now they were scheduled to leave on the morrow, as were his guests. W
hat would he do? Could he go back to life as he’d known it before he’d met Madeleine? He’d not been the same man since that April night when he’d first seen her. Thoughts of her stayed with him from his waking every morning until he collapsed in a heap upon his bed at night. Too often, she invaded his dreams, as well. How could he manage without her?
He’d entertained all manner of wild thoughts, from offering her a position as Lyssa’s tutor to holding her in one of the far north tower rooms to serve as his mistress.
Garrett knew she’d turn down both offers.
He turned to the group assembled. “I’m afraid we’ll have to adjourn inside for our pleasures, my friends. Looks like a storm is brewing. Mayhap we can continue our bowling later.”
“Could the mummers perform early?” asked Lady Sanvale hopefully. “Or that wonderful girl, Madeleine, could tell us more of Beowulf or the Norman invasion.” The noblewoman shivered. “I swear you’d think she’d been there herself, she describes things in such great detail.”
Several chuckled at her remarks. Garrett added, “I know Farley promised some special entertainment tonight for us, with it being their last time to perform. Why don’t you rest a bit, Lady Sanvale? I’ll see what can be arranged.”
There were murmurs of assent as the group began heading back to the castle. The first raindrops hit at that moment and Edith led the way, the ladies squealing like young children.
Garrett hung back, happy to be in his own company for once. He walked slowly home, savoring the quiet surrounding him, even if he had to become soaked to enjoy it.
He’d just entered the outer bailey, thankful that none of his company was in sight, when Annie dashed up to him, an anxious look on her worn face.
“Oh, my lord, I wasn’t expecting this storm.” She wrung her hands nervously.
“Speak up, Annie, what’s on your mind?”
“I let Lyssa go on a picnic with Madeleine and little Evan. Now there’s this downpour and look at those dark clouds that way. The little mites’ll be soaked to the skin. I don’t want them to catch their death of cold.”
“Don’t worry, Annie. I’ll saddle Ebony and bring them back. Where did they go?”
“Lyssa wanted to picnic by that stream, just beyond the edge of the forest.”
“Then think how dry they’ll be,” he reassured her. “Those trees are a thick covering. I’ll wager they feel but a few drops.”
Garrett strode off toward the stables had Ebony saddled. He mounted the frisky horse and turned him out the gates and across the meadow, heading toward the woods.
The sky had darkened considerably. A streak of lightning tore across the heavens, followed by a noisy thunderclap and he heard Lyssa’s cry from a distance. He spurred Ebony on.
Halfway across the meadow, he spotted the two children scrambling toward him as the rain arrived full scale and a steady downpour began.
Garrett dismounted, alarmed that he hadn’t spotted Madeleine with them. She would never leave the children on their own.
The pair was wet to the bone, shivering with the cold. Lyssa had lost one of her slippers. Both children were in tears. Garrett felt a chill rush through him.
“Me lord!” gasped Evan. “Ye must help.” He bent down and put his hands to his knees, leaning over as he tried to catch his breath.
“What’s wrong?” Garrett demanded. His harsh tone caused Lyssa to burst into fresh tears.
“She’s hurt, Papa.”
Madeleine.
“Maddie fell trying to save Luke, me lord,” Evan added. “He’d climbed in a tree when the storm began and was afraid to come down. Maddie went after him, and the branch broke.”
Lyssa wailed even louder. “Luke was very bad, Papa,” she said. “Now Madeleine’s hurt.” She squeezed the kitten and he hissed, swiping a paw at her. A thin line of blood appeared on the back of her hand. Lyssa burst into new tears and tossed the kitten upon the ground.
Garrett thought quickly. He didn’t wish to leave the children here but he wanted to reach Madeleine as quickly as possible. He knew they were too small to ride Ebony alone. The horse was a handful for even the best of riders.
“Let’s get you home quickly,” he told them. “Come, and we’ll ride Ebony together.”
“No. Maddie’s hurt. She fell in the water. Get her out, me lord. I can walk with Lyssa back to the castle.”
Garrett saw the little boy straighten to his full height. He knew instinctively that the boy would get his daughter back to the keep safely.
“Stanbury is in sight, Evan. Can you see it?”
He nodded. “We’ll go straight there, me lord.”
Garrett knelt and lay his hand on Evan’s shoulder. “You’re a brave lad, Evan. Do me proud and take Lyssa home. Find Sir Ashby and tell him what’s happened. He’ll know what to do.” He squeezed the boy’s shoulder. Scooping up Luke, he handed the feisty kitten back to Lyssa. “Take Luke and go with Evan. Don’t give me a surly face. Luke’s but a kitten and he’s very frightened now. You’ll have to be a brave girl and take him home. Go now.”
They began rushing, hand-in-hand, in the direction of Stanbury. Garrett remounted Ebony and galloped the remaining way across the meadow. He tied the horse to a tree and entered the forest. From Annie’s description, he had a good idea where to look. He’d spent many hours in these woods over the years and he knew them better than anyone at Stanbury.
He found Madeleine immediately but nothing prepared him for what he saw. She’d managed to pull herself partially onto the bank but half of her body remained in the stream. Though late June, he knew the water had to be freezing. There was no telling how long she’d been immersed in it.
He ran to her and saw she was unconscious. He lifted her from the water, her skirts heavy and clinging to her. Her chilled body was deathly pale and still.
For a moment, he thought her dead—but then she gasped. Her eyes flew open and he saw the pain and fear held in them.
“’Tis all right, Madeleine, I’m here.” He brushed the wet hair from her brow. Her skin felt like ice. He must warm her. He couldn’t lose her as he’d lost his brother.
She began weeping and moaning softly. “Oh, God, it hurts. Not again. Please, not again.”
He lifted her shoulders and placed her head upon his lap. “What ails you, Madeleine? What’s hurt?” he asked gently, as he stroked her clammy cheek.
“’Tis broken,” she said bitterly.
“What?”
“My leg.” She began laughing hysterically. He tried to calm her but didn’t succeed. Finally, her laughter subsided into weeping.
“You’ll be all right, Madeleine,” he assured her. “We’ll get you back to Stanbury. You’ll heal.”
She stared into his eyes, her own a stormy color. “Heal? I’ll never be whole again.”
*
Ashby arrived at the edge of the stream soon after with Lord Marbury’s physician. “Thank God old Marbury never ventures three steps without his doctor in tow.”
Hating to leave her, Garrett stepped out of the way so the doctor could examine Madeleine, pushing and probing. Garrett leaned around and was horrified when he saw the awkward angle of Madeleine’s leg. It sickened him just to look upon it. No wonder she’d been in such pain. Thankfully, she’d passed out again.
“We brought a cart,” Ashby said. “I wasn’t sure how severely she was hurt. The children were very upset. We can lay her across it.”
“Thanks, Ash.” Garrett gave him a weak smile.
Ashby placed a hand upon his shoulder and gave it a slight squeeze.
“My lord?” The physician rose. “I cannot do a complete examination here but this woman is seriously hurt. The leg is definitely broken. Beyond that, I cannot venture to say. She may have internal injuries.”
“Then let’s bring her back to Stanbury. Do whatever it takes, man, just help her.”
The doctor rigged a temporary splint from two branches of a nearby tree. Once it was in place, the three men were able t
o lift Madeleine and carry her the short distance to the cart. She swam in and out of consciousness on the short trip to Stanbury. Garrett was aware of every jostle the cart made. He cradled her head in his lap, hoping to ease the jarring as Ashby held her leg in place.
Garrett supervised Madeleine being taken to a small upper chamber, where the doctor examined her carefully. After some minutes, he asked Garrett to step in. The physician wore a grave expression on his face.
“I was correct, my lord. The lower leg was damaged, broken in two places.” He shook his head. “There’s more that troubles me, though.”
A fresh wave of fear swept over Garrett. Injuries of any kind could prove fatal. “What mean you?”
“This woman has been sadly mistreated. Her knee is misshapen, as if it had been broken before and not mended properly. Does she walk with a limp?”
“Yes,” Garrett said slowly, anger building within him.
“Well, it may take her a very long time before walks again,” the doctor said bluntly. “The knee joint was weak before. It’s impossible to tell at this time if it is strong enough to hold her weight as the bones in her leg try to mend. She has a long recovery ahead of her.” The doctor frowned. “There’s more, my lord.”
Fear raised the hair along his arms while anger knotted low in his gut. Garrett nodded for him to continue.
“She’s been badly abused. Her legs are scarred rather severely, her back almost as much. Scars like these would not come from an accident. She has been beaten severely, numerous times.”
Speechless at both the accusatory tone as well as the unthinkable revelation, Garrett sucked in his breath. “I’ll have you know, I caused no harm to this woman.”
The physician nodded. “As I suspected. Most of the injuries are not recent, save for her unfortunate fall from the tree.” He paused, glancing back at his patient.
“I gave her something to sleep, to help the pain, but only time will tell.” The physician eyed him with interest. “I recognized her as one of the mummers.”
“Yes.” Garrett’s voice was barely above a whisper. “She is also tutor to my daughter,” he added.
