“There be no way she could have passed us with the shortcut we took.” The young men argued back and forth.
“We did our best. I wish we had a few farthings so we could stop at the Black Swan for a pint of ale before we go home.”
“If you’re goin’ to wish, why not wish for food to fill our empty bellies, you fool.”
“Anna’ll be not happy that we failed.”
That young mother had betrayed her? Why? Disappointment, like the foul smell of death, sent a wave of revulsion through Evangeline.
“I ne’er seen her so pushy.”
“We promised to protect the nun to the castle, but if we naught can find her…wait. What’s that?”
The young men stopped.
Relieved that Anna had only wanted to help, Evangeline stepped into their view.
The two startled youth filled the air with high-pitched yelps and an outburst of curses.
“That belongs to me.” Her tone was light with humor, because the dark habit she wore must have appeared specter-like in moonlight. “I’m Sister Margaret Mary.” She picked up her basket of herbs.
“Sorry, Sister.” The shorter of the two stepped closer.
“We thought the ghost of old Farmer Danby or one of his sons had come to slay us.” The taller youth’s unexpected honesty and nervous chuckle sent mirth bubbling up within Evangeline. She coughed and cleared her throat to hide the laughter that would have surely offended him.
“I heard you coming and decided to hide until I knew if you were friend or foe.” She stepped closer and softened her hoarse voice with a smile. “I am Sister Margaret Mary.” Keeping the sword hidden in the folds of her garment, she reached out her other hand to the nearest of the two. The moonlight shone brightest in the spot where they stood. Obviously the young men had forgotten the need to keep into the shadows to avoid the earl’s henchmen patrolling day and night.
“I be Hank, and this be my twin brother, John.” The shorter brother hesitated before he took Evangeline’s fingertips and kissed them as if unsure how to address a nun. “Our sister Anna sent us to protect you.”
“It was very kind of her to think of my safety.” Evangeline grinned at his earnestness, although, if such an occasion arose, it was far more likely she would need to protect the boys, who were barely in their teens.
“We passed the earl’s marauders on our way here. They be coming up the road, not far behind.” Hank was obviously the leader of the two. He had long dark hair tied in the back and was thin like a beanpole where his brother, John, was stockier with broad shoulders and at least three inches shorter than his sibling, with light, short cropped hair. They looked nothing alike in physical appearance or mannerisms.
“Here, carry this for the sister.” Hank handed John the basket before he took Evangeline’s arm.
“There’s a shortcut to the castle, but it be rough. We’ll get ye there, but don’t know how to get ye inside the walls until daylight when they open the gate for the merchants.” Hank led the way into the forest. The young men had either the night vision of owls or were very familiar with the rocky path, for they slowed only to help her over a fallen tree.
“Just lead me to the castle. Once there, I know a place where I can hide and wait until morn.” Evangeline didn’t mention she knew a secret passageway into and out of the solid stone walls. She had used it countless times to escape lessons or boring visitors that she’d been expected to entertain.
The forest grew ominously silent. Danger. She tugged her hand out of Hank’s grasp and stopped to listen.
He groaned in protest.
“Shh!” She raised her hand for silence. The boys pressed closer, one on either side and she could feel their tension, perhaps still shaken with the thoughts of ghosts wandering through the woods. They didn’t have long to wait to find out what had alerted her instincts.
Loud, drunken voices and a horse’s grunts of displeasure at being handled roughly came from the direction of the road. The glow of torches passed, throwing ugly shadows on four men on horseback headed toward the castle. An uneasy feeling remained. Someone or something still lurked nearby.
“We need to hurry if we want to avoid meeting any more like them along the way.” Evangeline kept the sword hidden within the folds of her bulky habit. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness, and the sporadic opening in the forest canopy allowed the full moon to light their way.
The ground was uneven and steep in places, laced with fallen limbs and boulders, but their pace remained steady. Lost in her thoughts, recounting today’s events, she stumbled over an exposed tree root. She swung the sword out to keep her balance. The blade struck the stony ground with a metallic clang.
“Where’d that sword come from?” John reached for it.
“I found it on the road.” Evangeline was impatient to get to the castle, but the weariness in her limbs demanded a brief rest, and she sunk down onto a fallen tree. “Here.” She handed the sword to the young man to examine and then rubbed her aching shoulder. “It’s very sharp. Careful how you handle it.”
The highly polished steel glinted in the moonlight as John swung it in a clumsy arc from side to side.
“We found three dead men on the road on our way to find you.” Hank watched John handle the sword. “The first one was a royal guard by the looks of the fancy shield lying by his body. He might have had a sword, but there were three castle guards picking the body clean of anything that could be used or sold.” He grabbed at the sword, nearly getting cut in the process.
John used his stout body to foil his brother’s attempts to snatch the prize.
Dread filled her at the thought of the guard dying and leaving Henry and the child without protection. Had they made it to the castle?
Evangeline reached out. “I’ll take that now.”
John relinquished the weapon, which she held against her side to keep them from further horseplay and possibly being injured by the finely honed blade.
“One of ‘em dragged the bodies off of the road, but the likes of them don’t report deaths.” John moved to Evangeline’s right side and focused on the sword resting there. “The wolves will take care of the rest.” His voice had taken on the matter-of-fact tone of one who had seen worse. “The Fox and his gang are ridding the land of the o-o...”
“Oppressors.” Hank pushed past his brother and reached for the sword. “Don’t you think I should carry that for ye, Sister?”
Evangeline stepped out of reach to protect the weapon.
“I’m taking it to the castle to turn it in and report the dead men, as someone from the village should have done. It’s the least we should do for those poor souls.” She was disheartened to realize how these desperate times had stolen even basic Christian values from those who needed them most. “The dead men deserve a decent burial, no matter what they’ve done.”
“But the sword be too heavy for a nun.” Hank reached out to take the weapon again, but she slapped his hand.
“Enough! It’s not too heavy for me.” She tightened her grip on the hilt. The feeling of danger still prickled against her neck. They were being watched. Man or beast, she couldn’t tell. “We must go or risk running into the marauders…or worse.”
A glint of fear passed between the boys as they peered into the dark recesses of the woods. They hastened along the path, keeping close to Evangeline.
“Do you think there be avenging spirits wandering the forest, sister?” John moved close enough to Evangeline so she heard the fear in his whisper.
“Ghosts won’t bother us ‘cause we’re helpin’ a nun, right, sister?” Hank also moved closer, until Evangeline thought she would step on them.
“No one ever has to fear anything from the dead when they are doing a good or noble deed.” Evangeline wanted to explain to them that there was no such thing as ghosts, but setting them free from ancient superstitions would take more time than she could spare at the moment.
The sound of twigs snapping on the trail behind them
, stopped when they stopped, confirmed Evangeline’s feeling of being stalked. Be it man or beast, it left no doubt that whoever or whatever was following them was of this world.
Within the hour they arrived unmolested by men, beasts, or ghosts, at the clearing near the castle. She stopped, still hidden from the castle within the tree line, not willing to risk the boys learning the way to the secret entrance.
“This is where we part.” She retrieved the basket from Hank, removed the cloth bag that held the bread, cheese, and sausage, and handed it to John. “Inside is a little something to thank you for your protection. Not even the King’s guard could have done a better job.” While John opened the bag, she turned to Hank. “And thank your sister for me, for thinking of my safety. God will bless her, and you, many times over.”
“Food!” John tore off a large piece of the bread, hesitated then offered Evangeline the first bite.
“I’m not hungry.” Evangeline’s stomach rumbled in protest. The boys were starving, and she could find something to eat once she was safely inside.
John handed the bread to his brother, who grabbed it and shoved it into his mouth in one bite.
“Shouldn’t we wait to protect ye?” Food muffled Hank’s words. She would love to have rewarded each with a gold coin, but she couldn’t risk them telling who had given it. Besides, Anna had warned that their father would spend the money for ale.
“It will be safer for me if I remain alone,” she said. “I know a place to hide.” The moonlight became spotty as clouds slid by. She waited as the two devoured bites of bread, cheese, and sausage, moaning with delight. The moonlight made a brief appearance, and she noticed Hank’s attention drawn to the blade glinting at her side. “I’m sorry that I cannot also give you this fine sword, but it is illegal for you to have it in your possession. You know the law. If a castle guard or nobleman saw you with it, they would execute you on the spot.”
The boys mumbled a reluctant agreement. They finished the portion in their mouths and John closed the sack.
“Can we save the rest for our family?” Hank’s concern for his siblings warmed Evangeline’s heart. The Fox must prevail to rid the land of those responsible for their hunger.
“Certainly.” She stepped away. “I only wish it were more.” Weariness slowed her speech and stirred up desperation to be alone. All she wanted was to escape inside the castle, and slip into her old room to sleep. "I'll be safe. Go with God. Leave now, before the moon comes back out and someone sees you.” She watched as the youths jogged back toward the path they had just left and disappear into the forest. With a tug at the leather pouch that had rubbed her waist raw from the weight of the coins, she adjusted her burden. The pain was well worth it. Others would soon have food to fill their empty bellies.
She crept along the ridgeline toward the castle wall to the one blind spot hidden from the sentries watching from above. Clouds still covered the moon, reducing her visibility and anyone else’s who might be lurking about. Though they had traveled some distance from the road where she’d met the brothers, she still couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched and paused to listen. Hearing nothing, she continued on. The entrance was a mere stone’s throw away.
Heavy footsteps sounded behind her. Heart pounding, she flattened against a small mound of earth, blending into the terrain, making sure the sword was covered by her habit to hide it from the moon’s reflection, yet easily accessible dare she need it.
Eager to reach the secret passage, and too consumed with her dread of seeing Henry again, she’d failed to heed the tingling prickles that zinged along her neck.
“This is far enough away from the castle and its spies. We can’t be seen here,” a man with a gruff voice whispered nearby.
How many others knew about the blind spot in the castle’s defenses made to cover the royals’ exit from the keep?
* * *
“What’s so important that you had to drag me out here to tell me?” That came from the whiney voice she recognized as the fraudulent Earl of Evanwood. “I was about to retire and surprise another unsuspecting serving wench with my prowess.” He chuckled.
The image of the man and his lazy eye came to mind. She guessed that he had fathered Anna’s child, certainly not consensually. Anger, so intense it made her body tremble, filled her being. The need for justice over his soiling the weak and innocent was restrained only by the weight of exhaustion that slowed her reflexes and the greater need to hear more.
The evening breeze carried the acrid scent of unwashed bodies and the equally unpleasant odor of soured ale.
“The arrival of Lord Henry Stanton-n should-d be enough reason to meet. I figured you’d be clamorin’ to know what to do next.” Buford Oxley, known only as Ox, had a slight stutter making him easy to recognize. He was the fat, lazy owner of the Black Swan Inn—and Helen’s despicable husband.
“Lord Stanton? Coming here? When?” The so-called earl’s whiney voice shrilled with fear.
The blood in Evangeline’s veins ran cold. Henry and the child hadn’t made it to the safety of the castle? Her hand tightened on the hilt of the sword. She prayed the ale would keep their tongues wagging a little longer to reveal Henry’s location.
“What? He ain’t at the castle?” Ox bellowed then followed with a string of curses. “His carriage should have arrived hours ago, unless-s…”
“I need to leave the country now! He will cut me down, or have me hanged. You have my share of the money. Give it to me!” Evanwood’s whine turned into a high-pitched panic, followed by the sound of a scuffle then a sharp slap.
“Get hold of yourself-f, or I will kill you-u.” Ox’s threat ended with Evanwood’s whimper followed by a slap, much louder this time. “Listen you fool-l. If his lordship hasn’t arrived, then something must’ve delayed him-m. Perhaps the carriage broke down-n or…” He paused. “Maybe those brigands I saw ride by the inn-n caught up to him-m. There must have been a battle. Maybe they took him captive.” Ox clapped his hands “Perfect! I wondered where that fancy armor came from-m, that was brought in for trade-e.”
“Stolen armor?” Evanwood grew bolder. “I want my share.”
“The trade goods-s that you took from that rich merchant last week as tax, in the name of the crown, should fetch a tidy sum-m.” Ox ignored the demand. “I have a buyer who’ll be here to take the livestock and the bulk of the grain and goods-s next week. We’ll both have enough money to live like kings-s.”
“I want my share now. I have plans that will take me far from this awful place. Too many people want to kill me. Even my own men…” Another slap interrupted Evanwood’s gathering tirade.
“I have plans-s, too, which don’t include my uppity, too-good-to-wipe-my-shoes-s wife. She is always sneakin’ off when she ought to be workin’.” His chuckle held no humor. “I plan to be a widower again very soon. I have something special planned for that skinny wench, far more creative than the others-s. Then I’ll be free to live the rest of my days-s some place warm. I’ll live in luxury with plenty of servants-s.” Evanwood and Ox’s voices faded as they walked away.
Shock paralyzed Evangeline until realization roared in her gut against the threat she’d heard. She stood, sword in hand. Fury blazed through her veins. Ox was the one behind the appearance of the fake Earl of Evanwood and his hired thugs. Between the two, they had caused untold suffering and death. Now Ox planned to kill Helen, too.
She wanted to race out and dispatch both of the men, but, unlike them she was not a murderer. She would see them tried and hung for their evil deeds.
Picking up the basket of herbs, she continued to the secret entrance. Ox was right when he said the castle had many ears. It was time she found out what the gossips knew about why Henry was late getting to the castle.
It had grown too late to question anyone, and she needed rest. Weariness made every step a determination of her will. Helen needed to be warned. Evangeline would send a loyal servant from the castle with a secret message only Helen
could decipher. One consolation was that Ox wouldn’t carry out the murder before he had the rest of their ill-gotten money, which, according to him, wouldn’t be for at least a week. Since he was too fat and lazy to do the work to keep up the inn, he wouldn’t kill Helen until he was ready to disappear.
Helen was smart. She’d know what to do to protect herself from the fiend. Even as a child she had caught on to the tutor’s lessons faster than Evangeline. Helen had a knack for learning, which had annoyed Evangeline’s aunt and tutor, the elderly Sister Agnes. She’d been raised by a string of hired nannies, which spoiled her, and instilled the belief that servants should remain ignorant to keep them in their place.
Fortunately, Evangeline’s father did not hold with that notion, and even encouraged Helen to teach any of the staff who wished to learn basic reading and math, as long as it was done discreetly.
As Evangeline’s constant companion, Helen’s thirst for knowledge had spurred Evangeline to try harder to keep up.
When Helen reached seventeen, Buford Oxley had approached her mother for Helen’s hand in marriage, though he was old enough to be her father.
Ox had been widowed twice, the second wife had been buried only two days before. Helen had flatly refused. Not only was she repulsed at very thought of Ox, who had ogled her for years; she was deeply in love with one of the castle guards, Armand Degraff. If it had not been for her mother’s plea for freedom, which Ox had promised if Helen married him, she would not have married him. He had freed her mother only to murder her a month after they were settled into the inn.
Helen and Evangeline were close as sisters, but to Evangeline’s regret, during that time when Helen had needed her most, she was in London where she met Henry and was soon wed. It was not until after her return, disguised as Sister Margaret Mary, that she heard the horrid details of Helen’s marriage. Ox’s treacherous cruelty had scarred her friend, as much as the fire had etched Evangeline’s back and soul.
The Secret Life of Lady Evangeline Page 5
