Page 49 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

Because Renaud was still healing, William allowed him toreturn to Talisand.

“We bid you leave to go,” said the king, “to see our castlebuilt at Talisand and to get an heir on that English maiden we have given you.But know we shall call upon you again. You served us well.”

Renaud bowed before the king, grateful to be going.

The next morning, the column of Renaud’s men formed behindhim. Mounting his great gray stallion, he gave the signal to move forward andturned his face to the north—and his thoughts to Lady Serena.

Would his bride be waiting for him? Twice she had deceivedhim. He could not help but wonder if the magnificently gowned lady who had somesmerized him the day he had left was yet another of her disguises, mayhap themost devious of all. He had not known Serena could speak the Norman tongueuntil she had addressed his men. What other abilities had she hidden from him?Was it possible the English maiden who hated all Normans had succumbed to hiskisses and would now bow to the king’s decree to become the wife of the RedWolf? Or, had she only been biding her time until he had gone so that she couldescape once again?

Chapter 14

Serena sat at the high table barely listening to theconversations around her as the evening wore on. Outside, the summer sun stilllingered in the sky, its last rays finding their way through the open shuttersto pool among the rushes.

Maugris, who had stayed behind when his master rode south,now joined her for meals, he on her left and Sir Maurin on her right. Since hehad learned she spoke Norman French, Sir Maurin often slipped from English, ofwhich he knew only a little, into the language of his birth. But Maugris spokeEnglish nearly as well as Serena. And though his words might be few, what hesaid was often worth hearing. Serena did not mind his company. The wise one wasa gentle soul and so unlike the Red Wolf’s knights with their rough warriorways, she had ceased to think of him as Norman at all. His tunics were now madeof the fine wool woven by Ingrith and Annis, and the children ofTalisand looked upon him as a kind of grandfather, eager for the stories hetold around the hearth fire each night.

Her mind dulled to sounds of men eating and joking as herthoughts drifted to the past. So many men were gone from the hall forever, goodmen who had fought with her father, men who died defending the Saxon king. Theones who remained were now compelled to construct a castle for theirconquerors, the timbered structure that was the symbol of the Normandomination. She knew some of Talisand’s men resented being pressed into thework, but others considered themselves fortunate to have a lord who waspowerful enough to protect their families from future attacks. They worriedonly about their crops and feeding their children. She could hardly blame them.To survive was in some way to succeed.

Looking around the hall, it was as if she could see theghosts of those whose laughter had once filled the large space: Sigmund, herfather, Oswine, the dark-haired young guard to whom she had once given herheart and the men who had followed them to Hastings. She remembered Oswineteasing her for the shorter bow Rhodri had made her. His voice, along with theothers, faded now, never to be heard again in the hall, but she would remembertheir courage and their sacrifice for as long as she lived.

Those who had survived the coming of the Normans would neverforget, as she never would. It had changed their lives forever.

Sighing, she chided herself for dwelling on the past. Shetook a deep breath and brought herself to the present and focused on theevening meal.

The mutton stew set before her was hearty and the aroma ofthe well-seasoned broth made her mouth water. She had not eaten since breakingher fast and that had been only bread and cheese. From their murmurings inNorman French, Serena discerned that Maggie had once again impressed the RedWolf’s men with her cooking. Having worked all day on the castle, they consumedwith relish the stew and hot bread fresh from the oven. More and more theNormans drank the English ale now.

Sir Niel, her constant shadow, sat at one of the long tableslaughing with another knight. Although he appeared unaware of her, she knew ifshe were to rise, the knight, whose hair failed to cover the jagged scar thatmarred his handsome face, would do so as well.

Serena understood the lack of trust between her and the RedWolf that had led to the guard. How could they know she was resigned to herfate when there were times she doubted it herself? The gesture she had made togreet them in her fine gown and circlet of silver and gold had, even then, seemeda betrayal of her father. It was why she had spoken of him when she addressedthe Red Wolf’s men. Why she had insisted the Normans pay the old thegn respect.

What would he say if he were alive to see her acceptance ofthe Norman king’s bidding? What would Steinar say if he knew she would soon bethe Red Wolf’s wife?

Of Talisand’s men, tonight the hall was missing Theodric,the captain of her father’s guard, now one of the Red Wolf’s men. ThoughTheodric was married and lived in one of the manors, he often dined in the hallif he spent the day at the manor. Leppe and Alec, who had guided their smallband into the woods the first time she had tried to escape, now served theirnew lord as archers. Their sworn fealty required them to join the Red Wolf in battleif he had need of them. Mayhap it was for the best. If they were to prosper,they must show loyalty to the new lord.

And so must she.

The Red Wolf was a warrior unschooled in all that must bedone for the smooth running of Talisand’s lands. For her people’s sake, shemust help him and turn her attention to the harvest if they were to eat thiscoming winter.

“My lady,” said Maugris, his forehead wrinkled in concern,“you speak little this eve, yet your face tells me you ponder much. Issomething amiss?” His ancient eyes, fathomless pools of pale blue, lingered onher, making her wonder what he might see that others did not.

“Sometimes, I think of how things were.”

“It is unwise, my child, to look too long behind you, elseyou will miss the future that lies before you. Though the wounds of the pastare deep, let your heart find solace in the knowledge it has loved well.”

“I know you speak the truth, wise one, and I have toldmyself the same. But if we are to speak of the future, I must tell you I amworried about all that must be done to bring in the harvest and prepare thecottages for winter now that we have fewer men. Your lord took some of thestrongest, while others have been compelled to build his castle.”

“When the time comes, the Red Wolf’s men will help, my lady.You have only to ask. The lord will withhold naught you require.”

“The villagers will be relieved to hear it,” she saidgratefully, turning to face him. “I thank you.”

The rest of the evening meal passed with only brief commentsabout the progress of the castle. On the south side of the manor, where nothinghad stood before save shelters for the sheep, there was now a huge mound ofearth and, on its flat top, a half constructed tower.

“Soon the castle will be finished,” said Sir Maurin cheerfully,slipping into Norman French. “When the harvest is ripe, the men of Talisandwill be free to work the fields.”

“That is good for we will need them to bring in the wheatand the other crops. And for the hunting and butchering that must be done beforewinter.”

The senior knight the Red Wolf had left in charge wasconsumed with plans for the castle. “Have you seen the drawings, my lady?”asked Sir Maurin.

“Nay, but I have heard the hammers and seen the ditchcreated from the huge mound of earth that supports the new timbered structure.”