Page 8 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

An hour later, after having bathed and changed, he left hischamber and descended the stairs, his thoughts returning to the servant girlswho had fled. He understood why they had done so. His own sister, Aveline, hadbeen thought a servant the day she was working in her garden, digging in thedirt in a plain brown gown, when an errant knight had come upon her and,thinking to have his pleasure, took her by force. Hearing her screams, Renaudhad come running and killed the rutting knight, but he could not restore to thebeautiful Aveline what had been so brutally taken.

After what happened to his sister, he could well comprehendthe fears of the servant girls at Talisand. It was the worst part of a war thatwas fought not on a battlefield so much as in the towns of the conquered.Though sometimes necessary, the destruction of innocent lives always sickenedhim. He knew the taking of spoils included rape, though William frowned uponit, and Renaud would not allow it to be counted among his men.

He could only hope the women would return.

Chapter 3

The fire in the hall’s hearth burned slowly as the smokeascended to the opening in the roof, drawing Renaud’s attention to the carvedtimbers above him. Soot had darkened the wooden members, but he could still seethe rich ornamentation and the intricate patterns and scrollwork he hadobserved in other English dwellings, particularly in the churches.

He had left his hauberk, spurs and the wolf’s pelt in hischamber and now sat at the table on the dais enjoying the evening meal. Torchesset into the wall cast a warm glow about the long timbered room, and candlesset upon the tables flickered as servants with expressionless faces laidtrenchers of food before him and his men. Gazing about the room, he paid scantattention to the low male voices and hearty laughter coming from his men. A fewdogs lurked in the shadows among the rushes, eager for a scrap.

Renaud took it all in and marveled that this now was his aswell as the lands that were a part of his earldom. He ate with relish thevenison, fish and roasted vegetables the cook had prepared. His prayer had beengranted. Maggie was a fine cook. Taking up his goblet of French wine, Renaudleaned back in the lord’s chair, well satisfied. The wine and a full stomachlulled him into a mollified state after his anger of the afternoon.

A dark-haired woman ambled toward the dais carrying apitcher of wine. As she refilled his goblet, she leaned over the table,allowing her long dark hair and breasts to fall into his view. His eyes gazedupward to see her smiling. He did not fail to note the invitation in her darkeyes.

“My name’s Aethel, m’lord.” The seductress slowly grinned.“Is there aught else ye would require of me this night?”

“Nay. That will be all.”

As she sauntered away, hips swaying, Geoff leaned close towhisper. “It seems not all at Talisand resent Normans, Ren. If you want her, Iwager she’s yours. Best to take her afore Sir Alain does. See there, he standsin the corner with his arms crossed watching her with possessive interest.”

Renaud followed Geoff’s gaze to see his standard bearerwatching the wench. “Nay, I want her not. She reminds me of the serving womenin Rouen, comely but available to any of William’s knights.” He took a longdraw on his wine. “Let Alain have her if he will. Mayhap he will make an honestwoman of her.”

“Yet she seems to favor you.”

Renaud shrugged. “Or, she favors the title I now carry.”

“I see you have not changed,” teased his friend, “still thewarrior priest.”

“Ah… That description bandied about London. I’d forgotten,”he said thoughtfully. “Why? Because I protect the women?”

“Yea, that and because you wear honor like a cloak andexpect the same of your men. You would seek to gain a measure of trust with thevanquished when other knights care nothing for such sensibilities.”

“You know me well, my friend.”

“Ah, but there is more to the tale. In London, William’scourtiers wondered at the rules you adhere to and the discipline you insistyour knights follow. Some consider the justice you mete out for breaking therules harsh—the lashings and, in some cases, death by the sword. It has earnedyou the reputation the Red Wolf has today.”

“The rules are necessary,” Renaud said dismissively. “I’dnot change them. To fight battles without discipline is to set out to lose.”

“And then there are the many women you have denied yourbed,” Geoff said with a wink. “I believe that is what accounted for the label‘priest’.”

Renaud could not resist a small laugh. “I am not celibate,as you know. Merely particular—and too consumed with William’s many tasks tospend my evenings wenching.”

“Well, many who serve William do.”

Renaud shrugged, tired of the subject. Sated from theevening meal, he rested his palm on his stomach. “That food was most welcomeafter the meager fare we have had these last weeks. Still, I am glad we broughtthose casks of wine. I much prefer it to the English ale and to the wine theymake in England.”

“Aye, ’twas a veritable feast,” said Geoff, filling hismouth with a choice bit of venison and following it with a swallow of wine.

At the sound of the door to the yard opening, Renaud turned.A knight wearing a hauberk came toward him at a brisk pace, his spurs making aslight jingle as they hit the floor. Renaud recognized Niel le Brun, the knightGeoff had sent with Sir Maurin to find the missing servant girls. Once Renaud’ssquire, the young knight had earned his spurs with the jagged scar on his leftjaw he had gained at Hastings.

“My lord,” said the knight, pausing for Renaud toacknowledge him. “We found five women and two men several hours’ ride north.They were traveling on foot. When I assured them no harm would come to thewomen if they returned, the men admitted they were from Talisand. The weaponsthey carried are now in the armory: several bows, some carried by the women, aseax, and the scramaseax knives the men carried.”

“Where are the women now?”

“Sir Maurin has taken them to the manor’s entry where hestands guard. I thought you would want to speak to them.”

Renaud pushed back his chair and rose. “Yea, I will seethem.”