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Analiese nodded, watching Jordan’s hair as it caught the light. She eyed her friend a moment in the mirror. “Jordan, ’tis none of my business, of course, but you should know that there are… rumors.”
“What kind of rumors?” Jordan asked innocently.
“About you and Baron de Troiu,” Analiese said. “You have been spending some time with him and….”
Jordan’s brow furrowed. “Just what are ye saying?”
Analiese looked at Jordan in the mirror. “I am not saying anything. I am simply repeating what is already being said. There are those who suspect that there is more going on than simply friendship.”
Jordan leapt from the chair, angrily facing Analiese. “Dunna even say what ye have heard, Analiese de Longley, for it is a bloody lie. I love my husband and I would never, ever…even entertain what ye’re suggesting.”
Analiese truly thought she was doing Jordan a favor by telling her what she had heard. She put up her hands in appeal. “I was not suggesting it, Jordan, I was simply trying to tell you what I had heard.”
Jordan was flaming mad. “Who told ye these vicious lies, Analiese? Tell me who it is and I will cut out their tongue.”
“It wasn’t one person in particular,” Analiese told her. “The whole castle is talking about it, and de Troiu is not doing anything to stop the rumors. He has made it well known that he wants you.”
Jordan stomped her foot to release some of her pent-up anger. “Wants me?” she repeated, outraged. “ ’Tis ridiculous! I am a married woman and I love my husband!”
Analiese nodded patiently. “I know you do, but….”
Jordan cut her off. “How dare he say such things! He knows I am devoted to William!”
Analiese let out a sigh and sat on the edge of the bed. “He isn’t entirely to blame, you know,” she said as if Jordan should have thought of such things. “You have been spending a good deal of time with him. Alone.”
“I thought he was my friend.” Jordan said, angry and pleading at the same time. “He was so nice to me at Northwood and when we met here at court I thought it would be nice to have someone to talk to other than those silly friends that follow ye around.” She suddenly stopped raging and looked at Analiese. Realization came over her and she sank down on the bed beside her friend. “Oh, no, Analiese… what is it that I have done? I never meant…I mean, at no time did I ever even…oh, damn.”
Analiese looked at her. “I know, Jordan,” she said, comfortingly. “I know you well enough to know that your intentions were purely innocent. But everyone else thinks that you are an adulteress and de Troiu could not be more pleased and proud.”
Jordan felt sick. Because of her naiveté, William was shamed. Damn de Troiu! If he only hadn’t come to London, if she only hadn’t been so eager for a friend, if only…. But the blame lay with her regardless. What would happen when William found out? She could only shudder at the possibilities.
She had to tell him before he heard from other sources. She knew he was fighting heavily and she should not distract him with such nonsense, but she had to tell him. She had to beg him to let her come home, away from this den of sin. So what if there was fighting, she’d been in battles before. She wanted to go home, to take her babies home where they belonged. She had to get the hell away from de Troiu.
“I have got to get a message to William,” she murmured decisively. “Analiese, find me a bit of parchment and a quill. I have got to write to William and beg him to bring me home.”
Analiese rose and went into the antechamber, returning in a moment with the requested items. As Jordan sat huddled over the table and carefully wrote out her message, Analiese watched her with some hesitation.
“When you return, Jordan,” she began softly. “I would remain here at court. I like it here.”
Jordan glanced up at her, not surprised by the declaration. “You fit in here, Analiese, I do not.”
She probably should have calmed down before she wrote the message, for in the end it looked as if she was in mortal danger if he did not allow her to come home. She did not mince words when she wrote of de Troiu, painting him out to be some sort of incubus and she his hapless victim which, in fact, she nearly was.
Rereading the message and pleased with its urgent note, she sanded it, sealed it well, and carried it out into the hall where one of the king’s guards stood watch.
William had left four of the king’s knights who had served with him in Wales at her disposal, but she had avoided becoming friendly with them. They weren’t her knights, the knights she had left at Northwood. The men in the hall were strangers. When she appeared in the corridor demanding a messenger, at once a man rushed to find her a proper carrier.
Her missive was off within the hour, tearing at high speed for the northern wilds of England.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
William was actually enjoying the first real sleep he’d had in weeks. He was sleeping in the bedchamber that had been Jordan’s for so long, sleeping in the bed that had once cradled her supple body. He was sleeping deeply, without dreaming, when a loud rap on the door startled him awake. Habitually, he reached for the sword beside him.
“Do not bother.” It was Ranulf. “I have not come to gut you; I simply bear a message. From your wife.”
“Jordan?” William was instantly awake, snatching the parchment from Ranulf’s hand. He tore at the seal. “God, I hope everything is all right. I haven’t had the time to send her a message yet….”
He began to read. Immediately, his face darkened and the veins at his temples began to throb. Ranulf had never seen such an instantaneous reaction on his lord and wondered what in the hell the message said. Whatever it was, it was not good. He instinctively stepped back from him.
