Stuart, Elizabeth by Bride of the Lion Page B

buried him some months ago,
but my lord took it hard, madam. Very hard. I'd suggest you not mention that,
either."
    "No.
I won't. He's lost a great deal, hasn't he?"
    "Yes."
The word was curt. In the firelight, the knight's eyes narrowed and the planes
of his good-humored face shifted and became hard. "And there's not a man
among us that won't give his own life to see he doesn't lose aught else."
    Jocelyn
smiled. It was rare in these times to see loyalty such as this. "You've no
need to look so fierce, sir. Despite my name, I assure you I'm no danger
whatsoever to your lord."
    The
man returned her smile with a thoughtful look. "Forgive me then, lady. I
meant no disrespect."
    Jocelyn
nodded. "Get your men to bed, sir. We'll be at this again in a few
hours."
    When
Jocelyn finally crawled into bed herself she was so weary she ached in every
muscle and was chilled clear through to the bone. She snuggled beneath the
heavy covers, longing to lose herself in the oblivion of sleep.
    But
like last night, she found herself lying awake. And like last night, she was
thinking of Robert de Langley.
    ***
    The
following day passed in a blur of squealing hogs and dripping red meat. All but
a handful of Belavoir's swine would be slaughtered, for hogs required too much
of an estate's precious foodstuffs to be maintained once the acorns and
beechmast were gone from the woods.
    Robert
de Langley donned his hauberk and had his gray destrier saddled and brought
around. He would be spending most of the day in the wood with a contingent of
men, Jocelyn heard. They had set up a line of sentries to keep watch for
Montagne.
    By
late afternoon, Jocelyn was heartily sick of her work, but the swine were still
coming in. The men were confining them in makeshift pens. The poor creatures
couldn't be slaughtered nor the carcasses disposed of fast enough.
    Suddenly
a shout rang out from a man on the wall. Soldiers ran and men crowded together
atop the gatehouse. Jocelyn could hear horses, a great many of them. Someone
was coming and coming fast.
    The
drawbridge was lowered, the gates swung open. Robert de Langley and a band of
his knights galloped in.
    "Montagne
is coming!"
    The
news swept the crowd like a stable fire.
    Jocelyn's
heart began to pound, her stomach clenched. She put down her knife, then went
to a basin to wash her hands. The very people she had been laughing and working
alongside a few moments before now stared oddly at her.
    Sir
Geoffrey went hurrying to Robert de Langley. "There's still a group out
looking for swine."
    "Devil
take it, they were told to return by mid-afternoon! Who is it?"
    "None
of our men. Just several of the boys off on their own. The Carrick lad's among
them."
    Robert
de Langley went very still. From her place in the crowd nearby, Jocelyn watched
curiously.
    "Lower
the drawbridge," de Langley ordered. "Keep the gates open until I
say. They may make it yet."
    Geoffrey
nodded and turned away to give orders.
    De
Langley took the stairs up to the battlements two at a time. "Get the
archers up on the walls," he called over one shoulder. "Keep the
horses here. We may need them."
    The
bailey was thrown into instant confusion as men caught up their weapons and
scrambled into position. Sensing the tension, the horses snorted and stamped,
eager for battle.
    Jocelyn
turned to the milling servants and began giving orders of her own. "Aenor,
Glennis, Felice, get this meat up to the kitchen! Will and Edwyr, you help
them. The rest of you women, gather up all the knives, pails, anything you can
carry and get back into the keep. And get these fires out!" She glanced
around. "Felice, find Maude. Tell her I said to fetch her medicines and
bandage cloth and to pour up fresh water. We may need it."
    The
woman nodded. "Will there be fightin' then, my lady?"
    Jocelyn
hesitated. "I pray not."
    "I'll
be prayin', too." The woman paused, sent Jocelyn a quick, shy smile,
"For all of us, lady."
    "Thank
you. My prayers will be for us all as