He couldn’t even think on what the man might have done to her already. He refused to imagine the beatings, or mayhap he had even raped her by now. Gaston angrily shoved those hideous thoughts aside, for there was nothing he could do at the moment.
Forcing himself to remain calm in the wake of such a catastrophe was the hardest thing he had ever had to do in his life.
They waited for nearly an hour. Gaston had remained immobile the entire time, standing by the wardrobe, waiting. But he was near to bursting with impatience, merely reining himself because of Henry’s presence. But he could not hold out much longer. He had to get to Remington.
Mercifully, the same soldier that had gone in search of Lady Beaufort reappeared in the company of another soldier. The men appeared breathless and wide-eyed.
Henry snapped at them. “Speak.”
The soldier bowed crisply, almost as an afterthought. “My lord, Lady Beaufort has returned to Windsor, but her serving woman told me that Lady Remington had not been to visit her,” he indicated the soldier standing next to him. “Malsgrave was onduty last night, standing watch by the Middle Tower. He saw… well, go on, man.”
The second soldier, a young man, paled in the presence of the mighty men. “A p-p-papal guard rode through the main entrance last night with a woman slung across his saddle.”
Gaston suddenly came to life. “Could you see much of his face? What did he look like?”
The soldier shook his head. “Nay, my lord, I could not see his face for the helm. But the woman…well,” he brought up his hand. In his fist was a golden hair net, delicate and torn. “This came off her hair as they rode by. That is why we took so long in returning to you; we went to find it. I remember seeing something fall, but…..”
Gaston snatched the hair net, examining it closely. His heart crashed into his heel, the evidence in his hand confirming everything he had pieced together. He began to sweat with apprehension and horror, completely sickened.
Henry stood beside him, eyeing the hair adornment. “Well, Gaston?”
He could barely speak. He swallowed hard. “It’s hers. Stoneley has her.”
Henry nodded faintly, placing his hand on Gaston’s arm. “Go after her, man. Waste no time about it.”
Gaston did not have to be told twice. He stormed from the room, his mind ahead to the most potent battle of his life. His mind was still reeling with the rapid falling of events, of the turn of tides. The very thing he had promised Remington would never happen again had, in fact, happened.
Remington did not believe in God. He wasn’t sure he did, either. But he had prayed for Arica and she had lived, and he had thanked God profusely for Remington’s own life being spared in childbirth. Mayhap God was becoming used to hearing his prayers.
He prayed again.
*
Even as Gastonrode a hasty trail north to Mt. Holyoak, Antonius left his wife and sister-in-law at Braidwood with Martin. With Guy on the loose, he wanted the women far away from Mt. Holyoak and well protected. By the time he left the Tower, Nicolas was still searching for his brother and Gaston had not yet ridden from the keep.
He reached Oxford by mid-day, reining his great roan destrier to a halt in the middle of Oxford Castle’s massive bailey. Coincidentally, Dane and Trenton were out in the bailey with several other young pages going through their routines with a combat sticks and saw him ride in.
Antonius dismounted his steed, casting a long look at Dane, several feet away. He wasn’t even sure Dane should be told of what was happening and hoped the boy had enough discipline not to break rank and rush to him, demanding to know why he had come to Oxford. Antonius wasn’t sure he could lie effectively.
De Vere came to greet him. Steven de Norville stood next to the earl, his handsome face creased with concern to see Antonius’ weary appearance.
“Sir Antonius,” de Vere acknowledged him.
Antonius bowed to the earl, indeed weary from his long ride, but his message was of vital importance. “My lord, I bear a most urgent message from the duke.”
De Vere drew in a long, slow breath. “I am required in London? I take it the proceedings are not going well, them.”
Antonius shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at Dane. “Could we discuss this inside, my lord?”
The earl retreated into the castle without another word, leading Antonius into Lady Anne’s small solar. It was cool and dim, away from the bright June day.
“What is it?” the earl demanded quietly. “What’s happened?”
Antonius took a weary breath. “Grand trouble, my lord. ’Tis difficult to know where to start. Guy Stoneley has escaped the Tower and taken Lady Remington with him. Gaston is positive he travels to Mt. Holyoak, but all the same, he wants you to be aware that Stoneley is on the loose and he fears for Dane’s safety. He asked that you take special precautions with the boy, at least until Stoneley can be located.”
De Vere stared at him a moment, shocked. “Stoneley escaped? How in the hell did that happen? Good Christ, no one escapes the Tower!”
“As near as we can determine, he attacked a lone papal guard and stole the man’s uniform,” Antonius said quietly. “With the disguise, he was able to abduct his wife. Patrick, Gaston’s cousin, was guarding her at the time and he cannot be located. That is as much as we know.”
