"Youwill come with us," he ordered and held out his hand.
Shelooked at his hand as if he waved something vile in her face, then stood up,still clutching the small box, and walked out the door. Drogo watched the swayof her slim hips and fought the urge to slap her attractive backside. Hefollowed her out of the cottage, still uncertain if Serle were right when hehad said the girl understood what they were saying.
Whenthe Norman reached for her to set her on his horse, Eada neatly eluded hisgrasp. She hurriedly mounted the cart pony's back and wondered crossly how thefools had planned to get their stolen bounty back to Pevensey if they all rodetheir own horses. The stallions would never allow such a collection of noisyanimals anywhere near them. Eada called softly to her hounds as she urged thepony forward. It angered her that Edith's animals would soon fill Normanbellies, but she suspected that her dear friend had known that as well.
Drogoglared at Serle when the man laughed then hurriedly mounted his horse. He wasgoing to have to do something about the girl's impudence. Even now, somethinginside him told him that he would be keeping her close by his side for a longwhile. Many men would envy him her beauty, but they would also laugh heartilyat a man who had so little control over his woman. The girl had clearly notbeen taught that man was the master of women.
"Er,Sir Drogo?" Unwin asked a little timidly as he rode up beside the olderknight. "Do you take the girl, too?"
"Ofcourse. She is my prisoner," Drogo drawled.
"Oh.I see. Your prisoner." Unwin's tone of voice made his doubts very clear.
"Yes,my prisoner. Do you not see how she quails before our manly strength? Do younot see how she rushes to obey my every command? Look closely, boy, and youwill see how her slim back already begins to bow beneath the acceptance of herenslavement." He grinned at the young man, who quickly grinned back as herealized he was being soundly teased.
Eadabit back a laugh then scolded herself for softening so quickly. A sense ofhumor was compellingly attractive in a man, however. It had always been one ofthe things she had looked for in a person. She soon decided that the men'sraillery grew unnecessarily crude and fought to keep her face averted, hidingher blushes. If the men saw how she colored, they would know that she couldunderstand them, and she was not quite ready to give them that knowledge.
Justas they entered Pevensey, the four knights encircled her, even though theirwarhorses needed a great deal of convincing before they would draw near so manycommon animals. Eada wondered briefly if they made a show of bringing food anda prisoner but an instant later felt almost sorry for maligning them. It wasclear to see that they had moved closer to protect her from the harshconsequences of being a young woman within reach of a seven-thousand-man army.
Herguardians quickly got rid of their horses, and Eada decided that had been amistake. Four easily unsettled warhorses inspired far more caution than fourwell-armed men and two hounds which were not much inclined to bite anyone. Shewas just about to kick one particularly annoying man right in his leering facewhen everyone suddenly grew quiet. When the crowd of men slowly parted to allowone man and his small entourage to approach the cart, Eada instinctively knewthat she was about to meet William the Bastard.
Theman smiled faintly at Drogo and said, "When I saw such a crowd gathered, Ithought you had brought us some fanciful beast, Drogo." He briefly glancedat Eada. "Although, when one considers the rarity of this particularcreature at the moment, I suppose you have."
Eadacarefully studied William as Drogo explained what had happened during his briefforaging sortie. The man who claimed the right to sit on the throne of Englandwas not very impressive in appearance or stature, yet there was somethingdeeply compelling about him. She could see the strength in him, a strengthsupported by wit, determination, and ambition. It saddened her to acknowledgethat, but it was clear to her that William of Normandy could easily accomplishall he planned unless God decided to deny him the prize he sought. She wasabruptly pulled from her musings about the red-haired Norman baron when Drogopicked her off the pony's back and set her down at his side.
"Amfrid,"Drogo said to the nervous, bone-thin man at William's side, "will you tellthis girl that William of Normandy is her new king?"
WhenAmfrid did as he was told, Eada looked at William and calmly said, "Notyet. Harold still holds the throne. You, my lord, are still only a Normanlordling standing on the edge of England looking in."
"Whatdid she say, Amfrid?" William asked when the man stared at Eada inopenmouthed horror.
"Itdoes not matter, my lord," Amfrid stuttered in reply. "She is butsome foolish girl."
"Amfrid,she is one of the people I intend to rule. Now, tell me what she said."
Hisvoice high and unsteady, Amfrid dutifully repeated Eada's words. For a momentEada feared that she had indeed been a silly girl. William's face darkened andDrogo looked torn, as if part of him wanted to hide her and part of him wantedto beat her soundly. Then, to Eada's surprise and the obvious astonishment ofothers, William began to laugh.
"Ah,Drogo, my old friend, do not look so dismayed," William said. "Shebut spoke the truth. Ask her, Amfrid,And when I do hold the throne?Goon, ask her. She speaks the truth with no pretty dressing and I will hearit."
AfterAmfrid had carefully translated William's question, Eada replied quietly,"Then you will be my king and I will kneel to you. I but ask that youforgive me if I weep at your crowning." She waited for Amfrid to repeather words in French, then continued. "I am but a little woman in a littletown and will dutifully kneel to whomever sets the crown upon his head. I amSaxon, however; and though I know none of the men of any consequence, they, too,are Saxon which makes them my kinsmen in blood and heritage. To gain all youseek, you must now spill the blood of my kindred.”
"Yes,I will honor the crown, especially since I have heard it said that it waspromised to you; but I will weep for the loss of Saxon lives, for the loss ofSaxon lands, and, I think, the loss of much else that is Saxon." Shecurtsied then walked back to the cart, not waiting to see how her words wereaccepted.
"Iam sorry, my lord," Drogo finally said when he was able to shake free ofhis shock and dismay and speak coherently.
"Donot apologize for words that have come from the heart. They have even moved mydear friend Amfrid. That child neither insulted me nor threatened me. Shesimply and eloquently explained what she felt, and I can well understand thosefeelings. 'Tis rare to find one who can explain it so clearly and with neitheranger nor bitterness."
Williamsmiled suddenly and lightly slapped an uncertain Drogo on the back. "Ithink you may have captured yourself a troublesome bundle, my friend."
William'sgood humor eased some of the unease knotting Drogo's stomach, and he smiledfaintly. "Most troublesome, but I intend to tame her."
"Andwatch her most closely," William said, quickly growing serious again."As she so graciously told us, Drogo, she is Saxon and, until I amcrowned, she will not see me as her king. She is small and very pretty, butthat does not mean that she cannot be dangerous as well."
"Iwill not be blinded by her loveliness, my liege."
"Good.Now, have your men take a share of the bounty you have gained and then put therest with the supplies."
Drogobowed slightly then watched as William walked away to disappear into a crowd ofmen near the town well. From the moment he had set eyes on Eada, he had givenlittle thought to the fact that she was Saxon, one of the enemy. He was notsure he appreciated William's reminding him of that fact. A hint of suspicionnow stirred in his heart and he wished he could banish it.
