"Thenyou can see what is to happen, know what lies ahead."
"No.I heard her. I did not see her or know what I would find when I followed thevoice."
Hemade a sharp, dismissive gesture with his hand. "You heard her and you sawSir Guy. Call it what you will, you know things others do not and cannot. Didyou plan to keep this a secret from me?"
"Therewas no secret to keep. I do not understand this any better than you do. I havenever had such things happen to me before. Not until I met you. Mayhap youbrought this curse with you from France."
"Ido not think so," he drawled, and taking her by the arm, he started towalk back to camp. "There is no need for you to be afraid to tell me suchthings."
"Iam not afraid."
Drogoignored her sulky protest. "I do not understand such things, neither hownor why they happen, but I do not condemn them."
"Butyou fear them. Everyone does. That fear is why Old Edith lived and diedalone."
"Andthat is why you must be careful. Yes, perhaps I do fear it, but that fear isborn of uncertainty, not some idea that the devil works through you or someother foolishness. But you know how others will think and, I say again, that iswhy you must be careful. You must be secretive."
"Doyou expect me to ignore what I see or hear? Should I have just pretended that Idid not see the warning about Sir Guy or hear that poor woman's cries for help?Am I to push such things aside and do nothing?"
"No,but you must learn how to act so that people do not begin to question how youknow such things."
"Iam hoping that these things will not happen often, will, in fact, stophappening; but you are right, and I will try to do as you suggest."
"Soobedient," he murmured and met her cross look with a smile. For a momentthey walked through the wood in silence, but then Drogo asked calmly,"What do you intend to do with that baby?"
"Thisbaby?" She sighed when he looked at her. "I promised the woman Iwould take care of him. His name is Alwyn, and he is about six-monthsold."
"Andyou plan to fulfill that promise as we battle and march our way toLondon?"
"Youcould leave me behind in some safe haven and then you'd need not fear for thebabe's safety."
Drogoignored that. "It will not be easy; but you have May to help you and,perhaps, we will find a safe place to leave him until this war is over. Ourproblem now is to think of a reasonable explanation for how you could take awalk in the wood and return with a baby. It will not take long for people towonder how you found him when no one else recalls hearing or seeing him."
Shewatched him when he paused just outside of camp and frowned down at her. He wasobviously trying to think of a tale no one would question. Eada said nothing,not wanting to disturb his thinking, especially when she had no ideas to offer.
"Ithink we shall just say that you slipped into the wood to relieve yourself andgot lost in the dark," Drogo finally said. "While you were wanderingabout trying to find your way back to the camp, you stumbled upon the child andhis already-dead mother. Not wishing to leave the child to die, you picked himup and continued to wander until I found you."
Itwas a good story and would be easy to remember, but Eada felt compelled to say,"I never get lost."
"Thistime you did—hopelessly so," he replied as he took her by the hand againand walked into the camp.
Eadawas embarrassed to find everyone awake, waiting for their return. She knewthat, except for May, who rushed to her side, most of that concern was forDrogo, who would not have been in the wood if she had not slipped away withouttelling anyone. If there were a next time, and she heartily prayed that therewould not be, she would have to remember that she could not just run awaywithout a word.
"Whata sweet-faced child," May said as she lightly touched Alwyn's thick, blondcurls. "Where did he come from?"
Eadadutifully repeated the tale Drogo had concocted, feeling guilty about lying toMay. At the moment, however, all the men were close at hand, listening, and shewas not sure if Drogo wished her to hide her skill from May and the men as wellas from everyone else. When May shyly asked if she could take the baby, Eadaplaced the child in her outstretched arms. She watched May closely as the womanwalked back to the rough blanket-bed she shared with Ivo, cooing and cuddlingthe small child every step of the way.
Afterglancing around to see that everyone had returned to their beds, Eada murmuredto Drogo, "I think May has suffered the loss of a child—whether one of herown, a young sibling, or one she cared for, I do not know, but shehaslost one."
"Morevisions?" Drogo asked as he pulled her toward their bed then sat down andyanked off his boots.
"No."She sat down next to him, tugged off her small boots, and slipped beneath theblanket. "It was just something I sensed in the hungry way she tookpossession of the child. She was gentle, but she grasped that baby like astarving man grasps a scrap of bread. At first I thought she rushed to my sidebecause she had been afraid for me, but although I do think she was concerned,that is not why she ran to me. No, in truth, she did not run to me; she ran tothe child."
"Then,perhaps, she will care for the child," Drogo said as he slipped beneaththe blanket, curled his arm around her waist, and tugged her close against him."That would allow you to keep your promise to that woman yet not have tocare for the child yourself." He nuzzled her hair, sorely regretting theircomplete lack of privacy and the inability to leave the protection of the armyin search of a private place. "Unless you want the child."
"Therewas no time to become attached to the baby. If May truly wishes to care forAlwyn, she can, for I am sure he will be much loved. Poor Aldith can rest easyabout that." Eada sighed. "I just wish I could have given her aburial, no matter how hasty or meager."
Drogopressed a kiss to her shoulder. "I will send Ivo and Tancred out to attendto her before we leave." He fought to subdue his hunger for her as herested his cheek against the top of her head. "Rest now, Eada. There islittle time left before the dawn when we must continue on to Hastings."
