"Howcan you guess these things with such accuracy?" she demanded sulkily."There was nothing in what I just said that would tell you that, and Iknow that you did not see a man. There was only me, the baby, and the deadwoman in the clearing when you arrived."
Drogodid not reply to her question, treating it as no more than a mutteredcomplaint. He did not want to answer her, for his statement that she had met aman had not been a clever guess or knowledge born of skillful deduction. Forone brief moment, he had scorned all her talk of hearing a woman's cries forhelp and suspected that she had really crept away to meet some Saxon spy orlover. Drogo was heartily glad that he had not had the time to say any morethan he had, for he knew he could have delivered a serious insult to Eada.
"Ibut guessed," he said finally. "It had to have been a Saxon man,because a Norman would have killed you or brought you back to camp."
"Yes,it was a Saxon man. A youth, my age or a year or two older. He was Aldrith'skinsman. He had obviously been near the camp for he knew I was from there. Heburns to kill Normans, to avenge the slaughter in Bexhill."
"Iam surprised he did not wish to kill you. Not only does he find you next to hisdead kinswoman, but he knows that you abide with his enemy."
Eadacould tell by the way Drogo watched her that he was not making an idlestatement. He knew exactly what the youth had done, probably because it waswhat he would have done under the same circumstances. Drogo was simply waitingto see if she would tell him the truth or try to push him aside with a lie. Sheknew she would have been angry, even insulted, by his suspicious attitudeexcept that she had contemplated telling just such a lie or not telling himanything at all about that part of her meeting with Brun.
“Youknow that he thought to kill me. I saw his sword point before I saw him."
"Andthat should clearly show you the danger of wandering about alone."
"Mostclearly, but if you wait for me to vow that I shall never do so again, you willbe dust in the earth before it happens." She touched her fingertips to hislips when he started to talk. "And do not weary your tongue telling meabout the dangers awaiting a woman alone. I am no fool. I know all about them."
"Yetyou will not vow to take care—"
"No,I will not, for it is a vow I know I will break, which will distress me anddisplease you." She nervously curled a lock of her hair around her fingeragain and again. "It is most difficult to explain. When I heard that woman'scries in my head, I did try to ignore them; but I could not. I was pulledtoward her. I was afraid to enter the dark forest, knew it was neither safe norwise, yet I could not stop myself. Although I pray it will not happen again, ifit does, I know I will do the same. My head was so filled with her voice andthe urgency to answer her that there was no room for another thought, forcaution or hesitation."
Drogogently eased the much abused lock of hair from her fingers and pressed a kissto the palm of her hand before pulling her back into his arms. He did not fullyunderstand what she meant about hearing the woman's cries in her head, but hecould easily sympathize with her uneasiness. He knew he was praying as hard asshe was that her vision about Sir Guy and the incident with the woman in thewood were rare occurrences. People's superstitions and fears could turn suchgifts into curses, bringing danger and even death.
"Perhapsthese things are caused by the turmoil around you," he murmured, kissingher ear and smoothing his hands down her back. "All the body's humors arestrengthened when the scent of battle is in the air. Grief, anger, fear, andall the other emotions roused by war are strong ones. I think you are alsofeeling a need to help your people in whatever way you can."
"Yes,I am," she agreed softly as she cuddled nearer to him, pressing her ear tohis chest so that she could hear the soothing, steady beat of his heart."It would be easier to bear if I knew that this strange skill was a giftfrom God, one He has granted me only for this time of war to allow me to helpmy people and then it would go away.”
Hesmiled faintly as he reached out to snuff the candle on the stool by the bed.One moment she speaks of her new skill as a gift from God and, in the next, iswishing it gone as if it is some annoying fly. Drogo also wished her strangeskill would fade—for many reasons. He could not have Eada rushing off to answervoices or trying to save someone from a fate she had been told of. The chanceof others discovering hergiftwas greater than he liked. And althoughhe still did not know what the future held for them, he reluctantly admitted tohimself that he did not like hergiftbecause it made him feel as ifthere were a part of her he could never hope to understand. It separated themin a way he could not explain, and he loathed it.
Eadabegan to grow heavy against him, and he realized that she was going to sleep.He briefly considered restirring her passion so that they could make love again,then brutally subdued his own selfish desires. She had suffered through a greatdeal of grief and hardship since he had found her and there was undoubtedly agreat deal more to come. She needed the rest to keep her strength. He grimacedas she murmured in her sleep and curled her lithe body around him. It might benoble to let her rest, but it was going to be very uncomfortable.
Ashe idly combed his fingers through her hair and closed his eyes, he thought onwhat the future might hold for them. The most satisfying vision was that theywould all survive the war, William would be crowned king, and he would gain theland he sought, a rich piece of land that could support them all. Then he couldretire to his demesne with Eada. She was wellborn and he had made no bonds withanother woman, so he could take her as his wife.
Hismind refused to linger on that pleasant dream, however. It quickly showed himthe other paths fate could send him down, and none of them led to a future forhim and Eada together. She would not be his leman once the war had ended and hecould never ask her to, which meant that they would have to part. The thoughtof that left Drogo feeling somewhat frantic, and he tightened his hold on her.
Whatbecame clear to him was that his future held only one real certainty. Sometimesoon, he would be faced with a hard choice. He was not high enough in William'scourt to gain a rich demesne, so he would need to find some money. Eada hadnone. As far as he knew, she had no dowry at all; and even if she did, one wayor another, the war would take it.
Itwas both irresponsible and blind, but he decided to stop thinking about thefuture. He would settle the matter when and if he had to. Thinking about itonly brought turmoil, a hundred possibilities, and no certainties. Eada alsoasked for no promises, so it was foolish to worry over what he might and mightnot be able to give her. For now, he would simply enjoy Eada, he decided as hebrushed a kiss over the top of her head. He had no doubt that she would keephim completely and, often, delightfully occupied in the days to come. All sheasked of him was that he keep her safe and, as Drogo forced himself to relax,allowing sleep to fold over him, he prayed that he had the wit and skill tofulfill that modest wish.
Eleven
Eadawrapped her arms around herself, clutching the cloak she wore closer to herbody, but that did not end her shivering. It was not the chill October morningthat made her shudder but the sight of thousands of men preparing for battle.After a fortnight of messages between William and Harold, long enough for herto nurse a small hope that matters would be settled peacefully, the time forbattle had come.
TheEnglish had arrived in the night. She did not have to see them to know thatthey were prepared to fight. She could hear them. Their shouts ofOlicrosse!andGodamite!cut through the morning mists. The steady chant ofUt!Ut!, combined with the beating of their shields, made a frightening martialdin.
Shelooked at Drogo and his men. They had stood at arms for most of the night. Thathad been terrifying enough, but when the priest had come to take theirconfessions, she had had to hide in the tent. It would have helped no one ifshe had wept with helplessness and fear as she had felt inclined to.
Somethingshe did not care to look at too closely made her sure that this was the daythat the fate of England would be decided. For a while, she had cherished thedream that the decision would be made peacefully, but she had never wavered inthe belief that that decision would be made in favor of William. Now, as shewatched and listened to the preparations for battle, she could only pray thatthe decision was made with as little bloodletting as possible.
Thecause of the fear and grief knotting her insides was twofold. She mourned theSaxon loses to come and was terrified that someone she knew or loved would soondie. It grieved her to watch Drogo go to battle with her people and itterrified her to think of how, in only moments, Drogo would face battle-axs,swords, and arrows. Soon the people she loved would be doing their utmost tokill the man she loved. She was so filled with confused emotions that she feltchoked with them and her head throbbed painfully. When Drogo walked toward her,she tried to smile, but the sad look upon his face told her that it was a pooreffort.
"Perhapsyou should confine yourself to my tent until this is over," he suggestedas he cupped her chin in his hand and brushed a kiss over her trembling lips.
"Iwill still be able to hear it all," she whispered, her strained emotionsstealing the strength from her voice.
"Iache to comfort you, to take the sadness from your eyes, but I know I cannot.Even if I swore to fight no Saxon, tossing aside all honor, it would not helpyou."
"No,for the battle must still be fought." She reached up to touch his cheek."Be careful. I know you are a strong, skilled knight, but you fight forhonor and gain while my people fight to survive as a people, for their laws,their customs, and their homes."
