Drogotossed Eada onto the back of his horse and silently mounted behind her. He wasglad that she held her tongue as they rode back to camp. He knew she did notdeserve any of the anger churning inside him, but he also knew he could easilyflay her with it if they spoke before he was able to control it.
Themoment they reached his camp, Eada slid off his horse and hurried over to whereIvo had settled the Saxon youth. Drogo fought to dispel a sudden, sharp pinchof jealousy. The youth was badly wounded and had suffered through a night withno treatment of those wounds. He did, however, intend to find out how Eada hadfound the youth and exactly who he was. Instinct told him that the boy was notreally her kinsman. Drogo also wanted to hear from the youth's own lips that hehad surrendered, for, young though he was, he was still a Saxon warrior.
Eadasighed with relief as she finished washing and slipped her clean gown on. Ithad taken a long time to clean, stitch, and bandage Brun's wounds. She had thenleft him in Ivo's care and rushed into Drogo's tent to scrub away the scent ofblood and battle. And to hide from Drogo, she ruefully admitted to herself. Shehad felt his gaze on her from the moment they had returned to camp. She hadalso felt the anger he struggled to control.
Shefelt absolutely no guilt about helping Brun, and she felt sure that Drogo didnot really fault her for that either. Leaving camp alone had not only beendisobedient but foolish and dangerous. That, however, would bring no more thana stern reprimand and, perhaps, a heavier guard. The anger she saw in Drogo wascaused by Sir Guy and the fact that, however inadvertently, she had somehowmade matters between the two men even worse. As she brushed her hair by thesmall central hearth, she decided that she needed to know exactly what wasgoing on between Sir Guy and Drogo.
WhenDrogo entered the tent, Eada gave him a tentative smile as he sat down facingher. He was still angry and, although she did not fear him, she was unsettledby it. Since she did not know the full cause of that anger, she was uncertainabout how to soothe it.
"Whois that youth?" he asked. "I do not believe he is your kinsman."
"No,he is no kin to me at all," she admitted, feeling a distinct pinch ofguilt for having lied to him. "I said that to try to save him. He is Brun,the youth I met in the wood when I found the baby."
Drogofelt himself relax. Her reply soothed the small lingering suspicion he heldthat something secretive was going on. He knew it was a suspicion born of hisown jealousies, but he had not been able to fully conquer it.
"Hecalled to you?"
"Yes.I am sorry that I did not wait for Ivo. I did look for him, but he was not incamp and I was desperate to silence the voice in my head. It carried such painand fear, and those feelings were beginning to spread through me. Did youreally think I would go willingly to that battlefield?" she asked in asoft voice, shivering as she remembered the horrors she had seen.
"Youmay have thought to find someone you knew, a friend or a kinsman," hereplied and then shrugged. "Did Brun really surrender?"
"Hedid not actually say so, but he called to me. I told him to do so if he decidedhe needed help and that, perhaps, there were a few things he cherished morethan killing Normans. He said he had decided that he did not wish to die."
"Thatis not really a surrender. I will talk with him. I want to hear the words ofsurrender myself so that I can attest to them in all honesty if anyone asksabout Brun." He combed his fingers through his hair and sighed as he felthis stomach begin to unknot, his anger finally leaving him. "I believe Iwill also get him to pledge himself to me and, when and if the need arises, toWilliam as well. Is he highborn?"
"Higherthan I, I think, although not wealthy. He told me that his father was killed ashe tended their flock in the fields. Good blood does not always bring an easylife. The fine quality of his weapons marks him as one of good family,however."
Drogonodded then grimaced. "Do you mean to gather forlorn Saxons to your breastall the way to London?"
"Icannot ignore a cry for help."
"Neithercan I, and I could never ask you to do so anyway. It is just that filling mycamp with Saxons could prove troublesome."
"Becauseof Sir Guy."
"Yes,because of Sir Guy. He was easy to ignore before because he simply hated me.Now he tries to destroy me."
"Howcan he do that?" Eada remembered Sir Guy's words about Drogo's kindness tohis enemies, words that had been meant to be insulting, but now also seemedominous and threatening.
"Ina most cowardly way. He twists and tangles everything I say and do until itappears treasonous. He whispers suspicion and lies into every ear he can reach.He blackens my name and questions both my honor and my courage, yet not in away I can fight. There are no open accusations or insults made, and so I cannotchallenge him. That means that I cannot prove my innocence in battle."
"Williamcannot believe any of Sir Guy's lies, can he?"
"Iwould like to believe that William would treat Sir Guy's words with all thescorn they deserve, but I cannot be certain of it. Treachery and danger lurk inevery shadow. William has faced betrayal so often, he sometimes sees iteverywhere. This is the greatest battle he has ever fought, and a crown is theprize. For every man who wants William to be king, there is one who wouldrather see him dead. Sir Guy's lies could turn William against me. It is asmall chance, but I cannot ignore it. What troubles me and infuriates me isthat I do not know how to fight against this. I can only deny what he says aslies."
"Itis sad, but I fear your word may not be enough. In his heart, I am sure thatWilliam trusts and honors you; but sometimes, one forgets to listen to one'sown heart. I will try to do and say nothing to help Sir Guy. I certainly do notwish to be the one who puts the dagger in his hand, the dagger he will thenbury in your back."
Drogonodded as he stood up. "I can ask no more. Except, perhaps, that you thinkof a sure but honorable way to shut his mouth." He kissed the tip of hernose then started out of the tent. "I will now go and talk to thatboy."
Eadacursed and moved to start cooking the evening meal. Whispered lies were a hardthing to defeat. She had seen before how completely they could destroy a personand dreaded such a fate befalling Drogo. And once the lies had wreaked theirhavoc, the truth no longer mattered. Eada vowed she would try to be morecareful in all she did and said. She refused to give Sir Guy the weapon heneeded to destroy Drogo.
Afterhelping Brun drink from the wineskin to seal the oath he had just made, Drogosat down and studied the youth's somewhat sullen, pale face. "I did notask you to swear to like me," he drawled. "Only to obey and serveme."
"Youcannot expect me to find the taste of defeat a sweet one," Brun said inheavily accented French, revealing his high birth.
"No,I expect no Saxon to embrace us with joy. You are wellborn?"
"Yes,but poor. My father held lands but had to do all the work himself. As you saw,I had weapons but no armor. You need not fear that I will have too much prideof blood. I may be cousin to kings, but I still had to clean our stables. Myfather had hoped that my skill with a sword would help us regain the riches hisfather had lost."
