"Yes,and you should be grateful that I pulled you free before your luck fled you.Now you have a pocketful of coin. A few moments from now, a few more tosses ofthe dice, and you could have been in debt." She shrugged when he put hishands on his hips and eyed her with an almost-fatherly indulgence.
"Youneed me for some reason, do you?"
"Yes."She glanced around to be certain that no one could hear her and said softly,"I must go into that village."
"Nothinghas happened there. How can you hear cries when all is quiet, no one has beenattacked, and no cottage has been set alight?"
"Thereare other things that can cause tragedy, Serle."
"Eada,sweet girl, you begin to make me very suspicious."
"Ineed to go to the village."
"Yourneedingto go is not enough reason for me to take you."
"Iwish I could tell you more, but that is all I know. I was quietly mendingDrogo's shirt when suddenly I got the strongest feeling that I must go into thevillage."
"Thishad better be good, child," he said, as he again took her by the arm andled her toward the horses.
"Atleast there is no trouble brewing there."
"True,"he agreed as he mounted and pulled her up behind him. "That does not meanit will not appear the moment you ride onto the scene."
Sheclung to him as he nudged his mount into a trot and headed toward the villagethey had camped near. "You make it sound as if I carry that trouble aroundwith me, sprinkling it about as we march to London."
"Attimes one must wonder. I have never known a girl to find trouble as easily asyou do, nor one who is so adept at hurling herself right into the midst ofit."
"Ido not do it on purpose," she grumbled then rubbed her stomach as it beganto knot tighter the closer they drew to the village. "Oh, mayhap there istrouble ahead."
"Haveyou heard something now?" he asked, glancing back at her and frowning athow pale she had grown.
"No.I still hear nothing, only feel it. The closer we draw to the village, thestronger the feeling becomes. My belly is in knots and my heart has begun topound so swiftly I am surprised you cannot hear it."
"Ah,now that is good," he muttered.
"Good?What is good about it? I am most uncomfortable."
"Ido not mean what you suffer is good." He pointed to their right. "Isee Drogo returning from his meeting with William and he has seen us."
Eadasoftly cursed and ignored Serle's bark of laughter. She did not really see anyharm in Drogo's coming along except that waiting for him was delaying them andthat delay was adding to her growing discomfort. It was a message of some sort,but it was going to be difficult to explain it to Drogo.
"Andwhere do you two travel to?" He frowned and leaned closer to Eada."You look ill."
"Ifeel ill, and I think I may soon be more so if I do not get to thevillage."
Drogosignaled Serle to continue and rode alongside him, keeping a close watch onEada. She had never looked so grey or uncomfortable before, so physicallyaffected by one of her sendings. Drogo wondered if they were getting stronger,too strong for her to endure.
"Whatis in the village?" he asked as he handed her a goatskin filled with sweetcider.
Eadatook a long, slow drink and handed the goatskin back to him. "I do notreally know. Something is demanding I go there, but I do not hear a voice orsee anything; I just feel this almost painful need."
Hereached over and patted her tightly clenched hand. "Then we will go there.Do you know where in the village you are supposed to go?"
Shestared at him yet did not really see him. His innocent question had stirredsomething within her. One soft word whispered its way through her mind.
"Imust go to the nunnery."
"Thereis a nunnery in the village?"
