"OnlyVedette and I know. We were the only ones who looked at the scrolls, and we donot intend to tell very many people."
"Vedettecan read?"
"No.I can."
Shesat up slowly when she felt him tense. It was hard to see his expression in thedim light of the tallow candles. Eada struggled to wait and hear what he had tosay before she judged him. He was understanding about her voices, but she couldnot be sure how he would react to her knowledge of something only men and avery few women of the church knew.
"Whydid you not tell me?" he asked quietly.
"Ido not know. I think that, since the occasion to display that skill neverarose, I really gave it very little thought. Old Edith was most adamant that Ishould only do it when it was truly necessary and that I should not let it bewidely known."
"Shewas right," he said, as he tugged her back into his arms. "It is justanother thing that could cause you trouble. I should have guessed, for you wereclearly very close to the old woman and she revealed the skill of writing whenshe marked her own gravestone. It is a good skill to have, but one can never besure who might find it appalling that a woman has it. Some churchmen might evenconsider it a sin or worse. I know this may upset you, for you have tasted thesting secrets can cause, but will ask you to try and keep this a secret aswell."
"Youdo not mind that I can read and write? Oh, and cypher?"
"No.I have often wondered why more people are not taught the skill. No one has everexplained to my satisfaction why such things are held so tightly by sofew."
Eadafelt herself go limp with relief. A moment later she realized how weary she wasand yawned widely. Her emotions had run wild today and that had drained her ofstrength.
"Ibelieve I will cease to worry about all this." She wrapped herself aroundDrogo, rubbed her cheek against his chest, and closed her eyes. "It willall still be there in the morning."
Drogokissed the top of her head as he heard her breathing grow slow and even withsleep. She was right. It would all still be there in the morning. Her strengthand spirit astounded him, as did her capacity for forgiveness andunderstanding. It was good that she had such a character, he thought with asigh as he held her closer and thought of how many more miles they had totravel and all the destruction and death she would be forced to see. She wouldprobably need a lot of that in the days ahead.
Eighteen
Eadawoke with a cry of fear on her lips. She clutched the heavy blanket aroundherself as the sweat on her body dried and left her chilled. When she feltDrogo's hand touch her back, she shivered and curled up in his arms.
Ithad been five days since she had left her family behind to continue on toLondon. By the third day she had begun to wonder if she had made a mistake. Thedeath of innocents and the destruction the army left behind haunted her dreams.She loved Drogo, and desperately wanted to stay at his side, but she feared thesadness around her and the horrors she was witnessing were beginning to twisther mind.
Shetook several deep breaths to try and calm herself, to look carefully at whathad made her wake up shaking and afraid. When she remembered seeing Godwin, shetried even harder. This time it might not have been some remembered misery ofthe day that caused her night terror, but a warning of danger.
"Areyou all right,cherie?" Drogo asked, idly kissing her neck.
"Wait,"she whispered, willing to be diverted by lovemaking only when she was certainit was a normal fear that had awaken her. "This time my dream may havebeen more than dark memory."
"Youhave foreseen something?"
Drogopropped himself up on his elbow and watched her. He was uneasy, as he alwayswas when she revealed her gift, but he was willing to hear what she had to say.She had been proven right far too often for him to ignore. Although he wantedher skill to fade, he knew it was wise to make use of it while she had it.
"Iam not sure," she answered cautiously as more and more of her dream becameclear. "I think Godwin may be in danger."
"Canthat not wait until morning?"
SuddenlyEada saw it all and understood what she saw. Godwin was sprawled in the dirtand Sir Guy, his hands drenched in blood, stood over the youth with a twistedsmile on his face. It was night, dark mists swirling about both figures in herdream, and the fear that caused her heart to beat so fast told her that it was thisnight. Sir Guy was going to kill Godwin soon, could even be murdering the boynow. With a cry of renewed alarm, she leapt from the bed and began to pull onher clothes.
"Godwinis in danger now?" Drogo asked even as he climbed out of the bed and beganto dress. "From whom?"
"SirGuy," she replied as she tugged on her gown and struggled to do up atleast enough of her laces to maintain her modesty. "Sir Guy is going tokill Godwin."
"Eada,we cannot go racing into Sir Guy's camp in the dead of night crying murdersimply because you have had a dream about the boy."
"Ithought you believed in my dreams and sendings?"
"Ido, but we still cannot go and declare Sir Guy a murderer without more than adream to strengthen our claim. We will both be thought mad or worse."
"Butwe have to go now."
"Thedream told you it was happening now? Right now?"
