"Notexactly," she replied as she fought to calm herself again. "The dreamshowed me Sir Guy standing over Godwin with blood on his hands. It was nightand all my instincts told me it was this night."
"Whichis but half over. What you saw could happen at any time in the next four orfive hours."
Shethrust her fingers through her hair as she struggled to think of something theycould do. He was right. There was still a lot of the night left and they neededa good reason for being awake and able to catch Sir Guy committing the crime.Her affection for Godwin made it difficult for her to think, however, and shelooked helplessly at a tousled Drogo, who was lacing up his padded jupon.
"Icannot go back to sleep," she said. "I know Godwin is in danger oflosing his life tonight. I have to do something to save him."
"Iknow. We can go outside now and walk by his camp. The man has been kind enoughto set himself next to us so that we need not walk too far," he drawled,his irritation with Sir Guy's constant proximity clear in his voice. "Wecan always say that you needed to relieve yourself and that I felt you shouldnot stumble about the camp alone."
"Andwhat if nothing is happening yet? What if this murder is to be donelater?"
"Ifwe see nothing, you will come back inside the tent and I will watch Sir Guy'scamp. Even if someone saw us wander into the wood the first time, they wouldnot question my saying I had to go again. Too many are afflicted with asickness of the bowels that has them squatting more than standing. They canthink I suffer as well."
Shenodded, and after throwing on her cloak, she gave him her hand and let him leadher out of the tent. "I just pray that I am still seeing what is or willhappen and have not dreamed of something that has already come to pass.”
"Beat ease, my love. You have yet to be wrong, only uncertain from time to time.We will save Godwin—this time."
Eadagrimaced; she had to acknowledge the unpleasant truth. This time they mightsave Godwin, but they would not be able to free him from Sir Guy. That meantthat Godwin would always be in danger. She could not be sure if the warning shehad dreamt was only for now, for this one night, or if she should see it as awarning that Godwin would now be in constant threat of dying at Sir Guy'shands. There was no way she could keep a perpetual guard upon the youth.
Asthey walked closer to Sir Guy's camp, they heard his angry voice. Drogoincreased his pace, and a moment later Eada saw her dream acted out before hereyes. Sir Guy was in a rage, pounding on Godwin with his fists. Even as Drogoreleased her hand to hurry over, Godwin fell to the ground and Sir Guy brutallykicked the defenseless youth. Several men stood nearby, frowning in disgust,yet hesitant to stop such a highborn knight. When Drogo ran into Sir Guy'scamp, two of the men watching moved to assist him. They clearly felt that theycould safely help one highborn knight restrain another. Any blame ordispleasure that might result would fall on Drogo's shoulders and not theirs.
Themoment Drogo pulled Sir Guy away from Godwin, Eada rushed in to help the youthout of the enraged knight's reach. She knelt in the dirt, holding the barelyconscious boy's head on her lap and trying to clean the blood from his batteredface with a strip torn from her undertunic. Her instincts told her that she andDrogo had been in time to save the boy. She just wished she could be certainthat there would not be another time.
"Whatright have you to stop me from disciplining the stupid boy?" bellowed SirGuy, swaying as he faced Drogo, his unsteadiness and slurred speech revealinghis drunken state.
"Istopped you from killing the boy," said Drogo, his hand held cautiouslyover the hilt of his sword.
"Ican kill him if it pleases me. He is a Saxon prisoner."
"Thathe is, but he is also little more than a child. What has he done that is worthyof beating him to death?"
"Hekeeps those cursed children around. He is a Saxon. What reason do I need?"
"Youneed a better one than this, fool," drawled a half-dressed Lord Bergeronas he walked into camp and eyed Sir Guy with blatant disgust. "Especiallyif it means I must rise from my warm bed to put an end to thedisturbance."
"Youhave no right to tell me what to do," yelled Sir Guy, swinging his fist athis uncle.
Eadagaped when Lord Bergeron backhanded Sir Guy with such force the younger manfell to the ground. The look on Sir Guy's face as he stared up at his enrageduncle told her that he was as shocked as she was. It was clear that LordBergeron was rapidly losing his patience with his nephew, that he was past thepoint of merely scolding.
"Ido not like to be roused from my bed because a drunken sot is taking out hisfrustrations on a child. And do not trouble yourself to think of lies to excuseyour actions. Do you think I do not know why you are in such an illtemper?" Lord Bergeron watched his nephew stagger to his feet and brushhimself off, but spoke to Drogo. "This idiot lost his last woman in a gameof dice, Sir Drogo. Now, as he returns to an empty cot, he pauses to kick at apoor boy to try to sate his anger."
"Whyis everyone so concerned about the spawn of our enemy?" snapped Sir Guy.
"Becauseyou have taken this particular Saxon into your household. He is under your ruleand thus under your protection. He does not deserve to be beaten to deathbecause you have lost your whore to another man."
"Ifyou find the boy so troublesome, I am willing to take him into my care,"said Drogo.
"No.He may not be much good, but he at least tends my camp with some skill."Sir Guy smiled nastily as he wiped the blood from his lips. "Since you aresuch a kind man, Sir Drogo, and have such a deep love for your enemy, I willallow you to take the children."
"ThankGod," whispered Godwin.
Eadaknew the words were heartfelt, for the youth slumped against her, the last ofhis strength leaving him as relief swept over him, but she still felt compelledto ask, "Are you certain, Godwin? You told me you were fond of them."
"Theyare no longer safe here," he answered.
Seeingthat Drogo was looking her way, she nodded, then turned her full attention onGodwin while the Normans discussed what to do with Hilde's children. "Areyousafe? That is the question I should like an answer to."
"Ithink I will be now. Sir Guy spits a lot of venom about his uncle, but he isterrified of the man. Lord Bergeron has just expressed his disgust over thisbehavior and that will temper Sir Guy's brutality toward me. And he has neverbeaten me like this before. Tonight he was furious over his losses and I wasnear at hand. At first he tried to beat the children, but I put myself in hisway."
