Shereturned his smile and heartily wished he spoke the truth. At times she didseem able to see into people's hearts and minds, but that skill utterly failedher when she tried to use it on Drogo. They would ride into London on themorrow, and she still had no idea of what he felt or planned.
Twenty-two
Wrappedtightly in a heavy blanket, Eada stared out the narrow, dirty window at thestreets of London. Drogo had had to make use of his position in William's courtto get the small room in which they were quartered. Everyone else with them hadhad to make camp outside of the city. In the past three days, she had rarelyseen him. He slipped into bed late at night, rousing her only enough so thatshe knew he was there, and then he was gone by the time she woke in themorning. She missed him and she missed their lovemaking. The knowledge that hertime with Drogo might be coming to an end made these lost moments even harderto bear.
Shealso hated London, she decided, grimacing at the noises that rose up from thealready-crowded streets. The city was filled with people—Norman, Saxon, and foreignmercenary. Many of William's army and its followers had had to camp on theoutskirts of the city, but they crowded its streets all day and most of thenight. Hundreds of fires kept the air thick with stinging smoke and dimmed thelight of the sun. The roads winding around the closely packed buildings werethick with mud, manure, and human waste. Rats were everywhere, fat and bold. Attimes she had felt a need to escape the confines and ills of Pevensey. Londonwas a hundred times worse.
Eadaknew, however, that what truly soured her mood was the sense she had that Drogowas already pulling away from her. He had said nothing and done nothing to makeher feel that way, yet she could not shake free of the fear. The war was won.William was soon to be crowned, and then he would reward his followers, takingfrom the Saxons to profit the Normans. Drogo was certain to be favored, andEada suspected that was the root of all her fears. Once Drogo had the lands andthe riches they would bring him, would he then cast her aside and reach for abride who could further enrich him? He had still offered her no promises and nowords of love, so she had nothing she could use to push aside the fear grippingher heart.
Arap at the door dragged her from her dark thoughts. She wondered why May, whohad come to her every morning, was arriving so early. Hitching the blanket upso that it would not drag on the floor and trip her, she made her way to thedoor, smiling over the tiny steps she had to take because of the blanket.
Hersmile vanished abruptly when she opened the door. It took her horrified mind amoment to accept that it was not May she was looking at but Drogo and William,the man who would be crowned king in just a few days. The soft laughter ofTancred, Unwin, and the two large men escorting William finally pulled her outof her speechless shock.
"Towhat do I owe this great honor?" she asked, pleased that her voicerevealed none of her embarrassment or nervousness.
Drogogrinned. Eada looked beautifully tousled, her thick, fair hair tumbling overher slim shoulders in a wild, unbrushed cascade of curls. Little more than herhead, her small hands, and her tiny, slippered feet were revealed by the thickblanket she had wrapped around her. Her lovely face was delicately tinted pinkby her blushes. Only her wide lavender eyes revealed the embarrassment she wasfeeling. He suspected he would hear a lot about that later, but the visionbefore him made the threat of a scolding easy to bear.
Agrinning William reached out to gently detach one of her hands from the blanketand kissed the back of it. His grin widened at the way she hastily moved tohold the blanket closed with only one hand. Eada found the men's amusementextremely irritating. The moment he released her hand, she tugged the blanketback up from where it had slipped down off one shoulder.At least they havenow seen the strap of my chemise and know I am not completely naked beneaththis blanket, she thought as she struggled not to glare at the man she wouldsoon call her king.
"LordWilliam has come to take your oath of fealty," Drogo said.
"Now?"she gasped, and then she frowned, suspecting she was the butt of some jest."Women do not take oaths of fealty."
"Foryou, Lord William has decided to make an exception."
Eadasuddenly remembered what she had said to William on the shores of Pevensey andshe gave him a nervous smile. "That is most kind of you, my lord."
Drogowas amazed at the grace Eada revealed, despite her strange attire, as she kneltbefore William, kissed the ring upon his hand, and swore a very pretty, if notcompletely correct, oath of fealty. He was relieved to see the look of charmedamusement on William's face, for when William had suggested the visit and askedfor the oath, Drogo had not been sure just how serious the man was. It had madehim uneasy to know that William had recalled what Eada had said to him on theday of their landing. His concern faded as William helped her stand and kissedher hand again.
"YourFrench is perfect, child," William said. "Your mother taught youwell."
AlthoughDrogo had assured her that William had understood her small deception all thosemonths ago, his mention of it made her nervous. "My liege," shebegan, struggling to think of the appropriate words of apology.
"Donot seek my forgiveness. You have it. In truth, I understand what you didbetter than most. It was but a tiny, harmless rebellion. It will also give me atale to tell my wife when she joins me, one she will take great delight in.”
Aftera few more pleasantries, the men left. Eada stared at the door beforestaggering to the bed and collapsing on it. When she heard the door open again,she groaned. What more could happen to her? She scowled up at Drogo when hewalked to the side of the bed and grinned down at her.
"IfI were not so weak with mortification, I would hit you," she said.
Drogolaughed, sat down on the edge of the bed, and brushed a kiss over her mouth."I am sorry,cherie, but what could I do? He is my liege lord. Idid try to say that you might still be abed, but William can be a mostdetermined man."
"Hedid not do this because he mistrusts me, did he? I began to think he was justamused, but I find it hard to know what he thinks or feels."
"Heis a difficult man to judge, but do not worry. There was no dark meaning behindthis. I believe he suddenly remembered what you had said that day in Pevenseyand decided he would do this, partly as a jest and partly because he merelyfelt inclined to."
"Ido not believe William forgets anything," she murmured.
"Good.Then he will not forget your pretty words of loyalty."
"Itwould have been better if I could have given him those words dressed in myfinest, with my hair brushed and my face washed."
Drogosmiled as he stood up and moved to open the chest at the foot of the bed wherethey stored their clothes. "I begin to think it was best just as ithappened. The more I consider it, the more I think that William will neverforget what happened here, if only because it is a droll tale."
"Well,I am so glad that I could provide him with some amusement." She frownedwhen he ignored her cross words and held out her soft, grey gown. "You donot need to tend to me. May will soon be here."
"No,she will not. She is helping your mother dress for her wedding to Serle."
Eadasat up slowly and gaped at him. "My mother has already reachedLondon?"
