“More like fifteen thousand,” Walter was very happy to tell her.
“How?” she asked suspiciously. “Mercenaries do not earn such high fees, no matter how good they are. How is it, too, that Rothwell was willing to pay so much?”
“Rothwell was desperate to have Ranulf for the job after hearing he never fails at any task. He had meant to offer only a hundred marks, a high enough fee for so easy a task, one taking so little time. But Ranulf refused that and each higher offer, until it reached five hundred, an amounttoohigh to refuse outright. As for the other, ’tis true mercenary work does not pay well. ’Tis the possibility of loot and ransom that makes it worthwhile, and in that we have been fortunate. In one skirmish several years ago, Ranulf captured fourteen knights single-handed. The ransoms for these account for the bulk of what he has now. So you see, he would not come empty-handed to a wife. But I should not even have mentioned it. As I said, he cannot be persuaded—”
“Hecannot be! As I see it, I am the one who must be persuaded if it is to be done with the earl’s blessing. Do I not clear the way in saying he is my father’s choice, then his position would be no different from Rothwell’s. And how dare henotbe tempted, when his fifteen thousand marks do not come anywhere near the equal of Clydon and all it entails?”
“Methinks he does not see it as plainly as that, my lady. He sees that you do not like him—”
“And so I do not,” she retorted stiffly.
“Well, there you have it. He would not force you to wed him, so he rejects the idea altogether. That you might prefer him to Rothwell does not even occur to him.”
“What I would prefer is neither of them, de Breaute, and well you know it. And you are discounting the fact that my vassals will come after me, and not at this snail’s pace that we are traveling.”
“Will they? Even should they think you will be killed if they attempt to take you back?”
Her eyes narrowed on him like glowing blue coals. “Why would they think that?”
“Because that is the warning I put in the letter Ranulf left in your chamber.”
“Wouldyou kill me?”
“Nay, but will they risk it?”
She did not answer, too furious for several moments to say anything, and then she hissed at him, “Why have you bothered to imply I have choices when you also say I have none? What is your purpose, de Breaute?”
“Curiosity, I suppose, on which choice you would make if you were given the choice. And I did wonder if Icouldbring Ranulf around to the idea. If anyone can, it would be me, since no one else dares to browbeat him as I do, and even I dare only so far. But there is no point in trying unless I have your leave, so it comes back to ‘what ifs.’”
“You could be lying to me about Rothwell,” she pointed out bitterly.
“True, but you need not take only my word for it. The men who march behind us served him this past year. Ask any one of them and you are like to have the same opinion. I doubt they are smart enough to lie, but neither do they have reason to lie. They every one of them hate the man for his meanness and cruelties.”
“I have a neighbor like that who inspires the same sentiments in his people. You crossed swords with some of his men yestermorn, for which Iwasgrateful at the time.”
“But not now?”
That did not even deserve an answer, or so her expression told him. “Let me see if I have this aright. If I tell you I will willingly wed Fitz Hugh, offering him the same contract I would have offered the man of my father’s choosing, then you will make the effort to convince him he should wed me himself, cutting Rothwell out of it?”
“Correct.”
“How long do I have to consider this?”
“Only until we make camp in those woods,” and he pointed to what was no more than ten minutes away. “I will need time to work on Ranulf, and if hedoesagree, it needs be done tonight—”
“How can it be?” she gasped.
“Those woods belong to an abbey that is a bit farther up the road. If Ranulf agrees, there is a resident bishop who can marry you. It must be done tonight, for Ranulf cannot be allowed time to think long on it or he is like to change his mind.”
“I know I am not beautiful, de Breaute, but I also know I am notthatsore on the eyes. Why would thinking about it—”
“’Twould have naught to do with you personally, demoiselle, but with Ranulf’s distrust ofallladies. He has had bad experiences in the past that have soured him against them. So being, I will use Clydon to tempt him, you understand? You will have time enough to bring him around to trusting you after you are wed.”
“You do not further your cause by telling methat, Sir Walter.”
“Mayhap, but you must allow that Ranulf is young enough to change his ways, whereas Rothwell is not.”
“Then begone, for I will need every single second I have to consider it.”
