“Lady Adelaide’s presence is required in the hall,” she said evenly. “We have several wounded and Lady Jordan requests that Lady Adelaide join us.”
Edmund was extremely hesitant as Adelaide came forward. “But I do not know anything about tending wounded,” she said, sounding panicked. “I cannot stand the sight of blood.”
Maitland fixed on her. “Being chatelaine of a great fortress is not only about selecting the proper cook or scheduling the right parties during the right season,” she said. “Being the wife of a great warlord means that you must know something of the tending of the wounded of his army. If you do not know, then you should come and learn. You cannot fail Sir Thomas when he will need you the most. Now, come along, my lady. Time is wasting.”
Adelaide looked at her with big, terrified eyes, turning to look at her father to see what his take was on all of this. Edmund continued to appear very hesitant, but there was truth in what Maitland said and he knew it.
“If Lady Jordan has summoned you, then you must go,” he told her. “Go and do as you are told.”
Adelaide panicked. “But Papa!”
Edmund opened the door wide. “You will not disobey,” he said. “Go, child. The nun is correct. This is your duty.”
Adelaide was beside herself as her father all but shoved her out of the chamber. She nearly crashed into Maitland who, in fact, had to put a hand out to stop her from tripping. The doorslammed and was bolted from the inside, leaving Maitland and Adelaide out in the corridor.
“But… I know nothing of this,” Adelaide was starting to get teary-eyed. “I am afraid!”
“Of what?” Maitland said, grabbing the woman by the arm and pulling her towards the stairwell. “There is nothing to be afraid of. All you have to do is follow instructions. You can do that, can’t you?”
Adelaide was dragging her feet as Maitland practically yanked her down the stairs. “But what shall I do?”
“Anything Lady de Wolfe tells you to do,” Maitland said, tugging her down the last few stairs. “You can sew. Mayhap you shall sew gashes. Lady de Wolfe said you were quite skilled. I am sure you will stitch them up quite nicely.”
Adelaide turned a sickly shade of white and tried to grab on to the wall as Maitland pulled her down another flight of stairs.
“I shall vomit,” she hissed. “I shall become ill if I have to sew a man’s flesh.”
Maitland didn’t say anything until they came to the bottom of the stairs. Then, she paused, looking Adelaide in the eye.
“When your father pledged you to a great warlord, what did you think your life would be?” she asked. It wasn’t a catty question, but an honest one. “Did you not think that you would have to help your husband at some point?”
For the first time since their association, Adelaide’s guard seemed to be down. “Help him?” she repeated. “Of course I would help him. I would keep his house and hold, and ensure our visitors were graciously attended. Everyone would be greatly impressed.Thatis helping him.”
Maitland nodded as she began to walk again, pulling Adelaide along. “Aye, that is helping,” she agreed. “But he is a de Wolfe. Battle is what he knows, my lady. You cannot marry theman without marrying the part of him that is a warrior, too. Did you not realize that?”
Adelaide was less resistant at that point, or Maitland was simply pulling harder. In either case, Adelaide was walking a little faster, without dragging her feet. It was true that she had looked to the House of de Wolfe as something prestigious and nothing more. Certainly, she realized the de Wolfes were battle lords, but it had honestly never occurred to her that she would be expected to take part in anything related to battle.
But she wouldn’t admit it.
“Was your husband a warrior, then?” she asked Maitland. “Is this something you have done before?”
Maitland shook her head. “My husband was a knight, but he never participated in a battle the entire time we were married,” she said. “However, I fostered at Alnwick. I know what is expected of a military fortress. It is the nature of things.”
They were heading down the stairs now beneath the cold, bright moon. “I fostered at Durham,” Adelaide said. “I was under the care of the chatelaine, Lady de Salvin. She taught me everything fine that I should know. She didnotteach me how to stick needles in men’s wounds.”
“Then you are about to learn.”
Down in the inner bailey now, they were heading towards the outer bailey and the great hall when Adelaide suddenly yanked her arm from Maitland’s grip and came to a halt.
“I willnotdo it,” she declared. “I will not be expected to stick needles in men and wipe their bloodied noses. That is for physics and servants and soldiers to tend, but not me. I will not do it!”
Maitland faced off against Adelaide in the dark yard. They were about the same height, but Maitland had a few pounds on Adelaide, who had bony arms and hands. She knew she was stronger than Adelaide simply from the resistance the woman gave her whilst she dragged her from the keep and, at thatmoment, Maitland could have done one of two things– either fight with Adelaide and make demands, or try to reason with her.
For the moment, she chose the latter.
“My lady,” she said patiently. “From what I have seen, it seems to me that your relationship with Sir Thomas is strained. Would that be a fair statement?”
Adelaide frowned and the vulnerable woman disappeared. “That does not concern you.”
