Ysa’s shoulders went stiff as she grabbed the bucket of water and set it on the stone wall around the well. All the while Rodrigo was walking up behind her. She carefully took hold of the water dipper, dipped it into the water, and lifted it to her lips.
Rodrigo spoke to the women standing around the well, though Elyce was too far away to hear what he said. He stared into each of their faces. Still Ysa did not turn around. She kept the dipper to her lips, as if drinking slowly, not moving at all.
Rodrigo said something else and nodded to the women, a few among them staring and smiling boldly. Did they think he was handsome? They did not know him like Elyce did.
Rodrigo turned and walked back the way he had come. The other two men, who had wandered into a bread shop, came out with bread rolls in their hands. Then they all went back down the street.
Air rushed into Elyce’s chest. Thank You, God, thank You.
Ysa was coming toward her with a dipper of water. “Are they gone?”
“Yes. Did you know Rodrigo was right behind you?”
“I heard his voice but pretended not to see him. I was so afraid, I almost fainted.”
“I’m so glad you didn’t.” Elyce laughed, a brief sound bursting forth. “We have to find the men and hide.”
“But what if we run into Rodrigo again?”
“We won’t. They’ll go look in another part of the town, on other streets.”
“I hope so.”
Elyce took a drink of water. How good and fresh it tasted, but she couldn’t waste time. She and Ysa had to find the men.
They started back in the direction from which they had come. She wasn’t certain exactly where the meeting point was, and then she suddenly saw Gerard turn down a narrow street. When they joined him, he greeted them with, “I found a place for us to sleep tonight. Did you get the provisions?”
“We did,” Elyce answered. “We also saw Rodrigo.”
“Who is that?”
Ysa spoke up. “Count Rodrigo, King Claude’s nephew, the one Princess Elyce was to marry.”
Sir Gerard’s brows went up. “Did he see you?”
“One of his men saw me,” Elyce said. “I turned down some side streets. They followed us, so I think they know we’re in this town.”
“But you lost them? They didn’t follow you here?” He looked over her head and placed his hand on his sword hilt.
“We lost them. But perhaps we should leave town now. They might expect us to stay, but we can make our escape through the forest while they search the town for us.” Though she hated . . . painfully hated . . . missing out on a comfortable place to sleep for a night or two.
Sir Gerard was quiet for a moment, then said, “Let us put it to Bertold and Sir Oswalt and see what they think.”
They followed him toward the other end of the street and through a winding route away from the gate but also away from the town center. Suddenly Sir Gerard stopped short.
Then Elyce saw why. Bertold was standing in the street holding his sword pointed at Rodrigo.
“Get behind me.” Sir Gerard motioned for Elyce and Ysa to step back. Then he drew his sword and edged closer to where Rodrigo and his men were facing Bertold.
How could Sir Gerard and Bertold fight Rodrigo and his men, who had swelled in number to at least seven or eight? And there were probably more nearby. Even if Sir Oswalt appeared, the odds were against them, but Sir Oswalt was nowhere to be seen.
Eleven
“How dare you raise your swords against me!” Bertold’s scowl and loud voice had everyone on the street staring at him. And the menacing way he held his sword probably had something to do with that too.
Rodrigo told his men to lower their swords and step back.
“You, my dear uncle, are supposed to be dead,” Rodrigo said with a smirk. He seemed to be trying to keep his voice quiet, but with everyone on the street hushed and listening, Elyce was still able to hear from where she and Ysa hid themselves behind their horse.
“I suppose my foul brother told everyone I was dead. But I will not go quietly, so you will have to kill me, or die trying.”
“It is not you I am hunting. I have no quarrel with you.”
“Hunting, are you?”
“Perhaps hunting is not the correct word. I am searching for Princess Elyce of Montciel. Have you seen her?”
“Why would I have seen her? She is no concern of mine.”
Rodrigo stared hard at him. “It is quite a surprise to see you, Uncle. Especially when I am searching for Elyce.”
“Why would that have any bearing on seeing me? Go take care of your business. I have no wish to kill you, but I will, if you interfere with me.”
Rodrigo narrowed his eyes.
Sir Gerard stood still, lowering his sword, probably trying not to attract attention.
Rodrigo was handsome, with his dark hair and hawkish nose, but he was insincere and cared nothing for anyone except himself. If I had not run away, I’d be married to him now. Her stomach sank to her toes at the thought. Her people would be at King Claude’s mercy, and she’d be helpless to do anything to protect them. And marriage to Rodrigo would be a lie, a farce. He would never love her.
Until this moment, she hadn’t realized how good it felt to be free, to exercise her own will while traveling with Sir Gerard, Sir Oswalt, Prince Bertold, and Ysa. To be dragged back to Montciel by Rodrigo and his men would mean the loss of the new freedom that she had not even begun to fully appreciate.
“I have business here, so you and your men may go.” Bertold shook his ornate sword at them. “Go on. I have nothing to do with you. Go. Go on.”
“If you see Princess Elyce, tell her I will not force her to marry me, but she must promise to stay away from Montciel, to stay in Prague, or wherever it is she is going, and allow me to tell her father and King Claude that she is dead. That is what she wants, is it not? To make her father and my uncle think she is dead?”
“How would I know? Talk to her yourself, if you can find her.” Bertold pointed his sword at Rodrigo.
“You just tell her what I said . . . if you see her.”
Bertold made a grunting sound but didn’t move.
“We are going.” Rodrigo glanced around, his gaze resting a moment on Sir Gerard.
Elyce jerked her head back so he wouldn’t see her peeking at him from behind her horse.
Would Rodrigo think Sir Gerard was Bertold’s guard? He couldn’t possibly connect him to her, could he?
Her head was pressed against the horse’s side. Thankfully this mare was quite docile and made no snort of protest. But how Elyce wanted to lift her head and see if Rodrigo was indeed leaving. Or was he coming toward her?
The people around her started talking and behaving normally again.
“Shall I look to see if he’s gone?” Ysa whispered.
“He’s gone,” Sir Gerard said. “Follow me. Bertold and Sir Oswalt will meet us.”
Elyce and Ysa walked several steps behind Sir Gerard. Once, she thought she’d lost him when several people came between them, but she found him waiting for her a moment later.
They continued on and he led them into a stable where Sir Oswalt was rubbing down the horses. She knew they would probably have to travel during the night to avoid being found by Rodrigo, and staying at an inn was definitely impossible, but her heart still sank a little at the thought that they would be sleeping here instead of in a real bed. But sleeping on fresh straw would be better than sleeping on the ground.