Forbidden Lady

‘Wait one moment, sir,’ Alanna came to him as he was about to mount his horse the next morning. ‘I have something I must tell you…’

‘Something you wish me to tell Owain perhaps?’

‘Yes. It would be best if he knew what I saw—though it is only a suspicion. I cannot swear to the truth of it, but I have thought…’ She raised her head, looking at Rob. ‘I know that I told you my lady was murdered—and it is true that he beat her. She sent me on an errand the next day, and when I returned he told me she was dead…but I think I may have seen her since then.’

‘Where?’

‘In the Isle of Ely, at the shrine of Saint Ethelreda,’ Alanna said. ‘It was Ethelreda who began the great Cathedral there and they say she has the power to work miracles. I went there with Morgan who made the pilgrimage to pray for his son…and a woman came up to me. She pressed a lily into my hand and then walked quickly away.’

‘Did you see her face? Did you know her?’

‘I did not notice her until she gave me the lily, but I recall that her head was clothed in shawls that covered her face and she was dressed shabbily. I thought nothing of it until later, and by that time she had disappeared—but that particular lily was always Elspeth’s favourite.’

‘And you thought it was her because of the lily?’

‘Yes, I began to believe so as I thought about it. I asked Morgan to make inquiries in the Isle of Ely and he has, but nothing has come of it.’

‘The evidence is slight.’ Rob frowned for it was unlikely that the woman could have been Melissa’s mother.

‘Yes. I have done nothing more for I thought I must have been mistaken—but I think Owain should know.’

‘Then I shall tell him,’ Rob said, and smiled at her. ‘This has lain on your conscience for years, has it not?’ She nodded. ‘Very well, you may rest easy, for I am sure that Owain will do what he can. He is very loyal to Melissa.’

‘And not only Melissa,’ Alanna said, standing back as Rob mounted his horse.

As he rode away, Rob wondered what she had meant by her last remark.

Melissa awoke from her dream. It had been so pleasant, for it was of the time when she had first met Rob. In those early days she had not thought of anything but the pleasure that came from seeing him smile at her.

He was so handsome, his eyes so bold and filled with laughter. She had never been teased and had hardly known how to respond to him, but she had loved him…she had loved him from the first.

She was sure that he had loved her then. They had walked together hand in hand, often saying nothing but just content to be together. Sometimes he had taken her up on his great horse and they had ridden for hours at a time, his arms about her, her head back against his chest…just as they had after he had saved her from those rogues.

A sob rose in her throat for she had felt his anger that day, and known that the gentle loving knight she had known was gone forever. In his place was a man with cold eyes who looked at her as if he hated her.

Yet she would still have begged for his help at Shrewsbury if she had not feared for his life and that of Rhona. And despite his anger, she believed that he would have given it—as he had that day in the forest.

The tears trickled slowly down her cheeks, because she had loved him so much, so very much…and now he hated her. She touched the small jade heart he had bought her at the fair, which she had hidden inside her gown next to her own heart. It was all she had left of the happiness that might have been hers…a trinket and her memories.

They were approaching their destination and unless she could think of some way to delay their journey, she would soon be the Marquis of Leominster’s wife!

Chapter Three

Henry Tudor had brought a force of more than two thousand men with him when he landed at Milford Haven on the 7th of August 1485. He sent out his messengers from the town of Haverfordwest, which he had occupied, appealing to the men of Wales on claim of descent from Cadwaller the one-time King of the Welsh.

Rob had raised a force of nearly two hundred strong, including archers, miners and men-at-arms. A few had failed but most came in in answer to his summons. They rode to greet Henry Tudor, Earl of Richmond, as he marched across the borders of Wales into England, his army swelling with growing numbers of men who flocked to his banner.

When he greeted Henry Tudor, the earls greeted him warmly. Robert of Melford had brought in a strong body of men and was therefore doubly welcome. Henry Tudor’s army was reinforced by the arrival of Gilbert Talbot with a force of five hundred men, which raised the numbers beyond four thousand. The struggle for the throne of England had begun.

Watching the huge body of men assemble, Rob was aware of a growing feeling of excitement. While Henry Tudor remained in France it had been merely been a dream, but now it had become a reality. War was imminent, for reports had reached them of the King’s efforts to raise men in his cause, but as yet many of the powerful lords had decided to sit on the fence and wait until they saw who seemed likely to win the coming struggle.

Owain found Rob when they were camped in the countryside around Leicester.

‘I have come as I promised.’

‘I had given you up,’ Rob said. ‘Where did you go?’

‘I had to discover what had happened to my lady,’ Owain replied. ‘She sent word by the priest that she was being forced to marry against her will. He left her message at the Abbey, and it was by chance that I went there to ask them something.’

‘Against her will?’ Rob’s eyes narrowed. ‘You are sure that it was against her will?’

‘They have taken her north to Whitbread’s kinsman. She will be kept a prisoner at the home of the Earl of Gifford until she is wed to the Marquis of Leominster. But he will have brought his forces south to meet Richard and the wedding must be delayed until his return.’

‘Good grief! What kind of a man would give his daughter to that monster?’ Rob was horrified at the news for he knew of Leominster’s reputation.

‘A man who would let his bastard split your cheek to the bone and send you to your death with your hands bound behind your back.’ Owain answered him straight, his look unflinching even though such plain speech might cause offence.

Rob’s gaze narrowed. ‘Did she go willingly?’ She must have! For if she had not, why had she not begged him for help? She must have known that he would give it, despite all that had happened between them. He had helped her in the forest, and though he had been cold to her, he had delivered her safely to the Abbey. She had no reason not to trust him.