Forbidden Lady

‘And I care even less,’ her brother snarled. ‘Because of you I may miss all the excitement. Father has heard that Henry Tudor is bringing an army from France. That is why he could not spare the time to escort you himself. He has received a summons to join the King. And I might have gone with him if it had not been for you.’

‘I am sorry to be such a trouble to you—but let me go to an Abbey and you may ride to join the King’s army.’

‘And earn my father’s displeasure? You would love that, sister.’ He glared at her. ‘Just remember that I do not have Father’s scruples concerning you, Melissa. If you were dead it would suit me very well…’

‘Yes, I know,’ Melissa replied. ‘But you have no need to fear me, Harold. Father would never disinherit you for me.’

‘Not for you,’ Harold said, eyes cold as they rested on her face. ‘But you might have a son…’

‘But my son would not bear his name,’ Melissa reminded him. ‘You are safe unless Father has a legitimate son, which he cannot unless he marries again.’

Harold shot a startled look at her. ‘You do not think he intends to take another wife?’

‘I have no idea, brother,’ Melissa said. ‘For your sake I hope not—but you can never be sure. Father is still a strong man and capable of giving his wife a son.’

‘What do you know?’ Harold demanded his eyes narrowed. ‘Have you heard something?’

‘Father would not tell me,’ Melissa said. ‘But it is a thought…’

‘He would not marry without telling me,’ Harold declared, but there was a frown on his face as they rode into the inn courtyard.

Melissa smiled inwardly. She had given her brother something else to think about, and perhaps he would forget about her…but even if she had the chance, she could not in all conscience run away.

Rob gave his horse to the young lad who came running, tossing him a small coin for his trouble. He was at the outskirts of Shrewsbury and meant only to eat something while his horse was rested. He had come alone, giving his men orders to meet him at the appointed place the following day, for he would pass the night at the house of Morgan of Hywell.

It was as he was crossing the inn yard that he saw the woman lingering at the edge of the woods he had just left. She had not seen him, but seemed furtive, as if she wanted to slip away and did not quite dare. For a moment he hesitated, and then walked swiftly towards her. It was dangerous in those woods for there were armed men everywhere.

‘Melissa? What are you doing here?’ he demanded, his voice harsh.

Melissa turned, her startled gaze on his face. ‘Oh, it is you,’ she said, and caught her breath on a sob. ‘I thought it was Harold…’

‘Your half brother is here?’

‘Yes, he is taking me to the north to my kinsman’s house. I…am to be married…’ Her eyes were wide, dark with longing as she looked at him. To be so close to him and yet unable to speak from her heart! If only Rhona were safe, she would beg him to take her away, now, before her brother could stop them!

‘I see…’ Rob’s expression hardened, ignoring the look of appeal in her eyes. ‘Then I wish you every happiness, lady.’ His mouth curled with bitterness and he was about to turn away, but she caught his sleeve, making him turn to look at her again. ‘What more would you have of me?’

‘I shall not be happy in this marriage for I can never love my husband. Surely you know that I shall only ever love one man?’

‘Indeed? How should I know that?’

She hesitated, ‘Sir…are you here alone?’

‘Yes, why do you ask?’ His eyes narrowed in suspicion. ‘I am armed even if alone and your brother would not have the advantage of me now. They tied my arms that day I came to ask for you for I brought no weapons.’ He touched the sword that hung across his chest. ‘I am more than a match for Harold of Meresham!’

‘But he is not alone, for he has ten armed men.’ Melissa stopped because she had seen Harold come to the door of the inn to look for her. Her chance of escape had gone, if she had ever had one. She gave a little sob of fear, because alone Rob had no chance against her half brother and his men. Besides, if she went with Rob, her father would carry out his threat against her serving woman. She was bound as surely as if Harold had her in chains. ‘No, you are right—how should you know that I loved you? Except that had you loved me, you would not have believed me capable of what they did to you. Forget me, I will not be the cause of your death. My brother looks for me. I must go.’

She ran away from him. Rob turned to look and saw that Harold of Meresham was at the inn door. He saw him take a rough hold of her arm and give her a shake and frowned. For a moment he was tempted to go after him and challenge him. He would like to plunge his sword deep into the blaggard’s heart, but Melissa’s words had warned him. He was alone and it was unlikely that Harold would meet him in single combat—and he could not afford to be wounded now. Nigh on two hundred men had promised to follow him, and Henry would need every man if he were to win his cause.

He turned away. He would walk into the town and seek out Morgan of Hywell. It was for this he had come—and Melissa was promised to marry another. She had gone to her brother willingly and therefore must be happy with the marriage, despite the way she had looked at him.

‘Who were you talking to?’ Harold asked as he hustled her inside the inn, his fingers digging into her soft upper arm. ‘And what were you doing outside the inn?’

‘I went out for some air, because my head aches,’ Melissa said. ‘I am feeling unwell…’ She gave a little sigh and sagged against him, knowing that she must hold his attention until Rob had time to leave. If Harold had seen him he would undoubtedly have killed him. ‘I think I must rest here for a few hours, Harold. I may be sickening for something.’

‘If this is one of your tricks…’ Harold glared at her. ‘Do not try my patience too far, Melissa. I would as soon break your neck as look at you!’

Melissa smiled. ‘I know that you have no love for me, brother—but my father wants this alliance with Leominster. I should take care if I were you.’

She did not know why, but the brief encounter with Rob had lifted her spirits. He was still angry, she had sensed that, but while she lived there was still hope that she might see him again—and perhaps one day she could tell him the truth and he would no longer hate her.

‘I am glad to see you, Robert of Melford,’ Morgan Hywell said, and took his hand. ‘Now that Henry has set foot on Welsh soil I shall give you my affinity. I was doubtful that he would come, but he has and I shall give him my support. You will stay with us this night?’

‘Yes, thank you,’ Rob said. ‘It is good of you to offer, sir. I rode here in all haste as soon as the news arrived.’

‘I am glad to be with you at last,’ Morgan Hywell said. ‘And now, I would like you to meet the lady who orders my house for me—Mistress Alanna Davies. She is cousin to Owain Davies and was kinsman to the wife of Lord Whitbread.’

Alanna was a tall lady, quite stout and no longer young. She dressed in dark clothes and wore only a wimple to cover her hair—but Rob saw something in her face that seemed familiar, though he could not place it.

‘You are Owain Davies’ cousin, lady,’ he said. ‘He is with us in the cause and we are friends, for he once saved my life.’

‘I have not seen Owain for some years,’ Alanna said. ‘I was living then with my lady—but after she died I left the castle and came here…’

‘Whitbread threatened her and she was in fear of her life for some time,’ Morgan Hywell said. ‘But the years have passed and I daresay he has forgotten her.’

‘I have not forgot him or what he did to my lady,’ Alanna said. ‘But I must say no more for if he should hear gossip…’ She shook her head. ‘Come, I shall show you to your chamber, sir, because you will want to refresh yourself before we eat.’

Rob followed her upstairs. It was a substantial house, for Morgan of Hywell was a rich merchant and an important man in his town, which was why he had not been prepared to offer his support until he was sure that Henry Tudor had come. Now that he had, he would bring at least thirty men to their cause.

‘I trust you will be comfortable here, sir?’

‘I thank you yes.’ Rob detained her as she would have left. ‘You may trust me, lady. What did Lord Whitbread do to Melissa’s mother?’

‘You know her?’ Alanna’s face was wistful. ‘I have oft wished to see her—but it was impossible. You see, he knew that I had seen him leave my lady’s chamber—and that I suspected what he had done.’ Her eyes were dark with remembered horror. ‘He beat her so badly that she died of her injuries. He told everyone that she died of a childbed fever, but it was not so—he murdered her.’

‘May he rot in hell!’ Rob was angry. He knew that Melissa had often wished that she had known her mother, for she had told him as they walked together in the meadows: it had been a source of great grief to her. ‘One day he will pay for his many crimes, lady. I promise you that…’

‘I have often prayed that he might suffer for what he did,’ she said. ‘But I could do nothing…he would have killed me had I not run away. Perhaps I should have taken the child? I have often wished it, but then he would never have let me be.’

‘I thank you for telling me,’ Rob said. ‘I can tell you that your lady’s child is to be married, though I amnot sure that is of her own choosing…’ He could not shake the look he had seen in her eyes from his mind; it had begun to haunt him, for he had sensed that she was in distress.

Alanna nodded and went out, leaving him alone. He was thoughtful for he had remembered Melissa’s words. He had been too angry to listen to her at the time, but now they had come back to him.

You should know that I shall only ever love one man.

Had she meant to say that she loved him? Rob frowned as he thought it over. If she meant that…but he would be a fool to believe her. She had sworn that she loved him and would marry him—but then she had driven him away with words intended to cut him to the heart, as they had. Her father had not been in the room. If he had forbidden the marriage there had been nothing to stop her telling him so. He could recall her every word, remember the proud way she held her head, the coldness in her eyes as she told him that she did not wish to see him again.

Why would she have done that if she loved him?