The Traitor's Daughter. Joanna Makepeace

Чтение книги онлайн.

СКАЧАТЬ went to her mother’s side to help her dress. Since they had decided it would be best, for this journey, to travel without a maid in attendance, it had been necessary for them to help each other with back lacings.

      Once her mother was dressed she hastened to dress herself and was relieved that she had done so when she heard a knock on the door.

      Peter Fairley’s voice called softly, “It is I, my lady, Peter. I have brought you some breakfast.”

      Philippa hastened to let him in, relieved to see he was up and about.

      “Peter, how are you this morning?”

      He set down a tray on which was laid fresh manchet bread, a small pot of honey and a plate of ham and cold meats and a stoup of ale.

      “I’m very well except for a bump on the back of my head as big as a pigeon’s egg.” He rubbed it ruefully. “I blame myself for total lack of caution. I could have put us all in danger.”

      “You mustn’t blame yourself,” Cressida reassured him. “Who would expect to be attacked in the inn yard?”

      “To speak truth, anyone should, my lady. My only excuse is that we were all tired and chilled and I was in haste to see to your needs.”

      “Well, all is well.” Cressida smiled. “We will breakfast quickly and try to make an early start.” She frowned in thought. “I have some coin left which, fortunately, I kept in a money belt beneath my gown, but the loss of some of our funds in the robbery is dire. We shall have to be careful on the journey and settle for accommodation not of the best.” She had already put out a small pile of coin upon the bed. “Take that and make the best bargain you can over mounts, Peter, but first, have you eaten?”

      “Yes, my lady. I shall get off at once. Sir Rhys’s man, David, speaks of a reasonably honest horse coper, who has a stable in the street behind the harbour.”

      “Good.” Lady Wroxeter nodded her approval.

      Then Philippa said thoughtfully, “Did you discover anything about our rescuer of last night, Peter? Unfortunately he appeared to recognise Mother and we are anxious to avoid his company now.” She coloured. “That seems to be very ungrateful, but you understand the need better than any of us.”

      With his hand on the door latch, Peter turned, clearly hesitant to speak. “Sir Rhys Griffith, my lady, is master of the greater part of my lord Earl’s estates. His father was granted them following the battle of Redmoor, for his services to the new King. Sir David was killed in a hunting accident a year ago.” He grinned somewhat wolfishly. “He was somewhat appropriately gored by a boar and did not recover from the wound which festered, and his son, Rhys, who had been knighted the year before, inherited.”

      There was a deadly silence as the three exchanged alarmed glances.

      Philippa exclaimed hotly, “So the man has robbed my father of his lands and—”

      “He cannot be held responsible for what his father did at Redmoor,” Cressida reproved her gently, “but I confess this news is catastrophic. The man could prove a very real danger to us, indeed.”

      “He has enquired after you both,” Peter said grimly. “I’m afraid that it will prove very difficult for us to leave the inn without encountering him.”

      “And his manor is far too close to Gretton for our peace of mind,” Lady Wroxeter said regretfully.

      Philippa paled. “Do you think our going there could put Grandmère and Grandpère in danger?”

      Lady Wroxeter shook her head. “I do not think so, though it will not enhance their reputation as Yorkist sympathisers. They are not proscribed and are in no danger of arrest.” The fingers of one hand tightened on the bedpost. “I am so very anxious to see them. It has been so long since—” She broke off, her voice choked with emotion, “Neither of them has ever seen you. I think we should take the risk.”

      “But this man does know we are going there?”

      “I imagine so. Since he lives so close I would think he is aware of how ill my father is. It is to be hoped that he will have enough humanity to leave us in peace and not inform the court authorities of our presence there.” She sighed. “Our visit will only be a short one. We dare not remain long.”

      “You miss your home at Gretton, don’t you?”

      “I always loved it dearly and when I heard of the proposed betrothal to your father I was most reluctant to leave it. Of course, then there was every possibility of being able to come home on frequent visits but since Redmoor…” She shrugged helplessly.

      “You gave up everything to be with my father in exile, a safe secure home, money sufficient to fill all your needs, everything.”

      Cressida smiled fondly. “When you fall in love, Philippa, you will understand that nothing is important save being with the one you love.”

      Philippa bit her lip uncertainly. The way matters stood that possibility seemed very far off, if at all.

      Her mother suddenly remembered that she had given Peter Fairley no instructions about settling their score. “I should have asked him to settle with the landlord on his way out to the horse coper,” she said. “The sooner we can leave the better.”

      A decisive voice from the doorway settled the matter for her. “You need have no doubts on that score, Lady Wroxeter, I have already paid the landlord and the moment your man returns with your mounts we can leave immediately. It will be well to do so since the day promises to be a fine one.”

      Sir Rhys Griffith stood poised in the doorway which Peter must have left slightly ajar in his agitation on leaving them.

      “I beg pardon for the intrusion, but the door was open sufficiently for me to overhear what you said, my lady. May I come in?” He bowed courteously and Cressida, somewhat startled and flustered, nodded hastily.

      “Please do so, Sir Rhys. This chamber is yours, after all, but I cannot allow you to stand our score. We have slept in this chamber, and most comfortably, I thank you, and have eaten two meals. I…”

      He had advanced slightly and was regarding Philippa smilingly though he must have seen at once that her manner was somewhat hostile.

      “You have no choice, my lady. I have already settled the matter. Under the distressing circumstances of last night it was the least I could do as a gentleman knight and for a neighbour.” He undid the purse suspended from the military-styled leather belt he wore round his waist and proffered a small leather bag to Philippa.

      “There, mistress, is the coin that rascally thief stole from your man. I rose early, called on the constable with instructions as to charging the fellow and retrieved your money. You will need it when you arrive at Gretton or later on your journey home. You need not concern yourself about expenses occurred on the way to Gretton Manor since it will be my most pleasurable duty to escort you there.”

      Philippa gave a great gasp of shocked surprise and anger. “That will not be necessary, sir. Peter Fairley, my father’s trusty squire, is perfectly capable of seeing us safe to Gretton.”

      Her tone was now unmistakably hostile and his dark brows rose in assumed or real astonishment.

СКАЧАТЬ