Days of Air and Darkness - Katharine Kerr [18]
“So one wants to believe, silver dagger. I’ll talk to him in the morning; I see he’s left the hall already tonight, and he’s getting on in years.” Dwaen drained the last drops in his goblet and got up. “I want to talk to my sister. I suppose you’d best come with me, much as I hate feeling like I’ve got a nursemaid.”
“I can always wait outside the women’s hall, but I’d best be along on the stairs, Your Grace.”
Yet when Ylaena opened the door, she automatically ushered Rhodry in with her brother. Slaecca was sitting in a cushioned chair near the hearth, while Jill sat on a footstool at the lady’s side. The tight lines round his mother’s mouth spoke of tears hastily stifled.
“Ylaena, my sweet, there’s somewhat I’ve got to settle before I ride to the gwerbret, just in case I don’t come back.”
Ylaena drew herself up straight with a flash of worried eyes.
“It’s time we discussed your betrothal. What would you say to Lord Cadlew?”
His sister’s smile was as bright and sharp as a flash of sun dancing on water, but it faded as she cast a nervous glance her mother’s way.
“Do you have somewhat against him, Mother?” Dwaen said.
“Naught, except his rank. He’s an ordinary lord, for all that his lands are rich enough.” Absently she looked away into the fire. “These are no times for joy, Dwaen, but if your sister can find a little in her betrothal, I won’t say her nay.”
“My thanks.” Ylaena turned to her with her eyes spilling tears. “And my thanks to you, brother.”
Dwaen realized then that she and his mother had doubtless discussed possible suitors for many a long hour already. He was about to try to make some jest to lighten the mood of things when someone knocked with a timid little rap on the door. Jill was up so fast that it seemed she’d been waiting for this and ran to open it. Outside stood the kitchen lass who had the bastard.
“Oh, His Grace is here!” The lass looked genuinely terrified. “I’ll come back.”
“Don’t run now.” Jill grabbed her wrist and hauled her inside. “Come along, Vyna. I swear that no one will harm you, even if I have to fight them off myself. Come tell our lady whatever it was you wanted to say.”
Trembling, on the edge of tears, Vyna walked over and knelt at Slaecca’s side, bringing with her the scent of roasted meat and soapy water.
“Come now, child,” the dowager said. “Is it somewhat about your baby?”
Vyna wept with a shaking of her whole body.
“My lady, I’m so sorry. I’m so frightened, but I can’t lie anymore. I never thought they’d try to hurt the Lady Ylaena, truly I didn’t.” She began to sob, the words bursting in little spurts. “They said they’d kill my baby. Don’t let them kill my baby. I didn’t want to. Don’t let them kill my baby. I swear it, they made me do all those things. I can’t do it anymore, you’re too good and kind, but please, by the Goddess herself, don’t let them kill my baby.”
Dwaen felt that he’d turned into an oak and put down roots. So this was their terrible traitor! Jill knelt down next to her and put an arm round her shoulders.
“You met a man places and gave him information, didn’t you? Who was he?”
“I don’t know. One of Lord Beryn’s riders. He came to the dun just as I got kicked out of it. I met him in town or down by the river. Everyone thought I had another man. You heard them, Jill, you heard them call me a slut.”
“Of course. What do you think made me wonder about you? Now here, when do you meet him again?”
“On the morrow, but I won’t go. Oh, Goddess, Goddess, Goddess, don’t let them kill my baby.”
“No one’s going to harm him, because if his grace gives me permission, I’m riding tonight to fetch him.”
“His grace will give you an escort of twenty men to make sure you bring him home safely,” Dwaen said. “I’d go myself, except I doubt that your Rhodry will let me.”
“His grace is ever so correct.” Rhodry bowed in his direction. “Not at night, Your Grace, when it’s easy for accidents to happen.”
The farm where Vyna’s son was in fosterage was twelve miles away on the edge of Lord Beryn’s lands. As the warband alternately trotted and walked their horses