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Asthey closed in on their destination, several small groups of three or four riders, were seen riding hard for the Castle gate. Brantissued orders for his men to spread out around the moat, at just great enoughdistance, to be out of reach, of archers arrows. When his men were in position,Brant moved his mount forward, in front of the now closed gate.
"Ihave come to get my wife, Isabel, and son, Nathaniel,” Brant called out to thesentry. “You have one hour to send them out. Then, I am going to knock thisCastle down, to come in and get them."
Whenthe message was carried to those inside the Hall, A
Fortyminutes after the men outside issued their demands, they watched as the gatebegan to open. When the gate was completely open, several knights rode out,followed by two women. One woman was dressed as a serf,the other wore the much finer attire of the gentry. Both had a mantle wrappedabout their heads, just as Isabel and her maid, apparently, always wore. Brantrode forward to meet them, with Robert at his side. Behind them, a small groupof Brant's men, led the two knights captured withEsme.
"TheLady, and the babe, Your Lordship," one of the Knights said.
"Ireturn your compatriots. Esme will be returning home with me," Brant said.
He maneuvered up beside Isabel's mount. Then,Brant reached out to take a basket that the babe lay in from Isabel. Afterbrief resistance, she released her hold, and Brant handed the child to Robert,who was still gri
“Isabel,”Brant greeted, as he pulled the mantel off her head.
“MyLord,” Isabel said, coolly returning his greeting.
Helifted her off her mount and on to his, seating her with her back against hischest.
"MonDieu,” Robert said, as he got his first good look at his friend's wife.
Thedelicate features, and deep auburn hair, wiped the grin from his face. Isabelwas almost as beautiful as his Kate, Robert decided. Brant turned his horse, toride back to the rest of the men. Robert followed with the babe, listening, ashis friend questioned his wife.
“Whyare you here, My Lady?” Brant asked. “I am certain, that I ordered my men totake you to my Castle near Kings Worthy, and to keep you safe, there.”
Robertnoticed the Lady raised a delicate eyebrow, before replying, “Actually, Ibelieve you ordered them to see I was safe, and see that you,did not hear any mention of me. So, when I found myself missing my mother,after the babe was born, I saw no good point in not visiting. After all, yourmen could not tell you I was gone, without mentioning me to you. Therefore, Idid not see, where you would miss me.”
Robertfound himself gri
Theyrode in silence, the rest of the way back to the army camp, in the clearing.There, Brant dismounted, then helped Isabel down,before reaching up to take the basket with the babe, from Robert. Carrying thebasket in one hand, and grasping Isabel’s arm with the other, Brant directedher into his tent. There, he silently handed her the basket, before turning toexit.
“Whyis he so angry, with you?” Esme asked. “I am sure, Ihave never seen him act like that, before.”
“No,you probably have not,” was all that Isabel had to say.
Nathanielstarted to cry, so Isabel picked him up, to quiet him. When he continued to befussy, she raised him to her breast to nurse, drawing her mantel around thechild, to cover them. Esme decided to go out to talk to Robert, again, whenIsabel would not tell her anything. A few minutes later, Brant returned. SeeingIsabel sitting on his bedroll, he walked over, and stooped down to pull themantel back. The babe’s hand rested on her breast, above where his mouthsuckled. Brant reached out to place a finger under the tiny hand, and feltIsabel flinch, slightly. He raised his eyes to meet hers, and noted her fearfullook, before she lowered her eyes. Brant pulled his hand back, and stood up,laughing. He was certain that Isabel deserved some punishment, for what she haddone. Yet, he was finding himself quite pleased, about both Nathaniel, andfinally having found Alisa.
Chapter 11
Itwas the 5th of June, both Isabel's birthday, and the a
Theday he had arrived to demand she be sent out of her mother's, Isabel hadexpected to find out immediately, what form his anger would take. However, sofar he had done nothing. After the babe had nursed at the army camp, she hadbeen assisted to mount Matilda. Brant had taken the basket with Nathaniel, onhis mount. Then, they rode out in silence, taking half of the army with them.The other half was left behind, to cover their retreat. Late that day, theyarrived at one of her properties, or her former properties. As her husband,Brant owned her, and everything that was hers. He had escorted her, with a firmgrip on her arm, to the Lord's chambers, and left her with the babe to carefor, silently. They spent the next day there, before traveling on to anotherproperty.
Sothey had made their way from A
Ifholding her at his remote Castle, was meant as a punishment, Isabel need onlyconcern herself, with what he would do about her deception, with the serf“Alisa”. That deception had resulted in her babe, Nathaniel, though that hadnot been her intent. Yet, she really could not regret the child. Isabel wasterrified, that Brant would send her someplace away from her son, that he hadbeen deceived into siring. She did not think she could bear, to have the childtaken from her.
Whilethey were traveling to Brant’s home, Isabel had suffered sheer terror, everytime he had taken the babe from her, and overwhelming relief, when he handedthe child back to her. Circumstances had forced her to marry a stranger. To hisway of thinking, she had committed some pretty serious offenses. Having no realknowledge of his character, she had no idea, how her husband would addressthese offenses.
Isabelwalked to the side table, and picked up the hand mirror, that lay there besideher hair brush, to examine the dark circles under her eyes. She was spendingevery night, lying tensely in bed, sleeping little, while her husband presentedhis back to her, and seemingly, slept quite well. Brant had made no move totouch her in bed. Although he always held her arm to directher around the Castle, presenting a perfectly normal picture of the Lordescorting his Lady.