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Isabelheard the door open, and turned to see Brant enter, holding their sleeping son.
“Ibelieve I told you to rest. You look exhausted,” he said. “Nathaniel isnapping. I expect you to do the same.”
Brantmotioned her to the bed, and laid the sleeping child down beside her. Hewatched as a look of relief washed over her face, and realized for the firsttime, that she was terrified he would take the child from her. With bothmother, and child, lying on the bed, he went into the antechamber. He sat downat the small table, and opened one of the account books,he had carried upstairs with him.
Brantconsidered the frightened looks he had seen, cross Isabel’s face. She haddeceived him, to get the child from him, and now she was afraid, actuallyterrified, that he would take the child from her. Aye, a lot of men wouldconsider that a fitting punishment. He was certain, that he would not beseparated from his son. Despite her deception, Brant could not forget thenights he had spent with Isabel, when he believed her to be a young serf. Shehad always responded to his passion, ardently. She could not have beenpretending that, could she? Right now, lying in bed beside her at night, he wasfinding it quite difficult, not to exercise his right to her body. There was nodoubt, he wanted to keep both the mother, and thechild, so there was no way to separate her, from the babe. Part of his mind,told him she had played him badly, and deserved some punishment. Another part,told him he was quite pleased, with the turn of events. Alisa had haunted hisdreams at night, leaving him frustrated, when he woke alone. There seemed to beno good way to punish her, without hurting himself. Realizing he could notconcentrate on the books, he walked to the open doorway, of the bedchamber.Looking toward the bed, Brant noted that his wife and son,were both fast asleep.
Ashe stepped out of the solar, Rosamund was walking down the passageway. Uponarrival here, she had been assigned the care of Ha
Heasked Ha
WhenIsabel woke, Rosamond was in the antechamber, amusing Nathaniel on a blanket,on the floor. Surprised, she sat up on the edge of the bed.
"Whodid you bribe to get in here, without a chaperone?" she asked.
"Noone," the maid replied, with a slight grin. "His Lordship asked me tosit with ye. Mayhap, ‘e figured since ye was sleeping, it could not do any harm. Yebeen sleeping for a couple of hours, and Nathaniel's been getting fussy.I think the babe is hungry."
Rosamondcarried the child over to his mother. Isabel took the babe from the maid, andmoved to a high back chair by the hearth, to nurse him.
"Itried to keep ‘im quiet, as long as possible. You do not look like ye been sleeping too good, lately. I been wondering what hehas done to ye," the maid finished, with a wavering tone.
"Hehas not done anything," Isabel replied, with a strained expression."That is part of the problem. A powerful Lord such as him,certainly is not going to just let it go. His position demands retribution formy deception, surely. But there is no way to guess, what he might do, and Brantis not tipping his hand to me."
"HisLordship seems to be pleased with the babe. That might help ye escape anyserious punishment," Rosamond offered, with a hopeful look.
"Unlesshe decides to keep the babe, and ship me off somewhere," Isabel replied,with a hint of bitterness in her voice.
Thesound of voices in the passageway, drew the women'sattention.
"Thatmust be the girls returning from outside. I best go tell them I am in ‘ere,with ye," Rosamond said, as she rose, and moved toward the antechamberdoor.
Isabelmerely nodded in affirmation. After a muffled conversation in the passageway,Rosamond returned to the Lord's Chamber with the two young girls. The fourfemales spent the rest of the afternoon there, until it was time to dress, forthe evening meal. Isabel found the silliness that ensued with the girls, awelcome distraction from her dark thoughts, as to the possible form, of herhusband's revenge.
Latethe next morning, Isabel was down in the hall, after another night of fitfulsleep, when she was approached by Nora, and Rosamond. Rosamond displayed asmall wooden box, that Isabel recognized as her own.She was informed that Ha
ThoughIsabel was unsure how Brant would react, she took the box from Rosamond, androse to go to the child’s room. There, she confronted Ha
Esme,who was in the room helping her little sister get ready to go outside,interjected angrily, “We were just about ready to go out. You ca
“Ha
Shegave Esme a stern look, to emphasize the point.
“Itis just a stupid piece of wood,” Esme exclaimed, with a glare. “I am going toget Brant.”
“ Makesure you tell him, Nora says she has taken things before. Oh, and she took thisfrom his bed chamber, when she was in there yesterday,” Isabel replied.
Isabelknew that theft, was a very serious offense in aCastle. Theft from the Lord’s private chamber, waseven worse. She took the box and placed it back where she had it, beforereturning to the hall, where Nathaniel was still peacefully napping. As shewatched the babe sleep, Isabel wondered if her husband would back her up. Itwould be unfortunate for the little girl, if he let her off to rebuff hiswife’s authority.
Esmefound her brother in the practice yard, watching as two of his knights jousted.She shuddered slightly, over the clang of the swords, as steel met steel. Esmeknew that the practice swords they used in the yard were quite dull, to avoidserious injury. Yet, she could not totally separate practice, from memories ofwounds she had seen from battles. There were several knights here, with rathernoticeable battle scars. Even Brant had a scar about six inches long on oneleg. It had taken a good amount of time to heal, Esme recalled. He had brushedit off as a minor thing, while she was concerned it could affect the use of hisleg. Fortunately, it had healed completely. Shaking off her dark thoughts, thegirl moved to her brother’s side.
Esmequickly related to Brant, the events of the morning, and Isabel’s decision thatHa
However,his curiosity was piqued by Esme’s assessment of the, ‘stupid piece of wood,that Isabel calls a box, but it does not even open’. Nora informed him thatIsabel was in the hall, so he took the back stairs up to the Solar. There, hefound the wooden object that had caused all the trouble, where it always sat,next to his wife’s brush and mirror set. As he picked it up, Brant noticed thatit felt unusually heavy. There was not any obvious way to open it. After acloser examination, he discovered a slightly worn area on the bottom, where heapplied a little pressure with a fingernail. A well concealed clasp slid over,and he was able to lift the top, to display two neat rows of coins. With a wrygrin, Brant thought there was more than enough coinsin the box, to bribe a lot of serfs, or a gypsy.