Debra Kay Leland (5 page)

William gave a cordial nod, as the man turned and headed back down the path he had just come on.  He watched the old man for a moment; he was right, it was going to be difficult to get anyone to believe his sincere intentions after what had happened here.  The Welsh were wary of all English to begi
n with, and with good reason.  For in times past many a battle had been fought over boundaries and possession of this land, though for now it was the English who ruled it with a hard hand.

With the man gone, William took up his work again till his stomach told him he had had no food since he broke his fast that morni
ng.  He sat down under a tree to eat the nigh burned bread that Phillip had made that morning; smiling even as he did so, pleased at how the day had gone.  His eyes scanned the area around him assessing the work they’d done and that yet to do.  Smoke billowed from the rubble he’d heaped on the blazing pile—and he paused again as thoughts of the fires the night of the siege swept through his mind once more…  He drew a deep breath willing himself to forget, not wanting this place to always remind him of the sadness that had happened here…

It was evening when his companions rode back from the village, the pile he had burned that day was still smoldering, the shutters had been nailed in place and a table and two benches had been set right again.  He stopped and rested his hands on his hips, a broad smile on his soot smudged face as he lifted a hand in greeting.  “I see thy journey was successful.”  His eyes scanned the cart full of produce.

Phillip smiled.  “Aye, the gardens are now tended and the well in village is not tainted as we had feared.”

William watched his friends with a smile.  “Aye, ‘tis good…  I had a visitor this day.”

Thomas glanced at the red haired man who sat beside him, then looked back to William with concerned eyes.  “And?”

“’Twas a man from Chadwick; nigh an hour’s walk from here I believe. I’m not sure why he was here for I neglected to ask, though he seemed a goodly sort.  I inquired after the survivors of Glenton Moor, but he was wary to answer me.”

“William!  Tell me ye did not!  They are wary with good reason, and they shall
not soon hand over one of their own to the English!”
  Thomas said, his voice tinged with worry.

“’Tis true I suppose, although I had hoped that one day we would hear of some.”  He put his hands on his hips as he glanced at the already ripening field.  “Perhaps, we could even go to Chadwick and barter produce and grain for livestock.  It would give us a goodly name among our neighbors and help us keep food on our table this winter.”  He said and glanced at his men’s worried faces.  “On the morrow then, Phillip, ye and I shall go and see to it.”

Phillip just shook his head with a worried look.

And
Thomas’ frowned.  “And I?”

He knew that anyone who saw
Thomas’ hard scowl would anticipate trouble and said, “Ye shall stay here and mind what is ours.  If they see thee frown so, Thomas, they shall have their swords drawn before we even have a chance to talk.”

He smiled and turned away not willing to be argued with.  His two friends only looked at one another wondering at the wisdom in his decision, but they said nothing.  They were strangers in this place, and worse they were English, and it was that, that made them worry at the welcome they would receive in Chadwick…

That night he laid on the floor again, his friends soon asleep from hard work the day had brought them; the sounds of crickets chirping in the damp night air making him finally feel welcomed in this place.  He closed his eyes listening, and
prayed that all would go well.

With each day the farm took shape, the crops that were already planted by the inhabitants before them were growing well.  There would need to be enough food to see them and any who may stay in the village through the long cold winter ahead.  Around the settlement the gardens which had been planted before too were growing lush again.  The three men had more than enough work to do to keep up with them, saving what they needed and bartering the rest.  Things were good here, and he was happy—finally.

The cart well and loaded with produce, William and a wary Phillip climbed up while Thomas watched scowling more than ever. 
“I do not like it, William!   If ye are determined to go; then we should all go!”

William seated himself and took the reins glancing at the worry in Phillip’s eyes before he answered the other man, “All shall be well, Thomas.  We have our swords and fair weather this day; and we shall not in
vite trouble, I promise thee.”

Thomas wanted to say more, but instead he stood just shaking his head as
he watched them turn the cart towards the old narrow roadway, praying that somehow William was right.

The two headed for Chadwick regardless of Thomas’ apprehension and Phillip’s wary looks; more than glad that the ride was uneventful as they meandered along the narrow rutted road that was nothing more than two bared wheel marks through the tattered grass.  But for all the peaceful surrounding; yet, Phillip did not cease to let his guard down.  It was hard to forget that they were two Englishmen surrounded by those who were not, and he was sure they would not be received well.

He glanced at his friend before he spoke.  “William, I—I think it best not to bring trouble on ourselves, find a farm on the way to Chadwick and leave the food there with them.  We need not a cow from Chadwick, when we are able to get one from any English farm closer to Whittington and ye know it!”

William turned to his friend with a frown before he looked back to the road in front of him once again.  “All shall be well, Phillip…  Surely, I was spared at Glenton Moore for a reason, and I shall not perish doing good.”

Phillip glanced at him again frowning as he did so, wondering at the words he’d just spoken.  Not at all sure that merely
‘doing good’
would be enough to save either of them from harm this day…

They rode the rest of the way in silence; Phillip could tell his friend’s mood and held his tongue, though it did nothing to ease his own worried thoughts—nor stop him from glancing over his shoulder endlessly as they went along…

The village was larger than Glenton Moor, and the inhabitants of the settlement turned to look as they neared; most with smiling faces assuming they were also Welsh, though soon they would find out that it was not so.

Children played with one another around the crude shelters, women washed clothes by the stone well
and the men that weren’t away hunting or toiling in the fields turned with tolerant gazes as they passed.  And it was all Phillip could do to resist the urge to rest his hand on the hilt of his sword, fearing a less than welcoming reception by the uneasy looks the men had given them as they passed.

William murmured, never taking his eyes from t
he road.  “Easy my friend, they only wonder what two strangers are doing in their village….  And they only look to protect their own.”

Phillip glanced at him then back at the road in front of them stiffly.  “Aye, and so d
o I, thy neck and my own also!”

The group of men came closer slowly stepping out to block their way. 
William pulled back on the reins and glanced at Phillip uneasily before they stopped and cautiously climbed down.  Their hands on the hilts of their swords letting all know that they meant no trouble, but they intended to fight if they were pressed to do so.

Three of the men separated from the group and faced them on rigid legs, strong arms crossed over their chests and wary eyed.  William drew a long breath and glanced at Phillip who stood aside him now.  The oldest of the three, tall and well muscled stepped forward and stopped; his hands falling to lean hips as he watched them.  “We do not care for stranger in our villa
ge.”

William glanced around noticing that all the quiet activity had ceased and now every eye was riveted on them and them alone; some of the villagers had even beg
un to fill the path encircling them from behind, blocking any retreat—and he was nervous.  He watched as the man in front of him slowly slid his hand to his sword in a quiet lethal gesture, and one that was duly noted.  William tilted his head warily, falling back on the only thing he knew about this village… “I have only come to inquire of Alden Blair.”

The man eyes narrowed even more as he stared at him because of his words.
“Ye be English!”

“I am.”

“From Glenton Moor?”

“Aye.”

The man’s sword hissed from its sheath; the sound of it was meant to be a warning, and it was.

William grabbed Phillip’s arm, halting him from drawing his ow
n sword against the villagers.  He would not be the first to do harm, but he would not hesitate to fight if need be!

“Egan Wallace, do ye welcome a guest of my da’s with yur sword?!”

William shifted his gaze to the villagers that encircled them with a frown at the sound of the young soft voice, and then watched as a girl stepped calmly from among the gathered crowd.  She was beautiful; her long reddish hair glimmered in the sun lying in soft silken ringlets to her waist.  Her eyes were blue and wide, adding the beauty of her face.  Though she was small, she walked towards the large man in front of him calmly and laid a hand his sword arm.  “Put away yur sword, Egan, ‘tis my da they seek this day, not trouble.”

The man glanced at her with a hard frown, then at the two strangers who stood stiffly in front of him; he hesitated then grudgingly dropped his sword to his side, but would not put it away as she had asked. 
“Dammit, lass, have ye not a care?!  Ye do not know what vermin these may be!”

She frowned at him, and then turned towards the two visitors
with wary but honest eyes who had yet to draw their own swords remembering what her father had said of the English he had spoken to from Glenton Moor.  She glanced at the cart full of vegetables behind him and continued, “
If
—ye have come to see, Alden Blair and ye mean no trouble in this place, then I shall take ye to him.”

Egan grabbed her arm and growled
.  “Nay, ye shall not!”

She dropped her gaze to the arm that he still held and stared at it unblinking till he withdrew his hand and released her; then she lifted her eyes to his warily.  Egan had pursued her for nigh two months now and she had learned to stand up to the man in that short time.  “Ye would do well not to touch me again, Egan Wallace, or ye shall find yurself with my knife next time.”   She turned to look at the two men who were watching with cautious eyes and somehow she was sure that they mean no tr
ouble here.  “Come, follow me.”

“Nay, lass!  Not alone!” 
Egan stepped to block her way but she easily stepped around him, then motioned the visitors to follow her again.

Egan threw an angry glare at the unwelcome guests before he stepped behind her protectively.  William gave Phillip a nod, then climbed back
up onto the cart slowly; doing his best to ignore the pointed stares of those who still stood around them with swords drawn.  He knew that one false move even now would not end well for any of them!

He flicked the reins and turned the cart to follow the girl who now led them out of the village and towards a small farm not far from there.  The villagers hardly moved as he drove past them following the tall man and the young girl on the dirt path.  He wasn’t sure what her name was, b
ut he was glad she’d been there!

She was glad too—glad that she didn’t have far to go; for their farm was just around a bend from the village.  Though her footsteps never faulted, she knew she was trembling; but she was determined that there would be no bloodshed this day if she could help it!

Her escort cast them angry glances over his stiff shoulders as they went; while others from the village followed not far behind—and truth be told she was more than glad for it all!  Her father had said that he thought the man to be honest, and although he looked such, she still wasn’t quite sure if she had done a wise thing or not. 
But if she had done nothing at all, surely there would have been bloodshed this day…!

“That was close.”
  William murmured softly.

“Aye, too close for my liking.  Good thing the girl was there.”

William couldn’t help but smile a little at his words. 
“Aye, she’s small, but brave.”

Phillip tilted his head and caught the amused smile on his friend’s face, but didn’t return it as he whispered,
“Or very foolish, she knows us not!”

William almost laughed. 
“I think she’s aware of that, look at her hand, Phillip.”

Phillip glanced ahead at the girl’s calm step—and then at the sharpened knife hidden in her palm that glinted against the bright midday sun and he smiled to himself also. 
“Well now, I suppose not so foolish, aye?”

Miranda did her best to walk as calmly as she could, knowing all the while that Egan and the two strangers were close behind her—which one unnerved her more was hard to say.  Egan had already made his intentions towards her quite clear, feeling that weren’t reciprocated to say the least!  And though she knew she should be worried about the two strangers; yet something about their kind eyes put her at ease—at least she hoped it was kindness she saw there and not a rouse.