The Troubadour's Romance (23 page)

“
Been on eight years, lady,
”
she replied.
“
I have two sons still alive, one in this village, one gone.
”

Felise
looked past her, into her house.
“
Ulna, you have a loom?
”

She became slightly nervous.
“
Aye, but there
’
s little enough thread.
”

“
But if we can find a source of wool, you can teach some of the others to weave. Ulna, how wonderful! I will see to it as soon as possible. There are many needs in the hall for cloth.
”
She noticed the widow
’
s eyes widen slightly.
“
I will pay you for your labors, of course.
”

Ulna smiled shyly, shrugging off any remaining fear.
“
‘
Twould be a pleasure to do your weaving, lady.
”

“
Tell me, Ulna, does your son provide for you? Does he hunt and give you an allotment of meat and grain from his labors?
”

“
He has four children, but he does what he can for me
. He
’
s not much with farming ..
. never had the clever hand with
crops that he
’
s got with wood .
.. but we can
’
t eat carvings, and he
’
s a good man. He tries.
”

“
Carving?
”
Felise
mused.
“
His services could be of use in the hall
--
”

“
In the hall, lady?
”

“
Ulna,
”
Felise nearly scolded, but a light laugh and pleasant smile accompanied her admonishment.
“
I thought you had greater understanding. You have no need to fear the hall; it has already grown into a pleasant place. You are welcome there and I will share with you from my own table if there is need. I will have this town at my table if that is what is required to end the misery here.
”

Ulna looked questioningly at Colbert as if to ask if this were true. The bailiff might not be filled with trust, but he supported Felise as best he could.
“
The lady speaks true. She makes her offer of charity to every house and wills this to be a stronger town with full bellies. This bodes well for the spring, Ulna.
”

The widow looked back at Felise and they exchanged smiles. For the first time that morning, Felise began to feel that there was some hope among these people.
“
And the master?
”
Ulna asked with some hesitation.

Felise nodded with assurance.
“
He troubles with the dark past as much as any of these people, but he is a strong and good lord. He would approve.
”

Their attention was drawn to the sound of horses, and three riders came through the open gate. Colbert immedi
ately stiffened and his sullen expression returned. Ulna lowered her gaze and quietly withdrew into her house, closing and bolting the door. Felise simply stared curiously at this visiting retinue.

The man leading the group rode a fine destrier and was gowned in rich purple robes. Behind him were two knights, their costumes and horses indicating their equal wealth, their arms glittering with a powerful shine. Felise first imagined this was a wealthy noble neighbor with two men-at-arms.

They rode straight toward the threesome in the middle of the road, and when they were upon them, the fancy lord dismounted. As he approached on foot, Felise noted the clerical garb under his mantle and she genuflected, crossing herself, as did Vespera. But the cleric did not bless her.

“
I have not seen you here before,
”
he said suspiciously.
“
Where have you come from?
”

Colbert opened his mouth, but Felise instantly, from
some buried instinct, cut him off with her words.
“
I am lately from London, Father.
”
She touched Colbert
’
s arm and indicated she would speak for herself.

“
You may address me as
‘
lord
’
or
‘
monseigneur,
’
wench. Why are you here?
”

“
I have lately acquired this hall, monseigneur,
”
she said coyly.

The man laughed loudly, a cruel sound that rang through the streets.
Felise
turned and looked at Vespera, finding the woman frowning blackly at the priest.
“
You will find it a hateful place. I trust you will not be here long.
”

“
I plan to be here a very long time,
”
she said evenly.
“
Why are you here? Do you bring the faith to these people?
”

He laughed again and the knights still on horseback joined him.
“
I am Monseigneur Trothmore of Coventry. I bring the faith and collect the tithe.
”

“
There is no tithe here,
”
she said.

“
The church demands a portion for the promise of deliverance,
”
he ordered coolly.

“
There is no tithe, Father,
”
she said, pointedly refusing to use the title he demanded.
“
These poor people starve for want of a meal and have nothing to share with the church.
”

“
On whose authority do you reject the prayers of one ordained by God?
”
he blustered, his cheeks growing pink with rage.

“
On my own,
”
she quietly replied. One of her many questions had been quickly answered by the presence of this man. Her experience with villages had been modest, but there were some things common to all English hamlets. Her father had once reckoned with an evil priest at Twyford, risking the threat of excommunication by driving away an ambitious cleric who would bleed the people of what little they had by selling blessings.
“
By the look of your rich robes, Father, you do not give the full portion of the tithe to the church and could find a way to take less.
”

She turned to Colbert.
“
Fetch my husband or any Scelf
ton knight, Colbert. And instruct him to bring arms.
”

“
You would raise arms to an emissary of God?
”
Colbert questioned nervously.

She began to understand the collective fear. There was a good possibility that Royce did not know the poverty of this
town could be attributed largely to the selfishness of this one man.

“
Go quickly, Colbert. Do as I say.
”

“
Hold your pace,
”
the priest demanded hotly.
“
You, wench, would do well to ask these people their preference. They may not choose your civic guard, which would earn them an eternal hell.
”

“
This is hell. Don
’
t you recognize your own creation?
”

“
You court danger, woman,
”
he warned.
“
If the church abandons you, there will be little to rule here.
”

“
Go quickly, Colbert, lest this humble disciple do worse than threaten to have his gold.
”
Colbert turned, somewhat reluctantly at first, but finally moving at a brisk pace. Vespera leaned near and whispered in her ear.
“
Take care, lady. The man wears the cleric robes, but his manner gives the lie to his friendship with God.
”
Felise nodded gravely, more than aware of the danger in this action she took.

“
You would do well to ask these wretches if they want Satan
’
s rule here, or if they are better parted with a hen or a pig to buy heaven for their dead,
”
he boldly challenged.

The sound of a door opening caught the attention of all present in the street. Ulna stood in the doorway of her hut and looked at the priest, her eyes holding the daggers of a suddenly dawning truth. The priest turned to the widow.
“
Tell this mistress of yours that you would prefer to part with a bolt of cloth than to suffer eternal fire,
”
he de
manded.

Ulna held her grim expression and Felise waited patient
ly.
“
My lady speaks true,
”
Ulna finally said.
“
The hell of this vi
llage is made of your greed ..
. and she will pay me that I may eat, while you would take my last piece of bread.
”
She paused and looked to Felise for support, the latter smiling proudly, and added,
“
There is no tithe here, nor can I buy another prayer for my dead husband.
”

“
There will be a curse on this town,
”
the cleric threat
ened.
“
And unless you reverse this blasphemy, I will peti
tion for your excommunication.
”

“
The curse has long since died from this town, Friar,
”
Felise said, indicating by the title she used that he was not even a priest in her eyes.
“
And when you petition, be certain to address King Henry, for it is by his order that I reside in
Segeland. He shall be most interested in the power you have attained here.
”

The priest blustered and stuttered, laying many curses to her and finally settling on one.
“
You wear the witch
’
s locks of Satan in that red hair, and
‘
tis clear to any who would look that you are the heathen disguised, bringing eternal doom to this poor lot.
”

Felise
laughed wickedly.
“
Good sir, do you mean to say that the color of my hair brings more evil than your claim to their very bread? By the Virgin, you must think them all fools.
”

She heard the opening of another door, then another. She did not turn to see who watched them, and her mounting rage would not allow her silence.
“
I have offered them food from my table, and you come to take away portions of their humble provender. They bury their children in want, and you, wearing your rich gown, come to claim whatever they have, leaving them to die in fear and shame. Be gone from here and let not your shadow darken my gate again. God in His power is merciful and wishes no man to starve his family to attain a blessing.
”

The priest grew taller in his anger and his cheeks were aflame with barely concealed hatred. He turned to his knights.
“
Smite her where she stands. She defies God and my obligation.
”

Felise
gasped as the horsed men drew their swords from the sheaths at their belts. For an instant she believed they would dare to kill for a piglet or a bag of grain. She willed herself courage.
“
So,
‘
tis not enough to frighten these poor into submission, you will kill to get your due? I see,
”
she shouted, loudly enough to open every door along the street.
“
You hereby prove your close acquaintance with the devil, though I did not know until today that Lucifer would sink so low as to disguise himself in the robes of a priest.
”

The knights froze and the priest stood his ground, but not without a hint of panic in his voice.
“
Strike her down. Strike down the bitch.
”

Just then the sound of a horse pounding down the road could be heard.
Felise
did not dare turn to look, but instead watched the priest
’
s knights closely lest she be forced to dive
away from a broadsword. She noticed the priest looked past her to judge the approaching steed, his eyes widening. Maelwine was beside her in moments, staying astride and ready to fight.

“
Felise
?
”
he questioned.