The Fifth Knight(75)
“She’s only gone to arrange some food,” said Benedict. “What on earth could be keeping her?”
As if conjured by his words, Mother Ursula came through the archway that connected the yard to the abbey. But she bore no bags, no baskets. She hastened to them as if chased by a foam-mouthed dog.
“They’re here,” gasped the nun.
“Who are?” said Benedict.
“Le Bret. Fitzurse.”
Theodosia went rigid. “But how — ”
“They asked for sanctuary in the infirmary. Le Bret has a huge wolf bite at the top of his leg,” said Ursula. “Ride. Ride for your lives.”
Benedict swung himself up into saddle.
Theodosia collected Quercus’s reins and felt him respond, ready to set off. “Do they know we’re here?”
The nun raised despairing hands. “I fear so. Fitzurse befriended my servant while she tended le Bret for a wolf bite.”
The poor one-eyed girl? Theodosia met Benedict’s dismayed gaze.
“Then we have no time.” He went to kick the stallion’s sides.
“Wait!”
He responded to Theodosia’s cry.
“The letter,” she said. “What if he finds it?”
“It’ll be safe for now in my room,” said Ursula. “Nobody else knows of its existence. I’ll retrieve it and find another hiding place. Now go.”
“But, Mother, what about the knights? You and the sisters are at their mercy.”
“Don’t worry on our account, child. If we’re threatened, I might be so afraid that I reveal your plans to follow Amélie to London.” Mother Ursula winked.
“Well thought through, Mother,” said Benedict.
“But what if they do you harm?” said Theodosia. “They are driven by the devil himself.”
“I’ve spent my whole life fighting the devil,” said Ursula. “He’s not bested me yet. Theodosia, the holy Thomas Becket wanted to keep you alive. I’m blessed to carry on his wish. Go, child. Now.”
Theodosia appealed to Benedict with a look, but he shook his head. “Then God bless you, Mother.” She reached a hand down to the small-boned nun, and their fingertips brushed.
“Come, Theodosia.”
She pulled Quercus’s head round and cantered after Harcos out of the stable yard.
♦ ♦ ♦
“God be with you both.” Ursula held a hand up in farewell. Once they’d cleared the gateway, she retraced her steps, even faster than when she’d run down here. The letter. She needed to get that. Then find Wilfreda.
Ursula took the stairs up to her parlor two at a time. The door at the top stood ajar. A shaft of sunlight shone through and formed a pool of light on the landing.
She slowed her last few strides. Hadn’t she closed it? Or had she? Impossible to remember, she’d left with such haste with Theodosia and Benedict.
Prepared for an encounter, she entered the room. “Wilfreda?”
Silence.
The table, littered from the lunch she had shared earlier, appeared untouched. Cautious relief replaced her anxiety. Wherever Wilfreda wandered with Fitzurse, it wasn’t here.
She hastened over to her desk. Pristine as ever. The chest sat in its usual place. Praise be. She’d got here in time. She squatted down and opened the lid. Her horn books. A couple of quills. Blank paper, a section of thin vellum. Two seals. Lumps of red sealing wax.
No letter. Impossible. She ran her hands over the inside of the chest, pulled the blank sheets of paper apart in case somehow it had got wedged between them.
“Looking for something, Mother?”
The male voice came from the doorway.
She shot to her feet to see the door swing slowly shut. A knight stood there, had been hidden behind the open door.
Eyes blue as the summer sky, Theodosia had said. “But with a heart like Satan.” Ursula said it aloud.
Fitzurse merely inclined his head and held up his drawn sword. Livid red stained its gleaming blade.
Ursula’s horrified glance went to the floor. Slumped at his feet was the body of Wilfreda, the poor creature’s one good eye taken out by the sword that had pierced her skull, a pool of blood beneath her.
Ursula’s hand flew in a blessing for the girl. “You monster.” She returned her look to Fitzurse. “You didn’t need to kill her.”
“Oh, but I did.” He stepped over Wilfreda’s body. His careless boot crushed one of her plump hands as he did so.
Lifeless as she was, she would have felt nothing, but his utter disrespect enraged Ursula to a new depth.
“Like I have to kill you.” He advanced with steady steps toward her, sword aloft. “Then Brother Edward’s little note remains a secret.” He moved between her and the door.