After questioning the knights around the Castle, the sentry at the drawbridge, and the serfs at the stables, Brant had no leads. A search of the Castle, and grounds, turned up nothing. Once again, Isabel was gone, without a trace.
Chapter 14
Nearly two months had passed, since Isabel vanished from the Castle with Nathaniel. Brant had all angles covered, to see that he got word if her, or the babe, surfaced anywhere. No one had seen them, or at least no one, who would tell Brant. His wife and son, were never far from his mind, and he often found it difficult, not to sink back into the black moods he had suffered, after he had been released by his kidnappers. Fortunately, he had Esme, and Hannah, at the Castle, to keep him occupied. Since it was summer time, there were fields to tend, and travel was easy, so there were a good number of visitors coming and going, during the day. However, at night in his Solar, Brant was haunted by memories of Isabel, and Nathaniel. Sometimes in his dreams, he would hear the babe cry, or feel his wife's soft body against his, only to wake, and realize he was alone.
So it was, on the morning that Hannah asked, if she could have some pretty coins, like Cora had.
"What kind of coins does Cora have?" Brant asked.
"They are shiny," Hannah said. "I do not know what kind. They are just coins. Cora said that Bell gave them to her."
Lady Ann had spent most of the past months that Isabel had been missing, at the Castle, waiting for any word on her daughter's whereabouts. The child's mention of Bell got both Ann, and Brant's, undivided attention. Bell was the child's name for Isabel.
"Did Cora say why, Bell gave her the coins?" Ann asked.
"I do not know. She just said Bell gave them to her," the little girl answered. "They are really pretty. I want some, too."
Brant quickly dispatched a serf, to find Cora. They waited for only a few minutes, before the serf returned to the hall, with the maid.
"Hannah has been asking for some coins, like the ones Isabel gave you. What did she pay you for?" Brant asked, in a stern tone.
Cora squirmed around looking guilty, momentarily, as if she were debating trying to lie, before saying, "She gave me money to take messages to ‘er knights, what were staying at the Inn, in the village. They were there three, or four weeks. Then she left ‘ere, and the other knights come to get ‘er, and the babe."
"Her knights came to get her?" Brant asked when the serf fell silent.
"Are ye going to punish me, Me Lord?" Cora asked. "Isabel said if ye was going to punish me, I should not tell ye anything."
Ann laughed at this bit of information. It was common knowledge around the Castle that Cora used to be Brant's favorite tart. Apparently, Isabel had enlisted the aid of his former tart, to help her cross the Lord, and gave the serf advise, on negotiating with the him, on punishment.
Brant momentarily thought about threatening the serf, before thinking better of it.
He instead said, “If you tell me everything you know, I will assign you to work in the stables for the next month. If you do not, I am going to give you ten lashes.”
Cora glared at him, before replying, “William, what were staying at the Inn, said ‘e was from Kellanhym Castle. She hid in one of the rooms they ‘ad there, until the other knights and the supply wagons, come to take her back there.”
Brant looked doubtfully at the serf, as he told her, “I was there less than three weeks ago, over night. They said they had not seen, or heard from her.”
The serf replied, “It is her Castle, and ‘er people. They come here to your village, to get ‘er. I think they would lie to ye, about seeing ‘er, don’t you? If ye were there, she might have been right under yer nose.”
"That will be all, Cora," Brant said, dismissing the serf. "I believe I will be returning to Kellanhym Castle, to check on preparations for the harvest," Brant told Lady Ann, before turning toward the stairs.
Cora, who had remained there, smiled at Ann conspiratorially, and said, "He does not treat the Lady very good, at all. I sure wish I knew what she ‘as planned, when ‘e gets there. She promised she were not going to maim, or kill ‘im."
Then the serf turned, and left the hall. Ann laughed softly, realizing that Isabel had somehow engineered summoning her husband, for some unknown purpose. Apparently, Isabel was safe, her son-in-law, only time would tell. She momentarily thought about warning Brant, but decided to trust that Isabel knew what she was doing. Clearly, the girl was involved in something that Ann knew nothing about.
Brant reminded his men of the plan, as they approached Isabel's Castle. They were there, merely to see to the progress of the crops, and harvest preparation. So when they rode through the gate, between the huge drum towers, everyone was prepared to be inconspicuous, about looking for indications that the Lady was ensconced at the Castle.
When Brant entered the Castle compound, he rode straight up to the stairs into the hall. A serf came around the building to greet them. Brant handed the serf the reigns to his destry to take to the stables.
"Good day, Me Lord," the serf said. "Will you be staying a while?"
"We plan to be here overnight," Brant answered. "So we will need the horses taken to the stable."
"Aye, Me Lord," the man replied.
He entered the hall with his squire, Vernon, several steps behind, carrying the Lord's heavy duffle. Brant was greeted by the Castle Mistress, Gertrude, who managed the serfs.
"Good day, Me Lord," Gertrude said. "Will ye be staying with us long?"
"Nay, we only plan to be here overnight," Brant said. "Are there any other guests, here at the Castle?"
"Nay, Me Lord," Gertrude answered.
"Have you had any word from Isabel?" Brant asked.
"Not a peep," the serf answered. "I do hope she is well. I ‘ave been greatly concerned, for ‘er safety."
"Aye, Ann and I, have been, too," Brant replied. "I will be taking the Solar for tonight. Could you have some water sent up, so I can wash up a little?"
"Aye, Me Lord," the mistress said, as Brant turned to mount the stairs, with his squire following.
Vernon deposited the duffle in the Solar, and retreated to recline on a bench, in the dimly lit passageway outside the room. Brant closed the door behind his retreat, and waited inside the room. After washing up from the dusty ride, he rested on the bed for about an hour, before there was a tap on the portal.
Brant opened the door to let Vernon into the antechamber. He relayed to Brant, that several serfs had gone in, and out, of the room right across the passage from the Solar. Vernon also believed, he had heard several female voices, speaking in soft tones, coming from the chamber. Availing himself of the shadows, that were common in Castle passageways, Brant opened the door just enough, to be able to see the opposite chamber portal. It was not long, before a serf went to the portal, so Brant opened the door wide. The startled serf stood holding a basket, looking at him guiltily. He motioned for her to sit on the bench, and for Vernon to stay with her, before crossing the hall to open that portal.
Isabel, his long lost wife, was placing a small stack of the babe's clothing into a duffel.
"Hello, Isabel. What did you want the basket for?" Brant asked.
Though he was pretty sure, she intended to carry Nathaniel out of the Castle, in it.
"Good day, My Lord," she replied, quickly covering her surprise. "I was not expecting to see you until later, but as I have discovered, plans are made to be changed."
Isabel side stepped answering his question. She thought he looked a little tired, somewhat concerned, and really irritated.
Brant questioned dubiously, "You were expecting to see me, later? Somehow I doubt that. More likely, you were preparing to sneak out somewhere, to hide until I left. Though, it is good to see you looking quite well."