Lady Ann, who was sitting near the hearth with Nathaniel, rushed over to hug her daughter.
“Thank God, you are alright," Ann said. "I have been so worried about you. What have you gotten yourself involved in?"
Taking her son from her mother’s arms, Isabel hugged the child to her.
Isabel replied to Ann’s question, "There is absolutely nothing going on, that you can help with. Though hopefully, my largest concern will soon be resolved. You really need not worry, Mother. Believe me, I have enlisted the aid, of those best positioned to help."
While the two women had been greeting each other, one of the Brant’s Knights, had left the hall to find him. He rushed in, a short while later, with the knight several steps behind him. Without a word, Brant walked to Isabel's side. Grasping her arm, he began leading her toward the stairs. Jeffery and Angus, moved from where they had been having a tankard, to the bottom of the stairs, blocking Brant's path.
Stopping in front of them, Brant asked, "Do you gentlemen have a problem, with me speaking to my wife?"
"Nay, My Lord, there is no problem with you talking to the Lady," Angus answered, looking pointedly at Brant's grip, on Isabel's arm. "However, we are under orders to see that the Lady is not harmed. It seems like some of her recent activity, may have made you a little angry."
Brant let go of Isabel's arm, glaring at the knight. Obviously, these men, who had been foisted on him, intended to keep him from getting to the bottom of, whatever his wife was up to.
Isabel turned slightly toward Brant, and said, "As I was telling my mother, hopefully, much of this current difficult situation, will be resolved within a few days. I have decided, I like the room across the passage from your Solar, if that is alright with you." When Brant sent another glare in her direction, she continued, "Aye, My Lord, I can see that it is fine, with you."
Thwarted in his attempt to get Isabel alone where he could question her, Brant turned, and angrily walked to the table. A serf brought him a tankard, which he immediately took a big draught from in frustration.
Isabel spotted Rosamund near the hearth, and went to greet her.
"Tis good to see you well, Rosamund," Isabel said. "I was concerned that my actions, might have repercussions for you."
"Ye had us all very worried, Me Lady," Rosamund chided. "I was afraid you might not return."
"Well, as you can see, I am fine. Could you do me a favor, and see if Cora is around?" Isabel asked.
"Aye," Rosamund answered, and went in search of the requested serf.
Isabel greeted the others there by the hearth, all the while, hugging her babe to her. She deflected any questions about where she had been, these past few months, offering no explanations. Minutes later, Rosamund appeared with Cora in tow. Isabel went to meet the women halfway.
"Have you been seeing to that matter, I asked you to take care of for me, Cora?" Isabel asked, without preamble.
Cora replied, "I did the first time, but Nora said the second time, that ye was gone. She was not going to do it, unless ‘Is Lordship says it is alright. Ye know how she feels about that. So I just gave ‘er some of the money ye left."
"I see," Isabel said. "If I have Nora get the supplies ready, could you take them to the village? Mayhap, you can have William go with you?"
"Byron would be better, Me Lady. I think he is sweet on her," Cora countered.
Isabel laughed, and replied, "By all means ask Byron, then."
After giving Nathaniel one more big hug, Isabel handed the babe over to Rosamund, and headed to the kitchens, to find Nora.
Brant watched this exchange from across the room, listening intently to every word. He found himself very uncomfortable, seeing his wife talk so amiably, with his former favorite tart. He wanted to know what this matter, they had discussed was. This was his Castle, he had a right to know about everything going on here. Assuming Isabel would not be telling him about the 'matter', he sent one of his knights to the village, to wait for Cora, and see where she went. Brant himself, suggested that a couple of his men joined him out in the practice yard, to cover his interest in Isabel's activity.
Twas about a half an hour later, when Brant saw Cora and Byron, leaving to complete their errand in the village. They were carrying what he guessed were supplies from his Castle. He was going to find out where they were taking them, and why.
Later that day, Brant was directed to the hut in the village, where his supplies had been taken. He tapped at the door, and it was opened by a young woman, who was familiar to him. It took him several moments, to recall that her name was Ruth.
“May I come in?” Brant asked, pressing forward without waiting for a reply.
Brushing past Ruth, he spied the only other occupant of the hut, a young girl of about seven years of age. He stopped short, noting how much she looked like Nathaniel. He tried to move closer to the child.
Ruth stepped in front of him, and said, “Leave us alone, Me Lord.”
He noted that her voice wavered slightly, and she looked really frightened of him. Yet, she placed herself between him, and the child.
“How is it, that my wife was here for only a couple of months, and Isabel knows about her. While I have lived here her whole life, and I am just now finding out?” Brant demanded.
“Me sire went to the ol’ Lord, about how ye hurt me. When I knew I was to ‘ave the babe, I did not want ye to know. But me father said, ye should see to ‘er needs. Yer sire agree to see to her, and not tell ye, cause we was afraid ye might hurt me, again. He ‘ad supplies sent for her, until he died. Cora brought Isabel here about Mary, cause things ‘ave been bad, since yer sire has been gone,” the terrified woman said, before falling silent.
“Cora, knows about her? And she went to Isabel, not me?” Brant asked.
“Yer sire brought Cora ‘ere, to try and keep ye away from the maids, in the village. Cora were wed once, but when she could not have no babes, her husband set ‘er aside. The old Lord told ‘er about Mary,” Ruth said.
“In the future, you will let me know what you need for her, alright?” Brant asked.
Ruth nodded with a reluctant look, that said she would rather confront a pack of wolves. He looked at the child for a few moments more, before turning to leave the hut, without another word.
As Brant rode back to his Castle, he thought about the night he had Ruth brought to him. He had been about a score years old, at the time. She was about five years younger, and untried. He had spent most of the night riding her body, though she had told him ‘no more’ several times, even begged him to let her go. He recalled at first she had merely, passively lay there, while he mated with her. He had not thought much about her pleas, that he was hurting her. He was heir to these lands, trying out the maids in the village was his right, if he so desired. The Lord was responsible for the safety of his people, from raiders or invaders. And each serf and their family, owed certain labor, and deference to the Lord, and the knights, who protected them. He had to have the archers, and trained forces, to protect his lands, and people. That was the way it was, so why was he feeling as though, he had done something wrong?
Isabel knew about his treatment of the maid. She had lured him to her Castle, and seduced him, even though he had said, he did not want to do that. Was this a taste of his own medicine? Mayhap there was method, to Isabel’s madness. She certainly was making him think. Now if he could just find some answers.
Brant was in a much better mood, when he, and the knights who had escorted him to the village, returned to his Castle. Even when he could not fathom what she was about, Isabel seemed to know, just what needed to be done. Mayhap, whatever she was up to, would in fact be resolved soon, as she claimed. He had to admit, his lack of any control over his wife rankled him. But Brant suspected, that doing anything other, than going alone with her, would likely land him back in some dungeon. It seemed unlikely, that she was operating solely on her own agenda.