Fulk left the hall then to see to his men and the horses. It was beginning to rain again, he noted with displeasure. He sought out Father Oswin, whom he found praying in the church. The young priest arose from his knees, his brown robes swirling about his bony ankles.
"Good morrow, Father. You pray for the lady, I assume.".
"I do, Captain."
"She has been kidnapped, I am certain," Fulk said. "We must keep this occurrence secret for the sake of the little lord. Do you understand me, Father?"
"Aye," the priest agreed. "With the lord away and the lady gone, we need no other difficulties, eh, Fulk? Do you know who has taken the lady? And what will you do about it?"
"I do not know who, but I suspect the Welshman called Merin ap Owen who has been raiding hereabouts. We rode all night using torches to Light our path, but it was slow going. As soon as my men are fed, we will take up the pursuit. I shall leave Sim in charge of defense when I am gone, and you in charge of the rest until the lady is brought home or the lord returns."
"Do you expect it, then, to take time?"
Fulk shook his head. "I do not know, Father. I honestly do not know. First I must find out for certain who has the lady. Only then can I move on to the problem of how to get her safely home."
"I know you to be a man of action with little tolerance for fools, my friend. And I know you believe in action more than you do in prayer, but, believe me, I shall be praying for your success and the safety of the lady nonetheless," the priest finished with a small smile at the soldier.
"She would want your prayers," Fulk said quietly, "so therefore I will want them, too." With a nod to the priest he hurried off again.
The dawn came in gray and chill. The rain began in earnest, and grew into a steady downpour by the time Fulk and his men were ready to set forth in search of Elf. Fulk cursed the skies angrily. Whatever trail had been left by the kidnappers would be washed out. It was useless even to consider starting out until the rains stopped. He dismissed the men and stomped into the hall, grumbling beneath his breath and wondering why God was testing his patience in this manner when the lady’s very life might be in danger.
With no trail to follow he would have to rely on his instincts. The first thing he must do is learn where Merin ap Owen had his lair. The next step would be to ascertain if the lady Eleanore was actually being held by the bandit. If he had taken her, he would want her for ransom. What kind of a ransom? And how the hell were they supposed to pay a ransom when the lord was away? Fulk rubbed his brow. It hurt with all his cogitation, but without the lord to make these decisions, it was up to him to do so.
He groaned with frustration. He didn't even know where the lord was, or why he had truly gone, for he didn't really believe that tale the lord had told of going to Normandy to render his fealty to Duke Henry. Ashlin was no great holding. Ranulf de Glandeville could have rendered a new king his loyalty when that king came to England, and not a moment before. No offense would have been taken at all by such action. There was something else, but the lady had confided in no one, or else she herself did not know. Being such an innocent, she would accept her husband’s word in the matter. So, Fulk realized, he would not be able to send a messenger to his master telling him of what has transpired. They were on their own in this matter. Fulk rubbed his brow again. Being in charge was a very difficult thing, and he would never again envy his betters.
The autumn rains did not let up for three long days and nights. The morning of the fourth day dawned cloudy, but dry. Whatever chance they might have had of following the kidnappers' tracks was long gone, the trail having been washed away over the previous few days. Fulk prepared to go in search of Merin ap Owen’s hidey-hole, but Sim, his second in command, would not be content unless he himself went.
"You insisted upon leading the troupe to St. Frideswide's," he reminded his captain, "and look what happened in your absence. This time I will go. Besides, I am not as well-known as you are, Fulk."
"I did not insist, the lady sent me," Fulk protested.
"You could have sent me in your stead and remained at Ashlin," Sim rejoined. "You are the lord’s chosen man to defend Ashlin and the little lord. If you were lost to us, what would happen? I am at least expendable, although I assure you I intend returning home in one piece."
"It would have made no difference if I were here or not," Fulk said stubbornly. "The food, the drink, something was drugged with a sleeping potion. I would have slept as soundly as you did, Sim. Still, there is merit in your argument. I have the most experience of any here in matters of warfare and defense. When the time comes to rescue the lady, I will lead our men forth, but for now you are better suited than I to seek out Merin ap Owen and to see if it is he who holds the lady his prisoner. If he does not, I do not know where to look. All we can do is wait for a ransom demand."
"Which you could read, but I cannot!" Sim said triumphantly.
"The priest could read it for you," Fulk replied with a small smile. Sim was anxious to prove his mettle, and so he should have the opportunity. "If you think to have my place one day, Sim," he told the young man, "you will have to learn how to read and write. A man advances farther when he is educated and can be of more use to his master. A man without knowledge is but fit to work the fields or die in the first charge, lad."
"I thought you meant for Pax to have your place one day," Sim said bluntly. "Will you forsake him for me?"
"You are both my blood kin," Fulk replied, "but Pax will be the lord’s squire, and if, as I hope, he does well, he might even be knighted one day. One does not need to be of noble birth to be knighted. Only brave and freeborn. He will earn his freedom, and then, who knows."
Sim nodded, satisfied. "I had best get going," he said.
"God go with you, lad, and be careful," Fulk cautioned him. "Remember, you are not expected to rescue the lady. Only find Merin ap Owen’s place, and ascertain that the lady is in his custody. Then you must return to Ashlin, and tell me all you have learned."
"I understand," Sim said, "and I promise to be cautious." He mounted his horse, and moved out of the stable yard toward the gates.
Fulk watched him go, half regretting he had agreed to Sim’s suggestion, but more than aware that the lad was right. His experience was of more value here at Ashlin right now than on the trail in search of Lady Eleanore. He went off to find the priest to tell him of the change of. plan. Father Oswin was openly relieved to learn the captain was remaining.
"The men are not as certain of Sim as they are of you, my friend. He needs a bit more seasoning as does any young man," Father Oswin said. "You will be happy to learn I have seen the young lordling, and he is thriving with his new wet nurse. Maris is a good woman. She and Alyce will see the child is well cared for, and old Ida will watch over both of those two young women," he concluded with a chuckle.
"That is one less worry, praise God," Fulk said, relieved. "Now all I must do is wait for Sim to seek the answers we need, and then decide how to go about retrieving the lady."
"With God’s help we will succeed," the priest said firmly.
"In the meantime I worry how my lady has fared these past few days," Fulk replied. "It has been so wet."
Wet. She had never been so wet in all her life, even in a bath, Elf thought. Her mind was as clear as a cloudless sky on a summer’s day now, but it hadn't been at first. She had been so tired when she had gone to bed that night. Four days back? Her dreams, at least she had thought them dreams, had been a jumble of confusion. Whispers in the darkness. She was lifted up. She floated away again, only rousing slightly when she felt the cold air on her face, but it was daylight then. Arwydd brought her a warm drink, and then she slept again, and again, and again.