‘The Abbess. Aye, I have heard tell of her.’ Ambrose shot Josse an assessing look. ‘What is your opinion of her?’
An image of Helewise swam into Josse’s mind. In it she was laughing at something he had just said, her wide mouth smiling and her grey eyes under the well-marked brows regarding him affectionately. But then the image changed and, drawn up to her full imposing height, she stood in her severe habit glaring at some wrong-doer, authority in every inch of her.
‘What is my opinion of her?’ Josse muttered. ‘Sir, I do not believe myself fit to have one. But I will say this: she is a good woman, honourable, hardworking, devout.’ Meeting Ambrose’s narrowed eyes, he said, ‘Bring your wife to Hawkenlye and meet her. Experience for yourselves the love and charity of her nuns and at least try the healing waters. They will do you good, I believe, and the monks will make you welcome.’
For a few moments Ambrose studied him in silence. Then he said, ‘I will do as you suggest. Let us return to the hall and I shall tell Galiena.’
Josse found it difficult to look Galiena in the face after what her husband had been telling him about her. Still discomfited by her beauty, he heard Ambrose’s words running through his head, over and over again. I watch her as she enacts her rites. Naked under the moonlight, her lovely body so pale and white.
Although he knew it was not his fault, he felt guilty.
Trying to be as unobtrusive as possible, he listened to the talk flowing between the other three. Ambrose had already announced that he and Galiena would make the journey to Hawkenlye and take the cure and Galiena had seemed genuinely delighted. Ambrose, muttering to her, had seemed to be cautioning her against unreasonable optimism, which Josse thought was wise. Reflecting on what the two of them might make of Hawkenlye — and, indeed, what Hawkenlye might make of them — he allowed his attention to wander.
But then Galiena’s excited voice broke into his reverie.
‘… no reason why we should not go straight away!’ she was saying. ‘Is there, Sir Josse?’ He leaped to attention.
‘Er — what was that?’
Smiling, she repeated herself. ‘I was saying, we could set out straight away. First thing in the morning, perhaps. Unless we have to give notice that we are coming?’ The delicate eyebrows were raised in query.
‘No, folks usually just turn up,’ he said. ‘But — do you not need to make preparations for the journey? There must surely be some small comforts you will wish to pack up and take with you.’
The blue eyes met his. ‘Do poor peasants with a sick child bring such comforts?’ she asked coolly.
‘No, of course not,’ he replied.
‘Then what need have we of such things?’ Still staring at him, she seemed to notice that her words had stung. ‘I am sorry, Sir Josse,’ she said, much more kindly. ‘I meant no criticism.’ Now she was smiling. ‘I am very anxious to be on our way and I fear that my mood affects my speech. I did not mean to offend.’
‘Neither did I,’ he assured her.
‘We may set out in the morning, then?’ she asked again. ‘It is truly in order to arrive without prior warning?’
‘Indeed it is,’ he said.
‘Then we shall do so!’ she exclaimed, leaping up and clapping her hands.
But Ambrose was frowning. ‘Galiena, I cannot set out from home at a moment’s notice,’ he said. ‘There are matters that I must attend to, orders and instructions I must leave with our people here.’ He glanced over in Josse’s direction and said quietly, ‘The ransom, you know. I have already given as much as I had immediately at my disposal and I have pledged what more I can. I am anxious to have this second sum ready as soon as possible, for without doubt the Queen’s newly appointed council will soon send out their officers. To think of the King out there, imprisoned among strangers …’ With a shudder he broke off, as if further contemplation of the King’s situation were just too painful.
Instantly Galiena was contrite. ‘My love, of course!’ She flew to his side and took his hand. ‘In my eagerness I did not stop to think. I know how very important this matter is to you — indeed, to all of us — and I allowed my own preoccupation to take precedence. Forgive me.’
Any brief annoyance that Ambrose might have felt was washed away; fleetingly Josse reflected that she certainly seemed to know how to keep her husband happy.
Then Brice spoke, his interjection coming as a surprise since he had kept silent for a while. ‘May I suggest that the lady Galiena goes on ahead to Hawkenlye?’ he said. ‘Unless, lady, there are arrangements that you also must make before setting out?’
‘None that I cannot see to this evening,’ she replied. ‘Oh, but I think it’s a splendid idea!’ She turned to Ambrose. ‘Do you not agree, dearest?’
Ambrose studied her vivacious face for a moment. Then he said, ‘I am not happy for you to travel unescorted, Galiena. Will you not wait, so that we may ride out together?’
Her face fell. ‘Oh — if you wish it, my lord.’ She gave him a brave smile. ‘Only I feel that we have just been given hope and I do not believe I can bear to postpone my departure, even by a day. But it must be as you command.’ She hung her head.
Ambrose, clearly uncomfortable at being cast in the role of unreasonable and dictatorial husband, tried to justify himself. ‘There is much that I have to see to,’ he said, ‘and surely another couple of days will make no difference?’
‘No,’ Galiena whispered. It was amazing, Josse thought, just how much emotion a woman could put into that one short word.
‘I would be happy to escort the lady as far as my own manor of New Winnowlands,’ he heard himself offer. ‘I wish that I could take you all the way to Hawkenlye’ — he turned to Galiena, catching the full force of her delighted smile of gratitude — ‘but, like my lord Ambrose here, I too have matters that must be attended to without delay.’ It was not, he well knew, going to be a light matter to give away a quarter of his income for Richard’s ransom, but he also knew that, as Richard’s man, he must set an example and have his contribution ready and waiting as soon as it was demanded. ‘Perhaps one or two of your household might be spared to ride with your lady on to Hawkenlye?’ He looked enquiringly at Ambrose.
‘I suppose that is possible,’ the older man said grudgingly. ‘Galiena’s personal maid has no role here if her mistress is absent, so she at least could be of the party and not be missed.’ Catching a sudden tension in Galiena, Josse shot her a glance; there was an expression of distaste on her face. Does the lady not care for her maid? he wondered. Then, assuming that her adoring husband allows her free choice in the appointment of her servants, why not dismiss the woman and find another? Strange!
Galiena had not spoken and now, with her head lowered, her face was hidden.
‘Dickon can ride with you,’ Ambrose said decisively after a few moments. ‘My young stable boy,’ he said, turning briefly to Josse. ‘He’ll see you and Aebba safe into the nuns’ care, then ride home to report to me. I will join you at Hawkenlye as soon as I am able.’
Nobody answered straight away; it was as if they were all silently acknowledging Ambrose’s right to order matters as he saw fit, without comment or protest from anyone else. Then Josse cleared his throat and said, ‘We shall meet at the Abbey in due course, then, my lord, since I am eager to speak to the Abbess concerning the — concerning this business that presses on us all.’
Galiena shot him a quick smile. Ambrose, who appeared not to see, merely nodded and said, ‘Very well. Let us pray that all our purposes there will meet with success.’
Josse was offered hospitality at Ryemarsh overnight, which he accepted. There was little point in riding away only to have to return in the morning to escort Galiena to New Winnowlands. He took a bite of supper with his host and hostess early in the evening — Brice had already left for home — and soon after they had eaten, Ambrose and Galiena retired to their own chamber.