“I think I will find a mistress. She cannot be young and still winsome, for he has gone there so many years. Or perhaps he kept many mistresses there, ridding himself of an old one, replacing her with a young one. But why not simply enjoy his mistress here at Oxborough? I do not know. But I do believe it must be a mistress that drew him back again and again. There is no other reasonable answer.”
She said very quietly, “I cannot remain here without you. I have an appetite for you that you must attend to, for surely it is one of your husband’s duties.”
He stared at her, then laughed. “So that is how you will bend me so that I will give you what you want. Very well, Hastings, I will take you to this Rosehaven so that you will be satisfied in your woman’s appetites.”
“And Trist will accompany us? I missed him for the time we were at Langthorne.”
“I will discuss the matter thoroughly with him.”
,,j| Then he kissed her and came into her very slowly. He did not finish until he heard the servants moving about outside their bedchamber door. She remembered that Trist hadn’t been with them when Severin had
shown her his wildness in the blood.
‘ThilTis what you must have, Hastings?”
“Aye, my lord. You are gracious. You are generous. I am the most blessed of women.”
He threw his new blue tunic at her, which she caught and immediately smoothed out. “It will fit you now,” she said, very pleased with herself, and handed it to him.
His wife had made the tunic for him, he thought as he dressed. The wool was fine and very soft. Trist would like the feel of that tunic. He wondered where the marten was. He hadn’t slept with them the night before. Ah, the tunic did fit him. He left her, whistling, saying over his shoulder, “We will leave by the noon bells.”
But they didn’t leave Oxborough at the noon bells.
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“My lord,” Alart called down from his tower on the ramparts, “men from Sedgewick are nearing Oxborough.”
“Sedgewick,” Severin said, frowning. “I wonder what they want. I wonder if Sir Alan is in any difficulties.”
Severin had known the man who led the men-at-arms for many years. His name was Remis. He was getting old, but he was still strong, trustworthy, loyal. The group remained a goodly distance from the outer wall. Remis rode just a bit closer, drew in his horse, and called out, “My lord, there is the sweating sickness at Sedgewick. I have brought the child Eloise and her guardian, Lady Marjorie, and ten men, none of us as yet ill. Sir Alan insisted on remaining. He was not yet ill when he ordered us to come here.”
Trist poked his head out of Severin’s tunic. He sniffed the air and pressed his face against Severin’s neck. “You have done well, Remis. Who else is still at the castle?”
“Sir Alan has men guarding the bulwarks, my lord. None wished to remain within the castle or the walls. If outlaws come to plunder, the men will kill them. Sir Alan is a brave man.”
Hastings stepped forward. “Remis, to be certain that none of you brought the sweating sickness here to Oxborough, I believe it wise for you to camp outside the outer wall for at least three days. No more. Ask Lady Marjorie if she needs anything.”
Remis returned to the group of men who were surrounding the woman and child. There was discussion. Then he returned.
He shouted up to the ramparts, “The lady brought all we would need. She foresaw that we should not immediately enter Oxborough. We will remain without.”
“If anyone sickens, I will put a potion outside the walls.”
“My thanks, Lady Hastings.”
Severin was frowning. “This is a pity. Sir Alan is my friend. It is un-
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