‘It was bad enough,’ Raife said. ‘And you, Madog? How did your lands fare?’
I remembered my husband’s earlier keenness to discover how far the plague had travelled into Welsh territory, and I listened carefully for Madog’s answer.
‘The death scarcely brushed us,’ Madog said. ‘God’s punishment only extended to the English, it seems.’
‘I heard hundreds died in this valley alone.’
‘Then you heard wrong. Less than a dozen died in the Usk Valley and none deeper into my lands.’
I could hear no deception in Madog’s voice and looked to my husband. One of his hands was idly stroking his chin as he studied Madog, and I thought I saw some uncertainty in his eyes.
‘But I thank you for your concern,’ Madog said, waving his cup about.
I rose and fetched the pitcher, refilling Madog’s cup as Raife grunted in response to what he had said.
‘My lady,’ Madog said as thanks, and for one moment I was stilled, spellbound by his powerful eyes.
‘But to the point,’ Madog continued, as I returned the pitcher to its table top. ‘The devastation of the plague is why I am here. Surely you have guessed my anxiety?’
Pengraic raised an eyebrow as I sat down once more. ‘My wife,’ Madog said quietly. ‘My son. Are they still living?’
His wife and son? Why should my husband know about them?
‘I do not know,’ Raife said. ‘My concern was always for my family, not yours.’
‘And yet you have had as guest recently Prince Henry. He said nothing?’
I was entirely lost in this conversation.
‘We had other things of which to speak,’ Raife said, and, so far as I knew him by now, I knew he was dissembling.
‘My lady,’ Madog said, suddenly swivelling in his chair so he could look me in the eye, ‘perhaps you might have sympathy on a fretful husband and father.’
‘My lord,’ I said, ‘I have no idea —’
‘You have no idea of what I speak? My lady, do you not know that your countrymen keep my wife and my son locked in some dark dungeon? That your king and your new-wedded husband conspire to keep my —’
‘I have nothing to do with it,’ Raife snapped, ‘which is why I know not if they have succumbed to the plague.’
‘Where are they?’ Madog demanded, turning once more to my husband. ‘What jail now confines them?’
‘I don’t know what Edmond has done with them!’
‘Edmond has my Lord Madog’s wife and children?’ I said, helplessly, endeavouring to understand.
Madog once more swivelled to me. I was beginning to think that maybe I should move my place, simply to prevent Madog from succumbing to dizziness.
‘My lady,’ he said, his voice softer now he addressed me, those magnificent eyes of his just as compelling, ‘in this month last year, the bastard Earl of Chestre led a raiding party into my northern lands, taking my wife and the infant son she had just birthed into captivity. Since then, Edmond has been using them as bargaining tools, hoping, I think, I might hand him Wales in its entirety for my wife’s and son’s return.’
Now his voice hardened again. ‘Chestre — Ranulf de Gernon — is, as well you realise, close kin to this castle’s garrison commander, d’Avranches —’
I had no idea, but did not let my ignorance show on my face. ‘— and from that connection I have no doubt your husband knows full well where my wife and son are, and how well they are, if they live or not. You have compassion in your eyes, my lady. Can you not persuade your husband to show me some, as well? All I want to know is whether or not they live, and where they are, that I might send them a message of my love and care.’
I had moved to another chair now, closer to the men, that Madog might not have to spend his time swivelling to and fro.
‘My lord,’ I said to my husband, ‘surely knowledge of whether or not they live can bring no harm?’
He just looked at me, his eyes narrowed and cold.
I knew he was angry at my intervention, but I also felt for Madog, and for his wife who had been imprisoned through no fault of her own, and with a tiny baby. How frightened she must be, so far from her home! And from her husband, who cared enough to risk his life to learn of her fate.
‘It would be a charity, nothing else,’ I said. Then, emboldened by stupidity and little else, I looked at Madog. ‘My lord, perhaps if I find myself in court, and if I find myself close to your wife, I might visit and let her know of your concern? She must be frightened, alone in a strange land. I pray she and your son have survived the plague, my lord. It has been so terrible here. This castle alone lost most of its garris—’
‘Enough, you witless girl!’ Raife said, his voice a snarl, and I looked at him, startled into silence and not a little frightened by his tone and expression.
Madog chuckled. ‘You should have poured the wine yourself, Pengraic. But I thank you, my lady, for you have served me well. Aye, if perchance you find yourself close to that dark and rank prison where my lady wife lies disconsolate, then —’
‘Maeb, leave,’ Raife snapped. I stood up, almost blinded by tears at my own stupidity, and stumbled into the privy chamber, shutting the door behind me.
I sat there, cold, shivering from time to time, until the late afternoon. I heard Madog and my husband talking for another while — I could hear their voices but not their words — before I heard sounds of them leaving.
I went to the window. I had to crane to see, but I made out Madog riding from the castle and d’Avranches and his party riding back in.
Madog turned to ride down the mountain and, as he did so, he looked up to the castle and saluted.
I may have been imagining it, and I likely was, but it seemed to me that he had seen me at the window, and that salute was meant for me.
After a while I heard voices in the solar again. My husband. D’Avranches. Several other knights. They talked a short time, then the door to the privy chamber opened and Raife walked in.
He slammed the door shut. ‘I have no idea why I took you to wife!’ he said, his voice loud enough for the words to be clearly distinguishable in the solar beyond the door.
I winced, and said nothing.
‘What did you think you were doing?’ he said. ‘I stopped you just before you gave Madog a list of who died and in what state the castle garrison currently lies! As it is he knows now we are vulnerable. Sweet Jesu, Maeb, are you in his employ?’
I dropped my eyes to my lap, humiliated that d’Avranches and the others heard this, too.
Raife stalked to a far wall, standing staring at it as if the stonework contained something fascinating.
‘I felt compassion for him,’ I said softly. ‘For Christ’s sake, Maeb, the man has been raiding English territory for most of his life,’ Raife said, now pacing in short, hard steps about the chamber. ‘Hundreds — including innocent mothers and babies — have died. The fact that Chestre had the nerve to capture his wife and son means that, for the time being, Madog’s raids have ceased as he does what he can to win their return.’
Thankfully his tone had moderated a little now.
‘I didn’t know,’ I said.
‘No. You didn’t know. In future, when you “don’t know”, then refrain from commenting! Your duty is to support me, not undermine me!’
‘My lord, I am most sorry for what I said.’
Raife grunted.
‘I will keep my counsel in future.’
‘You are my wife. I say again, your duty is not to undermine me. Remember it!’
I nodded, still feeling humiliated and not a little fearful, wondering that I could so easily have wrecked the trust we had begun to build between us.
This morning had been so golden, full of laughter. This afternoon, my thoughtlessness had shattered everything.
‘We will sup early, and thence to bed,’ he said, and I nodded again.
Raife was cool but relatively courteous throughout the rest of the evening, and I was absurdly grateful for it. I was even more grateful to d’Avranches who, when Raife left table for a short while during the evening meal, told me to not take his anger to heart.
‘He speaks hotly, but cools quickly,’ d’Avranches said. ‘You are a wife, not a general, and should not be expected to think with the mind of a general.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, and he gave me a smile.