Page 23 of Castle of Refuge

“I don’t know,” Mistress Wattlesbrook said. “She’s been a bit delirious with the high fevers. But at least she seems to be getting better, less fever—although pushing herself out of the bed was not the best way to help herself heal.”

Edwin studied the girl’s face. He was almost certain he had seen her before.

“Has she said her name?” Edwin asked.

“I asked her once. I think she said Audrey.”

The name sounded familiar but he didn’t know why. “I suppose Audrey is a common enough name.”

“Yes, common enough.” Mistress Wattlesbook placed her hand on her hip and stared at the wall as if deep in thought. “There was a girl in the village by that name. Her father is one of your villeins. Do you think she could be that girl?”

Something inside Edwin rebelled at the thought of this young woman being a villein’s daughter, but why? He couldn’t shake the thought that he’d seen her before, and not in the Dericott village. But he did not remember the scars on her ear and the edge of her face, and he would certainly have remembered such an unusual thing. But perhaps the scars had been covered when he saw her the first time. Or perhaps she had not had them then. Nevertheless, he couldn’t help thinking he should remember her.

“She seems fearful,” Mistress Wattlesbrook said, brushing the girl’s long blonde hair off her forehead. “I think she must have been running away from someone.”

“Seems likely.” Why else would she be so desperate to leave, even in her weak, sick state? And why else would she say, “Please don’t tell him”? She was afraid of someone. He wished he could tell her that there was no safer place she could be than here at Dericott Castle, as neither he nor his servants would ever allow anyone to harm her.

***

Audrey opened her eyes with the vague feeling that she was in danger. But a woman was lifting her head and helping her drink. Then she remembered everything, from getting sick, to being taken care of, to learning that the master of the house was Edwin, Lord Dericott.

She had to get out of here before he summoned her father. But what if he didn’t recognize her, or didn’t remember her? A breath of air filled her lungs at this thought.

Yes, here was hope.

“Drink it down, now,” the woman said softly. “That’s good.”

Audrey stared at her. She was the same middle-aged woman who had been tending her from the beginning. This was the first time she hadn’t been too feverish and weak to hold her eyes open for any length of time. The woman had gray hair and blue-gray eyes and the kind of wrinkled skin that looked soft to the touch.

“You are feeling better today, it is plain to see,” the woman said with a smile. “What is your name, child?”

“My name?”

Once she told the woman her name, she would tell Lord Dericott, and then he would remember who she was, if he didn’t already.

“I believe I heard you say it was Audrey. Where are you from? How did you get here?”

So they knew her given name. She must have said it when she was sick.

“Forgive me for asking so many questions. I am Mistress Wattlesbrook, and I am Lord Dericott’s head house servant.”

“Thank you, Mistress Wattlesbrook. My name is Audrey. I came here from... south of here, but I wasn’t sick. That is, I became sick as I was walking. The illness came upon me quickly. I remember lying on the ground and closing my eyes, but I did not know where I was. I’m so sorry I’ve taken up so much of your time.”

“Do not fret, my dear. I was pleased to attend you. The master insisted I turn over my other duties to care for you. It was no trouble at all.”

“Oh.” Did that mean Lord Dericott knew she was the daughter of a viscount? “I’m so sorry to have been a bother. I shall leave forthwith.”

“Oh no, you shall not. You are too weak still.” Mistress Wattlesbrook appeared quite adamant. “But where did you come from? You still have not said.”

Mistress Wattlesbrook did not know where she was from.That was good. Audrey hesitated, then said, “I do not wish to go back there. Please do not make me tell you.”

“There now, all is well. No one will send you back where you do not wish to go, especially if they mistreated you there. Is that where you got your scars?” She pointed at her ear.

Audrey instinctively reached up to cover the scars with her hair. She thought about how Maris had tripped her and how her father had not believed Audrey when she said Maris had done it intentionally.

“Yes.” Her throat tightened, making her voice raspy. “I don’t want to go back.”

“To Derbyshire?”