Page 37 of Veil of Winter

“Why would they? If these are King Claude’s men, or your father’s, the town officials will send you back with them.”

“I don’t think they will. I am a woman in need of help.”

“They will not see it that way.” It was true, but perhaps he should not have said it. He could see her nostrils flaring and her jaw tightening.

They just had to remain unseen and not get caught.

***

Elyce wanted to argue with Sir Gerard. Surely the town officials were more chivalrous than he thought. But he was probably right, and that made her have to press her lips together to control her temper. After all, Sir Gerard was only trying to help, only stating what he believed.

They rode in tense silence. Bertold had the same grumpy expression he’d had when he accused them of planning to steal his furs. He must be considering what he would do if his brother’s men caught up with them.

They reached the town gate. A couple of guards stood by but barely looked at them. The burly men leaned against the wall, each holding a stick of dried meat, their mouths languidly chewing.

Sir Gerard led her and the others through the gate and into the town. Now they could finally sleep in an inn, in a real bed. But Sir Gerard passed right by the building that was obviouslyan inn. He turned down a side street that smelled of excrement and spoke in a low voice.

“We will look for an out-of-the-way place to hide, a stable or an abandoned building. Meanwhile, we should move about separately. Princess Elyce, you and Ysabeau go and buy some food, enough for four or five days, but keep your hoods on and cover as much of your faces as you can. Meet us back here in about two hours.”

Elyce nodded. Ysa’s eyes were wide.

“Don’t worry,” Elyce whispered to her. “We will be two women come to town to shop for food. All will be well.”

Elyce took one of the horses for its saddlebags, to have somewhere to put the provisions, and headed up the main street to what looked to be the town center and marketplace on a hill.

The townspeople reminded Elyce of her own in Montciel, as they were friendly and did not stare at them. Probably this was the only market town for many miles, so strangers were a common sight. Hopefully they would blend in. Besides, King Claude’s men had never seen Elyce, and even most of her father’s men were probably not familiar with her face.

Elyce and Ysa trudged up the cobblestone street, stepping over animal waste so as not to soil their shoes.

It was a bit exciting to be around so many people. Elyce hungrily looked at every face. She hadn’t known she was so deprived of variety, so intrigued by human faces and wishing she had more friends and family. The Holy Writ said God was a God of compassion and the God of all comfort, but she wanted tofeel, really feel those things, from flesh-and-blood people.

Perhaps she was wrong to think like that, but Elyce hoped someday she would have a husband who was passionately affectionate. She wondered if Sir Gerard were that kind of man.

Sometimes she thought she should just be satisfied to have a husband who was faithful, someone who was not duplicitous like her father or downright evil and cruel like King Claude. But she was left with a heaviness in her heart when she thought like that.

As they neared the marketplace, Elyce kept looking over her shoulder. When would the men come? Would she recognize them as King Claude’s or her father’s men? She would if they were wearing their colors. Would they seize her and take her back to Montciel and force her to marry Rodrigo?

She had to pay attention to where she was going, there were so many people moving about.

Ysa, who had much more experience with buying things at the market, took the lead and found some dried fruit and nuts and bought a large cloth bag of each from a woman who seemed very happy to take their coins. Then they bought some hard-boiled eggs from an elderly man. Next they found some dried beef. Ysa did not buy from the first vendor they came upon, but searched until she had found the best price before purchasing enough for all five of them for four or five days. Lastly, she bought some bread rolls stuffed with pork, leeks, and pickled cabbage after first trying one to make sure it was good.

With their purchases safely tucked inside the horse’s saddlebags, they started back down the steep road.

When they were nearly to the place where they were to meetSir Gerard, Sir Oswalt, and Prince Bertold, a man on the street ahead of them caught her eye.

Rodrigo.

She stared hard, able to see only his profile from her angle. He was walking with a few other men, obviously soldiers by their manner and dress.

She was sure it was Rodrigo. Those must be the men who were following them. And there would be more of them, no doubt searching the town for them, as their tracks would have led them straight here.

Elyce turned quickly when she realized one of the soldiers was staring at her. Her heart beat sharply against her chest as she clutched the horse’s reins in one hand and Ysa’s arm in the other. “We need to go this way,” Elyce said, turning them toward a side street.

“This is the wrong street,” Ysa protested.

“I know, but we need to go this way.” If Elyce told Ysa that she’d seen Rodrigo and his men, she might look around and catch Rodrigo’s eye.

Once they were headed down the narrow street, Elyce’s heart pounded even harder. She had to lose the men, who would probably follow them, especially if the soldier recognized her.