Page 42 of Rogue Knight
Launching herself into the street, she did not stop running until she reached the castle. She was panting when she spoke to the guard. Using her prior excuse, and the added one of being late, she gained entry and hurried through the bailey to the tower. Seeing a group of knights going in the same direction, she kept her head down.
The hall was full of men eating their midday meal and she was able to move to the stairs as one of the servants. Once there, an older serving woman stopped her.
“What brings such a one as ye to the castle?”
Knowing she did not look the part of a servant even wearing her soiled tunic, the only thing that came to mind was to mention the reason she had come to the tower in recent days. “I am on an errand for Helise Malet.”
“Aye, well, she is not usually in the floors above.”
“I must see for myself,” Emma told the woman and brushed past her, racing up the stairs.
Midway to the highest level, Emma stopped, her chest heaving as a sharp pain stabbed her beneath her ribs. She was not accustomed to running such long distances. A few breaths later, determined to find Inga before it was too late, she resumed the climb, reaching the top of the narrow, curling stairs.
The stairs ended in a wooden door. She opened it and stepped onto the platform on the third story of the tower. The wooden walls of the battlement were solid except for the arrow loops, too narrow for even a woman to jump through. But there was the walk at the top that circled the walls. It was there she found Inga, staring out, her hands gripping the edge of the low wall.
“Inga.”
The girl shot a glance at Emma, but then returned her gaze to the vast expanse below the tower. The wind whipped strands of her honey-colored hair about her face as she held her body rigid and leaned slightly forward. Was she preparing to leap?
Cautiously, so as not to cause Inga to make a sudden move, Emma closed the distance between them and whispered, “Inga, you must not.” She wanted to grab hold of Inga but feared she might cause the girl to suddenly leap from the wall.
Inga glanced back at her. “All will know. I will be shunned, the child called the bastard of our hated enemy. How will my father bear it?”
Finally reaching out to Inga on the narrow walk, Emma pulled her into her arms and backed them away from the precipice. The girl turned into Emma’s chest and sobbed.
“Oh, Emma…”
“Your father will not blame you, Inga.”
Inga pulled back, her gray eyes appearing to plead. “But how can I live with such a thing?”
“The child is innocent, a child who will grow to love you. To take such a life and your own would be against God’s law. ’Tis worse than murder, Inga. You would be killing not only the body, but also the soul. You could not even be buried in hallowed ground. You and your innocent babe would be barred from Heaven for all eternity.” Emma knew the words of the Church’s teachings were harsh, and while she did not believe God was so unmerciful, she had to use what she could to dissuade Inga from such a dire action.
Inga shuddered in Emma’s arms. “How could I ever love a child who looks like him?” Inga muttered.
“Mayhap the child will have your golden hair and gray eyes. Did you not once tell me that your grandfather’s look was clear on all his offspring? You and Feigr have the same look about you. So might the child. And to a mother’s love, looks are nothing. The child will be heart of your heart, half your own soul. How could you fail to love it?”
Sniffing, Inga’s sobs abated, giving Emma hope.
“What are you doing up here?” a deep voice bellowed behind them.
Emma turned her head to see the Norman guard. “We are just looking at the countryside,” the excuse coming to Emma. “The forest is so beautiful it has moved my friend to tears.”
“Aye, that may be, but you have no business here.” He gave Inga a suspicious look, her tear-stained cheek speaking of things other than surveying the surrounding countryside.
“We will trouble your battlement no longer, good sir. We are leaving.”
His eyes followed them as Emma helped Inga down and together they walked to the stairs.
“It will be all right, Inga. I will help you. We will raise your child with the twins.”
***
“I saw your lady in the bailey today,” Mathieu said to Geoff as he left the practice yard in the bailey wiping sweat from his brow.
Geoff paused. “Mayhap she came to see Helise about the garden they plan for the new castle. I am sorry to have missed her.”
“I do not think so, sir. She was running, as if for her life.”
