Page 76 of Rogue Knight
“Aye,” murmured Artur. “The babe comes.”
“I wonder if it would please her to know Eude is dead.” Geoff spoke his question aloud.
“I cannot say, but I think she wants the child. I believe the mistress has finally convinced Inga we will be family for both her and the child. ’Twould be hard not to love a babe that is Inga’s.”
Geoff kept his eye on his candle as they continued on. Finally, the servant turned into a chamber. Candles lit the small space not more than eight feet in length. Sigga knelt beside a pallet, wiping Emma’s reddened face with a cloth.
On the far side of the pallet lay Magnus, his head on the edge of the pallet, his dark eyes looking forlorn. When Geoff entered, the hound raised his head but did not leave Emma’s side.
Setting his candle on a ledge, Geoff dropped to his knees beside the pallet. Emma’s eyes were closed and she tossed her head in her fevered sleep.
Sigga moved the cloth away as he reached out to touch Emma’s forehead. The reddened skin burned under his palm. “Emma?”
“She will not wake, Sir Geoffroi,” advised Sigga. “But in her dreams she has called for you.”
He wrapped his fingers around Emma’s frail hand. She was thin and there were dark shadows under her eyes. He brushed the stray tendrils of damp, flaxen hair from her forehead. His heart ached for love of her, for fear he would lose her. He longed to tell her he understood what she had done, that he still loved her.
“She carried so much of the burden for us,” said Sigga. “She wore herself down.” Guilt shadowed the servant’s face. He could tell by Sigga’s grief-ridden expression she did not believe Emma would live.
“How long?”
Worry creased the servant’s brow as she gazed at her mistress. “’Tis the fourth day since the sickness came upon her. At first she could hold nothing down. Then came the chills and the fever. For the last day she has not been in her right mind. She grows ever weaker.”
From behind him, Artur said, “Sigga, I brought the herbs you asked for.”
Sigga stood. “Will you sit with her, Sir Geoffroi? I must prepare a tea for the fever.”
He nodded. “Has she eaten?”
“Nay, but in the first days, in the times she was near awake, I was able to get her to take a bit of broth.”
Sigga glanced at his mail still bearing some bloodstains, then raised a brow at her husband.
“Sir Geoffroi and his fellow knight saved us from two Normans who killed the guards and would have killed us.”
“Oh, no,” Sigga said, raising her hand to cover her mouth.
Her husband put his arm over her shoulder. “’Tis all right now, Sigga, but ’twould distress Emma to know her father’s trusted men were killed.”
“There should be no more knights wandering in the woods,” Geoff assured her, “but still, you must show caution when leaving the cave. There will be hunting parties from time to time.”
After Sigga had gone, Artur explained, “We have kept Emma separated from Inga and the twins. We were afraid her fever might spread.”
“Aye, you did well, but Emma should not be in this cold, dark cave. I will take her to her home. It has already been searched and will be safe, at least for a time.”
“My wife might not like it, but if Emma’s home still stands and you think it safe, I agree. We cannot care for her here as well as you could there.”
Geoff had been fighting the urge to flee the cave since he’d first entered it. For Emma’s sake he had not. “As soon as Sigga has prepared the tea, I will leave with Emma.”
“You will guard her from your fellow knights?”
“Aye, with my life.”
CHAPTER 15
Even before she opened her eyes, Emma knew she was no longer in the cave. The scent of herbed rushes and the occasional sound of a coal shifting in the brazier spoke of another place.Home.
The effort it took to open her eyes told her she was still weak. The room was dimly lit but the face looming over her had familiar blue eyes and an anxious expression. “Geoffroi.”
