do. I shall never forget that a Norman murdered my father. Never forgive it. And my mother died too.”
Rannulf’s head came up.
“The Baron did not actually use a sword on her—though he might as well have done. My mother was granted sanctuary by the Abbot. She did not see the month out. She had been ill, but it was the Baron who caused her death. She died of a broken heart.”
“And you hate every Norman alive?”
Judith nodded. “Devils every one,” she confirmed “They contaminate God’s earth. If I could call down a pestilence to eliminate them all, I would.
“Baron Hugo oppresses our people. Justice is a thing of the past. You must know that, Rannulf. You must have seen what was going on before you left. De Mandeville disinherited the true heirs to the land, and ever since then he’s done whatever he pleases.” And recently, since Lady de Mandeville’s death, Judith thought, the Baron’s activities had made the Devil seem angelic.
“I believe that the sole reason I’m here in this—” Judith choked “—in this…place, is because the Baron must have found out I knew about his squalid deals with the slavers. He knew I’d denounce him to the Abbot. Why, if someone cut out his black heart and fed it to the swine—I’d bless them for it!”
“Judith—” Rannulf shoved his hand through his hair and gave her a despairing look.
Judith stiffened. “My language offends you?”
Rannulf shook his head. “Nay. But…Judith, you cannot blame all of his race.”
Judith lifted her chin and maintained a stony silence.
Rannulf sighed. “Is there no forgiveness to be found in your heart?”
“Not for any Norman.”
He smiled. “I do not believe you. I do not believe you could be so narrow.”
Judith shrugged.
“Take care, Judith, lest your heart turn to stone,” Rannulf warned. “It would seem I misread you, all those years ago. I thought you a gentle, delicate maid—”
“I’ve changed,” Judith declared flatly. “I’ve had to. Living as I’ve had to would change anyone.”
Rannulf’s green eyes caught hers.
Judith felt her cheeks grown warm. It was as though he would see into her soul. She wriggled on her cushion, and tore her eyes away. “Rannulf…you must agree de Mandeville is worse than any plague? Do you not know what has been happening?”
Rannulf ran his hand round the back of his neck. “I’ve been away too long. I left England for the crusade very soon after your f…after we last saw each other. I was led to believe that the Baron had reformed. I was told he was ruling with wisdom and justice. I wanted to believe those reports.”
Judith snorted. “Wisdom! Justice! That man doesn’t know the meaning of the words! Don’t glower at me like that, Rannulf. Oh, I don’t want to talk about Baron Hugo,” she sighed. “I’ve had enough of coming to blows over him in the past. I’ll worry about him when I get back home—if I ever do.” Tears pricked behind her eyes. She averted her head, and sank her teeth into her bottom lip, but, even so, her eyes swam.
For a few moments she had forgotten the reality of her situation. She was a prisoner in a House of Pleasure. Misery engulfed her. Would she ever see England again? A tear trailed down her cheek. She tried chewing her forefinger. A second tear followed the path of the first.
Rannulf pulled her hand from her mouth. “You will return. I shall help you,” he promised, squeezing her hand.
Her shaming tears forgotten, Judith stared at him, and tried not to cling too hard to his hand. “You…you can get me home?”
Gentle fingertips brushed away her tears. Rannulf nodded. “Of course. Why do you think I am here?”
Judith went scarlet.
Rannulf’s eyes crinkled, but he chose not to tease her. “First, we’ll sneak you out of this place.” He raised a brow. “I take it you’ll accept my assistance?”
“Accept? Oh, aye. I accept,” Judith blurted eagerly. “But how? It won’t be easy.”
“You’re right. It won’t be easy. But, then, if something’s worth having, it’s worth fighting for, is it not?”
There was a strange edge to his voice. She shot him a sharp glance under her lashes, but his expression was bland.
“I tried to arrange your escape for tonight,” Rannulf informed her. “But it wasn’t possible in the short time I had. You’ll have to stay here another night.”
Her heart dropped like a stone. “But that would mean me spending another whole day here. They might find me another…another…” She gulped and tried again. “What I mean is, I might have to…”
Rannulf was at her side in a moment. Judith’s hand met his halfway. Long, brown fingers closed over hers. His eyes were very dark.
“It seems you’ll make a beggar of me yet, Judith,” he declared. “I’ll pay for the pleasure of your company till we can get you out.”
Judith gripped his fingers. Green eyes were smiling into hers, but there was something oddly intent about his face that made her stomach flutter.
“Do you agree, my maid?”
“My thanks,” Judith mumbled. She closed her eyes. Why was it that relief made one weak? She knew she should force her fingers to free Rannulf’s hand. He was too close. She felt strangely disoriented. It must be the after-effects of the drug.
She felt him lift her hand, turn it palm uppermost, felt a light pressure on her palm that might have been a kiss, and her eyes snapped open.
She was too late. Rannulf had released her, and turned to the table, and she was scowling at his back. “Don’t do that!”
“Do what?” Rannulf enquired innocently over his shoulder. “What did I do?”
Judith flushed.
“Some wine, my lady?” Rannulf held out a goblet.
He was mocking her. “You know I’m not a lady, and I’m certainly not yours!” she snapped.
Rannulf put his hand on his heart. “I can live in hope, can I not?”
“Oh, you’re impossible!” Judith snatched at the cup, but felt the beginnings of a smile tremble on her lips. “If it weren’t for the fact that I need you, I’d wish you to the Devil!”
“But you do need me,” he pointed out.
“Aye.” Judith stared moodily at the blood-red wine in her cup. She hated being beholden to anyone. She valued her independence above all else. That was why she’d chosen to go with her brothers instead of taking up the veil…
Something Rannulf had said stirred uneasily in her mind. She looked at him. There was no tactful way of asking this. “Rannulf, how much did you have to pay for me?” she asked bluntly.
Rannulf spluttered on his wine.
Cheeks aflame, Judith ploughed on. “I…I have no means of repaying you,” she explained stiffly. “And I…I would not see you beggared.” She pulled on a cushion tassel, and twisted the silken skeins round her fingers.
There was a dreadful silence, and Judith knew she had blundered. Rannulf’s face darkened.
“Maybe I should take what I’ve paid for,” he said in a hard, stranger’s voice. “Then there would be no talk of debts.”
Judith caught her breath. She lifted her eyes. “Rannulf, I’m sorry…”
Rannulf was favouring her with a glance which all