Believe in Me by Lana Williams

Author:Lana Williams [Williams, Lana]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Medieval
Published: 2015-01-06T22:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

“I’m terribly sorry, my lady, but there is a woman at the door who insists on seeing you. She says she’s your maid, yet she won’t come into the manor,” the maid servant said.

“’Tis all right. I know who she is,” Cristiana advised her. She had checked on Branwen several times since their arrival. No amount of talking to the maid could convince her to join Cristiana in the manor. She insisted the place was cursed and would point to the carving of the bishop’s symbol above the entrance to prove her point. The maid was unable to explain her logic, leaving Cristiana perplexed at her behavior.

Cristiana had found her a place to stay and work to do with the baker. She’d hoped staying busy and productive with a routine would help heal the maid’s mind. Though they’d been in Longsbury several days, Branwen didn’t seem any better. She still couldn’t answer questions about the night of the murder.

Cristiana followed the servant to one of the side doors near the small courtyard and found Branwen pacing there.

“Good day to you, Branwen,” she said.

Branwen spun to face her, tears tracking down her face. “Oh, my lady, I’m so sorry.”

“Whatever for?” Cristiana asked, putting her arm around her shoulder in an attempt to reassure her.

“I’ve done a terrible thing. Just terrible.” Her breath came in stutters.

“Calm yourself. Tell me what’s wrong.”

“I couldn’t remember. I didn’t understand. I should’ve given this to you ages ago. I should’ve come home the night they attacked us, but I was too scared.”

“’Tis all right. I understand.” Cristiana’s heart pounded. Had Branwen remembered what had happened the night her mother had been murdered? Trying to remain calm, she kept her voice level. “What is it? What has you so upset?”

“This.” She pulled her hand from Cristiana’s and reached into the felt purse tied around her waist. “I was supposed to give this to you.”

The ring was of heavy gold, engraved with a crosier. A man’s ring for certain. Though Cristiana didn’t know for sure, it looked as though it belonged to an important church official.

A chill ran down her spine.

She turned it over in her hand, trying to understand how the maid had come to possess such a valuable ring. “Where did you get this, Branwen?”

“Your mother...she had it,” the maid muttered, wringing her hands.

Cristiana’s heart gave a lurch. She could make no sense of it. Why would her mother have this ring? “When did she give this to you?”

“That night. It was that night. That horrible night.”

Cristiana squeezed the maid’s shoulder in an attempt to comfort her. “Can you tell me of it?”

The maid’s breath hitched as she watched images Cristiana could only guess at. “Horrible—horrible night.”

“Aye,” Cristiana whispered, keeping her tone reassuring though she longed to shake the maid to make her speak.

“We were almost home. Men on horseback attacked us out of nowhere. Their black cloaks flying behind them.” She looked at Cristiana. “Great winged beasts.”

Now those words made sense. And were all the more terrifying because of it.

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