Conquest of the Saxon Rose by Leah Lawson

Author:Leah Lawson
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: invasion, norman conquest, spicy romance, knight hero, claimed by norman conquest, saxon heroine
Publisher: New Concepts Publishing

Chapter Nine

The commotion woke the baby, frightening him, and he immediately began to wail. Shushing him, Elspeth scooped him into her arms and began rocking him as she looked around in confusion, trying to jog her exhausted mind into interpreting what was going on.

The captain of the guard, grim faced, was listening while Yvette and Pauline pelted him with their own interpretations of the events. Griselda, still looking so exhausted that her eyes were glazed and blank, merely stared at them.

“She threatened to poison her,” Yvette snarled, pointing a shaking finger at Elspeth.

“She said she would cut the child from its mother. Look at the blood!” Pauline screamed, pointing at Griselda.

The captain glanced from one woman to the next, his hands on his hips. “Did you murder the lady?” he demanded, staring at Griselda.

Griselda only stared at him uncomprehendingly.

Elspeth got to her feet with an effort. “She did all that could be done!” she cried. “You cannot accuse her of murder!”

The captain looked around in disgust. “Take them all and lock them up. Lord Arnaud can sort through this when he comes.”

Elspeth gaped at him. “But … how will I feed the baby?”

He stared at her in dismay. “We will find another wet nurse.”

Elspeth clutched the baby tightly. “Lord Arnaud said I was to be his wet nurse,” she said angrily.

His eyes narrowed. “That was before he thought you would die,” he said tightly.

“If he didn’t tell you any differently before he left, then he meant that I was to nurse the child if I didn’t die,” Elspeth said hotly.

He scratched his head. “Lock the others up. We will place this one under house arrest.”

“Griselda is old. Leave her with me and she can help to tend the child.”

“She is accused of murder!”

“You accused me, too! Look at Lady Rosabel! You will see she died in child bed. We did all that could be done. Griselda is nigh dead from attending her.”

He glanced toward the bed in revulsion, but he didn’t move so much as a step closer. After casting a desperate glance around the room, he fixed Yvette and Pauline with a hard glare. “You two—prepare the mistress for burial.” He turned to look at Griselda and Elspeth. “You and you, come with me.”

He escorted them to a room down the hall, thrust them inside and bolted the door from the outside.

“Send for someone to look at her. You will see we did nothing to harm her!” she yelled at the door.

Lord Arnaud did not come. A messenger arrived with the news that he was in the midst of a campaign to contain unrest near the borders and could not take leave. To Elspeth’s relief, however, the captain sent his men in search of anyone with any knowledge of medicine or child birthing and dragged them in to examine Lady Rosabel. When none found anything amiss, she and Griselda were released and they returned to their cottage.

The captain was doubtful about her taking the infant, but since he hadn’t

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