Protected by the Warrior. Barbara Phinney

aunt was a healer and midwife, also?”

      “Aye. My mother sent me to be with her years ago, and I learned the skills from her.”

      “Where did you live before?”

      “By the sea. My father was a fisherman.”

      “Was?”

      “He went out on his boat one day and didn’t return. My mother had too many children to feed, so she sent me off to my aunt in Colchester.”

      “Is your aunt still there?”

      Clara shook her head, not trusting her voice to explain. She’d tried her best to save her aunt’s life, but in the end, had lost the woman who was more of a mother to her than her real mother.

      Finally, she dared to speak. “She died several years ago, and I took over her home and the craft.”

      “Craft? You make it sound like midwifery should have its own guild.”

      Her eyes flared. “We should. Too many people think only the lowest class of woman should be a midwife or a healer. With a guild, we would have more protection.”

      “Healers with their own guild? What nonsense. ’Twill never happen.” He disappeared around the corner before she could snap back that such would happen someday.

      A short time later, she was settled on the bench and Kenneth was dribbling hot water on the wound. She sucked in her breath. It stung like a bouquet of nettles. But with the small blade from her healing kit, he deftly coaxed the filthy splinter from her tender flesh.

      “Let me mix the salves.” He returned a moment later with a dollop of mixed salves on a clean strip of linen. “You’re right when you say that one stinks. It smells like cattle.”

      “’Tis ox gall. I found it in the old midwife’s things. ’Tis very effective, so it must be quite fresh.” She looked up at him. “Is Brindi still asleep?”

      “Aye. She would have been exhausted, having traveled so far yesterday.”

      “She’s used to riding, but I doubt they’d have given her a mount of her own. Poor thing, she must have been terrified. Clinging to the courier’s clothing.” Though the ride to Colchester took not quite a full day, it would have been long for a child.

      Sitting down beside her, Kenneth dipped his forefinger into the salve and began to spread it on the wound, eliciting a quick indrawn breath from Clara. “Do you think she would have thought they were taking her to Lord Taurin?” he asked.

      Clara pulled back her hand. “How much do you know of Lord Taurin and Rowena?”

      “Only what I read in the message Lord Eudo sent. She was pregnant when she ran away. You took Rowena in for the rest of her confinement. The babe was delivered safely, and you have concealed the mother and child ever since. I’m sure if you asked Lord Adrien, he would allow you to read the missive, also. My lord is a fair man and believes that a person deserves the right to face his accusers.”

      “’Twould do no good to ask for that, for I cannot read.”

      Kenneth hesitated. “I saw labels on your pots, written in English. How did you know about this salve if you can’t read the label?”

      “’Twas the old midwife’s labeling, not mine. She even had a book she wrote in.”

      “A book? Like a Bible?”

      “Aye, though not as thick. It must be a record of her medicines.” Clara shrugged. “Since I can’t read it or the labels, I had to test the contents of each pot first to find out what each contained.”

      “How? By tasting? ’Tis dangerous.” He sniffed the salve. “Not to mention quite disgusting.”

      “I know most healing substances by smell and texture.”

      Kenneth fell into a heavy silence as he continued his work. “What’s wrong?” she asked.

      “Nothing.”

      “Nay, I think there is. Your mouth tightened when I mentioned the book.” She studied him. “Why should it bother you?”

      He paused in his ministrations and looked up at her. She drew in her breath. How did she get so close to him? Aye, he was handsome to look upon, and indeed she was tempted to reach out and stroke his cheek. To discover for herself if the burr of his short beard was as rough as it looked.

      Nay! He was an unwelcome guest forced upon her. He said he was here to protect her. Only a part truth, she was sure, for she knew he would side with Taurin should the man arrive and demand Rowena. She’d dealt with this back in Colchester when the guilds had met and told her that Rowena’s life was not worth the wrath of the Normans. Clara disagreed. If not for Lord Eudo’s sergeant at arms ordering Taurin’s men out of the town, she would have surely ended up jailed or in the stocks until she revealed the location.

      Clearing her throat, she focused on Kenneth as he straightened the strip of linen. “What is so bad about that book?”

      “I cannot say for certain. Lord Adrien and Lady Ediva were poisoned before you came. I think ’twas also why the old midwife was murdered.” He paused. “The man knew she would reveal his guilt, for only he knew where to find the poisons in her stock of medicines.” He looked directly into her eyes. “Where did you find that book? What have you done with it? We searched for proof the midwife stored poisons, but we couldn’t find any. I suspect that Lord Adrien would prefer it be burned after all he and Lady Ediva endured.”

      “I found a box buried in the corner near the hearth. I noticed the dirt was softer there.” She shifted away. “When I saw that the ground was disturbed, I dug and found the box. In it was the book.”

      He was nearly done wrapping her palm, and he quickly finished. “Did she make this book herself?”

      “Mayhap. Someone had cut parchment to small squares and sewed them along one edge. But ’tis only a few pages and is very old.”

      “What does it say? Is it a ledger?”

      Clara yanked back her arm. “I told you that I cannot read.” She looked down at the wound. It throbbed less now. Kenneth had done a good job and the wintergreen had cooled the site. She looked up at him. “My thanks. But you still have a door to replace.”

      “Aye, ’twill be done. I honor my pledges.”

      Noise sounded from within the hut, and Clara stood. She’d been altogether too close to Kenneth as he tended her wound and was now glad for the diversion. “Brindi’s awake. We need to start this day. I have much to do, and you should return to the keep. I am sure Lord Adrien will need you.”

      “Nay, I’m staying with you, Clara. If Lord Taurin should come looking for the woman you’ve seen fit to hide, then you would be in the most danger. We both know the punishment for those who defy the king.”

      “Lord Taurin is not the king.”

      “But he has influence with him. King William could give him a writ to do whatever is necessary to find Rowena, because she has defied a Norman.”

      He wiped his hands on a portion of a remaining dressing he’d brought out with him. His voice then dropped as he shot a sidelong glance in her direction. “Of course, ’twould be best for all if you simply told me where Rowena is so I can deliver the son to his father for his own best interests.”

Chapter Four

      Clara flew to her feet, fury surging up with her. “How dare you even think I would simply blurt it out! Is that your true reason for being here?”

      “Nay, I am here to protect you. Mayhap even from yourself!”

      “You know nothing of this situation, save what was written in some Norman missive penned by a Norman. And his understanding of the situation was told to