Free Honor & Roses by Elizabeth Cole Page B

from her distress.
    He let go and took a step back, trying to smile. “Better?”
    “Now that you’re here, yes,” Cecily said.
    “You need not fear a repeat of the past,” Alric said. “Cleobury will not fall to any sort of attack, short of an actual siege.”
    “That is reassuring.”
    “My duty is to protect you, Cecily. That’s why I’m doing as Theobald asked.”
    Cecily’s face clouded briefly at his words, but then she gave him a little smile. “Ever the noble knight, Sir Alric. Just as always.”
    Then she excused herself and left for the manor house, leaving Alric wishing he had a reason to make her stay.
    But before he could call out to her, a servant came up to him. “Lord Theobald wishes to see you. Immediately.”
    Alric obeyed the summons. Instead of the usual questions about King Stephen’s progress, this time Theobald was interested in matters much closer to home.
    “Do you remember the hamlet of Meaholt?” he asked Alric.
    “I was there only once or twice, my lord.” He could recall nothing specific, other than its precarious position among the rougher hills to the west. It was an assart, a place carved out of the wilderness after the better land had been claimed and built on. “I think there were three or four families living there.”
    “Four,” Theobald confirmed. “But now there are none. A few years ago, a plague struck the hamlet, taking the lives of several people. Then followed a harsh winter, which harmed the flocks. The survivors abandoned their homes and took all their chattel and goods to the village of Bournham. Meaholt is no more.”
    “Yet you ask me about it?”
    Theobald said, “I’ve received word that bandits have taken up residence in the ruins. They could easily strike at Bournham from there, or any of half a dozen other settlements, including here. I will not tolerate being made party to such crime.”
    “Have you spoken to the lady Cecily about your concerns?”
    “Whatever for?”
    “Meaholt is on her lands,” Alric pointed out. “Yes, you hold them for her for now, but shouldn’t the decision be hers?”
    “I speak for Cecily,” Theobald said shortly. “She is not to be bothered with such matters—they aren’t any concern to a lady. Take as many men as you deem necessary and go root these bandits out. Burn the buildings to the ground if you must. But I want whoever is there now to be gone, and Meaholt to be nothing more than a scar on the land. The forest will retake it soon enough. Do you understand me?”
    “Yes, my lord.” Alric excused himself. He understood both the order and the implicit warning to keep Cecily out of it. He didn’t like it, but his place wasn’t to argue, it was to obey. Somewhat troubled, he nevertheless set about gathering a force of men to join him on the excursion.
    It proved more difficult than he expected. The men who came back from service along with Alric and Rafe were willing to go. But few of the men living at Cleobury would join them. As Alric moved through the ranks, he got fearful looks, excuses, and flat out refusals to accompany the force.
    At last, Alric cornered William Barley, one of the tenant farmers who served the manor. “What’s the matter with Meaholt?” he asked. “Why is everyone afraid of a few masterless men living there?”
    William explained, “It’s not mere bandits who reside there. It’s cursed ghosts, those who died of the plague. They can kill with a glance! The wise don’t go near Meaholt now.”
    Alric shook his head in disgust. The idea of Meaholt becoming the domain of evil was ridiculous. Fortunately, he had ten stout soldiers who would join him, and they would not believe such nonsense. If necessary, Alric would order them to not believe it, and because they were all under his command, they would have no option but to obey.
    He even asked Edmund, while the boy was helping exercise Rolande. The boy had also heard of Meaholt’s reputation, but he sounded excited rather than