Free Beloved Abductor by June Francis

thought.
    ‘Edmund! How is Mistress Meriet?’
    Edmund paused on the bottom step. ‘Still in pain, although she bears it bravely.’
    ‘She is a pretty maid, despite that cut on her face and the swollen mouth—her eyes are beautiful or so Nell says.’ Dickon’s brown ones twinkled.
    ‘Does she!’ Edmund gave him a resigned glance as they began to cross the garden.
    ‘Aye, she is jealous, I think—but honest with it.’ Dickon put out a hand, preventing Edmund from opening the door into the house. ‘Let us not go in yet. Do you not think you should tell me the truth about Mistress Meriet? Surely you cannot think I have fallen for the tale you told Nell? We have been friends too long for me not to know when you are concealing the truth!’
    Edmund’s eyes narrowed and he would have shrugged off his friend’s hand. Then his mouth eased into a smile. ‘I never could hide much from you, could I? Let us talk, then, but not here where Nell might overhear. I think I would enjoy a stroll down by the river.’
    ‘So be it; I must go there anyway. Nell is missing Harry and thinks he might have gone fishing. I must teach that boy to swim, and then she will worry less.’
    It was pleasantly cool beneath the trees on the bank.
    ‘Well?’ Dickon leaned against the trunk of a massive oak, watching Edmund’s face as he flipped a pebble into the water. ‘Since we left the house you have not spoken except to enquire the price of wool. Is this secluded enough for you, my friend?’ He folded his arms. ‘What is it that worries you?’
    Edmund turned to him. ‘Mother is dead. She was murdered by Sir Philip Meriet and he is also responsible for the deaths of my father and half-brothers.’
    ‘God’s blood!’ Dickon’s expression was bleak. ‘Tell me all!’
    Slowly, his face grim, Edmund began to tell Dickon all that had happened in the last three weeks. ‘I came back from Italy, as you know, three months ago—after you sent word that Master Seisdon had died. I planned to come here after sorting out my affairs in Chester and seen my mother and father.’ He drew breath. ‘I guessed there was something wrong before I reached the village. There were no workers in the fields, but as I approached, several peasants came running towards me. They paid no attention when I called, but I recognised one of them and shouted his name—we had fished the river when boys. He told me to flee, that the lord, lady and their sons were dead, and that the swine responsible were slaughtering and raping in the village. I lent him my horse and packhorse—he had small children—and said that, if things went well, I would see him again at the charcoal-burner’s hut in the forest.’ He paused and cleared his throat. ‘There were horses with trappings outside Mother’s house. I did not stop to think, but went in. He was raping…her!’ Edmund choked on the words, and took several deep breaths before continuing, ‘so I went for him, only to be seized from behind. I struggled and fought but there were three of them and I was hit over the head. When I regained consciousness, the house was on fire.’
    ‘By “he”—I presume you mean Philip Meriet?’ said Dickon, scowling.
    Edmund nodded.
    ‘What relation is he to Mistress Meriet?’
    ‘Cousin!’ said Edmund. ‘I managed to escape with Mother and for two days I kept her alive, but, despite all my attempts, she died.’ His eyes were suspiciously bright and his voice was rough with emotion. ‘I was told by that same villager to whom I lent my horses that Meriet was going to have a celebration feast and was seeking helpers at the point of a blade. I seized my opportunity and became a serving-man. I was going to use poison at first—although that seemed too easy a death for him, but I just wanted to wipe him off the face of the earth. Then when I was in the buttery I heard about Mistress Meriet and that she was being brought to the feast, that Meriet was mad with love for her, that she