Free Danburgh Castle by Catherine E Chapman Page A

fate uncertain throughout.  She gave birth to Oswald a month after Lord Robert pardoned her at the castle, the birth brought on prematurely by the stress of her trial, her mother believed.  Nobody thought Oswald would survive.  Emma herself came close to death.  But they both lived.  Emma felt her life had been spared to care for her son.  Oswald, like his father, was a fighter.
    Shortly after Oswald’s arrival, news was rife in the village that Lord Robert’s wife had died in childbirth at the castle.  The baby had been saved.  Emma’s mother remarked how strange the event was in the light of Grandfather’s words to Lord Robert.  Emma herself felt a strange sense of pity for the Norman lord that she couldn’t quite explain.  His hair was dark and very short, she remembered.  Alaric’s hair had been long, fair and flowing.
    Still grieving the loss of Alaric, forced to live back with her mother, grandfather and younger siblings, in the cramped cottage of the family farmstead, Emma’s own future looked bleak.  Having the responsibility of baby Oswald, she saw little prospect of a new suitor.  Nor could she be of any help to her family – she only added to her grandfather’s burden.
    When she’d married Alaric, her mother had told her that the joy of their union lessened the blow of the family’s recent loss of Emma’s father.  After Alaric’s death the family had been left in a state of financial peril.  Emma was the eldest of eight children, the youngest still a baby.  Only her stoical grandfather remained optimistic about the future.  Emma suspected his hope was misplaced and felt responsible for everything.
     

 
    Chapter 3
     
    One morning in autumn, when Emma was beginning to feel strong again and baby Oswald was considered well enough to be taken outside, Emma decided to go foraging for nuts and berries in the woods that belonged to Lord Robert’s estate.  Her mother was nervous about Emma going alone, but Emma insisted, pointing out that it was something she would have done without hesitation before Alaric’s death, and claiming she wanted to contribute to the household in some small way.
    Emma left the cottage, carrying the infant Oswald in a sling on her back, and felt immediately happier to be out in the open air with the child.
    When they reached the heart of the woods Emma quickly located bushes beside the path through it that were heavy with blackberries.  She stepped into the brambles and began to collect the berries in a basket.
    After a few minutes, bending over to pick the fruit that was out of her immediate reach, Emma heard horses approaching.  She turned to see who rode towards her.  One of the faces she spied was unpleasantly familiar.  Had she been able to move more quickly, she would have tried to conceal herself but, stranded as she was in the clump of brambles, she returned to her task, hoping to go unnoticed.
    Upon first encountering Emma, Lord Robert’s party merely bade the young peasant girl good day and walked their horses on along the woodland path.
    Emma thought she had not been recognised and felt relief.
    Moments later, however, Emma heard the horses come to a standstill up ahead.  One rider returned.
    Emma glanced up to see whose horse approached her.  As soon as she saw the rider she looked away in dread, feeling her stomach rising inside her.
    Lord Robert’s horse came to a halt on the path alongside where Emma stood.  The rider asked her if she belonged to his village and what was her husband’s trade.
    Emma nervously explained that she was the widow of Alaric the traitor.  There was no point in trying to conceal her identity from the Norman lord; his power was so absolute.  Emma hung her head in fear of Lord Robert’s reaction to her introduction.  Lord Robert said nothing but Emma sensed his gaze upon her.  Feeling uneasy about Lord Robert’s prolonged silence, Emma raised her eyes to look up at the well-built man on horseback.  She