The Melford Dynasty

Anne heard her father’s voice as she paused outside his chambers. She knew that Harry was with him and they had been talking for a long time. Lord Melford would be delighted with the news that his son had decided to marry, but would he be as pleased with the revelation that the bride was French?

Anne knocked at the door and was invited to enter. Her father looked at her as she did so, his brows lifting. ‘Your mother has sent you to fetch us to table, I dare say?’

‘Yes, Father. Mother says that supper is ready, and she wants to talk to Harry.’

‘In other words, I have kept you too long to myself, Hal,’ his father told him with a smile. ‘We must not keep Lady Melford waiting another second. She will want to hear all you can tell her about the lovely lady you intend to ask to wed you.’

Anne realised that her father was happy with the marriage. He did not mind that the lady Claire St Orleans was French, and that pleased Anne, for she would not have wished her brother to be disappointed.

Lord Melford’s eyes came to rest on his daughter. ‘As for you, miss, your brother has made a request of me that I am minded to grant, but we must ask your mother first. She may not agree that you should go with Harry to fetch the lady Claire home to us.’

‘Go with Harry?’ Anne’s pulses leaped with excitement as she looked at her brother. ‘Do you mean it? May I truly come to France with you?’

‘Father has given his permission if Mother agrees,’ Harry told her and grinned. ‘I thought it might be a good thing if Claire met someone from my family, someone who thinks well of me and will reassure her that I am to be trusted. Otherwise she might refuse me.’

‘Oh, Harry, thank you,’ Anne cried, her excitement bubbling over. ‘I should like that so very much.’

‘Well, we must ask your mother first,’ Lord Melford said, but with an indulgent look. ‘Had circumstances not interfered, you would have been taken to court at least once before this, Anne. It may do you good to see something of the world outside this house and our village. We have excellent neighbours, but few young men of your age. It is possible that you may meet someone in Harry’s company. On your return from France, you will go with him to London, and make your long-delayed appearance there. Lady Melford and I will come up to join you. We shall all return here for the wedding.’

Anne’s smile lit up her eyes. It was all she had longed for—an adventure that would take her somewhere far away from her home. To visit London had once been the extent of her dreams, but France conjured such pictures in her mind, though she had little to go on except for stories that Harry sometimes told her about the French court. He was one of King Henry’s trusted courtiers and had visited several countries in his Majesty’s service. She knew that he spoke both French and Spanish fluently, so perhaps it was not surprising that his choice had fallen on a French lady.

‘It is so good of you to take me, Harry,’ she told him excitedly. ‘You are the very best of brothers!’

‘I hope you will tell Claire that,’ Harry said. ‘I have gifts for both you and Mother in my saddlebags. It is as well that the fair is coming tomorrow, for you will need a new gown before we leave, Anne.’

‘When are we to leave?’ Anne asked.

‘In three days,’ her brother replied. ‘I have a month before I need to return to court. I know that Henry has further work for me soon, but he has granted me leave to visit my home and to fetch my bride home…if she will have me. I shall need to spend time at Claire’s home, and if we marry I shall wish some time alone with her before I return to my duties, so the sooner we start our journey, the better.’

‘How could she refuse you?’ Anne asked. She was surprised and thrilled that her brother wanted her to accompany him. ‘When I tell her how kind and generous you are, she will be happy to wed you.’

It was as they returned home from the fair that afternoon that the news came to Melford of a terrible murder in Shrewsbury.

‘Lady Madeline Forester and her uncle, Sir Hugh Grantham, were brutally slain,’ Lord Melford told his family when they gathered that evening. ‘Sir Hugh’s men tried to stop the murderers escaping and they wounded one, but unfortunately the rogues escaped.’

‘That is awful,’ Melissa said, her eyes dark with shock as she looked at her husband. ‘When did this terrible thing happen?’

‘It must be two days gone,’ Rob replied.

‘And do they know the names of these evil men?’

‘The messenger did not say. Apparently one was dark-skinned, perhaps a Saracen, from the east certainly, and the other might have been Spanish or French. He did not look English, I am told, but that might mean anything.’

‘I did not care for Sir Hugh,’ Melissa, said frowning slightly. ‘But the lady Madeline was pleasant enough, though I have met her but once. Her elder sister died tragically by her own hand some years ago I believe. There was some story of her having been with child.’

‘She was to be betrothed to Gervase de Montfort,’ Rob said. ‘Few knew of the arrangement, for I believe it was not spoken of—and he was murdered. Some say by his own brother, though I have always wondered if there was some mystery there. However, Stefan de Montfort left England and the scandal was hushed up. He would be Lord de Montfort since his father’s death, of course, though there is nothing left of the estate. Lord Cowper purchased it when the old man lost his fortune.’

‘That is a sad story, Father,’ Anne said and shivered. ‘And now the lady Madeleine has been murdered and her uncle with her…who could do such a terrible thing?’

‘It may have been robbers,’ Rob replied. ‘I do not know of anyone living locally that answers the description of the men involved. Perhaps they were just passing through. I doubt that it would have been local men.’

Anne remembered the two strangers she had seen on the day of Harry’s arrival. She wondered if she ought to mention them to her father but decided against it. Even if they were the men who had murdered the lady Madeline and her uncle, they would be long gone by now, and she could not be certain that they had been anywhere near Shrewsbury…though they had seemed to come from that direction. She decided to say nothing. If the travellers had passed through it was best if they went unheeded and were never seen again, for if they had brutally murdered a lady and a knight, they would murder anyone else who got in their way.

The seamstresses had sat up all night to finish Anne’s new gown, which was made of a dark emerald green silk and became her well. She would not wear it on the journey but keep it for when they arrived at the Comte’s chateau in France. It was packed into her trunk with all her very best things and was on the baggage cart, which had started out some hours earlier so as to be at the arranged meeting place by the time they arrived.

Anne hugged her mother excitedly, thanking her for allowing her to accompany Harry to fetch his bride home. It was such an adventure, for she would go to court when she returned to England and who knew what might happen then? She might even meet a handsome young man in France!

‘Be mindful of your brother and remember your manners,’ Melissa said as she kissed Anne’s cheek. ‘You are sometimes inclined to be hasty, dearest, though I know you have a good heart.’

‘I promise I shall do all that you would wish,’ Anne said, her lovely face serious. She had never been parted from her mother in her life and realised that she would miss her and her young brother. ‘I shall do nothing that would make either you or Father ashamed of me.’

‘I know that you have oft thought of marriage, but be careful where you give your heart,’ Melissa said. ‘I was fortunate to find your father, and Catherine is happy with Andrew. I would wish for you to be as fortunate in your marriage, my love.’

‘I shall heed your warning, dearest Mother,’ Anne promised. ‘I thought once that my heart was given, and that he would ask me to marry him one day—but it was not to be and I shall be careful in future.’

Anne’s groom came forward then to help her mount her palfrey. She realised that Harry was waiting and she broke away from her mother. Her eyes were moist as she waved goodbye to them; parting was harder than she had anticipated. However, after they had been riding for a few hours the shadows passed and her excitement began to mount once more.

That night they stopped at an inn that Harry had frequented before and the rooms were the best the host had to offer. Anne’s maid had accompanied them and she slept on a truckle bed beside the bed where Anne lay, the sound of her snores keeping her mistress awake for a while.

When Anne awoke her maid was still snoring gently.

Anne slipped from the bed and looked out of the window. She was in time to see two men on horseback; they were leaving and had obviously stayed overnight, though she had seen nothing of them—it had been late when they arrived and she had gone straight to her chamber. There was something familiar about the travellers, but it was not until some minutes later that she remembered the strangers who had come to her village. The man who looked as if he might be from the East—and the man who had looked at her so coldly!

Were they wicked murderers? Anne shuddered as it occurred to her that they might all have been slain as they slept, but then common sense returned. She was still alive and as far as she knew no one else had been attacked during the night. The travellers might be quite innocent and it was a good thing that she had not spoken to anyone about her suspicions.

They continued their journey after they had broken their fast in the inn parlour. All seemed peaceful and the host was as cheerful and friendly as the previous night. Clearly no evil deeds had been done here and Anne put the two men out of her mind. She was too interested in looking about her on the road for she had never been this way before.

When they reached the port on the third day, Anne was glad to see the inn where they would stop for the night. She was not used to so much riding, and, though she would not have confessed it to her brother, her back ached and she was weary. The hour was too late to see much, but the tall masts of a ship were visible in the small harbour. Despite her weariness as she sought her bed that night, Anne was once again excited. She had never been on a ship before and she felt that it would be a true adventure.

‘If you feel a little ill at first, you must not mind it,’ Harry told her before they parted that night. ‘Many people are seasick, Anne, but if we have good weather it should not be too bad. It is only if the sea becomes really rough that the effects are truly unpleasant.’

‘I hope I do not feel sick, because I want to spend as much time on deck as I can,’ Anne told her brother, eyes bright with enthusiasm. ‘I have never been to the sea, Harry, but I love the smell of it already. I cannot wait for the morning.’

‘Well, we must break our fast at six, for the tide leaves at seven.’ Harry smiled at her. ‘Sleep well, sister. Never fear that I shall fail to wake you.’

Anne thanked him, then left straight for bed. She fell asleep quickly, for she was tired.

She was awake at dawn and dressed when he came to knock at her door. She opened it to him and smiled, eager to begin the next part of their journey. Surely being carried over the sea in a ship must be less tiring than riding a horse for so many leagues?

Watching all the people going on board was interesting. The cargo was being loaded as they arrived, bales of good English wool that would be sold in France and traded for lace, French wines and other goods. Anne was reluctant to go below to their cabin, but Harry insisted it would be safer for her until they were underway. The ship’s crew was busy and passengers would only be a nuisance until they had cleared the harbour.

Anne went down to the cabin she had been allocated for the voyage. It seemed small and airless and she felt restless until the ship began to move and Harry told her that she could come up on deck.

‘Sailors are sometimes superstitious about women on board,’ Harry told her as they stood on deck and watched the shores of England receding into the distance. ‘I thought it best you should stay below until we were under sail, because with all the activity on deck accidents can happen. Mother would never forgive me if you were hurt, Anne.’

‘Why should anything happen?’ Anne asked and laughed, because she was feeling so pleased with life. The sea was calm and the sky above their heads was a beautiful azure blue. ‘It was so good of you to bring me, Harry. I love being at sea. Everything is so exciting!’

‘We are fortunate in the weather,’ Harry said and glanced up at the sky. ‘I heard one of the sailors say he expected a storm before nightfall, but I cannot believe it when the sky is so blue.’

‘A storm?’ Anne asked and shook her head. ‘I am sure he is mistaken, Harry. It is a lovely summer day— how could there be a storm?’

Anne wondered how it was possible for the weather to change so fast. One minute the skies had been clear blue, and then clouds started to drift across the sky; small and fluffy at first, they gradually became one mass of grey. As the afternoon wore on the wind began to rise and the sea became much rougher, the waves rising higher and higher so that by the time the light faded the ship was being tossed about like a child’s toy in a giant’s hand.

Most of the passengers had gone below to their cabins, and Anne had seen several of them being sick over the side of the ship. She wondered if it would affect her, but she seemed to be immune to the sickness that others were suffering.

‘Do you not think you would be better below?’ Harry asked when the storm worsened and the spray came right over the sides of the ship.

Anne shook her head. The wind whipped her hair about her face and she could taste the salt spray on her lips, but she found the storm exhilarating. She looked beautiful, a recklessness about her that made her brother laugh.

‘I would prefer to stay here if I may,’ she said. ‘It is so stuffy and cramped in my cabin, Harry. I think I should be sick if I had to stay there. I should like to remain on board for as long as possible.’

Harry looked at her doubtfully. ‘I am not sure it is wise,’ he said as a huge wave came rushing towards the ship. He grabbed his sister and held her as the water came over the side of the ship, knocking it sideways so that some cargo that had been lashed down with ropes broke free and began to slide towards them. ‘We should go below…’ He pulled Anne clear of the loose cargo, but one of the ropes caught him, knocking him to the ground. He went sliding towards the side of the ship. Anne screamed and ran after him, thinking he would be swept overboard.

‘Harry…’ she cried. ‘Harry…’

Harry grabbed an iron hook that was used for securing ropes and held on to it as yet another mountainous wave came towards them. The ship was thrown to one side, listing heavily as it took water on board. Anne was caught mid-deck and the force of the wave knocked her off her feet. She was swept across the deck by the water that rushed over the ship, knocking her head against something hard and falling into blackness as the water claimed her.

‘Anne… Oh, my God, Anne,’ Harry cried as he struggled to his feet. He shouted for help as he ran to the side where he had last seen his sister, peering into the darkness. There were wooden crates and other debris from the ship floating in the water, for the storm had taken one of their masts. ‘Anne…Anne…’ Harry peered over the side in desperation, searching for a sight of her. ‘Help! Man overboard!’

Most of the sailors were too busy fighting the storm as it played havoc with their vessel to heed his cry, but one young sailor came to join him at the rails.

‘I saw her go,’ he told Harry. ‘The force of the water took her over and she must have hit her head. She probably went down, and if she didn’t we’ll never find her in this. She is lost…lost to the sea.’

‘No! She can’t be lost,’ Harry said. ‘We have to find her. We have to get her back. She is my sister. My parents will never forgive me.’ He gave a cry of despair and put his foot on the rail as if he would jump into the sea after Anne. ‘I have to find her.’

‘Stop him!’ the young sailor cried. ‘It’s no use, sir. She’s gone…you’ll never find her.’ He grabbed hold of Harry, struggling to stop him from throwing his life away by jumping in after his sister. ‘Help me…’ he cried and a couple of sailors came to his assistance. Seeing that Harry was out of his mind with worry and would not be subdued, one of them grabbed a baton and struck him on the back of the head so that he slumped to the deck. ‘What did you do that for?’ the young sailor asked.

‘He’ll be better below deck until the storm is done. There’s nothing to be done for the wench now. He should have taken her below before the storm reached its height. We haven’t time to bother with this now or we’ll all end up at the bottom of the ocean. The girl is lost—forget her and get about your work or you’ll feel the bosun’s lash!’

The storm had gone as if it had never been. Driven south by the furious winds, the French ship, Lady Maribelle, had headed for shelter as soon as it struck and ridden out the worst of the weather. Now it was putting out to sea again, making its way up the coast to Normandy. Hassan was on deck, staring out towards the coastline. He was one of the first to see the debris tossed by the still-choppy water. He shaded his eyes with a hand, because after a storm like the one the previous night it was not unexpected that a ship might have been capsized and sunk. He shouted to one of the crew and pointed, and others came crowding to the side of the Lady Maribelle, staring at what was possibly the wreckage of a ship. It was obvious that some cargo had been lost and part of a mast.

‘What is that?’ Stefan asked as he caught sight of what looked like a half-clothed body. ‘Man overboard! There is someone caught in the debris.’

Excited voices echoed his discovery and the decision was made to put a boat over the side. They all knew that whoever was in the sea was more likely to be dead than alive, but every man jack aboard was more than willing to help in the recovery. They lived by the sea and sometimes died by it, and if there was a small chance that the man in the water was alive they would do their best for him, because one day it might be one of them.

Hassan and Stefan joined the volunteers. Six more of the crew went with them as the boat was lowered and cast off. It took only a few minutes to reach the debris, and as they drew close silence fell over the men, as it became apparent that the body was that of a young woman. The sea had torn much of her clothing away from her, and only a thin shift covered the bottom half of her body, her breasts exposed to their eyes and the elements.

Stefan leaned over the side of the boat, slipping into the water to grab hold of the body. Her limbs had become entangled with the ropes attached to the mast and it was this that had kept her afloat. He cut her free with his knife and then dragged her back to the boat, where eager hands reached out to haul her on board.

‘Is she dead?’ one of the sailors asked. ‘Poor lass.’

‘I’m not sure,’ Stefan said. ‘I think one of her hands twitched as I cut her free. Hassan, give her your cloak, please. Cover her for decency’s sake, whether she be alive or dead.’

Hassan did as Stefan asked, wrapping the thick, soft material about her. As he did so her eyelids flickered and her lips moved, though no sound came out.

‘Allah be praised,’ Hassan cried. “Tis a miracle that the waters did not claim her.’

‘Had it been winter, she could not have survived the night in these waters,’ Stefan said. ‘We must get her back on board as swiftly as possible, for she may yet die if we do not bring back some warmth to her body.’

The sailors made a murmur of agreement. Women were often considered to be unlucky on board ship, but no one grudged the poor lass her chance at life.

‘The Seagull, that be the name of the ship that was lost,’ one of the sailors said as he caught sight of some writing on one of the chests. ‘I cannot see any other survivors nor yet more bodies. Mayhap they were swept further down by the tide.’

‘We’ll keep an eye out,’ one of the sailors said. ‘But the woman comes first. She clings to life, but only God can save her now.’

Stefan looked at Hassan, shaking his head as he saw the unspoken protest. Sailors were simple folk and superstitious enough without making them suspicious. If Hassan told them that the woman would live if she were properly cared for, they might think him a dealer in the black arts, especially because of his looks.

‘I shall care for her,’ Stefan said. They would not deny him—he was a nobleman and respected in the country he had made his own. ‘I saw her first and I claimed her from the sea, therefore she is my responsibility. If she still lives when we reach shore, I shall take her to my home. If she recovers, she will need help to return to her home, wherever that may be.’

Stefan was helped to carry the young woman’s body up the rope ladder, and more hands reached down to lift her on to the deck. Some of the sailors crossed themselves as they looked down at her. Wrapped in Hassan’s cloak, it was possible only to see her face and her hair, which was a dark blonde and soaked with salt water. Her skin was pale, her lips blue and yet her eyelids flickered and her lips moved slightly, proving that she was still alive.

“Tis a miracle…’

‘Or the devil’s work,’ one sailor said and crossed himself again. ‘How is it possible that she survived a night like that in the sea?’

‘She was caught by ropes and the broken mast kept her head above water,’ Stefan said. He bent down and gathered the unconscious woman into his arms. ‘I shall take her to my cabin until we make land.’

Below in the cabin, which was the best on board, Stefan laid the woman on his bed. He looked at Hassan over his shoulder as he followed him into the room.

‘We must get her out of what remains of her clothing and wrap her in as many blankets as we have. I have some strong brandy wine in my sea chest. When we have her dry and warm, we shall give her some. Once we are home, Ali will help her—but she may not survive the journey.’

‘It is fortunate that we found her in time,’ Hassan said. ‘Allah must have meant it, for otherwise we should have passed her by. He has given her to us, my lord. From now on her life is in our hands.’

‘As Allah wills it?’ Stefan shot him a suspicious look. ‘Yet you would have denied them earlier, for I saw it in your face.’

‘They are ignorant fools, for they would do nothing to help her. Allah has sent her to us, but her fate is in our hands; if we did nothing, left her to live or die as God wills it, as they would given the chance, she would die.’

Stefan’s face was harsh as he bent over the young woman. He rubbed her skin with a drying cloth until she felt dry to the touch and some warmth started to come back to her body, and then he wrapped her in every blanket and cloak he could find. He would not argue with Hassan on the subject of religion, for he did not believe in God. Once he had been Christian, but now he had his own faith, which was to give justice for justice and hurt for hurt. He had been forced to live by the sword and he knew that in time he would die by it. There was no room for softness or religion in his life. However, he was not a cruel man and he did not take life without good cause. He had pulled this young woman from the sea more alive than dead, and he would do all he could to make her live.

Harry came to himself to find a young sailor bending over him. He groaned because his head ached. For a moment he could not think what had happened to him, and he stared at the sailor blankly.

‘What happened to me?’

‘Someone hit you as we struggled to stop you jumping into the sea last night,’ the sailor said. ‘You would have gone after her, sir, and it was hopeless. She must have gone down like a stone when she hit the water, for there was no sign of her.’