April Munday by His Ransom Read Free Book Online Page A

will be inventive. I do not know the lady, but I guarantee her father has ordered her to protect the town at all costs.”
    Thomas looked downcast. “I have been following Prince Edward in chevauchées for the past year and I did not think of that.”
    Richard bit his tongue. He had almost forgotten that this man was his enemy, but Thomas had been one of those who had destroyed crops, animals and farms so that whole villages had disappeared from the face of France.
    “Will you go home again?”
    Thomas’ question broke the awkward silence and surprised him. Richard turned to look down the river. Would he cross the sea back to France? Would he travel the length of it to Charimaux? He shrugged. “There would be no point.” Only his mother would welcome him and she had other sons to comfort her.
    Thomas put a hand on his shoulder. “Then you are English now.” He started back towards the castle. Richard waited a moment before following him. Thomas was right. If he was not going back to France, he was no longer French. His king was as much a prisoner as he was and a kingdom without its king was nothing. This was his place now and the duke’s people were his people and it was his duty to protect them as much as it was to protect Rosamunde. It did not matter that a few months ago he had been fighting them. Now they had a common enemy and they would fight together.
    Richard had not been keen to give the duke his word to look after his daughter, even though it was his duty. Women were a hindrance, distracting men from their real work. But he was a prisoner and had not really had a choice. The duke would not release him until some form of ransom had been paid and his service was the only thing that Richard had to give. His family had little enough money and what there was must be used to keep the estate going so that his older brother could inherit. Richard was not bitter. As the youngest son he had always known that he was less important to his father. But it was the loss of honour that disturbed him and he knew that even if the duke gave him his freedom the moment he returned from Bordeaux he would not return to his home. He would have to find another lord to serve.
    Despite his feelings about women in general, Richard was beginning to change his mind about Rosamunde in particular. She had made him welcome, treating him like a guest. She had fed him and provided him with good lodgings. He could see that even in her father’s absence his household was well-cared for. That she inspired the trust and loyalty of someone like Thomas, who Richard had come to respect and like over the past few weeks, had made an impression on him. Thomas did not seem to think it beneath him to listen to the lady’s suggestions with regard to the defence of the castle and he spoke to her about these things as if she were a man. Richard also approved of the way she had dealt with her grief and he knew that she did grieve. But she did not display her grief. He had been surprised when she had told him that it was not her husband who had died, but her betrothed. That she loved him he could not doubt, yet such depth of feeling was rare between a betrothed couple and even between man and wife it was not often to be found.
    He was very far from ready to revise his opinion of women, but he was beginning to think that Rosamunde might be the exception.
    They rode back into the castle and he spent the rest of the morning watching the men train in the bailey. The duke had left a small force to guard his castle. It was not beyond imagining that King Jean could have sent a force to invade, but these few could not have defended the castle against a much larger army for long. But Sir Walter would be a different matter.
    They entered the courtyard and watched the men as they trained to fight. Guy was in charge and he pushed the men hard. Thomas stood beside Richard as he watched and they swapped comments on the men. Richard found that he had to change his opinion