Godiva: Unbridled (13 page)

“Citizens of Coventry,” Edwin called out, and a hush swept over the crowd. All eyes faced forward, to the podium where the Earl stood. “I call you to gather today to witness a show of protest given by my own wife. The Lady Godiva feels that I have been unfair in my taxation of you, that I have shown greed in the tariffs that I demand to uphold and maintain the services of this growing town. One month ago, I proposed a wager, and she accepted. It seemed in jest at first but she readily accepted, and I then agreed. She said that she would ride her horse through the town, as bare as a newborn babe, if only I would rescind the taxes that I have levied since the beginning of this year.” The crowd tittered, mumbling among each other as though some hadn’t heard about the wager, and had only gathered because a crowd had formed. “I am a reasonable man, and want only what is best for Coventry and its people. But since my wife is so determined that there are better ways to distribute our funds and still get the same results from less tariff, I am willing to examine this idea and work with the lesser fund to create harmony among our fair people.” A wave of approval and almost gratitude passed through the crowd, and Thomas had to check himself. The Earl was presenting himself as a reasonable, caring man. And Godiva seemed like a champion to those who had no voice to reach him.

One of the men on horseback gestured to the Earl and he looked over his shoulder and paused, long enough for the crowd to start questioning what was going on. But Thomas knew. He knew that Godiva had crested the lower hill at the bottom of the road. That although none in the basin of the village could see her, when Edwin looked over his shoulder, he saw her there. Thomas could picture her, staring directly at him, cloaked or not, depending on what she had decided, how she wanted to face him after all these weeks. He could imagine the look of determination on her face. Thomas himself would need to have faith in that determination to fight back the nagging twist of anxiety he felt every time he looked at the giant man on the giant horse.

Before he spoke again, the Earl cleared his throat and shifted his weight. “I ask that you all respect and honor my wife’s modesty. And to ensure that this unprecedented event remains chaste I will ask that you all go into your homes or places of business and close your doors and shutter your windows. The Lady Godiva has arrived! So that you might look upon this beautiful vision of a woman who cares so deeply for your welfare, I will allow that she step forward before shedding her cloak and taking her naked ride through our town.”

A gasp flowed over the crowd, followed by absolute silence. Thomas felt his eyes go wide as Godiva crested the hill, first the intricate braids of her golden hair, followed by the burgundy draping on her shoulders, Niklada’s strong and proud head carrying her mistress to the top of the hill, where they stood, the picture of beauty and grace. Thomas felt eyes on him and before he could stop himself he glanced over to see Aggie Smithton looking his way. He turned his head, back to stare at Godiva, not knowing what to do, and thankfully, the Earl started talking again.

“Now, off to your homes, your businesses. Upon completion of this event, a messenger will call throughout the streets, giving an all-clear for you to once again open your windows and doors. In a fortnight, after the Lady Godiva has completed her ride, I will speak with you again, and bring you news of any changes to your current taxes. So now, let us see this wager to its completion. Into your houses you go!”

Godiva watched as all the people scurried away, rushed to get into their homes and their shops. The sound of shuttering windows and latching doors could be heard among the excitement of voices. She didn’t look at Edwin, though she knew he stared at her. And when she had seen Leofric standing next to Edwin on horseback she hadn’t been altogether surprised. But she did not know the hulking knight who was poised next to Leofric, and she couldn’t pause on what to think about it, since she knew it could mean only one thing. He was there to capture her, to make sure she didn’t get away. Edwin must not have much faith in her ability or her determination to be free of his grasp, since it seemed he only had the one guard. But by the size of him, he gave the sense that he could do the work of many men.

“I am pleased to see you, my wife,” Edwin said, not moving from his podium. Godiva continued watching the people scatter, trying not to wonder where Thomas was in the crowd.

“This is the last time you will call me that because after this ride I am released from the bonds of this marriage,” she said.

“The time away has admittedly done well for you,” Edwin continued as though he hadn’t heard what she’d said. “ You look rested and well. Niklada seems fit. And you are outfitted beautifully. How you managed all this in secret I’d like to know.”

“You will never know anything about me again, ever, Edwin. After this day if I never see your smug, arrogant, face again I will be a happy woman.” She reached into her cloak and withdrew the rolled up parchment scroll. “This is my formal request for divorce. You must agree to release me. I am here, I am fulfilling my side of this wager!” Godiva could see that all the people of the town had left the streets and an utter silence had fallen on the air. She reached to the front of the cloak, untied the two restraints then unfastened the one at her neck, and the drape fell to Niklada’s side. Godiva sat tall astride her horse and bare for the three men to see. The large man on the giant stallion turned his head as soon as the cloak dropped, staring dutifully ahead to the village. Leofric looked at Edwin, who scanned his wife’s body, eyes narrowing. He didn’t reach to take the parchment from her, so she threw it down on the podium. Tossing her head, she tightened her thighs against Niklada’s sides and trotted down the hill. Edwin gestured to Gustof and he headed around the backside of the buildings, toward the center of town. Leofric locked eyes with his brother for one moment, then he too, headed into town, toward the north entrance.

Chapter 21

Thomas heard the galloping of hooves coming toward him, and he rushed to peer out the tiny holes in the shutters that faced toward the sound. He saw the man that had stood beside the Earl at the podium, not the big one but the one who looked like he could be a relation, possibly a brother. Thomas pulled back, moved to another window as the horse and his rider passed, went toward the blacksmith’s yard, and then the sound stopped. He could still hear the horse, restless and snorting, but that was the only indication that the man was still close by. Carefully, he moved to the side window, looking out the holes in the shutters. He couldn’t see the smithy’s yard from this angle, the building was in the way, but he knew they were still there. Would he accost Godiva as she came around the corner? What was the reason for posting a man at the far end of town unless for that very reason? Suddenly another sound of horse hooves came and without even looking Thomas knew it was the giant knight on his enormous horse. He was far heavier, but also traveling at a slower clip, barely a trot. Thomas moved away from the shutters, his anxiety growing. The heavy hooves on the cobblestone road seemed ominous, and Thomas looked at the pinpoint shafts of light that the little drilled holes cast throughout the tailor shop, which was otherwise dark inside, as he hadn’t wanted to attract attention. Distantly, he thought that maybe he should have lighted some lanterns, and made it appear more like he was in the shop by permission, rather than hiding out the way he actually was. The clopping hooves passed the tailor shop, then silenced as they went into the smithy’s yard. Thomas could hear the two men talking, but only briefly, before in the distance in the other direction, he could hear the lighter, higher clip of Niklada’s hooves. Thomas moved to the side window that gave him a view of the street, and he saw Godiva riding proudly, sitting tall. As she came closer, he moved to the front window, watched her pass with her golden hair flying out behind her, creamy skin and bouncing breasts unashamed. When he moved to the next window, to see her go toward the smithy’s yard and where the man waited for her, his view was obstructed. Somehow, he couldn’t see out the holes. He turned hastily and grabbed for the file that lay on the table behind him, and poked through the hole to move whatever plugged it. Instead, the file made contact with leather armor.

Thomas backed away from the window, but almost simultaneously, the giant man had kicked in the door. It banged on its hinges, knocking over a dress form as the hulking figure entered the tailor shop. Thomas scrambled to the back of the shop, but with no rear exit, he was trapped unless he could get around this muscular man who advanced on him.

“You made holes, to watch!” he grunted, his thick accent menacing. “Deviant!”

Thomas sidestepped around the sewing tables, eyes fixed on the front door. But the wide bulk of the man hardly fit inside the small shop with all its tables and equipment, and he pushed it aside as he made his way toward Thomas, the narrow shafts of light from the many holes cutting across his face.

“Holes in all shutters!” the man shouted in his guttural voice. “Fool! To steal glance at noble woman!”

The man was upon him then. Faster than his size would have suggested, the leather-clad giant took three fast steps and grasped Thomas around the neck, throwing him to the floor. On his way down, Thomas grabbed for a pair of cutting shears, but before as he jabbed them into the man’s forearm, the unyielding weight of the giant came down on him, and he heard his shoulder snap. Howling, he rolled to the side, but the huge man flipped him onto his back, popping his shoulder back into place. Thomas cried out, screaming in pain and terror as the warrior pinned him to the floor, holding his legs with one knee, his chest with one arm.

“No respect for law,” said the man, his face dangerously close to Thomas’. He spit out a cork that was in his mouth and brought a bottle to Thomas’ lips. “For your eyes, only darkness.” The bitter liquid poured into Thomas’ mouth and he spat it out, but not before choking on some that went down his throat. The weight of the man lifted, and immediately was gone. Stunned, Thomas tried to sit up but sickness overwhelmed him and he curled back to the floor, his stomach rejecting the poison, retching and choking and wailing from the pain. He tried to slide himself away from the bitter smell of the liquid that he’d spat on the floor, from where he’d been sick, but could do no more than roll over, and face the open door. Moaning, trying to speak through the heaving of his guts and the gasping of his breath, his eyesight grew blurry, then dim. Words wouldn’t form, his mouth felt numb. In desperation, he reached to his neck and brought the whistle to his mouth, blowing into it as his eyes went dark and he lost consciousness.

Godiva wasn’t even aware of her naked state, she was so keenly attuned to all her surroundings. She glanced down every side street, every passageway that she and Thomas had discussed as a potential escape. There weren’t numbers of men stationed at every block like she’d feared, no soldiers lined the street that in her wildest fears she’d imagined. It was simply the town, eerily quiet and absent of people. When she got to the center intersection, where Merchant Road intersected Hill St. she saw the giant horse that the big man had been on, but she didn’t see the man. She looked around suspiciously, half expecting him to lunge out from a hidden area and grab her right off her horse. As she came to the end of the road and saw the blacksmith’s yard, she knew this was almost over. Trying not to glance over at the tailor shop, she noticed that the big man was standing in front of one of the windows, staring straight ahead as she rode by. Her brow knit into concern. Why was he standing there? Then just as she rounded the corner to the smithy’s yard and was readying to command Niklada into a gallop, Leofric rode up from the side yard behind the blacksmith’s shop. He got close enough to grab the cheek piece of Niklada’s bridle.

“Leofric,” she said, startled. “I will not go back. I’m leaving, right now!”

“I know,” he said. “I saw you, the other night. When you came to plan your escape. I thought that you might come under the cover of darkness. So I’ve spent the last week or so sleeping in the guard tower of the arch.”

“Let me go, Leofric.” Godiva reached back to the tassels, quickly fastened her cloak. “I have to leave here, now!”

“Edwin will not let you go so easily,” Leofric said. “You must come with me. I’ve arranged a place for you to go, where you can stay in safety.”

“I have a place to stay in safety.”

“I saw the man you were with. Who is he?”

“It’s not your concern.”

“You loved me once.” Leofric moved his hand from Niklada’s bridle to lay it on Godiva’s hand. “I thought if you ever left Edwin that you would come to me.”

“Leofric… I cannot…” A door slammed in the distance and Godiva turned her head toward the road. “Did you hear that?” Leofric shook his head.

“Godiva, you must listen. The knight that Edwin hired is ruthless. He will find you wherever you hide. He will track you in the forest, in the woods, in the fields. He does not sleep. He does not tire! You must come with me. It is the only way you can escape.”

A crashing sound followed by a wailing scream made her gasp. “Thomas!”

“Godiva, we must go, now! He will come for you. He will come for me too, once he knows that I’m helping you escape.”

“I don’t need your help, Leofric!”

“Godiva, you do, you must follow me, and fast. Come now, make haste!”

The not-so distant, screeching whinny of the knight’s giant horse pierced the silence and Leofric rode away. Godiva looked back at the road, knowing it wouldn’t be empty for long. What was that scream? Had it been Thomas? Or was her mind playing tricks on her? She leaned into Niklada, watching Leofric as he gained distance.

“Niklada,” she cried, tightening her legs on the mare. “Geh! Go, run!”

The horse broke into a gallop, and Godiva held on with all her strength as they fled across the field toward the west. In her mind—or was it real—she swore that she could hear the whistle that Thomas had carved for them, carrying on the wind that blew past her as she rode away from town.