Godiva: Unbridled Page 9

  “I need to see it,” she finally said that evening, as they shared a meal of stew. “I’m afraid if I don’t see where I’ll be riding, I’ll lose my bearing, and I don’t want to risk that. I never went into town and I can’t have it be that my first time seeing it is my most important time there.”

  Thomas considered this for a moment. “We could go into town late tonight… very, very late, after everyone has gone to sleep, after the tavern is closed. And very quietly ride through the streets so that you can see the lay of the land. We’ll have to tie up your hair and cover it. But I think I have a drape that will work for that.” She nodded, her hands shaking nervously at the thought of leaving the safety of the barn. “Why don’t you get a little sleep right now, as we won’t be able to leave for several hours. I’ll sit up and make sure we leave with enough time to get back without being seen.”

  She nodded again and pulled the blankets of the bed back, crawling beneath them. She watched Thomas as he took their dishes to the water pan in the pantry, washed and dried them with a cloth. He lowered the lanterns, and the barn became immediately peaceful and ready for slumber. She shivered, despite the warm fire that radiated heat right next to the bed. Thomas settled on a milking stool next to the light of the hearth, stitching the drape he was working on for Niklada. Watching his hands, seeing his blond hair fall into his eyes, she missed him. He was sitting right there, and still, she missed him.

  “Thomas,” she said quietly. She reached her hand from beneath the blankets. “I’m so nervous. I can’t stop shaking. Can you hold me, just for a little while?”

  He paused, the needle held over the drape. Then he carefully secured it in the fabric and folded it neatly on the stool. Since she had remembered her identity, Thomas had resumed sleeping across the barn on his less padded, rougher bed made of hay bales. Now, he slid under the blankets behind her, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her trembling body close to his solid warmth. She nestled back against him. She entwined the fingers of her hand with his and sighed, remembering the many nights they’d fallen asleep in this very position, exhausted, sated, after tender, blissful lovemaking. And though after just a minute or two, she felt the firm press of his hardness against her backside, she didn’t move to seduce him, or tempt him. It was enough to know that he loved her. Even the noblest of men cannot control the instinct of their bodies, and she’d seen enough pain in his eyes since she remembered her name, and didn’t wish to torment him any further. Warmed right away, her trembling stopped and soon she drifted off to sleep.

  Chapter 16

  She awoke to Thomas gently squeezing her shoulder and she roused up with a start.

  “Did we sleep too long?” she gasped.

  “No milady. ‘Tis time now, to go.”

  She sat up in bed, breathing heavily from her anxious awakening. Thomas moved behind her, comb in hand.

  “I’m going to braid your hair, then wrap it in this cheesecloth,” he said. “I dipped it in tea, so it’s dark brown. It will conceal the color of your hair.”

  Thomas artfully braided her long hair, then rolled it up into a snood, wrapping both her hair and head. He put his own hair in a knit cap, and they readied Niklada. Not wanting to wear anything identifiable, Godiva chose to drape a blanket over her shoulders, rather than wear her surcoat to ward off the chilly night air.

  The ride into town seemed short to Thomas, since he was so used to walking it, and what normally took him an hour, took only half that time with the horse at a trot. With both of them on her back, they didn’t want to ride any faster unless absolutely necessary. The moon was high in the sky and nearly full, so it offered a clean, even glow over the land.

  When they got to town, it was clear that fanfare had been created for the upcoming event. Flags spanned the length of the street, and a podium had been erected just inside the south archway. So that was where Edwin would be. He would make some sort of announcement, then presumably everyone would be ordered inside to shutter their windows and lock their doors, and the ride would commence. They walked slowly down the streets of the town, taking care to keep Niklada off the cobblestones, and in the dirt wherever they could so she could more silently carry her riders through the village. Godiva felt much better now, able to have seen the streets, even just by the light of the moon. When they got to the end of the town and the tight, angled turn that the road took around the smithy’s yard, Thomas showed her what his concerns were, and now that they knew Edwin would be stationed at the south archway, it was clear that her escape route lay at the end of Hill street, at this tight angle. It was possible for Edwin to roadblock it if he thought she might try to get away, and Thomas showed her how she would then need to veer around without hesitation, and double back to the alleyway that would lead to another street. From there, she could take to the fields. They walked through each scenario, as quietly as possible. After they had done this, Thomas guided them back to the tailor shop.

  “I want to show you the place where I work,” he said as they dismounted. “But also, I’ve had an idea.” He secured Niklada to a post then pulled some tools from a pouch on his belt, a pick and a file. He inserted them into the keyhole of the tailor shop’s door, and after wriggling them around a bit, the latch popped open and he pushed the heavy oak door. The two slipped inside and he closed the door behind them. He lighted a small lantern on the table, and took out some other tools, one that looked like a corkscrew, made from a wooden block secured with a length of leather string. At the end, a pointy metal screw jutted out of another smaller block of wood. He moved to the window and placed the instrument against the shutters.

  “I thought that if I put holes in all the shutters, I could watch for you,” he said. “I can sneak into the shop, and nobody will see me anyway. All doors and windows shuttered, right? I’ll leave the door closed, but unlocked, nobody will know any better, as my master has been out of town for months. I’ll sneak inside before your ride and with the holes drilled in the shutters, I’ll know what happened, which way you went in case anything sours our plan. That way I’ll be able to find you faster. Once you reach your hiding spot, you can just stay put until I find you. Back at the barn, I carved whistles, one for you and one for me as well. So we can whistle to the wind until we find each other. Since we know you’ll come out the north end, you’ll be heading into the woods. Once you’ve lost them, just wait. It won’t be long before I’ll find you. And if something happens, and you end up over the creek and in the forest, I’ll find you there too. Just hide, and whistle.” Thomas smiled broadly. “How does that sound for a plan?”

  “I love it,” she whispered. “It makes me feel so much better knowing you’ll be here, that I won’t be alone.”

  Lady Godiva watched as curls of wood came off of the tiny drill as Thomas cranked the handle, making little holes in the shutters. Once the first hole was completed, he stuck the file inside, widening it just enough that he could see the moonlight through the hole. Then he marked a point next to it, measured perfectly so his eyes could see through, and repeated the process. The shop had windows on all sides to let in plenty of light for the tailor, so once the holes were drilled, Thomas would be able to peer out in all directions and easily see which way Godiva would flee.

  From the outside, the holes were so small they could hardly be seen, and even then one would have to be really looking for them in order to notice. They rode out around the smithy’s yard, behind the buildings that made up the town and back to the beginning, under the stone archway where she would begin her naked ride. Looking out over the darkened outline of the sleeping village, she felt confident, for the first time. They turned away, heading back home to the quiet seclusion of the barn, their plan firmly in place.

  ***

  From the tower at the top of the town archway, eyes narrowed in the darkness. Leofric had figured that Godiva might investigate the town before taking her ride, if she were to show up at all. So the fact that she sneaked in and rode through the village in the midd
le of the night was no surprise. But where had she been hiding out all this time? She hadn’t come to him; hadn’t even attempted to make contact, which he thought she might do at the very least. Hadn’t they talked about this day, even in dreamlike, hushed tones? It had been years before, and it had been a mere fantasy. But when she finally fled, Leofric expected that she might flee to him.

  He watched as Niklada carried her riders away. Were it not for the familiar horse, he may not have recognized her rider. But tonight, Godiva didn’t ride alone, and he couldn’t identify the man who sat behind her. She couldn’t possibly have taken a lover before she escaped. Edwin kept too careful a watch on his headstrong, independent wife for that to be possible. And all of her family was too far away to be involved, unless she had been planning her escape for much longer than it seemed. With the simple clothing and supplies she’d stowed away in the stable, her flight didn’t look as if she’d put much thought into it. So what had happened, and what was she going to do now? It appeared that she was going to follow through on her bet, and stand her ground against the taxes. But then what? Edwin had specific orders for both him and the knight he’d hired as “protection” for the Lady Godiva. Capture her, and return her to the manor immediately. The knight had been instructed to sit at the edge of Mason street, which branched off from Hill street, with his back to the road until the ride was complete. At the end of the ride, the Lady would be offered a robe, from either Leofric or from Edwin, her husband, depending on which end of the street she completed her ride. Since Leofric was family, more trust went to him as a keeper of the Lady’s virtue. And Leofric might have felt guilty for being given that honor, had Edwin not been such a poor husband to Godiva, and had he not himself loved her as much as he did. At that point, her modesty intact, the knight would “escort” the Lady Godiva back home. If there was any deviation from the course, if it appeared that Godiva were turning to flee, the knight had full permission to pursue, regardless of the Lady’s state of undress, as Edwin would at that point consider the contract forfeit, and his wife’s modesty a non-issue. So it will be up to me, Leofric thought, to make sure that she was able to escape Edwin’s clutches. Even if it were to then hand her over to another man.

  Leofric thought about the knight for hire that would be stationed in the center of town. Gustof had a reputation for following orders, no matter how unreasonable they might be. Therefore, unreasonable men tended to hire him. His tactics were unscrupulous, his manner, often cruel. Leofric didn’t know him well, only knew the reputation that he carried. He was a force to be feared, a powerful horseman and a muscular powerhouse that actually seemed to enjoy the pain he often inflicted. Though of German descent, it was rumored that his mother’s family were Vikings, and he stood well over six feet tall. His square jaw looked to be made of pure iron, the angles so sharp that it seemed they would shatter your fist if you dared hit him. Leofric had hoped all that muscle and strength would mean a simple mind but to the contrary, Gustof said little, but heard and remembered all. He did require large amounts of food, and that seemed to be his only vice. But there was no time to starve this warrior knight into a state of confusion, and since he would be well paid for this job, there would be no way to persuade him with money.

  Leofric rubbed his bearded face, thinking about his options. The only thing Godiva had on her side was the fleet of her horse and the strength of her will. As far as horses went, Niklada was small, and fast. She had gotten her Lady to safety once. Since Godiva had taken the time and effort to inspect the layout of the town, which Leofric knew she was not familiar with previously, it surely meant her convictions were in place. She had no intention of being captured. Now Leofric would just need to figure out how he could make sure everything went according to her plan, whatever it was.

  Chapter 17

  On the morning of June 5th, the sun rose, the chickens stirred, the cock crowed, and all the things normal in the barn occurred as they typically would. Except that the Lady Godiva lay in her bed, staring into the shadows, watched the embers from the fire that had nearly gone out, her mind filled with all the possibilities of what this day might bring, and yet completely empty of thought. Thomas lay behind her, his arms wrapped protectively around her and she didn’t dare move, knowing that once she did, she may never feel this sweet sense of security again. Last night they had stared at each other from across the candlelit barn, she in her warm bed near the fireplace and he in the makeshift bed with hardly any cushion or comfort. Tears slid down her cheeks while she watched him, and finally he had gotten up, wordlessly crossed the barn and slid into the bed behind her. He pulled her body next to his and held her close, nestled his face into her neck and squeezed her tightly. Her body ached for him, silently screamed to be filled by him, to join with him, to breathe him in and entwine her arms and legs with his. Instead, she pressed back against him as hard as she could, trembling from fear, from unfulfilled desire, and savored every moment of his loving embrace until she finally slept. When she woke up, she stared into the gloom, wished for time to freeze in this moment. But then, she would never be free of Edwin’s grasp, and without that freedom, she would absolutely never feel the warmth of Thomas’ touch again.

  “Are you ready to go free yourself?” It was as if Thomas could read her thoughts as he whispered against her ear. “And relieve us all of the taxes that burden our fair town?”

  Godiva’s mind stalled on his words. So many people would benefit from this deed, it was as though she’d forgotten about the original reason for her wager with her husband, the final chink in the armor which would be the undoing of their loveless union. Part of her condition had been that he would have to let her go, and once that was done, then she could pursue what life she chose. She rolled over in Thomas’ arms, wrapped her own arms around his neck and looked into his eyes.

  “I am ready,” she said, feeling stronger than she had last night, stronger the more she thought about being free of Edwin forever. “Once I ride, Edwin will have no choice but to release me. And after I am free of him, you and I will have forever to live our lives. We can stay here secretly for awhile, then someday, when the time is right, maybe we can leave this place, find another town to start over. I’ll have my land, we can go there, you can have your own tailor shop, and we can buy a farm of our own. Spin our own fleece. Maybe your uncle will let you have those little lambs to start your own flock.” He smiled, and she leaned up, kissing him deeply on the lips, pouring all the emotion she felt through the kiss. He kissed her back, heated, needy, grasped the back of her head with his hand. When she drew back, she smiled.

  “I’ll not tempt you any further,” she whispered. “I shall honor your wish, to respect my status as a married woman. But after today, that status is null, as I will have fulfilled my side of a bargain, which guaranteed my freedom. So tonight, when I come to you… I expect no restraint.”

  Thomas squeezed her tight, closing his eyes against the sensation, memorizing the feeling of holding close this woman that he loved.

  Chapter 18

  The Lady Godiva stood in the bathing alcove, running a comb through her damp hair, making sure that there were no tangles, that the comb ran smoothly through its entire length. She examined herself in the mirror, first from the rear, looking over her shoulder, scanning her legs and back, the roundness of her bottom, the swell of her hips. Her hair touched just to the top of her legs, and as she turned around to view her body from the front, she pulled her hair around to cover herself, sweeping the wet strands to conceal her breasts, to just barely shield the hairless mound of her sex. She tipped her head, scanning her nakedness, veiled by her hair. Then she gathered up her hair in both hands, holding it atop her head, turning around in the mirror. She liked the idea of clipping her hair up, completely revealing her body for this ride. She imagined that Edwin thought she might mask herself with her flowing locks, but the brazenness of proudly baring her body seemed even more defiant, and the thought of this appealed to her. Taking a closer look at
the V between her legs, she frowned, running her hand over the golden stubble that had begun to sprout. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body.

  “Thomas,” she called. “I’m afraid I need your help.”

  He poked his head inside the curtain where Godiva stood, holding the towel to her chest. “What did you need?” he asked, averting his eyes from her nearly naked body.

  “It itches,” she replied in a whisper, as though someone else might hear. “Down there… is that normal? For it to itch so much as the hair grows back?”

  Thomas smiled, and even laughed a little, bringing his eyes back up to hers. “It does itch as it grows back,” he said. “You have to keep it shaved, otherwise wait until it grows past the itchy phase.”

  “I want to shave it all off again,” she said. “I’m sorry to ask, Thomas. But can you help me?”

  Thomas paused, looked at the floor.

  “On this day, I shed all that I was, leave my former life behind. I bare myself to the open air as a new person, not weighted down by who I used to be. With you, I lived here, happily, simply, tried something new I never would have considered and scraped my body clean. I liked it. It represents me as I choose to be now, with you. I want to show myself as a new woman. Who loves not for station or convenience. But simply for the sake of love itself.”

  “Please don’t speak of love just yet,” Thomas said, still staring at the floor. “When you know not what awaits you today. I loved you when you were merely a nameless maiden who fell off her horse. I love you still, knowing your true name today. To consider anything more than that, and possibly lose you in the end is a pain I don’t want to face.”