Valley of Valor (Noble Heart Book 6) Page 4

  William spoke up again. “And what are your names? You see, we have told you ours! It is the friendly thing to tell us yours, now don’t you think?”

  The little girl looked at her brothers and then whispered, “I am Ruby and these are Jasper, Beryl and little Pearl.”

  Noble broke out into a smile. “Why those are all precious jewels in the Scriptures! Did you know that?” Never would he have expected the children of this criminal to be called by such names.

  Jasper, the oldest boy, nodded. “Aye. Our mother told us before she died.”

  “Da would not let her name us after the great people in the Scriptures so she called us after jewels so that we would always know we are precious to God,” Beryl finally spoke. He was a solemn little boy, perhaps seven or eight years of age.

  “She said it made Da happy to name us after jewels because he wants to be rich someday!” Ruby said. “I have never seen a ruby, but Mama told me it is red and very pretty!” She was warming up to the strangers and now she chattered on as if she had known them all her short little life. “I have never seen the Scriptures, either, but Mama said her mama used to tell her about them. Did you know the Scriptures tell about God?” Her eyes grew wide with wonder. “Mama says God loves us and we ought to love Him, too! Have you ever seen God?” she asked them innocently.

  Noble smiled warmly at the child. She was probably only five or six, and Noble could see in her eyes that she had already led a very difficult life, but as she spoke about God, a spark seemed to light up within her and she almost glowed. “No, I have never seen God, but I know Him very well!” Noble said softly. “He is my Friend and I love Him very much. Your mama was right—He loves you and you are very precious to Him—every one of you!”

  Suddenly voices were heard outside the door and a change came over the children. Fear filled their faces, and like frightened squirrels, they scuttled up the ladder in a heart’s beat.

  Noble and William sat back and watched as the men staggered in. They had clearly been drinking and now they were loud and quarrelsome. Caddock alone was silent, but if anything, he looked even more dangerous than before. He cast an eye at the captives, and then glanced toward the loft, but he said nothing and sat down at the table with a bottle and turned his back to them.

  The men flopped themselves on the floor here and there throughout the room, cursing at one another and making a racket. It did not take long for them to fall asleep, however, and soon nothing but loud snoring and snorting, muttering and the smacking of lips filled the little cottage. Even Caddock was slumped over at the table with the bottle cradled in his arms and his head resting upon it. Above them in the loft they heard little Pearl cry out once in her sleep, but the soft sound was quickly muffled and they heard nothing from the children again.

  When at last they were sure everyone was sound asleep and the sound of the men’s snores would cover their whispers, William dared to whisper to Noble, “Those poor children!”

  Noble nodded. “Their story makes me wonder how a woman who clearly loved God and His Word could have ended up with a man like Caddock!”

  “What a sad story it must have been—and still is. Well, she loved her children, it is clear to see, and she tried to leave them with that knowledge to brighten their awful lives.”

  “And the knowledge that they are loved and treasured by the Lord, as well. May it give them strength to endure the pain of this life, and may they learn to love Him for themselves always.”

  William was silent for a moment. “Noble, if we escape this place and these men, I will do all I can to see that these children are given a proper home and love and caring parents. My father is the king, after all. If I cannot do such a deed as that, then what good is it to be a prince, anyway? I have thought often how when I am the king I would like to follow in my father’s footsteps and do good for my people. Now is as good a time to start as any, don’t you think?”

  “I do indeed, William. I do indeed.”

  They spoke no more, each praying for the poor children above them and for their own rescue. They stretched out as best they could, still bound to the beam, and soon they, too, were asleep.

  Glyn Tywyll was shrouded in the blackness of night, and darker than ever, but in the small cottage tucked away in a hidden glen, a small light shone through the starless night, enveloping the precious jewels and their courageous guardians in His tender love and care.

  __________

  CHAPTER FIVE

  __________

  Truth and Consequences

  It was raining the next morning when they awoke. Sharp cracks of thunder and flashes of lightning had disturbed what little sleep they got throughout the night. The men got up grumbling for they knew the weather would make no difference to Caddock. He would have them out scrounging for whatever plunder they could find regardless of conditions. It would be slim pickings on a day like this, though. There would be few travelers on the road to rob, no clothes hung out on lines to snatch, no pockets to pick in the empty market places. The best they could hope to do was to spend the day in the taverns, for they would be full of idle workers on a rainy day. There was always some gambling to be done and fools to cheat in places like that; some drunken soul to rob as he staggered home in the rain.

  Finn cooked a pot of thin porridge in the fireplace. The men were in no hurry to go out in the rain, so they lingered over the meager meal until at last Caddock chased them out with shouts and curses. There was no sound from the children in the loft. Noble wondered if they were hiding, or if they had slipped out silently before everyone else had wakened. He hoped they were not out there, trying to find some shelter from the steady downpour he could hear beating down on the roof.

  Apparently Caddock did not care. He never glanced toward the loft. He showed no interest in his children or their welfare. He sat at the table still, swigging from his bottle, until at last he, too, left the house and disappeared.

  It was a relief to see him go. Noble had been afraid the men would hang around indoors because of the rain. The less they saw of them, the better—especially Caddock.

  “Where are the children?” he asked William now. “I have not heard a sound from the loft. Did they go out earlier?”

  “I don’t know. I didn’t see them.” William called softly, “Jasper! Beryl? Ruby, are you there?” There was no answer. “If they went out, perhaps they will return now that the men are gone.”

  “I hope so. I hate to think of them out there in the rain.”

  “I am hungry, Noble. I wish our man Finn had remembered to feed the prisoners before he left this morning. The porridge looked pathetic, but even that would be better than nothing. I wonder if there is any left in that pot over there.”

  “I don’t know, but I will gladly go hungry if it means we do not have to suffer the presence of that bunch of thugs today. I wonder how long it will take for Rhain to return from his errand. He will have to look long for any sign of Henry Talbot and his ransom money, and then he will be slowed down by the rain, as well—if he even bothers to return at all! He may not want to face the wrath of Caddock if he returns without the money. He has a good horse now—”

  “Yes, my horse!” William interrupted angrily.

  “—and he may decide that that is enough to start him on a new life free from Caddock. At any rate, even if he does return, I do not think he could possibly make it back here before this evening.”

  “You heard what Caddock said last night. If Rhain does not return before the end of the day with the money he will—”

  “Do not even think about it, William. We will be long gone by then!”

  “How, Noble? Have you thought of a plan?”

  Noble hesitated. “Not yet, William. But have faith! Not in me, but in our Lord! He will provide a way.”

  “Yes. Yes, I believe He will.”

  They both were quiet for a moment when suddenly they heard a voice say, “I thought you said your names were Henry and John!” Jasper was staring at them fr
om the ladder. His eyes were narrowed and his face hardened as he accused these fellows whom he had almost trusted. He glared at them and scampered back up the ladder.

  Noble groaned. “Wait, Jasper! We can explain!” he called out softly. “Please come back! There is a good explanation, I promise!” The boy did not return. “Please, Jasper—just let me talk to you!”

  It was no use. They had broken the boy’s fragile trust and he would have nothing to do with them now. He had gone back into hiding, and taken his siblings with him, it seemed. Noble and William looked at one another, sick at heart.

  Not quite. A few minutes went by and then Beryl appeared before them, creeping down the ladder. He reached the bottom and stood before them, his hands clasped behind his back. He stared at them, his expression blank, and then whispered, “Who are you—really?”

  Noble did not hesitate. The time for charades had passed. Only the truth would do. If they wanted these children to trust them, then they would have to trust the children, as well. “I am sorry, Beryl. We should have told you the truth from the beginning. My name is Noble Heart. Sir Noble Heart. I am a knight in the King’s Guard. And this—this is William, son of King Stephen, crown prince and heir to the throne.”

  There was an angry snort from the loft. Jasper was listening—and did not believe him.

  “It is true,” Noble said, addressing his remarks to the little boy before him, but hoping his brother would continue to listen. “That is why we could not tell the truth to begin with. I am sworn to protect the prince with my life. It is my duty. When your father and the other men kidnapped us, I could not risk allowing them to know who he is, so I used my grandfather’s name and told them that William is my brother John.”

  Beryl’s eyes were as big as saucers in his face as he listened to this amazing tale. Noble went on, “We knew it was safe to tell you and your brother and sister, Beryl, but we were afraid one of you would forget and call us by our real names in front of the men. That is the only reason we hid the truth from you. We meant no harm, and truly every other word we spoke last night was the truth. I beg your forgiveness, Beryl, and that of Jasper and Ruby, as well. Now I realize there is never a good time to tell a lie, or a good reason, for that matter.”

  There was a rustling from above and Ruby scurried down the ladder. “I forgive you, Noble! And you, too, Will—I mean, Prince William!”

  William laughed. “No, please call me William. I do not like titles among my friends!”

  “I forgive you, also,” Beryl said solemnly. “I once told a lie myself and I felt terrible about it.”

  “Thank you, Beryl and Ruby. God forgives our lies when we repent of them. It is good when our friends forgive us, as well,” Noble said seriously.

  “I don’t know if Jasper will forgive you, though,” Ruby said frankly. “He is quite angry. He has told us many times that we cannot trust anyone.”

  “Yes, I know, Ruby, and I am very sorry about that,” Noble said sadly. “I understand. I only wish there was some way we could prove ourselves to him.”

  Beryl shook his head. “I don’t know…”

  Jasper slid down the ladder with the baby in the crook of one arm. “Let me speak for myself!” he said with a frown as he handed Pearl to her sister. “I know my da and the men in his gang. I do not blame you for not telling them who you are now that I know the truth. Do not worry. We will keep your secret. In truth, we rarely speak to them anyway, for we try to stay out of their sight as much as possible.”

  “And your forgiveness, Jasper?” Noble asked gently.

  “I—I do not know,” the boy faltered. He walked away and went to the pot on the hearth. “You are hungry.” He stirred the pot, scraping the sticky mess. It was cold now and had thickened to unappetizing globs.

  “Have you children eaten yet?” Noble asked. He could see the hunger in their eyes. “No? Then you shall eat first. We will not take your food.”

  Ruby looked at them in amazement. “You want us to eat first? Da always makes us wait until the men have eaten their fill and then if there is any left we may have the scraps. I have never eaten first before!” She looked as if she had been invited to a feast. Noble and William felt pity well up in their hearts for the little girl and her siblings. Their own hunger disappeared and they hoped there would be plenty in the pot for the children to eat their fill.

  As it turned out, there was plenty for all of them. When the children had finished they brought the pot over to Noble and William. Beryl wiped two spoons off on his breeches and handed them to them. They ate directly from the pot. It was probably the worst meal either had ever eaten, and certainly the most humble that the prince had ever been served, and yet somehow they found themselves enjoying it. For a time they were able to forget their bonds and the terrible circumstances in which they found themselves. The pounding rain on the roof was forgotten. Even their fear that the men would return unexpectedly subsided as they enjoyed the antics of the baby and Ruby’s cheerful chatter.

  When they were finished Jasper took the pot and other dishes out back to wash them in the stream. Beryl and Ruby scurried around straightening and dusting the few possessions in the small room. No wonder the place had looked clean when they arrived, Noble thought. The children worked quickly and without speaking. It would not do for Da to come home and find the chores unfinished. Da would be angry, and they feared their father’s wrath.

  William said quietly as they watched the children work, “Why do we not simply ask Jasper to cut us free, Noble? I am sure he would do it. This is our chance to escape!”

  Noble hesitated. “Think about it, William. If we ask the children to help us, their father will know what they have done. What do you think will happen to them then? He is a cruel man. They fear him. I think Jasper has thought about it already, but he knows the price they would have to pay. He feels bound to protect the younger ones, which of course is right and good. But he also feels guilty that he cannot help us. I think it is part of the reason he refuses to get close to us as the others have done.”

  “We can take them with us then! My father will protect them, I am sure.”

  “And how would we do that, William? We need the horses to get away quickly, but Warrior is gone and the pack horse is lame. We cannot put all four children upon Valiant, but even if the three younger ones could ride him, we still could not go any faster than you and I and Jasper could walk. We would never outrun Caddock and the others that way.” Noble paused. “I am sorry, William. My first duty is to protect you, and I would give my life to do that if need be, but I cannot put these little ones in danger in the process. You understand, don’t you, William?”

  “Of course, Noble. I do not want that, either. How then will we escape without Caddock believing his children are somehow involved?”

  Noble’s face was troubled. “I do not know. It has all become complicated and time is running out.” The baby toddled over to Noble and held out her arms to be picked up. He reached out with his bound hands as best he could and pulled her onto his lap. He rested his cheek upon her soft head and breathed a prayer for guidance and strength to his Heavenly Father. They would need a miracle indeed to get out of this mess and to protect these little ones at the same time. He did not know how it would come about. All he could do was trust that his Father did.

  Jasper came to them when the work was finished. “We must return to the loft. I cannot take my brother and sisters to the forest as I normally do because of the rain, but Da may return at any time and we try to stay out of his way. I—I am sorry.”

  He did not need to say more. William felt very sad for the boy who was only a year or two younger than he. He could not imagine having a relationship with his own father that was built on fear rather than love, and characterized by cruelty rather than fatherly guidance and protection. They watched as the children climbed the ladder once more. “We will see you later!” Ruby called out, and the baby waved her little fist.

  Noble and William settled down to wa
it and pray. All along they had been working on the ropes that bound their wrists, trying to loosen them and picking at the knots. The skin on their wrists was chafed and they had not made so much as a dent in the knots, for they were tight and just out of reach of their fingers, no matter how they stretched them. They were bound to the beam around the chest and waist, as well, so that they had not been able reach out one to the other. Now, however, Noble discovered that the rope binding them to the beam had stretched somewhat.

  “Look, William! The rope is loose! At least, looser than it was! See if you can slide around here a bit. If we can both get to the same side of this log we may be able to reach each other’s bindings!” They strained against the ropes, hoping to loosen them even more. Their efforts did no good, but gradually they inched closer to one another until finally they were able to reach out as far as they were able and touch the knots at one another’s wrists.

  “Hold still, William. I will untie you first, if I can, and then you can do the same for me. If you hear someone coming, move back where you were quickly. Once we have untied our wrists we will loop the ropes around to look as if we are still bound, and then begin to work at the other knots. I do not know how much time is left before someone returns. Caddock may not be far away. The children were certainly in a hurry to return to their hiding place.” He was working at the knots on William’s bonds as he spoke. His own wrists were bleeding with the stretching and twisting, but he ignored the pain and worked as quickly as he could. He had no nails to speak of, so it was difficult getting a good grip on the tight, stubborn loops.

  They strained to hear the least noise from outside but, truth be told, the rain drowned out any hope that they would have warning of someone’s approach. The stream behind the cottage seemed to be running louder and faster, as well, for now they could hear the rush of its torrent. Noble could imagine that with all the rain that had fallen through the night and morning, it must be overflowing its banks by now.