Laila part 7
7
John rode towards the tower and found himself humming one of the melodies he'd heard Laila singing.
His heart and his head both felt wonderfully light. Today was the start of a whole new life. All through his years of soldiering he'd watched other men marry and have families; and he watched for the time to be right for him to do the same.
It never seemed to come and he'd almost become reluctantly resigned to the fact when he'd seen and heard Laila for the first time.
The moment he'd met her the dream had come back to him; and now it was to be made true. Laila was undeniably getting to her later years for child bearing but they still had time; and in any case their being together was the most important thing.
He saw the tower ahead and listened out for the sound of Laila singing, but he heard nothing.
He stopped beneath the tower and looked up to the window; but there was no sign of Laila looking out for him.
His every soldier's instinct told him that something was very wrong. He had always trusted and heeded that indefinable feeling and it had served him well over the years.
He dismounted and ran to the door. For the first time he found it and it's fellows unlocked.
He bounded up the stairs and paused before the door to Laila's chamber steeling himself for the emptiness he would surely find within.
All was as it should be but for the fact that Laila was not there. He tried the door to the terrace but that had remained locked.
He searched the room to see if there was any clue as to what had happened to her.
On the table beside her bed he found the comb he had given to her.
That was how he knew that their trysts had been discovered. Laila had been so delighted with that simple gift. He smiled sadly at the memory of her face alight with joy, the feel and smell of her hair as he slotted the comb into it.
As surely as he'd known she was gone he knew that she'd only have left the comb behind if made to.
He pressed it against his lips and dropped it into his scrip. There it would stay until he could give it back to her.
He rode into the village and went to see the blacksmith again. He asked if he knew what had happened to Laila.
The man shook his head; but it was with disappointment and not lack of knowledge.
“ A bad business My Lord. “ He told John how two of his neighbours had allowed themselves to be bought as spies by Mistress Edith.
“ Told her that you'd been visiting Laila they did; and found out how often too.
All I can tell you is that Mistress Edith took her off somewhere in a cart. Took nothing with them; so where they were headed I can't guess. “
John's mind was used to having to make connections quickly and it did so now.
He recalled a shy Laila, the words coaxed from her.
She told him how her Aunt had wanted her in a convent at 15, but her mother had chosen the tower.
He was half pleased and half scared at making the connection. He now knew what they'd done with his poor darling; but to find her he'd have to search through every convent in the North of England. If he didn't find her there would he get leave to search the
South too ?
One thing was for certain, not finding her was not an option.
He thanked the blacksmith and headed back to the castle.
Sheriff De Bretagne listened to his Master At Arms' plea. He knew what it was like to want to be with a woman that someone else was determined to keep you from.
Fortunately he also knew the joy of having that opposition turned around and finally getting his heart's desire.
In his usual wise way he sought a means of giving John a good chance of finding Laila and not letting the running of the county suffer.
“ I will allow you three months to search for her, “ he said. “ For that length of time I can have someone else to work with the troops; but after three months whether you find her or not I want you back at work. “
He put his hands onto his friend's shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze.
“ I and Ermina will pray every day that you will be successful. God go with you my friend. “
John bowed and thanked him both for his generosity and the well wishes that he knew were genuinely meant.
He paused only to pack what he might need and went to the stables to bespeak a fresh horse.
*****************************
At Rosedale Priory Laila was being watched more closely than she knew by the Prioress.
The girl worked hard there was no doubt about it and went out of her way to make friends with everyone.
One thing of which her superior was certain this young woman's vocation was not to be a Bride Of Christ. What her purpose was would need to be found out; but she had to feel ready to speak of it freely.
**************************
John's task was proving more arduous than he'd thought possible. He'd gone all the way through the Northern part of Cheshire, into Lancashire, then Cumbria and Northumbria. Now he was into the North of Yorkshire and not so much as a hair of Laila's head had he found.
To add to his frustration he'd been repeatedly having a bizarre dream.
It came at least once a week sometimes more and was always the same.
[i]Laila dressed in plain white is running through a valley filled with roses. She barely notices the beautiful blooms. She searches restlessly and calls his name.
He wants to run to her, hold her, tell her he's here and they're together again; but his legs won't move...[/i]
*********************************
The Prioress asked for Laila to be brought to her. She looked at the girl benignly as she knelt to kiss her superior's ring.
“ Sit down Laila, “ she told her softly and Laila did so.
The Prioress let silence be between them for a few moments. “ Why are you here child ? “ she asked matter of factly.
“ We both know it is not because you wish to be a nun. “
Laila's mouth curled into a small smile. She might have known that the Prioress would work it out. She was the wisest lady she'd ever met.
Perhaps her true feelings would not be mocked here.
The Prioress responded to her warning that it was a long story by saying that they had all the time they needed.
Laila began with the story of her father's desertion and how it had led to her Mother's aversion to men.
She told her of how her Mother and Aunt Edith had planned to protect her from being hurt by men by taking her away from the world.
She told her about the ten years of loneliness in the tower that was relieved by her meeting Sir John Porter.
The Prioress watched the young woman's beautiful features become transfigured as she spoke of the man she now knew she loved; and that she wished only to marry.
Then her Mother and Aunt had found out her secret and decided that the only answer was to put her into a convent.
“ I would have no idea how to get back to Chester from here, “ she explained.
“ So I decided to stay and when I knew you all better I'd ask for help in getting a message to John at Chester Castle. I've never learned how to write you see. “
The Prioress went to her writing desk, got parchment, ink and a quill.
“ Tell me what message you wish to send if you please, “ she said.
Laila went to bed that night feeling more at peace than she had since leaving home.
No sooner had the letter been written and read to her then the Prioress bid a messenger from the village to take it to Chester Castle.
Laila got to sleep more easily than she had of late. She found herself having a repeat of the dream that had recurred at least once a week since she'd arrived here two months before.
[i]She's in the Priory chapel but here it seems to go on for ever and is like a maze.
She sees John ahead of her and he's calling for her. She calls to him but he doesn't hear her. She tries to catch up with him but can never manage it no matter how fast she runs...[/i]
On waking it occurred to her that each time she dreamed it she'd managed to get a little closer to John. Last night she'd been tantalisingly close to being able to grab his arm; but he'd remained just out of her reach.
TBC