Page 70 of The Forsaken
“Yes, me lady. It’s Aileen. She’s gone missing.”
“Whatever do you mean?”
“I haven’t seen her since yesterday.”
“Perhaps she’s still abed,” Eleanor suggested.
Joan shook her head. “No, I checked. Jed said she still hadn’t come to bed by the time he fell asleep last night, and her bed hasn’t been slept in since.”
“Was she upset about something?” Kate asked. This wasn’t like Aileen. She returned to her quarters as soon as Joan dismissed her for the day, eager for rest and time to herself.
“She’s been acting a bit odd these past few weeks, but that’s nothing unusual for Aileen. She’s such a moody thing; one minute she’s smiling to herself like she’s got a precious secret, and the next she’s down in the mouth, sulking in the corner. She didseem quieter than normal yesterday. I thought she was just tired from lugging all that water and doing the extra laundry.”
“Have you told Hugh Aileen is missing?” Kate asked.
Joan shook her head. “I had no wish to get the girl in trouble, but now I’m worried. I’ve looked for her everywhere.”
“We’d best tell Hugh and Guy,” Eleanor said, rising from her seat. “They’ll know what to do.”
Hugh staggered down the stairs, looking the worse for wear after last night’s festivities, but he instantly took charge, too petty to allow Guy to take the lead.
“Joan, search the storerooms thoroughly. Maybe Aileen’s hiding down there for whatever reason. Kate and Eleanor, check every room in the castle. I’ll have Alf and Walter search all the outbuildings. Guy, go up on the roof. If she left the castle and is still within sighting distance, you’ll see her. Maybe she got hurt and couldn’t make it back.”
“Aileen never leaves the castle on her own,” Joan protested.
“There’s always a first time,” Hugh snapped. “I’ll go speak to Jed. Maybe he can shed some light.”
“I’ve spoken to him already. Don’t frighten him, Hugh. He’s just a boy,” Joan warned. “I don’t want him thinking something’s befallen his sister without any actual evidence to the fact.”
Hugh glared at Joan. “Why would I frighten him? I just want to speak to him. Get on with it, old woman, and stop wasting time.”
Joan bristled at Hugh’s tone but turned around and went on her way, heading down to the ground floor and the storerooms.
Eleanor turned to Kate. “I’ll check the rooms on this floor.”
“All right. I’ll search all the bedchambers.” Kate walked up the narrow spiral staircase, followed by Guy, who was heading to the roof. “Do you think she’s all right?”
Guy shrugged. “I can’t see why she wouldn’t be. That girl is like a frightened rabbit. The furthest she ever goes is to church, and only when accompanied by Joan and Jed. I think we’ll find her sleeping somewhere,” he added with a smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll find her.”
“Of course we will,” Kate replied. “I just can’t imagine where she might have gotten to.”
“We’ll find out soon enough.”
Kate left Guy at the landing and turned toward Marie de Rosel’s bedchamber. She couldn’t imagine that Aileen would go in there, but she had to check.
FORTY-TWO
Guy jogged up the steps to the low doorway leading to the roof. In the past, the roof had served not only as an observation tower where sentries could look out for approaching enemy, but also as a vantage point for the archers. Thankfully, Castle de Rosel hadn’t been under attack in several decades, and no one went to the roof unless they wanted to enjoy the glorious vista that spread as far as the eye could see. Will, Hugh, and Guy used to climb up there when they were boys, pretending to loose arrows in defense of their home. Guy liked to look at the distant hills and the sparkling ribbon that was the River Tweed. It was deep and wide, a watery highway for fishermen and soldiers alike, when the situation called for it.
Guy had stopped looking at the river after Margaret’s death. To him, the river was no longer beautiful. It was a painful reminder of his negligence, and a harbinger of death. Margaret had been gone for nearly twenty years, but Guy could still see her sweet face and her wide, cornflower blue eyes that had gazed upon him with such trust. He’d been her favorite brother, the one she trusted most, and he’d let her down, distracted by the sight of a group of knights, in full armor, heading to some battle somewhere along the Scottish border. They had been magnificent, tall and proud, their armor shining in the sunlight as their powerful horses carried them effortlessly to war. Their squires had trotted behind them, their breasts swelled with importance as they followed their masters. Guy had stared after them open-mouthed, desperate to grow up faster so he could enter into the service of the Earl of Stanwyck and take his rightful place among the military elite of Britain. And now he was a knight, just as he’d dreamed he would be, but it brought him no joy, only shame because he was no longer a boy of eight and now he understood that his only purpose in life was to kill.
Guy pushed open the door and stepped onto the snow-covered roof. It was square and flat, surrounded by thick,crenellated stonework. He saw the deep footprints immediately, left by small feet, and turned around to see where Aileen had gone.
He froze when he saw her in the northwest corner, sitting in the snow, her back leaning against the stonework and her head falling sideways. Her legs stuck out in front of her and her arms hugged her middle, as if she were in pain. Guy knew the girl was dead before he approached her. Her skin was bluish, and the crows had already gotten at her. Her face was a grotesque mockery of the girl she’s been only yesterday, her eyes nothing more than hollow sockets, and her cheeks pockmarked by eager beaks. Guy turned away, feeling ill, but not before he noticed that the snow on the parapet above Aileen’s head had been cleared away. She had leaned against the stonework, far enough to brush the snow away along the furthest part of the stone. She’d either been looking for something, or she’d meant to throw herself from the roof.
Guy walked to the opposite side of the roof and glanced down, his gaze searching for Hugh. Hugh was just coming out of the stable, his stride purposeful as always.
“Hugh, come up here!” Guy shouted. “Alone!”
