Priceless

Part 11

Guy swept into the stables. To say he was angry was an understatement.

A young stable lad was in his path and the poor child almost wet himself when the Sherrif's fearsome Master at Arms barked at him. 'You there! saddle up my horse........Go on. Move !!'

Guy and his horse were very close friends. The huge beautiful black stallion named Pendragon was highly temperamental and he and Guy had needed to work hard to reach an amicable mutual respect.
The horse sensed that his friend was not only angry but feeling a whole cocktail of churning emotions. He gave a deep sympathetic wicker and nudged Guy with his nose as if to say ' come on talk about it. You know you want to'.

Guy rode towards the forest and poured out his worries into Pen dragon's ears.

A wave of deep affection for the animal went through Guy as he was carried towards his and Rosamond's meeting place.

He scratched appreciatively between the horse's ears as he dismounted, and ran a hand fondly across the powerful neck.

He flopped down between the oak tree's roots where he and Rosamond always sat to talk.

What a bl**dy awful dilemma he was faced with and his mind was flooded with a torrent of thoughts when he needed to think clearly.

He leaned back against the trunk and he began to think of Rosamond and how she sat here between his legs with her lovely head resting on his chest.

Through the swirling thoughts he suddenly could hear her soft gentle voice in his head. ' Breathe deeply my darling, focus only on the breaths .Let the other thoughts float away like clouds'.

It was a technique her beloved Grandfather had taught to herself and Roderick and she had taught it to Guy. He did it, focusing on the rise and fall of his chest and imagining his lady's soft hands in his hair.

Slowly but surely his thought's stilled and his mind was an empty space in which to ponder.

He thought about the prospect of owning Locksley and becoming Earl of Huntingdon. On the face of it a triumph, a dream come true.

In his clear mind however Guy realised that this was no free gift. He would be expected to keep paying for it long after the villeins were imprisoned again at Bonchurch.

He would be announcing to the world that he was for sale. He would never be secure. The loss of title and land would be used time and again if it were to work now, to coerce him into who knew what deeds.

Worst of all, it was highly likely that he would have no Rosamond to share his life with. Surely she would be unable to love him if he had sold the friends she had protected so carefully to buy himself a title and land.

His wonderful sweet Ros.

He had never had any difficulty in finding women for his sexual needs. No point in false modesty about it. Women found him irresistible, with his raw animal magnetism and sexy dark good looks.

With Ros however he had laid himself open. She had seen him as he was, knew all the dark terrible deeds he had done and still she loved him. She took the friendship and love he offered and paid it back a million times over.

He stood up and swung himself into Pendragon's saddle. I'm going to call the bluff of Vasey, Eulalia and Bonchurch.


Guy knew he had to work fast. Roderick had been instructed by his wife (Guy suspected his friend had fallen under Eulalia's spell more than he would admit) to bring Bonchurch to Nottingham with him after giving the good news about their baby.
No doubt the lovestruck young man knew nothing of what his wife and father in law were up to.

Guy didn't know how long the Earl would be away. With any luck he would stay to carouse with Vasey until late but this couldn't be taken for granted. Approaching the stables he saw a maid walking across the yard.

' I need to speak with your mistress. Tell her that Guy of Gisborne is waiting in the stables for her'. The girl blushed, bobbed a curtsy and set off towards the lodge.

Pendragon seemed to have taken a great interest in a very pretty white mare and she was flirting right back. Guy smiled at his friend, birds of a feather.

Then Rosamond appeared, in a plain day dress, with her cheeks pink and breasts heaving from running, her eyes sparkling at the sight of him. Guy's heart leapt. There was nothing worth losing her for.

He felt himself taken into her embrace and she was kissing him. He let himself be lost for a moment in the pleasure of it, then gently pulled away.
'Come and sit down Ros. I need to talk to you'.

Sitting so that his thighs were touching hers and holding her hands, needing to feel her close to him. Guy told her the whole truth about the brooch ,Vasey's orders to him and the promised 'fee'.

Rosamond looked as though he had taken her heart and crushed it. Her cream and pink face suddenly wan and her voice choked as she all but pleaded with him.

'No,....... no.........Guy please you can't do this.

For 9 months Meinir's been working his trade in Leicester, in just 3 months time the law calls him a free man and Eirian with him.
He's earned it Guy. I can't let him lose it now. Edmund would practically bury him alive, in chains and wring the last drop from him.

Then there's the brooch.........It wasn't stolen I gave it to them.. It belongs to them after all. I knew Meinir could sell it for a good price. It will have set them up handsomely.

I know you have a job to do Guy. I respect that.......... but here you are telling me you're going to sell my innocent friends to buy yourself a title'. She dissolved into a flood of tears part anger part bitter disappointment. Guy let her release the worst of her feelings before he put out a hand and stroked her hair, persisting even when she tried to shrug him away.

'Ros. Why do you think I came here to tell you about it? I'm not going to do Vasey and Edmund's dirty work.'

Rosamond looked at him disbelievingly through the last of her tears. ' But the land and title. That's what you've dreamed of isn't it? This is your chance'.

Guy put a finger to her lips. ' Yes that's right they are but the price I 'll be asked to pay is just too high. What are those things worth if it means losing you to get them ?'

He found himself in her arms again, tasting more tears this time of joyful relief. This time he kissed her back.


Guy pulled Rosamond to her feet. 'Come with me to Leicester and we'll warn them of the danger. They know and trust you. I' ll just be the enemy to them'.

Rosamond began to saddle up the white mare., calling her Artemis.

Guy spoke somewhat uncomfortably as he trod unfamiliar ground. 'Do you need to pack anything before we leave?' Rosamond smiled at his awkwardness. ' No, I have all I need right here. Besides I don't want any one to know where I'm going with you'.

They rode out through the forest to avoid the house. Rosamond explaining how she never knew who she could trust in her own home any more. The servant's scared by Edmund so they no longer felt safe being in sympathy with their mistress. Even the maid hired to replace Eirian seemed to have been set to spy on her.'

'I'm worried for Roderick too', she confided. ' He's been spell bound by Eulalia like he said he wouldn't let himself be. Now I can't talk to him any more either.
He only knows the bare facts of what I know about Meinir and Eirian.

Before, I was just afraid that I might be overheard telling him about Leicester or the brooch. Now I'm afraid that Roderick might let a secret slip at an........intimate moment'.

Guy nodded. He had let slip a few secrets in the heat of passion before now , a determined woman with a lot of skill and few scruples could use this underhanded method very successfully.

He agreed that Roderick needed to be made aware of his wife in a way that he seemed to have forgotten completely now he was married to her. He tried to think of who could be entrusted with such a delicate message.

'What about a priest ?' Rosamond suggested. They were going the wrong way to ask Father Augustine, but she remembered a young friend of his who was now priest of a village they would be passing through on the way to Leicester.

In the small garden of the Priest's house an earnest looking young man was weeding. Rosamond approached him. 'Good afternoon Father'. I'm the Countess of Bonchurch, one of Father Augustine flock and I need your help if you will be so kind'.

The young Priest listened to her story and assured her that he did know Somersby and was familiar with its young Lord.

He looked slightly alarmed at the very worldly figure of Guy with his black horse as he extended hospitality. 'If you would both like to come in,
I'll find you some parchment for your note'. He had a rather thin high tenor voice, unlike the bass tones of Father Augustine.

Guy was not comfortable in the presence of a cleric so his writing of the note to Roderick was rather laboured.

This was not a time to be delicate. He told his friend every detail he knew about Eulalia and her involvement in the business of the brooch, emphasising the girl's eagerness to ruin Ros's blossoming relationship with himself to help keep him in Vasey's grip. He ended by suggesting that as soon as he had read the letter it should be destroyed.

The priest was instructed to give it to absolutely no one except the young Lord himself. ' I would remain with him to make sure he does destroy it'. Guy suggested. ' After that we must hope that the words sink in'.

He spoke to him again before leaving . His tone suggested that his menacing dangerous edge would never really leave him. ' Remember 'Father'. If anyone other than Lord Somersby should find out about this, you will be the first suspect'.

********************************************

By late afternoon they were well on their way. Far enough from home to be able to breathe easily without glancing over their shoulders in case Rosamond's absence had already been noticed.

As evening drew on they found an inn in which to stay the night. They had made good time so far and should be in Leicester by noon the next day.

After supper they went to their room. The bed was not very spacious but tonight that was not a problem.

The last time Guy and Rosamond had spent a night together had been Roderick's wedding. In the last few weeks meeting in the forest had started to become less comfortable as Autumn got a firm hold.

Opportunities for making love had deteriorated and those they did get often required a fast urgent coupling. Which was enjoyable in the right circumstances but not so when you really wanted to be slow and sensuous.

Tonight they took their time. Kissing deeply and favouringly as if tasting some sumptuous delicacy for the first time.

They stroked each other's bodies, slowly building up the glorious sexual tension. When they finally let themselves join together the climax was like waves crashing on the rocks.


Having missed the delights of each other's naked bodies for so long they set about exploring, stroking licking and kissing. The air filled with the sounds of pleasure and words of passion.

The sexual tension was building up nicely. Guy could feel himself throbbing, ready to burst. Whispering words of endearment into Rosamond's ear he began to caress her bud which was swollen beautifully, wetting it with her own juices.

As she moaned out his name, Guy groaned. Rosamond smiled and taking his cock in her hand guided it inside herself, whimpering how good it felt as he began thrusting into her. As they climaxed the guests in the adjacent rooms heard them clearly.

It was not the most comfortable setting for sleep but they were both exhausted by the emotional demands of the day just past, coupled with the sweet relaxed tiredness following love making and they dropped into deep slumber.

They awoke next morning in a tangle of limbs feeling slightly cramped. They massaged each other's arms and legs which of course led to the massaging of other areas and it was a good hour before they were ready to get up.


They had breakfast before setting off. Some of the staff and the guests from the next door rooms looked at them rather oddly after having heard their enjoyment of each other twice during the night. Rosamond blushed not knowing where to look. Guy simply looked right back. His face invited them to comment if they felt so inclined but warning that this was not advisable.


By early afternoon they had arrived in Leicester. They left their horses at the abbey whilst they went into the goldsmiths quarter. It was simple enough to appear as a minor noble and his lady comparing prices and looking at examples of work, whilst they searched for Meinir. After going through 6 shops they entered into yet another setting the door bell jangling.

The craftsman stepped out and Rosamond smiled. It was Meinir. Lack of worry decent food and satisfaction in his work had filled him out and given his face some colour. He was a fine looking young man. The smile that creased his face now making him even more so. ' Lady Rosamond ! ' He came forward and Rosamond looked him over approvingly. ' This life suits you master goldsmith' she smiled back.

Meinir's face dropped somewhat when he noticed the presence of Gisborne who he had seen in many unpleasant circumstances in Bonchurch. 'Please don't worry Meinir,' Rosamond assured him. 'Sir Guy is with me. Is Eirian at home?'

Meinir went through to the small yard separating the workshop from the living quarters and could be heard calling in welsh.

Eirian came through and threw herself into her former mistress's arms. Rosamond looked at her and saw the first suggestions of a pregnancy bump. 'You're blossoming like a flower my dear girl' . She told her warmly. ' When will this baby be born?' Eirian said it would be in another 5 months.

She looked somewhat nervously at Guy before she too was told that Guy was not here to arrest them. Feeling more secure she invited her guests through to the living area.

Over lunch Guy told the young couple of the danger facing them and the fact that Guy was now defying the Sherrif. Rosamond's eyes shone with admiration and joy that he was turning down the chance of advancement for her.

' She took their hands gently. 'We have no intention of letting you be taken now. Do you have plenty of neighbours who would be willing to help you?'

Eirian beamed happily, ' Meinir is very well thought of here. None of our neighbours would want to see him hauled back into bondage'. Rosamond nodded approvingly. ' ' 'When it is discovered that Guy has not brought you back, no doubt there will be others sent to do the job.
Will you ask your friends to come here this evening . Between us we should be able to put together a plan to keep you both safe for the next 11 weeks until you are free'.

TBC