The Rose of the World Read Online Free PDF Page B

know. He felt Meggie’s cool hand squeeze his own. She knew exactly how he felt and was trying to give him comfort. He turned and gave her a smile.
    Helewise had not slept. The house seemed very empty – Josse, Ninian and Gus were searching out in the forest and, soon after they had gone, Will and his woman, Ella, had slipped away. As they left, Will murmured to Helewise that they would comb the ground around the house. They had not returned.
    Helewise had drifted to the kitchen and, rolling up her sleeves, fixed her mind on helping Tilly prepare food. Sooner or later the search parties would return, hopefully with Rosamund. Everyone would be hungry and cold. Tilly kept the fire stoked, and the kitchen grew almost too hot. When they had cooked everything there was to cook, washed the pans and the utensils and tidied them away, Helewise and Tilly sat on either side of the fire and waited.
    As the first light of dawn appeared, Helewise ceased her silent prayers and thought about her son and his wife. Rosamund was their third child, a girl after two sons, and she was just eleven years old. Dominic and Paradisa loved all their children but, with the two boys Ralf and Hugo now living in another household as they trained for their adult roles, Rosamund was very much the focus of her parents’ attention. Not that it was spoiling her, for she was an unaffected, affectionate girl with a keen sense of humour that, probably the result of being little sister to two robust brothers, dipped very readily to the vulgar. She was also graceful, gifted with attractive colouring and very beautiful.
    Where are you, child? Helewise asked silently. If you are able, come home to those who love you. If you cannot, hear me now and know that we will find you.
    She sat for a few moments concentrating all her thoughts and all her love on her youngest grandchild. Then she went back to thinking about Dominic and wondering how they were going to tell him Rosamund had disappeared.
    As they sat round the table eating food for which nobody had much appetite, Josse summed up everything they knew concerning Rosamund’s disappearance, not that it amounted to much. He wanted to build up a picture of the previous day and, quickly understanding, both Helewise and Meggie volunteered information.
    â€˜Dominic left her here late yesterday morning,’ Helewise said, ‘and we had a bite to eat before going through the forest to the abbey.’
    â€˜I met them on the way,’ Meggie added, ‘and we all went into St Edmund’s Chapel. Rosamund and I left Helewise praying and went to sit on the slope above the abbey.’
    â€˜Did she say anything?’ Josse asked eagerly.
    â€˜She said a lot,’ Meggie said with a faint smile, ‘but then she always does. Nothing of any relevance, I’m afraid.’ She frowned, clearly thinking. To Helewise, she appeared preoccupied, almost absent, as if whatever was absorbing her so profoundly was not precisely the same as what they were all discussing. Then Meggie said, ‘No. As far as I recall, our talk was light and did not touch on anything serious.’
    Helewise put out her hand and laid it on Josse’s. ‘We have to go down to Tonbridge and inform Dominic,’ she said. ‘Morning is here, we have found no sign of her and we can wait no longer.’
    â€˜Aye, you’re right,’ Josse said heavily, getting to his feet. It was a dreadful prospect, but he knew it would not improve by being postponed. ‘Will’s been tending to Alfred, so he’ll be ready to leave as soon as he’s saddled up again. Dominic’s staying with Gervase – there was some matter that Gervase wanted to ask him about – so I shall be able to inform both of them at the same time.’
    There was a short silence, and then Helewise said, ‘ I shall be able to inform them?’
    He looked down at her. He knew what she was suggesting, and for a moment his