Page 29 of Cadell the Dragon

“What I am saying is that, with me, you will have another ally in the castle, and I promise to bring you my wife’s allegiance also. When she finds out how much we owe you, she will be utterly devoted to you.”

“I know.” Johanna knew the maid would not be wary of her any longer. “It is a good sentiment and I thank you for it. And, as it happens, a skilled stone mason is exactly what we need at the moment. You see, we are restoring Bryn Glas to its former glory.”

The roof of the tower, amongst other places, would benefit from the man’s expertise.

“Then you can count on me.”

“Thank you. I do not doubt it.” She smiled at him and glanced over to Cadell, who was leading Blossom. “I shall go back to my horse now. Try to rest, it won’t be long before we get to Bryn Glas. Then you’ll need all your strength to meet Efa.”

8

“Efa,” Cadell started, “we called you here because we have someone with us who would like to see you.”

The maid threw nervous glances from him to Johanna and Angharad, who’d been brought along to translate. As usual, her first thought had been that she was in trouble. Then when she saw that no one seemed angry, something changed in her eyes and she clasped her hands together.

“Someone? To see me?” Hope made her voice quiver. “You don’t mean…Richard?”

“Yes, Richard. He’s here at Bryn Glas.”

A sob escaped the girl’s lips. “Oh! Then what are you waiting for? Take me to him,” she cried out, already turning to the door.

“Wait.” He thought it best to warn her of the sight awaiting her, which was why he had brought her to the great hall before taking her to the room where they had settled Richard. “I’m afraid he was badly hurt and fears his injuries might frighten you.”

Though she had paled at the mention of an injury, as anyone would, Efa gave a fierce shake of the head. “Frighten me? I care not about something like that! He came back to me, he loves me and he’s going to be here to meet his baby in the new year. That’s all I care about, not about a scar!”

This was what they had hoped to hear. Opposite him, Johanna smiled, looking relieved as well. Angharad had whispered the girl’s words in her ear, confirming that there would be no problem.

“Come then,” he told Efa, who quickly followed. “He’s waiting for you.”

He led the three women to the room where they had asked Richard to be brought up, at the end of a narrow corridor. As soon as she saw him lying on the pallet, the maid let out a cry and threw herself to her knees, hugging him tight.

“Richard, I knew you would come back to me. Oh, I knew! Everyone keep telling me I was a fool but I knew I could trust in you. I love you.”

Cadell discreetly translated her words to the English man, who threw him a grateful glance. This certainly was the kind of declaration a man would want to hear.

“Efa.” He closed his arms around her, despite the pain it clearly caused him to do so. “Rwy’n dy garu di.”

Cadell’s gaze fleeted to Johanna when the man declared his love to his sweetheart in Welsh. He could tell she had understood what it meant and he was moved himself, so moved that he barely resisted the urge to take her hand.

After many heated kisses on Richard’s mouth and forehead, Efa drew back and placed a careful hand over the cuts on his cheek, examining the damage. With her further away from him, the Englishman saw what he had not noticed before. His hand landed on the maid’s stomach and his eyes rounded in shock.

“Dear God, you’re with child?”

Having guessed what he was asking, Efa nodded eagerly, tears in her eyes. “Baban.”

No need to tell Richard what that word meant. Cadell took a step back, reassured that all was well. The lovers didn’t need him anymore.

“Lady Johanna and I will leave you with Angharad, who will help you explain what happened to you,” he told them, once in English, once in Welsh. The lovers would be more comfortable with a woman, and someone who was not acting as lord and master of the place, to explain to one another what had happened since they had last seen one another.

“I don’t know how to thank you and her ladyship for all you’ve done for us…three,” Richard said, his arm wrapped protectively over Efa’s midriff.

“Please. It was the least we could do.”

Cadell understood the man’s emotion. To be reunited with the woman he loved at last, after such a harrowing ordeal, to be assured of a future with her, and then find out that he was going to be a father, would be overwhelming.

Just as they were leaving, Efa threw herself at Johanna’s feet. “My l-lady,” she stammered, “I am so grateful for what you did, so grateful. I will never forget it, I swear I will never⁠—”

Johanna stopped the maid with a hand over the shoulder and looked at him, her dark eyes shimmering with emotion.