However,when Isabel struggled to walk to the stairs, the young knight, Ramsey, hurriedover to carry her up. Hester directed him to the Lord’s Chamber, rather thanthe tower room she currently occupied, and orderedsome one to go to the village, for the midwife.

Therewas no reason to hurry, though. At dawn the next morning, the babe had stillnot been born. By then, the midwife was growing concerned, that Isabel was tooweak, to push the babe from her body. In that case, they both might die. This news, sent Hester and Harold, into an argument, as towhether word should be sent to His Lordship.

Severalmore hours passed, before a blood curdling scream reverberated through theCastle, followed closely, by the babe’s first cries. Both Hester, and Harold,who had spent most of the past nearly twenty-two hours, on a bench outside theLord’s Chamber, sighed in relief. However, their relief was tempered a shortwhile later, when the midwife reported that the babe was fine. Isabel, on theother hand, was unconscious, and the midwife did not know how well she wouldrecover.

Awhole entire day passed, before Rosamund brought the news that Isabel woke up,for a short while, and nursed the babe. The Lady did not leave her room for afull week, after the babe’s birth. In the weeks that followed, Isabel remainedvery weak, and leaned heavily on her maid, when moving about the Castle.Though, she was nursing the child, Nathaniel, and he seemed to be thriving.

Thiscontinued into the month of April. Then, one morning when Hester went to checkon the Lady, she discovered Isabel, Nathaniel, and Rosamund, weregone. The Castle was immediately searched. When that turned up nothing, patrolswere sent out to look for any trace of them outside the castle walls. A checkof the stables, showed no horses were missing. The twowomen, and the babe, had vanished into thin air.

Afterspending a whole day and part of another, searching for any trace of themissing Lady, and her son, Harold decided that a message would have to be sent,to His Lordship. He knew Brant had said he did not want to hear about her.However, his first order was to keep Isabel safe, which Harold could not do, ifhe could not find her. So, while Harold and others continued the search, Gowainwas sent to tell the Lord, that Isabel, and her babe, had gone missing.

Gowainrode throughout the remaining daylight, stopping to rest for the night. Atdawn, he continued the ride to Brant’s Castle, arriving there after midday.However, he discovered that the Lord was not there. Kate had given birth to ababy girl, days earlier, and Brant had taken Hannah to visit her, and Robert.By nightfall, it would be three whole days, since anyone had seen Isabel, andNathaniel. So it was decided that Gowain, and several of Brant’s men, wouldride to Robert’s, even though it would be dark, by the time they arrived.Isabel’s husband needed to know she was missing, as soon as possible.

Fortunately,with fresh horses the ride passed quickly, and they arrived at Robert’s, justafter the evening meal had finished. Brant and Robert,were found in the hall, talking with a group of men, over tankards of ale.Gowain, seeing Brant, rushed over to him.

“MeLord, Harold sent me to tell ye, that the Lady Isabel,Nathaniel, and Rosamund, have gone missing. We searched the Castle, and yourlands around it, but there is no sign of them,” Gowain said, urgently.

Brantraised his hand, and said, “Wait a minute. Slow down. Isabel is missing? Who isNathaniel? And Rosamund?”

“Thatis what the Lady named ‘er babe, Nathaniel. Lady Isabel has been real sick,since she ‘ad the babe. So they would not ‘ave beenable to walk far. There were not any horses missing, either,” Gowain explained,speaking slower.

“Isabelhad a babe?” Brant asked, in shock.

“Aye,Me Lord,” Gowain answered. “She was in labor for a long time, and the midwifewas afraid they might die. Afterward, she was real weak, and could not hardly walk. But Nathaniel was real healthy, and boy, doeshe have a set of pipes on ‘im.”

“Isabelhad a child, and no one thought they should send word to me?” Brant demanded,angrily.

Gowainanswered, hesitantly, “Harold said ye did not want to ‘ear anything about her.”

“Nowyou are here, telling me she is missing, so you would be telling me about her,right?” Brant asked, testily.

Gowainexplained, “Ye told Harold to keep ‘er safe. We cannot do that, if we do notknow where she is. She was there at night. Then in the morning, Isabel,Nathaniel and Rosamund, were all gone. That was three days ago. So Harold sentme to tell ye, to find out what ye want to do.”

“Whois Rosamund?” Robert asked.

“LadyIsabel’s maid, that she brought with ‘er, Yer Lordship,” Gowain explained.

“Esme,and her maid, vanished in the middle of the night,” Brant said. “Now Isabel, her maid, and a babe, have vanished. I wouldlike to think she left on her own, but considering the similarities, I cannottake any chances. I am going to have to go look for her.”

Helooked toward the hearth, where Hannah sat with Kate. Katherine had beenlistening intently, to the conversation.

“Hannahcan stay here with me, if it is alright with you, Brant,” she said.

“Canyou post some men, like we did inside Peggy’s Castle?” Brant posed to Robert,who nodded in the affirmative. “It might be prudent to see no one elsedisappears, until I have a better idea, of what is going on. We will wait fordawn before we ride out, so get some rest men.”

“Ithink I should ride with you, to watch your back,” Robert said. He moved towardthe hearth, as he asked Kate, “Would you be alright here, by yourself?”

“Actually,my father will probably be back here tomorrow. Nothing is going to happen tome, or his granddaughter, if he can prevent it,” Kate answered.

“Then,I definitely do not want to be here,” Robert said.

Branthad seated himself by the couple, listening to their exchange.

“Whatdid you do, for my father?” Kate demanded. When Robert offered no answer, shecontinued, “He was dead set against our marriage. Then, he was handing you acastle, and telling me to be happy. He will not tell me why, either.”

Brantwas surprised to discover that Kate did not know, whatRichard and Robert had done. So he decided to tell on his friend.

“Roberthelped your father kidnap me, and pressure me to wed Isabel. Her father, and Avery’s father, were cousins. Avery was claimingcontrol of her men, to fight me,” Brant divulged, with relish. “They did nottell you?”

Brantwatched Robert squirm under his wife’s disapproving glare, for a few moments,in amusement.

 Then, Robert offered, in his defense, “It wassupposed to prevent the war, between him and Avery, from growing. He couldstick the girl somewhere, until she was older. But then, it started to looklike your father and Isabel, were up to something more. I am not even sure, ifit is over, yet. I think your father is involved in a good many things, he isnot likely to be speaking of,” Robert turned to Brant, adding, “What aboutIsabel’s babe. Could he be yours?”

Brantreplied, “I never touched the girl that I recall.”

Robertnoticed, Brant got that closed off, secretive look, thathe had been getting since his stay in Isabel’s jail. The change in his friend,that he was at least somewhat to blame for, bothered him.

“Whatthe devil did they do to you?” Robert asked Brant, angrily.

Brant’smind drifted to the serf Alisa. She had drugged him into mindlessly moving asshe instructed, while she cleaned his wounds. He remembered that. Was itpossible that Isabel had had her way with him, and he did not remember? Hehoped not. Still, if she were of the same devious nature, as her distant cousinAvery, she could claim the babe as Brant’s heir, with him out of the way. Untilhe knew exactly what the situation was, he was going to be extremely cautious.