Chapter Text
The weather had been wonderful, she always had loved horse riding and September was truly the last month of the year where the weather was friendly enough that she could stretch her ride as much as she wanted to. She told her ladies that she wanted to ride on her own and she departed Middleham and into the dales in the early afternoon, she would be home in plenty of time for dinner. Or so she thought.
It had gotten awfully dark very suddenly, clouds started gathering and she could hear thunder in the distance. Libby got spooked and Anne couldn’t calm her down, before she knew it she was on the ground, her dark red cloak the only thing shielding her from the rain. Her leg hurting beyond belief, feeling scared and in pain, she started crying.
She cursed her choice to go riding in the first place, Richard was on his way home and she wanted to welcome him this evening, she missed him – he always knew what to do. Her sobbing became wails when she tried to put any weight on her leg. She slid next to a tree to get as much shelter as she could and removed her shoe to take a better look at her leg. Her ankle was swollen and discoloured.
“Oi Lass, what the devil are you doing there?” A man, clearly a farmer came riding along on his brown horse, clearly one he used to work the land.
“I’m sorry…my horse got spooked, I was thrown off, my leg is hurting a lot.” Sniffled Anne, tears still streaming down her cheeks.
The farmer dismounted, it was clear the lady was noble both from her accent and her attire. Taking off his hat in sign of respect. He approached her slowly. “Aye milady, you got yourself in quite a fix. That looks like a bad sprain. My farm is but a few minutes away on horseback and my wife would have my head if she knew I left you here by your lonesome. Please allow me to help…” he said with a smile, offering his hand. Anne was apprehensive at first but the man’s eyes where kind and dark, in contrast to his dirty blonde hair. He could not have been more than 35 years of age and she knew she was quite a way from Middleham…
She accepted his hand and he put an arm around her to lift her up. Only putting weight on her good leg, he helped her make her way to the horse where she mounted with some difficulty both due to the rain on the saddle and her awkward leg. Rain and wind were picking up and by now, visibility was very difficult but sure enough, she could see the farm ahead.
“What’s your name?” asked Anne.
“Tommy, that is Thomas, Milady.”
“We’re almost there milady. We’ll have you set up by a fire in no time and my wife will see that you have something warm to eat in this cold.” He said above the howling wind. Anne could only nod.
By the time they reached the farm, her Neville determination and pride made her stop crying. She was still in a lot of pain and when it came to dismount, the farmer made sure he lifted her off very gently so as to allow her to put her weight on her good leg before putting his arm around her, helping her to the door before using the large metal key he had hanging from his belt.
“Beth?” he called before helping Anne into a small room with a running fireplace, a sofa and two wooden chairs. A small table with a lamp on it was by the left-hand side of the sofa and a bigger table with four chairs was on the right, next to a window. The walls were barren and a smell of cooking permeated from what appeared to be a smaller adjoining room used as a kitchen.
A girl around Anne’s age with green eyes, long dark hair and slight figure came out to greet the farmer with a kiss.
“I worried so when the weather turned like that. Are the cows in?”
“Aye they are sweetin, look who I found on the way back…” he said, indicating Anne.
“Oh you poor thing, what happened to your leg?” she said, approaching Anne and helping her on the sofa.
“My horse got spooked, I was thrown off when the thunder started, I was lucky your husband found me. My husband will be ever so worried when he doesn’t find me home.”
Noticing Anne’s clothing prompted Beth to ask “Milady, are you who I think you are?”
Anne smiled shyly “Yes, I’m afraid so. Terribly sorry to interrupt your evening and invade your home like this. Be assured my husband, Richard, will be very grateful for your assistance.”
At this, they bowed.
“Your grace, I did not know it was yourself. I only know your husband from when I petitioned him through our church to farm this land. He was gracious enough to let me earn a living allowing me to keep a wife and hopefully build a family. Not to mention feed the hands that help me with the crops here.”
Anne smiled. Richard would never really know how much his actions affected these people and how important his kindness and fairness was to them. This was why they loved him.
“I will make sure to tell him of your gratitude and your kindness. You are like a good Samaritan to me. I cannot thank you enough.”
The couple beamed at her
“Let’s get something warm in your belly milady. I made soup, fresh vegetables and some pork. And I will get you my Sunday dress. It’s nothing to what you’ve got on but it is dry.”
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When Richard arrived at the gate, he expected to see his beloved Anne running down the stairs to welcome him. Instead, he and his men found the household in a panic.
“Your grace, thank the lord you have arrived. Her grace Is missing, nobody has seen her nor her horse since she went riding this afternoon. She is usually back by now and the storm is getting worse.” Said lady Catherine, known as Kate Hampton. She was one of Anne’s most trusted ladies in waiting and would never tell a lie.
The expression on Richard’s face was thunderous “She should not have gone on her own. We’ve discussed this.”
Francis, at his side as usual, put a hand on his friend’s shoulder “We’ll find her, she could not have gone far in this weather.”
Richard turned to him “If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll find her. Tell the elder men to stay here and keep the fort, the rest, to the hall – we’re planning a search.”