Hallam nodded. “I suspected as much,” he said. “I just wanted you to be forewarned of his intentions.”
Caius’ eyes narrowed as he looked hard at the man. “Why should you do that?” he asked. “You are his captain. Why should you forewarn me of anything he does?”
Hallam’s gaze moved to the dais, where Covington was greeting Edward and demanding the man sit next to him.
“If you really want to know, I will tell you, but not here,” he said. “Sit at the dais, at the end of the table, and I will sit with you. Let de Wrenville think I am keeping an eye on you.”
“Aren’t you?”
“Nay.”
With that, he pushed past Caius, leaving the man confused. Confused and wary. He followed Hallam as the man made his way to the dais, claiming a seat on the end just as the other knights were claiming their seats in various places around the table. Caius came up behind Maxton just as the man was preparing to sit well away from Covington and muttered in the man’s ear.
“Take the seat on the other side of de Wrenville,” he said. “I do not want to sit with him.”
Maxton was already halfway into his chair but he stood back up without question, heading around the table and taking a seat by Covington’s left hand as Caius sat down the table, at the end, with Hallam on the corner next to him.
Immediately, the food and drink began to come.
“Now,” Caius said casually, not looking at Hallam. “What is this all about?”
A wench came by, placing big pewter cups of ruby-red wine in front of them. It was warmed and Caius downed two big swallows while Hallam simply put the cup to his lips, blocking Covington’s view of his mouth so that he could speak.
“Understand something, my lord,” he mumbled. “My family has served the House of de Wrenville for three generations. I am a legacy knight.”
“And?”
“And although I serve de Wrenville, I will be the first one to admit that what he has done to Hawkstone is reprehensible,” he said. “I obeyed his orders and I commanded his army. That isbecause I am faithful to my oath. But it does not mean I approve of what he has done.”
With that, he took a big drink as Caius digested his statement. His focus was on the room because from where he was sitting, he couldn’t really see Covington or Edward as they engaged in conversation.
All the better for him.
“Have you spoken to Wolverhampton about this?” Caius finally asked.
“I have not,” Hallam said. “He has spent all of his time with de Wrenville.”
“Yet you tell me,” Caius said. “Why?”
“Because you are in command of William Marshal’s army,” Hallam said. “Let us be perfectly honest, my lord– that was the only reason he married Alice de Gras; to get his hands on William Marshal’s power. I am telling you this because if you give him control of the army, he will raze Hawkstone, but I fear it will not stop there. This is a pivotal moment for him– if you give him control of the army you brought, he will not give it back. He will summon more. It will give him the sense of unlimited support and that is what he wants.”
Caius listened to all of it without surprise. It was exactly what he’d been discussing with Edward and the others not an hour earlier. Although Hallam seemed to be surprisingly open, Caius couldn’t be sure that anything he said wouldn’t make it back to de Wrenville. On the other hand, the knight was confessing things that would probably infuriate de Wrenville were he told. It might jeopardize the knight himself.
Unless that was part of de Wrenville’s plan to get information out of him.
Caius couldn’t be certain this wasn’t a trap.
“Thank you for the warning,” he said. “Your candor is appreciated.”
Hallam could tell that Caius was being cautious, which was prudent given the situation. As the food began to come and great trenchers were place in front of him, he leaned in Caius’ direction one last time.
“I understand your reluctance to believe me,” he said. “I realize I look like a traitor and, in truth, I am, but de Wrenville is unworthy of the men that serve him. I would appreciate it if you would not mention to him what I’ve told you. He would have no issue throwing my corpse in the moat, either, and that is where I am trying not to end up. I simply want to survive this situation until I can figure out how to relinquish my oath to a tyrant in the making.”
Caius didn’t say anything as a big trencher was placed in front of him. It was some kind of meat pie, baked with minced meat, eggs, breadcrumbs, and spices. There was a gravy all over it along with boiled carrots, onions, and white-colored beans. It smelled delicious and he delved into it, stuffing his face because he’d not eaten all day.
All the while, however, he was thinking of Hallam, of Covington. Hallam had fallen silent, eating his meal, and Caius was trying not to be obvious about watching Covington as the man drank heavily and discussed the great attributes of his son. It occurred to Caius that like his son, Covington couldn’t hold his liquor, either.
Something else occurred to him, too.
