Douglas was trying to calm her down because her voice was rising. “Has anyone said anything to you?”
“Other than Raymond, they have not.”
“No one has tried to engage you?”
“Just waving. And smiling.”
“And smiling,” he repeated, muttering as if it might help him understand what was going on. He’d been so swept up with Isabel and Eric that he hadn’t even noticed, and he felt bad about that. But as he listened to her sniffle, a thought occurred to him.
A thought that might explain the odd behavior of the evening.
“I hesitate to bring this up, but you mentioned that Astoria knew Raymond those years ago,” he said. “And, as we know, she has been working in the hall tonight.”
Wiping at her nose, Mira looked up at him. “She has,” she said. “Why?”
“Well… I was simply thinking aloud,” he continued softly. “Thanks to me, we know she has a vendetta against you. Is it possible she told him that you wanted to dance with him to cause you trauma? Surely she knows how he tormented you when he lived here.”
Mira sighed heavily. “She knows,” she said. “If she wanted to truly punish me, using Raymond would be quite an opportunity to do it.”
“Possibly.”
“But what about the soldiers? Why are they all waving at me?”
Douglas shook his head. “I do not know,” he said, his hands still on her arms, though now he was gently caressing her. “Mayhap Astoria told them to, knowing you would be confused by it. I do not know, but I can certainly find out.”
Mira nodded, feeling more in confident in Douglas’ arms. In fact, without even realizing he’d done it, he had managed to pullher into his arms and she was snuggled against his chest as he embraced her tightly. For a brief moment, Mira closed her eyes, inhaling his scent, feeling his warmth, and thinking that there was no better feeling on earth than this. She could hear his heart beating steadily in her left ear.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
She pressed herself against him, feeling his big arms tighten around her. It was an embrace that made her feel giddy and faint, but she didn’t care. She’d be very happy to feel this way for the rest of her life.
“Douglas?” Jonathan appeared behind the screen, his hulking presence filling up the space. “I am sorry to interrupt, but I have need of you.”
Startled, Mira pulled herself out of Douglas’ arms, putting distance between them, as Douglas tried not to look disappointed.
He turned to Jonathan.
“What is it?” he asked.
Jonathan, who had volunteered for night duty on the wall, cocked an eyebrow. “A fight,” he muttered. “A few de Lohr men against de Honiton men. You’d better come. A man was stabbed.”
Douglas grunted. “Christ,” he muttered. “Badly?”
“Bad enough.”
“Does de Honiton know?”
“Nay,” Jonathan said. “I want you to evaluate it first before we summon him.”
Douglas nodded before quickly turning to Mira. “I want you to do something for me,” he said. “Will you, please?”
She was still a little flushed from their embrace, but she nodded. “What is it?”
“Go to your chamber and lock yourself in,” he said quietly, firmly. “I have something I need to tell you, but it will have towait. And I do not want you in this hall without me if Raymond is grabbing for you or if soldiers are waving at you. Get up to your chamber and lock the door until I come for you.”
Mira was torn. “But Lady Isabel will expect me to—”
He cut her off gently. “Lady Isabel will understand when I have explained it to her,” he said. “I want you to go right away. This very moment. Go back through the kitchens and into the keep. Do not walk through the hall, but move along the edges, away from everyone. Will you do this?”
