“Worried about me?” Beth challenged, unable to keep the edge from her voice.
Baldwin’s jaw tightened. “Yes,” he admitted, the single word seeming to cost him greatly. “More than is wise.”
The confession hung between them, charged with unspoken meaning. Her anger faltered, replaced by a softer emotion she wasn’t ready to name.
Before she could respond, a page appeared at the gallery entrance. “My lord,” he said, bowing. “The king requests yourpresence. The hunt departs at dawn tomorrow, and His Grace wishes to discuss the route.”
Baldwin nodded, his expression closing like a door. “Tell His Grace I come directly.” As the page departed, he turned back to Beth. “We will continue this discussion later.”
From the shadowsof the courtyard, Cedric watched as the servants cleared away the remnants of Beth’s demonstration. The blue flames had long since died, but their ghostly impression remained in his mind’s eye.
She was dangerous, this strange woman with her foreign knowledge and her hold over Baldwin. But she was also an opportunity. A weapon he could use to bring down the lord of Glenhaven once and for all.
“Impressive display, was it not?” Sir Barnaby Skeffington, Cedric’s cousin, sidled up beside him. “Though some might call it unnatural.”
Cedric smiled slowly. “Oh, it was unnatural indeed. She can bring fire without flint, speak with queens, interest the king, and beguile Baldwin.” His fingers traced the hilt of his dagger. “All the justification I’ll need.”
“For what?” Barnaby asked, his eyes narrowing.
Cedric’s smile widened, cold and calculating in the torchlight. “Why, to save Glenhaven from the witch in its midst, of course. And if Baldwin falls defending her...” He shrugged. “Then the king will need a new lord for these lands.”
As he turned away, Cedric’s gaze lifted to the gallery where Baldwin and Beth had disappeared. The hunt tomorrow would provide the perfect opportunity. In the chaos of hooves and horns, accidents happened all the time.
And he would be there to ensure they did.
CHAPTER 10
Jacquetta of Luxembourg, mother to the Queen of England, walked alongside her daughter by the shimmering waters of the lake. The morning mist still clung to the surface, though the summer sun had risen high enough to warm their shoulders. Her crimson velvet gown rustled against the dewy grass, its sleeves trimmed with ermine and gold thread that caught the light. Around her neck hung a heavy pendant of polished amber, and her fingers glittered with rings set with rubies and pearls as she gestured toward the castle.
“The air here is sweet,” Jacquetta remarked, her accent still carrying traces of her homeland despite decades in England. “I can see why Edward was eager to visit. Though I suspect it had more to do with the hunting than the scenery.”
Her daughter smiled, her golden hair gleaming in the sunlight. She paused to rest a hand against the trunk of an ancient oak tree. “Baldwin has been a loyal subject. Edward enjoys rewarding those who serve him well.”
She studied her daughter’s face, her keen eyes missing nothing. “You are with child again.”
Elizabeth’s hand flew to her stomach. “Mother! How did you—” Her sapphire blue gown rustled with the sudden movement, its velvet bodice adorned with delicate silver embroidery that caught the afternoon light. The queen’s slender fingers, weighted with gold rings set with emeralds and rubies, pressed against the rich fabric as if to protect the secret within. Her golden hair was braided down her back, and around her neck hung a heavy gold pendant bearing Edward’s insignia.
“I knew before you did,” Jacquetta said with a small smile. “A mother always knows. And I have other ways of knowing things, as you well remember.”
Elizabeth glanced around to ensure they were alone. “I have not even told Edward yet.”
“You should tell him today. ’Twill be good luck that you conceived while visiting Glenhaven. The child will be strong.” Jacquetta bent to pick a small white flower growing near the water’s edge. “You will have seven more children after this one.”
Elizabeth laughed. “Seven! Mother, you jest. I already have my two boys and my two girls from Edward.” She touched her stomach. “And this one, hopefully a son.”
“I do not jest about such matters.” Jacquetta tucked the flower into her daughter’s hair. “Your line will be strong, though not without its trials.”
They walked in silence for a moment, the hem of their gowns brushing through the dewy grass.
“What think you of Baldwin’s strange guest?” Elizabeth asked.
“The woman called Beth?” Jacquetta’s expression remained carefully neutral. “She is... unusual.”
“Father Gregory says she has knowledge of herbs and healing. Perhaps she could be useful at court.”
Jacquetta raised an eyebrow. “Perhaps. Though I wonder if she would flourish there as well as she does here.” She paused,looking back toward Glenhaven Castle. “Some flowers bloom best in their own soil.”
“You speak in riddles again, Mother.”
