“May I get you anything, Your Grace?”
She blinked at him, “No thank you.” She moved to step past him and he turned to follow her.
She stopped, and turned to look at him, “What are you doing?”
“His Grace said to make sure you didn’t go anywhere unaccompanied.”
Her eyebrows rose high. “I beg your pardon?”
“His Grace said?—”
She held up a quelling hand. “I heard you the first time. What do you mean by that?”
“He said to make sure you were accompanied if you left your room, Your Grace.”
“What if I were going to visit the privy?”
The footman went red, ducking his head in embarrassment. “I…” he trailed off uncertainly.
“What? You didn’t seek to clarify?” Helena gave him a mock amazed look. “How remiss of you.”
“Y-Yes, Y-Your G—” The footman began to stammer incoherently.
Helena turned and resumed walking away. She did not have time for this.
As she marched down the stairs, she could hear the footman scrambling after her.
She walked out of the front door before circling around the house and heading for the gazebo.
She’d almost been ready to find Silas and apologize but this latest stunt, assigning a footman to watch her as if she was a misbehaving child, had just ramped up her anger to simmering levels.
“Unbelievable,” she muttered under her breath.
She dropped onto the cold stone bench in the gazebo and opened her book.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Silas watched Helena read from his office window, noting, even from a distance, how tense her shoulders were.
She could do with a nice massage,he thought to himself.
He crossed his arms, deliberately turning his back on her as he attempted to hold on to his anger. She acted as if he had done nothing for her, when all his actions had been taken with her in mind.
He recalled that he was to meet Benedict, who had news for him. Taking up his walking stick—which concealed his sword—he left the room and made his way out of the castle.
I could do with the fresh air and a chance to calm down.
He set out on foot for Benedict’s home.
“Good morning,” Benedict said with a smile before his face sobered. “You seem… upset?”
Silas shook his head, waving Benedict’s words away. “It is nothing. What news, Benedict?”
“Well,” Benedict said, ushering Silas into his parlor and pouring him a glass of port, “I have managed to get one of my people inside the abbey. We should have more accurate intelligence on the goings on inside now. We should also get some advance warning on when the next wagon is scheduled to leave.”
“That is welcome news. We will finally have some evidence that will enable us to arrest these people.”
“Indeed.” Benedict gave him a look. “Now, what is it that ails you? You’re quite grey for one who has been out in the sun all day.”
