Bartholomew was flummoxed. “Nor do I,” he admitted, seeing the flaw in their scheme.
“She should have a maid,” Fergus added, though his tone was more indicative of a man with a solution than one finding a problem.
Of course. Bartholomew turned to Leila, who was watching him keenly. The Saracen girl had been his friend in Jerusalem and had journeyed this far in their company disguised as a squire.
She cleared her throat and spoke gruffly. “My cousin oft asked me to braid her hair,” she said, maintaining the guise of being a boy. “I could be of aid.”
Bartholomew knew that Leila had fled a marriage arranged by her uncle and, though she had never confessed the details, he was certain she must have good cause to have left all she knew. Fergus had offered Leila the position as his squire. He said no more, for the surrender of her disguise had to be Leila’s choice. He assumed the tale of the cousin was a lie, meant to disguise the fact that she had braided her own hair once.
What did she intend to do in Scotland? Had she considered her future, now that Outremer was far behind them?
Leila rummaged in her small bag of possessions and removed a comb. It was carved of a fine golden wood. Duncan started at the sight of it and Leila smiled at him.
“Radegunde gave it to me,” she admitted and he nodded. Apparently the man-at-arms had seen it before. Fortunately, none of those unaware of Leila’s truth found it odd that a maid would give a comb to a squire.
Yet.
Leila went to Anna’s side and reached for the ends of her hair. Anna wrinkled her nose and gave Bartholomew a disparaging glance. “What is the point of a bath, if the squire who aids me smells of dung?” Before he could reply, she turned sharply to face Leila. Her eyes narrowed, her gaze dancing from Leila’s hands to her face.
Bartholomew knew the moment that Anna realized the truth, for her lips parted in surprise. She tried to hide her reaction, but he had already noted that she had little talent for subterfuge. Indeed, she turned to him, a question in her eyes.
Leila, meanwhile, put the comb in Anna’s hands. She straightened and turned to Fergus, then bowed. “My lord,” she said in her usual voice, speaking French. “I believe it is time.”
“The choice was always yours to make,” he replied, inclining his head and smiling approval.
The Templars looked between them with evident confusion, a reaction shared by their squires. Anna clearly did not understand the exchange, though she had guessed the truth of Leila’s sex.
Leila retrieved the small bag that she had carried since their departure from Châmont-sur-Maine, and Bartholomew realized that Radegunde must have given her more than a comb. The two women had seemed to become friends after the party’s departure from Paris. Had that been Duncan’s doing? He looked indulgent in this moment, as if all came to pass as he had anticipated.
Leila put out a hand before Timothy, requesting the soap. The boy surrendered it after confirming with Bartholomew that he was permitted to do so. He looked no less confused than the Templars, but Hamish and Duncan were unsurprised.
Leila made for the stream with purpose, even as the rest of the party stared after her. Moments later, she could be heard splashing, out of sight. At a nod from Fergus, the boys served the last of their bread and cheese that they might break their fast. There was a wineskin with a last measure of red wine from Gaston’s abode, and a few apples yet, but it was time for them to find more provisions. Bartholomew doubted that he was the sole one who would have welcomed a hot meal.
Anna ate with haste, showing an astonishing appetite and one that made him wonder when last she had eaten at all. By the time Leila strode up the slope from the stream, they were preparing to depart. Every man and boy in the company turned at the sound of her footsteps and each one of them stared.
Anna was not the sole one transformed. Leila wore a simple kirtle of a green hue and a leather belt. She wore yet the same boots and her dark hair curled around her face. Though she had cut her hair in Jerusalem, there could be no doubting that she was a maiden, and an alluring one.
Bartholomew smiled, even as many of his fellows stared in astonishment.
Chapter Three
“But, but, Laurent,” Timothy whispered, his shock clear.
“Leila,” Leila corrected as she returned the soap to the astonished squire. She cast her filthy garb on to the fire with evident satisfaction. She plucked the comb from Anna’s fingers and set to work on her hair, as the Templars began to consult with each other in agitated murmurs. They were both frowning when they raised their voices to confront the other knights.
“So, we have unwittingly journeyed with a woman in our company?” demanded one.
“It is against the Rule!”
“It is not against the Rule to protect those in need of our defense,” Fergus replied.
“But it was a lie!”
“It was a scheme to protect this maiden, and one endorsed by the Grand Master in Jerusalem,” Bartholomew supplied. The Templars appeared to be slightly more at ease with this additional information, but still eyed the remainder of the company warily. He wondered whether they expected more women to be revealed in their ranks.
“Not all was a lie,” Leila said softly, smiling at Fergus. “I do have a cousin whose hair I braided.” She combed Anna’s hair deftly, braiding it and coiling it with all speed. “You will need to open your bags again,” she said to Fergus. “A lady has need of a wimple, a veil and a circlet.”
“Glad I am that I brought so many trinkets for my betrothed,” Fergus jested, even as he unfastened his saddlebags anew.
