Muttering curses that had the young Humfrey blushing faintly, Ilsabeth abruptly sat down. “I am too late. This is all Walter’s doing.”
Humfrey sat down facing her. “How do ye ken that?”
Ilsabeth told him all she had heard and smiled weakly when Humfrey patted her shoulder in an awkward gesture of comfort even as his handsome face grew hard with anger. “He wants our clan to take the blame, to be the lure the king’s men chase about as he and his fellow plotters rid us of our king.
“I thought I had time to warn everyone, mayhap e’en stop it.”
“Weel, there is still time to fix things.”
“How so? Ye have just told me that the king’s army is pounding on the gates.”
“Aye, and your father is keeping those gates closed tight as everyone else flees. By the time those gates are forced open there will be no one left inside save for a few old men and women who have chosen to stay behind. Old and wee bit infirm, they cannae move quickly enough and refuse to be the ones to slow down all the others.”
“They could be taken, killed, or tortured for information,” she said, worried for those who would have to face the soldiers yet relieved that her family had fled.
“Nay, I doubt much attention will be paid to them.”
“Ye have come to take me to the others then?”
“Nay. I have come to help ye flee elsewhere. Ye see, t’was your dagger in the heart of the dead mon.”
Ilsabeth buried her face in her hands and fought the urge to weep. It was a weak thing to do and she needed to be strong now. “I had wondered where it had disappeared to,” she said, and then looked at Humfrey. “Where am I to flee if nay with my family? I dinnae understand why I cannae just run and hide with them.”
“Your father suspects ‘tis Walter behind this for the bastard’s name was mentioned as the one to lead the soldiers to proof of the Armstrongs’ treachery. And now ye have told me that ye heard the mon say as much himself. Your father needs ye to seek help.”
“From who? Our kinsmen the Murrays?”
“Nay.” He handed Ilsabeth a piece of parchment. “Sir Simon Innes. Those are directions to where he is and a note to him from your father.”
“Why does that name sound familiar?”
“Because the mon has saved two Murrays from hanging for murders they didnae commit. Your father says the mon will listen to ye and then hunt for the truth. And, ye can lead him to it, cannae ye.”
Ilsabeth quickly glanced at it and then tucked the message from her father into a hidden pocket in her skirts. “I suspect neither of those Murrays was accused of treason.”
“I cannae say, but right now all the soldiers have proof of is that the mon was murdered with your dagger.”
“They dinnae need much proof of the other to make life for an Armstrong verra treacherous indeed.”
“True, which is why we need to get yourself to this Innes mon as quickly as we can. He is a king’s mon, too, and one who is widely trusted to find the truth.”
Ilsabeth shook her head. “I am to go to a king’s mon to ask him to help me prove that I didnae kill another of the king’s men? ‘Tis madness. He willnae believe me.”
“Mayhap nay at first, but hewilllook for the truth. ‘Tis why he is so trusted. ‘Tis said that he is near rabid about getting to the truth. And, Two, there is naught much else we can do to save ourselves. We are all going to be hunted now. E’en our kinsmen the Murrays will be watched closely. They probably have soldiers at their gates, too, though nay as we do, nay there to arrest them. None of us will be able to do anything to hunt down the truth. Save ye. Ye are thought to be inside the walls the soldiers are trying to kick down so they will all think that ye are now running and hiding with us.”
“Maman?”
“She and a few other women are taking the youngest bairns to the nunnery and Sister Beatrice. One and her sisters will shield them.”
“Maman willnae stay. She will go to be with Papa.”
“Aye, most like, but ye cannae worry o’er all that.”
Ilsabeth thought her heart would shatter. “This is all my fault, Humfrey. If I hadnae brought Walter so close to our family he wouldnae have had what he needed to use us to hide his own crimes.”
“Nay, ‘tisnae your fault. Your father ne’er suspected the mon of any truly ill intent.” He stood up and held out his hand to her. “Come. Ye had best be on your way.”
“ ‘Tis a long walk I will be taking,” she said as she let him help her to her feet.
