It was difficult for Lista to keep the smile on her face. “I realize that,” she said. “If you are going to send Lady de Velt down to the hall, then I shall locate my mother immediately and bring her back.”
Corisande nodded. “I am sure my husband’s mother would like that very much,” she said. Then, she paused before continuing hesitantly. “Your mother and aunt… when I saw them earlier, they were quite lively.”
Lista tried to keep a brave front. “They are lively anywhere they go,” she said. “I am sorry if they were disruptive.”
Corisande shook her head, sitting down when Julian stood up and brought her a chair. “They were not disruptive at all,” she said. “You must have a happy home.”
Lista cocked her head curiously because she wasn’t sure what she meant. “My lady?”
“Because they seem so happy.”
Lista wasn’t going to ruin the woman’s opinion of her mother if that was what she truly thought, but there was absolutely no truth to what she said. “I am glad they seem happy to you, my lady,” she said. “At home, it is much different.”
“Oh?”
Lista nodded. “My mother is still grieving the loss of my father and my brother,” she said. “But I thank you for saying she seems happy. Certainly, she has been happy to visit Berwick.”
Corisande smiled. “You must return and visit again sometime.”
“How long have you lived at Berwick?”
Corisande’s brow furrowed thoughtfully. “Since I married my husband several years ago,” she said. “I have always lived in Northumberland, however. My childhood home is not too terribly far from here. My older brothers visit often, as does my father. They have several children to play with here, which does my father good. He dotes on my children.”
She was trying to make Lista feel more comfortable and it worked. Lista smiled at the idea of a loving grandfather. “That is wonderful,” she said. “It is lovely for your children to know their grandfather so well.”
“I think so.”
Lista was prevented from replying when she caught sight of Amaury entering the great hall and he was quite alone. The mood of the warm conversation vanished as Lista stood up, her concerned focus on Amaury.
“My apologies, my lady,” she said. “I see our knight and my mother does not seem to be with him. Will you please excuse me?”
Corisande waved her on as Julian stood up, watching Lista all but run to Amaury. He was still standing, watching, as she exchanged several words with the knight. Several frantic-looking words, it seemed to him, because Lista was growing animated. Suddenly, she was ducking out of the hall with Amaury on her heels.
“Julian?” Addington said. “Why don’t you go and help her? She does not know Berwick if she is to search for her mother. You might be of assistance.”
Julian didn’t say a word, but he was leaving the dais before Addington was even finished speaking. Anteaus, who was still sitting next to Addington, stood up as well and followed Julian purely out of duty because Berwick was his post. He knew it better than Julian did. Corisande and Addington watched them head for the hall exit together.
“She seems like a nice woman,” Corisande said. “She seems very concerned for her mother, however.”
Addington nodded. “She is,” she said. “And she thinks Julian is handsome.”
Corisande looked at her in surprise. “She does?” she said. “Does he know?”
“He does.”
Corisande cast Addington a long look. “Are you playing matchmaker, Addie?”
Addington grinned. “I do hope so.”
Corisande caught on and she, too, was grinning. But she also knew her mother-in-law was waiting for her, so she excused herself just as Ashton made his way to the dais. He’d been on the other side of the hall, watching Anteaus and not wanting to get near the dais because Julian had told him not to be confrontational with Anteaus. That had frustrated him to no end, but Julian had been serious and he knew it. However, with Anteaus following Julian somewhere, Ashton could make his move.
And he did.
Oblivious to what was transpiring in the hall, Lista was on the hunt for her mother and aunt. Amaury had lost them, somewhere, and had searched for almost a half-hour before seeking help. The misty night was now so dense that it was difficult to see a few feet in front of her, so locating her mother and aunt wasn’t going to be a simple thing. She didn’t knowBerwick Castle and had no idea where to start looking, but every second those two were on their own, her anxiety was building.
“Where did you last see them?” she asked.
Amaury was trying to get his bearings. “Over near the apartment where your chamber is located,” he said. “They went into the chamber, I fear, for some of the things they bought at the apothecary’s stall. I think they were burning hemp because I could smell it from the window. Then, they came out and I lost them in the mist.”
