“It is not weak,” Flora snapped. “Youare weak. Weak and foolish.”
Meadow ignored the comment for the most part, though it always hurt her when Flora took to insults to get her way. “If you do not see how weak this plan is, let me explain it to you,” she said. “Both knights could become enraged at us and Felkington will suffer. We will have no husbands for Lista then because they will leave us and spread tales of the foolish women at Felkington. No man will want Lista then and your dreams of returning to court will be ruined.”
Flora wasn’t going to be refused. She was convinced she had the right scheme. “Trust me,” she insisted. “Trust me that all will happen as it should. When you see de Rhos rise, you will send Lista out to the vineyard. Tell her that you want her to bring you some grapes. Tell her anything. But send her out to the vineyard. Then, you will tell de Rhos that Lista is in the vineyard and wishes to see him. That will send him to Lista.”
Meadow was gazing at her, guarded. “And then what?”
Flora held up a finger as if the greatest idea was yet to come. “Then, we find de Velt and tell him that Lista wishes to see him,” she said. “De Velt will go to the vineyard, see them together, and challenge de Rhos. Trust me, Meadow. All will happen as it should and, soon, we shall either have access to the great battle lords of de Velt or to the Sunderland riches.”
Meadow sighed heavily. She knew Flora wouldn’t be put off and if she tried, the woman would insult her and pester her until she gave in. It had happened before.
Therefore, she knew she had no choice.
She had to do it.
Summoning a servant, Meadow told the woman to inform her when de Rhos had risen. Six hours later, when the news came, she had a servant find Lista in the great hall with the wounded with a special request from her mother. Lista refused at first, but the servant was insistent, which sent Lista up to the tower room to demand to know why her mother needed her to bring her grapes, all of which had been stolen in the raid.
With Flora’s silent prompting, Meadow drummed up tears and Lista unhappily surrendered. With her daughter heading out to the vineyard, Meadow went to find Louis to tell the man that Lista wanted to bid him a private farewell. He seemed reluctant at first, but that reluctance turned to curiosity. That was obvious.
With Louis on the move, the last piece of the puzzle was Julian.
Flora took care of that last detail herself.
CHAPTER TWELVE
Lista’s strange aunthad been at the door.
Pounding on it, really. Julian had been dead asleep when the rattling of the door had him bolting out of bed. He was a heavy sleeper, anyway, but he was also one of those men who was instantly awake, moving before he even realized he was moving. He was halfway to the door before he realized he was nude, so he had to take the time to put on a pair of linen braies, something he always carried with him.
It was enough to cover him up, anyway.
He went to the door and opened it.
“Sir Julian?”
He found himself looking at Lista’s haggard aunt.
“My lady?” he asked politely.
Flora smiled, revealing yellowed and brittle teeth. “Lista has asked me to fetch you,” she said. “She is in the vineyard and asked that you join her.”
Julian rubbed his eyes, trying to wake up a little more. “Has something happened?”
Flora shook her head. “Happened?” she repeated. “Nay, nothing has happened. She has simply sent word for you to join her. Youwilljoin her, will you not?”
Julian nodded wearily. “If she wishes it.”
“Good,” Flora said, a bright smile looking oddly out of place on her face. “Hurry, now. There is no time to waste.”
Julian simply nodded his head and shut the door. Yawning, he went to collect his clothing, which he had neatly laid out so it could air out. The braies came off and the leather breeches went on, followed by a clean tunic from his saddlebags. He pulled his boots on and secured them, debating about strapping on his broadsword but thinking better of it. He was fairly certain he wouldn’t need it. He wanted to find out what Lista wanted and then perhaps return to the great hall for some food and drink with Lista by his side.
The thought of her made him smile.
Running his fingers through his hair as he headed to the door, he realized that he missed her. He’d been asleep for a few hours and, already, he missed the woman. He missed her smile, her wit, her tender heart. She had such a tender heart. He still couldn’t believe a woman as magnificent as Lista de la Mere found something agreeable in him. Agreeable enough to let him court her.
He’d never looked forward so much to anything in his life.
He wasn’t exactly familiar with Felkington, so he headed for the stairs he did know. He intended to go through the great hall to the mural stairs on the north side, but as he reached the south entrance, he caught sight of a spiral staircase in the wall that led to the lower level. He turned for the stairs just as he heard Addington’s voice in the hall as she helped tend the wounded. Ashton was nowhere to be found so he assumed the man was sleeping, too.
