He pulled Lista up easily but the moment she put weight on her foot, pain shot up her leg and she nearly went over again. Louis had a good grip on her as she winced.
“It seems I twisted my ankle,” she said. “Do you mind helping me into the castle?”
Louis’ response was to bend over and scoop her into his big arms. Lista gasped at the unexpected move as her arms went around his neck to support herself.
“You do not have to carry me,” she insisted. “I can walk.”
Louis turned for the castle. “I can move faster than you can.”
“Icanwalk.”
“Let a man be chivalrous, will you?”
He said it with humor, but he was mostly serious. Lista opened her mouth to say something but movement caught her eye. She lifted a hand to shield her eyes from the sun as she gazed up at the garden gate, the one that led to the road beyond.
“Strange,” she muttered.
“What?”
“I thought I just saw Julian standing near the garden gate.”
“He’s still sleeping, isn’t he?”
Lista gripped his neck again as he proceeded up the slippery slope. “The last I checked, he was,” she said. “Mayhap it is the sun playing tricks.”
Louis nearly slipped himself in the mud, gripping Lista tightly as he carried her out of the garden and through the gate. He was rather sorry he was going to have to put her down at some point, but he was enjoying it while it lasted.
Little did he know what the brief moment of pleasure was going to cost.
“Ashton, wake up.”
Ashton had been dreaming about a trip he’d taken to London years ago, dreaming of the golden Thames at sunset and boats that were being pulled by swimming horses. It was a weird dream. But he opened his eyes to Julian’s grim face.
“What’s wrong?” he said, quickly sitting up. “Are the Scots back?”
Julian was dressed for battle. In full protection, his saddlebags slung over his shoulder, he was prepared.
“Nay,” he said shortly. “I am leaving Felkington now. I want you to escort Addie home first thing in the morning.”
Ashton rubbed his eyes. “You’re leavingnow?” he said, thinking he hadn’t heard right. “Why?”
Julian’s jaw was ticking faintly. “Because I am,” he said. “Thank Lady Lista for her hospitality but bring Addie home tomorrow. Do not delay or I will send men for you.”
Ashton frowned, becoming more lucid. “Julian,whatis wrong?”
Julian’s jaw was ticking so furiously now that he was about to break his teeth. “Do not ask me that,” he said. “As long as you live, do not ask me more than you already have. If I want you to know, I will tell you.”
Ashton was at a loss. Julian was serious about not asking any further questions, so he didn’t. He watched Julian leave the chamber, not bothering to close the door, but then he quickly climbed out of bed and put his clothing on.
He had to find Addington.
“What do youmean that he is leaving?”
The question came from Addington. Sitting on the floor of the great hall, she had been bandaging a man who had taken an ax to the arm and the doctor had just cleaned the woundthoroughly. But the rather grim statement from Ashton had her pausing in her duties.
“Just what I said,” Ashton said, quietly and seriously. “He just came to me and told me that he’s leaving. When I asked him why, he said never to ask him that question again. I am afraid he will take my head off if I ask him again, so you must find him quickly. He must be in the stables gathering his horse, so you must hurry. Something is wrong, Addie.”
Frowning with concern, Addington turned the bandaging over to a servant and let Ashton pull her to her feet. She was dressed in one of her nicer gowns, one she had brought to go visiting in, but over the gown was a coarse and dirty apron that had blood and dirt on it. She made a paradoxical sight, so nicely dressed, doing rather dirty work, but that was Addington. She grew up in a castle that had seen many battles, so she was used to such things. But she wasn’t used to Ashton’s tone where it pertained to Julian.
