Louis nodded as if it all became clear to him now. But that still didn’t ease him. “It is unfair of him to think that I have been underhanded,” he said. “It is unfair of him to judge me when he does not even know me. We stood side by side against the Scots and fought together, preserving one another’s lives in the process. And he thinks that I would actually try to steal away the woman he wants?”
Addington nodded. “Do not be too hard on him,” she said. “He has been betrayed before.”
Louis’ jaw ticked. “But not by me,” he said. “I’ve never hurt the man. The fact that others have does not give him the right to assume the same from me.”
He was building up a rage and Addington was feeling increasingly desperate for Julian. “He is a kind and compassionate man,” she said. “I am sorry if he offended you, but you must understand the damage others have inflicted.”
Louis looked at her. “In this case, he has brought it on himself,” he said. “Lady Addington, I realize you are defending your brother and that is admirable, but he is a bitter fool to go around accusing people he does not know of betraying him. If he is going to do that, then mayhap I should have no such restraint when it comes to Lady Lista. A man like that does not deserve her.”
Addington looked at him with some horror. “What do you mean?” she said. “Of course he deserves her. He is a good man.”
Louis’ jaw ticked. “A good man does not behave the way he just did,” he said. “Good day to you, my lady.”
With that, he headed out of the stables, moving for the stairwell that led to the great hall and leaving Addington with a bigger problem than ever. Feeling frustrated with Louis and hurt on Julian’s behalf, she knew she needed to talk to Lista before Louis got to her and told her what had happened.
But she needed to find Ashton first.
He had to know what had happened.
A bad situation was about to get worse.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
She just feltsilly.
Silly and clumsy.
Laying on her bed with her right ankle elevated on a pillow, and throbbing, Lista felt absolutely ridiculous for having twisted her ankle. With wounded in the hall, and guests visiting, it was a terrible time to be crippled with an injury.
Louis seemed to feel responsible, which was ridiculous in Lista’s opinion. He was off trying to find someone to help her as she lay on that bed with her throbbing ankle, hoping it wasn’t as bad as it felt. She had to laugh, an ironic sort of sound, when she realized she was thankful that Louis had been present because if he hadn’t, she would have had to crawl on her hands and knees all the way back to the castle.
She would have made quite a sight.
At one point, she sat up and tried to stand up on the ankle, only to feel that same sharp pain shoot up her leg. Oddly, if she turned her foot slightly, the pain wasn’t so bad, but it was still achy. Achy, she could live with. But that shooting pain was uncomfortable. As she stood there, leaning against the bed and trying to decide just how badly she was hurt, there was a knockon the chamber door. Before she could answer, it creaked open and Louis entered, carrying a bucket of hot water.
“My lady, you should be off that ankle,” he said, lifting a dark eyebrow as he set the bucket next to a chair that was positioned near the hearth. “Standing on it will not help it.”
Lista knew that, but she made a face at him, just because she didn’t have a sharp answer for him. Once he set the bucket down, he came over to her and picked her up again, depositing her into the chair.
“Now,” he said. “Get your foot into the bucket. While the water is hot.”
Her shoe was already off, courtesy of Louis when he had set her on the bed earlier, so Lista lifted her leg and gingerly slid her foot into the water. It was hot and she hissed, but it felt good.
She sighed.
“Thank you for taking the trouble to do this,” she said. “I fear that I have ruined your plans to leave early, but truly, you can go now. I will not detain you any longer and the servants will help me from here.”
Louis didn’t make any move towards the door. He acted as if he didn’t hear her. Kneeling down, he moved the bucket slightly so her foot would fit more easily.
“Is that better?” he asked.
Lista nodded. “It is,” she said. “Truly, Louis, you can leave. I hate that I have detained you.”
“You have not detained me.”
“But you said you needed to be in Kelso today. You must leave soon.”
He was still kneeling, still looking at her foot in the bucket. “I am more concerned that you have injured yourself,” he said. “Had my reflexes been faster when you slipped, we would not be in this predicament.”
