“You will, will you? And who do you think the earl will believe? A knight he has ridden with into battle? Or a Scots servant he has never before laid eyes upon?”
Esme took a breath. “My father will recognize the truth when he hears it.”
“Excellent.” Crispin nodded sagely. He strolled over to the trestle table and perused the contents with lazy interest. “He will recognize the truth about his daughter, who laid with me freely, in a stable, no less.”
Esme hated herself for flinching and hated Crispin even more when he hooted at her obvious discomfort.
“Mayhap he will recognize the truth about that same daughter having transferred her affections to a man worth precisely naught.” He raised an eyebrow at her mockingly, before raking his gaze over Adam so there was no doubting his meaning. “I’ve seen how you look at him, Esme. Like a cat desperate for attention. Like this one, here.” Before Esme’s startled eyes, Crispin took aim at Felicity with his foot. The little cat had been sniffing his boots; now she flew through the air with a mewl of protest.
“You brute.” She ran over to where Felicity landed, relieved to see her recover and then dart away—tail low—to hide beneath an armchair. Esme put her hands upon the back of that same chair, her pulse pounding. “How could you do that to a defenseless creature?”
“To whom do you refer?” Crispin drawled. “Yourself or the cat.”
“Enough of this.” Adam held up a palm to silence him. “You can accuse me of aught you wish. But I will not hear you slander Lady Esme’s good name.”
“Then you had best stay away from Wolvesley.” Crispin shrugged. “Especially in the days to come. And it matters not how you glower at me, nor how your fingers linger on the hilt of your cheap sword. You are but a servant here. You have no authority. You cannot strike down a knight without facing comeuppance, and you know it.”
“I will face whatever I have to.” Adam’s face was white with anger. Esme knew a thrill of fear that he really would strike Crispin.
And face the consequences.
“Stop it, both of you,” she cried, striding between them and holding out both of her arms.
“Now this I long to see.” Crispin looked as if he was enjoying himself, despite his hands being bound before him. “You have the status, Esme, but not the strength to stop me. If only your brother was here.”
“Oh, but he is.”
Esme turned, along with Adam and Crispin, to see Jonah standing in the open doorway from the solar.
He adjusted the cuffs of his shirt and smiled benevolently. “I have no doubt you were referring to Tristan, of course. But I’m afraid you shall have to make do with me.”
Her heart sank.
Now my brother must bear witness to my shame.
“It seems I have much to catch up on.” Jonah walked steadily into the hall and surveyed the trestle table. “Esme, you can fill me in whilst I break my fast.”
Chapter Eighteen
Adam felt hisspirits sink along with Esme’s. The lass had hoped to be rid of the knight before her brother awakened and heard her sorry tale.
But Adam knew that the truth was best laid out in the open, not hidden away in dark corners to be stumbled over at a later date. Mayhap Jonah’s arrival was a blessing?
Certainly, it might save him from running that base knight through with his sword. The temptation had been achingly strong. In truth, it coursed through him still, like warmed wine on an empty stomach.
Esme was white-lipped, but she held herself admirably still. She could face down a battle charge without flinching, that one.
“Pray, do not trouble yourself, Jonah. ’Tis a trifling matter and Adam has it well in hand.”
Damnation.
He deliberately folded his arms, clenching his hands so they could not reach for the hilt of his sword.
Jonah’s pale blue eyes flickered toward him. “Is that true, Adam? Do you have the situation under control?”
He grimaced, wondering how best to answer without contradicting Esme’s claim. A few feet across from him, Crispin leaned his hips against the trestle table. Adam was gratified that he had tied the man’s hands in such a way that made feeding himself impossible. Otherwise, he had no doubt that Crispin would be helping himself to grapes right about now.
Jonah took a seat at the opposite end of the table and began spreading a hunk of bread with soft cheese. “Well?” he asked.
