Roul stilled and looked at his father. ‘Why would she claim such a thing?’
Clive crossed his arms. ‘She said she saw English troops numbering in the thousands march right through their village.’
Roul climbed down and walked over to him. ‘Marching in which direction?’
His father shifted his feet. ‘West.’
West.
‘There could be any number of reasons why the king’s army is on the move,’ Clive said, reading his face.
‘But only one probable one. King Becket now sits upon the throne, and Chadora’s thriving under his rule.’
‘Which means King Edward missed his chance.’
Roul looked south. ‘King Edward is irrelevant at this point. Queen Isabella and Lord Roger remain in control of England for now. And you better believe Roger Mortimer will take King Becket’s success as his own personal failure.’
‘Then all we can do is wait and see. We’ll learn of England’s intentions soon enough.’
Roul went to speak, then turned in a circle. ‘King Becket may have no idea they’re coming.’
‘We don’t even know if they’re going to Chadora.’
‘Of course they are. Where else would they be going?’
Clive pinched the bridge of his nose. ‘It’s all hearsay at this point.’
‘You’re right.’
He looked up. ‘I am?’
‘It’s all hearsay. So I have to go and see with my own eyes what’s going on.’
His father swore and took a step back. ‘You’ll be pushing your luck if you head off alone again.’
‘I know.’
‘And if the rumours are true, then what? You going to take on an entire army in the name of a king you no longer serve?’
That last part stung more than it should have. ‘I’ve no intention of fighting anyone. But there are people behind those walls I care about. If war’s coming, they deserve to know.’
A pained expression crossed his father’s face. ‘We just got you back. More importantly, we just got you smiling.’ He rubbed his forehead. ‘I can’t go with you—’
‘I’d never ask you to. And it’syoursmile this family needs, not mine.’ He glanced over his shoulder at the house. ‘I need to travel south and find out what’s going on. Can you manage here without me for a few days?’
Clive sighed. ‘We’ve managed for the past three years. What’s a few more days?’
Roul took hold of his father’s shoulder and squeezed.
‘Then you’ll come home?’ Clive asked, searching his eyes.
‘Then I’ll come home.’
* * *
‘The eldest son is to inherit everything,’ Lord Thomas said, looking around the table to ensure everyone was listening. ‘A well-respected family in Toryn by all accounts, with more land than they know what to do with.’
Thomas had joined them for dinner to share the news that Queen Fayre had found a suitor for Eda.
