‘I’ll come collect you before dinner,’ Roul said, backing away to the door.
Eda swallowed and bowed her head. ‘Thank you, Sir Bradley.’
CHAPTER26
He was supposed to remain in his bedchamber, but every time footsteps sounded in the corridor, he found himself listening at the door to ensure they continued past Eda’s room. Eventually, he gave up on the facade and waited out in the corridor instead.
A servant arrived an hour into his watch to tell them it was time to go down to dinner. Roul knocked on Eda’s door, and when she opened it, he felt the same thickening in his throat he had felt that morning when she stepped out of the house. His gaze travelled from her painted lips to the low neckline of the new dress, then down the tightly fitted bodice.
‘You look as beautiful as ever, Lady Hayley,’ he said, aware of the servant watching them.
Her expression softened at the compliment. If they had been safely at home inside Chadora’s walls, she would have responded. But they were not free among the trees that day.
Turning, Roul offered Eda his arm. She straightened as she took it.
‘Always the chivalric knight, Sir Bradley.’
Roul said nothing as they followed the servant.
When they arrived at the great hall, the first thing he noticed was that there were no other guests at dinner. The second was that Prince Becket was seated between Queen Isabella and Lord Roger like a guarded child. They were going to have to get creative if they wanted to get the prince alone.
The servant showed them to their seats. Eda was placed on the other side of Queen Isabella, Roul next to Lord Roger. Not only were they to be kept separate from the prince but also from each other.
The moment they took their seats, out came the food. Trays of eggs, poultry, and root vegetables. Despite the abundance of colourful options before him, Roul had no appetite. His eyes kept going to Eda, who was being kept busy by the queen mother. Roul had to settle for time with the prince with Roger as mediator. He noticed the prince did not shy away from tough topics.
‘What is King Edward’s plan with regards to the situation in Carmarthenshire?’ Becket asked the lord upon finishing his meal.
Roger laid his knife and fork on his plate. ‘He has the resources to go in. The desire to do so is another matter.’
Becket nodded slowly. ‘Go in and do what exactly? Reform can be very complicated.’
‘I would argue that the region is beyond reform’ was Roger’s reply. ‘It would be more of a clean-up.’
He spoke as though it were a spilled drink instead of an entire kingdom of displaced and suffering people.
Roul could not help but ask, ‘What would such a clean-up entail?’
‘A healthy cull of rebel groups for one.’
Roul’s eyes met the prince’s, and he saw his own thoughts mirrored back at him. ‘Are there not women and children in these groups?’
Roger nodded. ‘I am not suggesting genocide here. We would find a use for the women and children.’
Becket frowned. ‘Would they not be uncooperative after seeing their husbands, fathers, and brothers slaughtered in front of them?’
‘They would have no choice but to cooperate.’
Roul pushed his own plate away. ‘Sounds like you mean to enslave them.’
The lord fixed his eyes on Roul. ‘I imagine, Sir Bradley, that you will be the first person to take up arms given your encounters with such groups. They have ventured north recently, have they not?’
Roul stared back at him. ‘Indeed they have.’
Queen Isabella placed her napkin on the table and announced, ‘I thought Lady Hayley and I might visit the chapel.’
‘Splendid idea,’ Eda agreed, glancing at Roul.
There was no way Roul was going to let her leave this room without him. He rose from his chair. ‘I shall escort you there.’
