Adam they might overlook.Men didn’t give him a second glance.
But Eve was breathtaking, whether she was clad in a lady’s gown or a nun’s habit.That no one saw that was unfathomable.
At the far end of the camp, the king emerged from his pavilion.
“Let me speak with him,” Eve murmured.
Adam knew that was a bad idea.The men-at-arms might not realize that Sister Eve was the same woman who’d teetered by on pattens just this morn.But surely the king would.
Still, that might be for the best.
“All right,” he said, drawing the cowl close around his face.“I’ll be right behind ye.”
She hurried forward, calling out softly, “Your Grace!”
The king looked up.
“May we have a word, Your Grace?”
“Sister?”
Apparently, the king was as blind as every other man.Without her makeup, her horsetail hair, her lavish gown, and her ridiculous footwear, Eve was apparently unrecognizable to him.
“I’m Sister Eve, Your Grace,” she said, “and this is Brother…” Too late, she realized they hadn’t given him a name.
“Adam, Your Grace,” he supplied.There was no need to lie to the king.All would be revealed in a moment.“May we speak privately?”
The king looked slightly annoyed.No doubt he was tired of speaking and eager for war.
Out of Eve’s sight, Adam pulled off his cowl to show the king his face.
Now Malcolm recognized him.His brows lifted, and he waved them forward into the pavilion.
Adam had promised to let Eve speak, so despite the king looking to him for a report, Adam allowed her to break the news.Let her tighten the noose around her own neck.
“Your Grace,” she said, “’tis with great regret we must inform ye of a terrible sin committed by two o’ your men today.”
“A sin?”Malcolm sighed.“What sin?”He no doubt imagined the terrible sin was going to be skipping Mass or imbibing too much mead.
“They entered an alehouse in the woods, Your Grace, owned by the Fergus clan.Violated the alewife.Attacked the alewife’s husband.And then burned down the alehouse.”
The king made a grimace of distaste, but he didn’t seem particularly shocked.“And you have proof our men did this?”
“Aye, Your Grace.”
She took the satchel off of her shoulder, opened it, and began rummaging through the contents.
“I have the dagger used to stab the man,” she said.“It bears the royal insignia.”
“I see.And what do you have to say about this, Rivenloch?”
Adam stiffened.The king had called him by his clan name.Now Eve would know.Now she would realize who he was.
Eve’s blood grew cold.
The king had called him Rivenloch.Not Brother Adam.Malcolm must have recognized him from their earlier conversation, despite the monk’s costume.
She told herself none of that mattered.Adam might be upset that Eve knew who he was.But he could explain himself later.All that mattered at the moment was showing the king the incriminating dagger.Getting restitution for the alewife and her husband.Stopping the atrocities being carried out by his men.
