“Leigh,” Nicholas said, “this is Julianna.”
“Who is Leigh?” Julianna asked, confused and growing frightened that the truth was turning out to be a terrible nightmare. “Berengaria, you know me, do you not? ’Tis me, Julianna.”
“Juli—” Nicholas began but his voice was cut off by Berengaria’s.
“Julianna.”
“Aye,” Nicholas said, sounding hopeful and taking a step forward. “Aye, Mother, ’tis Julianna.”
“You see?” Julianna took Berengaria’s hands when she saw tears filling the woman’s eyes. “She knows me.”
But as quickly as Berengaria had returned, her drying, blank gaze proved that she was gone again.
“Berengaria?” Julianna prompted. “My dearest?”
Julianna heard someone weeping behind her and turned to see Margaret wiping her eyes.
Julianna reached for her hand and brought it to her cheek. “Thank you for caring for him. I am in your debt for life, my dear friend.”
Margaret pulled herself together and glanced at Nicholas, and then smiled at Julianna. “’Twas no trouble. Allow me to do one more thing. Berengaria is tired from her journey. I would take her to a room and see her rested and refreshed. She has a long tale I’m sure my lord is eager to tell you.”
Julianna smiled and was struck by how thoughtful Margaret was toward her.
She watched Margaret take Berengaria’s hand and lead her away. She wanted to know Berengaria’s tale, but it would wait. Her muscles ached for—
“Lord Rothbury, I presume?”
She blinked at Mr. Lawson and smiled.
“Aye, and you are?”
“David Lawson, former general in the king’s army, presently a hired hand and relative of the Viscount of Bamburgh.”
“He sent his men to Alnwick and to Lismoor to find you,” Julianna was quick to tell him.
“They have direct orders to not only search for you at Lismoor,” Mr. Lawson told him, “but for your son and Agnes, his maid, as well.”
Nicholas flicked his worried gaze to hers. “Elias is not with you.”
She shook her head, hating to tell him, not knowing how. “When the viscount came for me I was with them at the entrance to the tunnel. I did not know what this new enemy meant to do with me and the two extra people, one who cried constantly, he hadn’t come for. I begged him to release them and he did. I told Agnes to go to the village. Someone there would—what? Nicholas, what is it?”
“The village was also attacked by Phillip’s men. I do not know how many are dead.”
“No.” She shook her head. “Not them. I brought the matter before God. They are safe.”
“Rauf went to Lismoor,” he remembered. “He will find them.”
“We will hear from my men soon,” Mr. Lawson said reassuringly, herding them toward the castle. “Do not fret over it until we know more. Come inside and share the fire, along with some ale and black bread until supper. First though, we will meet Louis.”
Nicholas nodded and followed Mr. Lawson inside. Julianna stayed close by, speaking softly to Simon.
They were taken to the viscount’s chamber and found him propped up in front of numerous pillows. He didn’t need them all. Julianna was certain he liked the way he looked with them.
Nicholas didn’t know what to expect so she tried to help by telling him what had happened, but he waved his hand to stop her after she told him about him bringing her here instead of Alnwick.
“You have my gratitude for protecting her.”
“I have heard much about you, Rothbury,” the viscount told him with a furtive grin. “Miss Feathers thinks quite highly of you.”
