Mary nodded unconvincingly, knowing better.
“Is there truth to the charge of illegal fighting? Felton said you were there.”
She nodded again. “I’m afraid so.”
“The king will be displeased, but if Kenneth has a good explanation, it shouldn’t be too difficult to dismiss. It’s the other charges that worry me. Is it possible…could there be truth to what Felton says? Is there any chance Sutherland is deceiving us?”
Mary was torn. She wanted to protect her husband, but she couldn’t bear the thought of lying to her old friend. She dropped her gaze. “Anything is possible.”
What Sir Adam made of her nonanswer she didn’t know. Out of the corner of her eye she noticed Felton talking to Davey on the other side of the Hall, and something about the way Davey’s eyes kept shifting toward her made her take notice.
Following the direction of her gaze, Sir Adam asked, “Could David know something?”
Mary thought back through their previous conversation. Could her son have pieced something together about leaving from what she’d said? “I don’t think so.”
But her hands twisted in her lap, seeing the guilty flush spread over David’s face, when their eyes met for an instant, before he quickly looked away.
David wouldn’t betray her. Her heart squeezed. Would he? Whatever filial devotion he had to her was new and unproven. Could he say something to make it look bad for Kenneth?
She should never have spoken to him of his father and Bruce. The decision whether to return to Scotland was too complex for a boy of thirteen.
For a time, it seemed her fears might have been for nothing. Davey ran off, presumably to gather his belongings, and Sir John returned to overseeing his men. But a short while later, when the search had come to an end, Sir John strode toward her with a look on his face that did not bode well.
His gaze was harder and colder than it had ever been before. “Gather your things. We will be returning to the castle soon.”
Mary blanched.
“What are you talking about, Felton?” Sir Adam said. “Lady Mary is staying here.”
Sir John shot him a glare. “Not anymore. It seems Lady Mary has been contemplating a return to Scotland.”
Sir Adam didn’t look to her for confirmation or denial. “And what proof do you have of this?”
“She’s been having some interesting conversations with her son.”
Mary’s heart squeezed.Oh Davey, what have you done?
“I said nothing about leaving for Scotland,” she said.
It was true. But Sir John appeared unmoved. “Under the circumstances, I think it is better to exercise an abundance of caution, don’t you agree, Sir Adam? For her safety, of course.”
“Are you arresting me?”
“Not if I don’t have to.” But his men had gathered around him. She could feel Sir Adam’s men behind her. They would defend her if she asked them to. But what purpose would it serve, other than to put Sir Adam in an even worse position if the truth were discovered?
At that moment Davey burst into the room. Looking back and forth between the two groups of soldiers, he quickly appraised the situation.
“What are you doing?” he asked Sir John, betrayal stark on every inch of his handsome young features.
“Your mother will be coming with us, isn’t that right, Lady Mary?”
“But I didn’t mean…You aren’t supposed to…”
Mary looked at her son’s pale, horror-stricken face and knew he’d misjudged the effect his words to Sir John would have. He hadn’t intended to harm her.
She put her hand on his arm, telling him silently that it was all right. “I will go and gather my things.”
Sir Adam started to argue, but she stopped him. “Please. I don’t want there to be any trouble.” She put her hand on her stomach meaningfully. Anything could happen if violence broke out. “We will straighten this out at Berwick.”
