“Do they matter?”
Sir Adam shook his head. “I suppose not.”
Kenneth tried to steel himself against the disappointment he saw in the other man’s eyes, but it didn’t work. Betrayal was never easy, and this one was particularly difficult. He hoped one day they would meet again as true allies.
“How long ago did they leave?” he asked.
“Not long. Twenty, maybe thirty minutes.”
“Then I still have time to catch them.”
“What makes you think I won’t have you arrested right now?”
Kenneth stilled, eyeing the other man carefully. “Because I know you love her and want her to be happy.”
“And you think you can make her happy?”
“I know I can.” He paused. “I also don’t think you are as opposed to Bruce as it appears.”
The other man bristled. “My fealty is to King John.”
“Balliol is deposed and living in France. You know he will never be accepted again as king.”
Sir Adam didn’t argue.
“I suspect that is why you have not told the English of your knowledge of the Saracen powder.”
The older knight stiffened. Kenneth could see he was going to deny it and cut him off. “I know about the explosion on the bridge when Mary lost her sister. It was you, wasn’t it?”
Sir Adam paled. “My nephew shared our family secret, it seems. I suspected as much. It was an accident. Does she know?”
Kenneth shook his head. “Not yet.”
“But you will tell her.”
“Aye. But you can make it up to her. I need your help.”
Sir Adam considered him for a long moment. Kenneth could see the warring going on inside him between the fealty he owed his deposed king and the love he had for Mary. Eventually, his shoulders sagged, as if the battle had proved too much. “Tell me what you need.”
The ride to the castle could be done in as little as an hour, but due to Mary’s condition and the darkness, the journey was progressing at a much slower pace.
She could claim to be slowing them down purposefully, but she was genuinely uncomfortable. Her back had started to hurt, and she felt an occasional cramp.
Despite his anger toward her, Sir John was a chivalrous knight, and when quietly reminded of her condition, he slowed the pace considerably.
Her heart jumped at every little sound. She scanned the darkness, half expecting her husband to jump out of the blackness like some avenging apparition. She knew it was silly to think he could take on nearly twenty English soldiers by himself, but part of her knew he would try if he could. The other part feared he would do exactly that.
Where was he?
A short while later, she had her answer. They were a couple of miles from the castle when they neared the bridge over the Tweed.
Riding near the back of the procession, at first all she heard was a shout, followed immediately by a burst of action in the men around her. Sir John shouted orders, and a dozen of his men circled around her and David. “What is it?” she asked. “What’s happening?”
No one answered. She managed to catch a glimpse through the line of mailed soldiers in front of her of a solitary torchlight about twenty yards ahead. A man stood holding it. She didn’t need to see the yellow shield with three red stars to recognize her husband.
Her pulse jumped and a soft cry tore from her throat. Tears sprang to her eyes. She didn’t know whether it was happiness at seeing him alive or fear that he might not be so much longer. It was Kenneth. But what was he doing?
“Release my wife,” his voice rang out clear and strong, cracking the darkness like a whip.
