Though her motivesmight have been pure, Agnes had no right to tear off to face this business on her own until he was in a better state to handle it. And he had every intention to handle it as soon as he prevented her from speaking to her uncle. The man was the devil’s spawn, and who knew how he might manipulate her? Och, he couldn’t get to her fast enough.
He was grateful for Neville’s care of him for the man had been correct. If William had not filled his belly, there was no doubt he’d never make the journey in one piece. Now with the castle in sight, he kicked his heels hard and his horse took off in an even faster gallop. The only precaution he’d taken was to take two of the king’s guards with him who had done their best to keep up with him.
William entered through the gateway and slid of his horse, tossing the reins to a stable boy who ran up immediately.
As he entered the hall, Fin met him in the doorway. “Where is she?”
“She is meeting with her uncle,” he said wearing a rather pale pallor. “The king is in his apartment and bids you join him there.”
“He is not even there with her?”
“Nay, he said after he spoke with her last evening, it was better she go with the guards herself.”
What the hell was going on? He would not break a direct order from the king, but by God this was folly! She was in very real danger.
He followed Fin to where the king sat with his legs outstretched with his hands behind his head. To anyone unaware, one would swear the man had not a care in the world.
“My wife, Your Majesty,” William said.
“Is meeting with her uncle and you look like death warmed over.”
“Aye, Fin told me that. How long has she been down there?”
“She’s been there a while now and should be returned to me soon.”
“Why did you let her go by herself?”
The king’s eyes narrowed. “You don’t approve?”
“Nay, I do not, Your Majesty. I believe John Sinclair to be vile and conniving. I do not feel she is safe in any way in his company.”
“You doubt your king’s ability to keep his people safe under his own roof?”
“Nay, Your Majesty. I am more convinced of his ability to control a young lady.”
“Ahhh, there it is.”
“I do not understand.”
“Well, first of all sit, before you fall.”
William did as he was bid and accepted the goblet of ale offered him. He sipped the liquid and was pleased by the coolness of the drink after his long and strenuous ride.
“Your young wife is not so fragile as you might think,” he said with a smirk.
“What does that mean?”
“It means she has hatched a rather clever plot of her own and if successful will be quite the ruse.”
William was utterly confused. Didn’t she come here to plead with her uncle? “I confess, I do not share your knowledge of this plot.”
“Your darling wife, it would appear, has determined she can convince her uncle that she is now loyal to him and use that to extract useful information from him.”
“What?”
“Aye. ’Tis rather brilliant. And before you jump to any conclusion, nay, I do not believe her to be a mole.”
William had difficulty wrapping his thoughts around what the king said. Agnes intended to outsmart her uncle? Of all the imaginings he’d run through in his mind of what he’d find when he arrived there, this was not one of them.
