St. John was looking at her with great interest and curiosity, as was Saxilby. “What could be equally attractive to the man?”St. John wanted to know. “He wants le Bec. What else could we possibly give him?”
Nicola fixed him in the eye. “Something that belongs to me, something he very much wants,” she said. “Offer him Babylon in exchange for your sister’s life. Surely the man must consider it. He wanted Babylon badly enough to send le Bec after it those weeks ago. I will send my husband’s knight with a missive to Warwick to tell him that, although you cannot give him le Bec in exchange for your sister, you will offer Babylon instead. How could he possibly refuse? He will regain the fortress that he very badly wanted.”
It was, in fact, a brilliant and shocking suggestion and for the first time since reading the missive from Warwick, St. John felt some hope. He truly felt hope. He looked to Saxilby anxiously.
“What do you think?” he asked the man. “Do you think it will work?”
Saxilby was a bit more skeptical. “That is difficult to say,” he replied, eyeing Lady Thorne who was so willing to turn her fortress back over to the enemy. “Certainly, Babylon is not Kenton le Bec but it is nonetheless a prize. Lady Thorne, why would you so willingly give over your home to the man? St. John’s sister means nothing to you. Why would you suggest such a thing?”
There was suspicion in his tone. Nicola could hear it. It wasn’t difficult to think of a believable answer.
“Because Babylon holds nothing but terrible memories for me,” she said, which was the truth. “My husband was not a kind man, Lord Saxilby. If you knew him, then you know that is the truth. He was brutal and unscrupulous. When I see Babylon, I think of him, so it is no great sacrifice for me to offer the fortress in exchange for a young woman’s life. The fortress means little to me. Warwick can have it and welcome to it.”
It was a reasonable answer and one that Saxilby could understand; he did indeed know of Gaylord Thorne’s character. “So you would give it away?” he asked softly. “But you have children. Where will you go?”
“She can stay here,” St. John said quickly, perhapstooquickly. There was something suddenly warm in his expression as he looked at Nicola. “She and her children can come and live here, with me. It is the least I can do for the lady if she is willing to sacrifice her home for my sister.”
Nicola realized, almost too late, that there was something of a romantic interest abruptly in St. John’s manner. It wasn’t so much what he said but the way he said it and she resisted the urge to back away from the man. He was looking at her with great admiration and gratitude and something more… something she didn’t want to see in his expression. He was a handsome man, and seemingly kind, but she wanted no part of him. At least, not in the manner his tone was suggesting.
“Your offer is very kind,” she said, trying not to sound put-off by it. “But that is not necessary. I have a widowed aunt near London who will take us in. Now, let us get on with this missive to Warwick offering Babylon in exchange for your sister. If you will write the missive, I will go and tell my knight of his coming mission.”
She was swiftly changing the subject away from her possibly seeking refuge at Conisbrough, away from anything that had to do with St. John, and Saxilby took the bait, thankfully.
“We can just as easily send a messenger, my lady,” he said. “There is no need for you to send your knight.”
Nicola smiled wryly. “You will forgive me, Lord Saxilby, but sending a missive to Warwick will take a man of some determination, strength, and fearlessness,” she said. “No offense to your messengers, but I would feel more comfortable sending Conor. He is resourceful and seasoned, and will deliver themessage without fail. I do not want to trust something of this importance to anyone other than a man I have implicit faith in. We are speaking of my fortress, after all, so you will indulge me.”
Saxilby didn’t argue after that. Lady Thorne seemed to have taken over the negotiations with Warwick and St. John was content to let her, so Saxilby sat back, watching as St. John rushed to his desk and rifled through the clutter to find a piece of parchment to write his missive on.
Eagerly, St. John began scribing his reply to Warwick. Most knights had others write their missives for them, and some knights couldn’t write at all, but St. John was an educated man who wrote quite well. As he carefully stenciled out the letters, Nicola excused herself and went in search of Conor to tell the man of his coming mission. She tried not to run, but she could hardly wait to tell him.
It was cold and bright outside, typical of spring weather. Nicola wandered the keep a bit before braving out into the ward, finding Conor in the great hall breaking his fast amidst servants sweeping the floor and cleaning out the hearth, which had a blockage in the chimney. Nicola sat down next to Conor as he enjoyed warmed-over beef and bread from the previous night, hardly able to contain her excitement.
“Much has happened this morning,” she said to the knight, her voice low. “It would seem that you are riding out to Warwick today.”
Conor looked up from his meal. “Why?” he asked, surprised. “What has happened?”
Nicola looked around to make sure there were no servants to hear what she had to say. “St. John received a missive early this morning from Warwick,” she said quietly. “Evidently, Warwick knows that Kenton is being held prisoner at Conisbrough and he knows that St. John is the garrison commander. Somehow,he was able to abduct St. John’s sister and he is offering her in exchange for Kenton.”
Conor’s eyes widened. “Is this true?”
“It is,” Nicola said, speaking quickly. “But that is not all. Brome has already informed Edward that he has Kenton as a prisoner. Did you know that Edward is in Yorkshire? I did not, either. He is evidently moving south to London and will be in Doncaster in the next few days. That is when Brome plans to deliver Kenton to him. We cannot allow this to happen, Conor. Warwick must be in Doncaster, too, and take Kenton before he can be delivered to Edward.”
Conor stopped eating; he found he had no appetite left at the revelations Lady Thorne was delivering. It was all quite staggering, as if a great deal had happened overnight.
“But what of St. John’s sister?” he asked. “What does she have to do with any of this?”
Nicola held up a hand, indicating for him to keep his voice quiet. In an empty hall, voices tended to echo. “Brome was distraught that he could not exchange Kenton for his sister,” she whispered. “Edward is already expecting Kenton, evidently, so I suggested that Brome write to Warwick and offer to give him back Babylon in exchange for his sister. Brome is writing that very missive right now, a missive you will take to Warwick.”
Conor cocked his head curiously. “I will?”
Nicola nodded firmly. “Aye, but the missive means nothing,” she said. “Throw it away after you leave Conisbrough for all I care. You are really going to Warwick to tell him about Kenton and Doncaster.”
“But does Warwick truly have St. John’s sister?”
“That is what he said.”
Conor lifted his auburn eyebrows. “So St. John believes I am only going to deliver the missive offering Babylon in exchange for his sister.”
