A question in reply was not an answer. “I thought so,” she responded, continuing toward the Great Hall. “Did you break your fast?”
“Aye,” he admitted, trailing her. “When you did.”
She was certain he had been ordered to follow her. Her old self would have devised intricate ways of evading him, but now all she felt was a heavy sense of resignation. Her father’s lack of trust in her was painfully clear.
As the contest drew closer, Ari’s anxiety rose. She was torn between her desire to flee and her ingrained sense of responsibility. Despite her misgivings, she knew running away wouldn’t fix anything. After all, she had been the one to declare the contest and its rewards—now she had to abide by it.
She roamed aimlessly through the halls, pausing at the Great Hall. The room was bustling with activity as servants pushed wooden tables into position for the contest and climbed ladders to hang ivy around the walls for the Yule.
It wasn’t fair. Her father had told Finn not to enter. He had broken one of her rules. The rule that every man could enter, even a blacksmith. She sighed. It didn’t matter. Finn was not going against her father’s order. Not even to win her hand. What a fool she was to fall in love with a man she could not have.
She entered her chambers, where she knew Sir William wouldn’t go. She could call the contest off. She crossed the room to the window and slid the shutters open. A chilly winter wind swept into the room, carrying with it a flurry of snowflakes that swirled around her and settled softly on the floor.
Yet, even if she called the contest off, her father would pick a man to be her husband. There was no way out for her.
She straightened her shoulders. It was the Yule. She would do what was expected of her. She wouldn’t run away. She would marry the winner of the contest.
But it broke her heart that it wouldn’t be Finn.
Conrad hurried through the gates of the castle, his focus on the keep that loomed ahead. He had to tell Ari that Kage had stolen Finn’s work and she was in danger of choosing the wrong husband. The outer ward teemed with a throng of merchants and villagers rushing to finish their tasks before the Yule celebration. He surged into the less crowded inner ward and sprinted toward the keep.
Suddenly, a hand landed on his shoulder, stopping him.
Conrad turned to find Sir Henry, one of the castle guards, facing him.
“You’re not to be here,” Sir Henry instructed.
Conrad frowned. “What?”
“I have my orders,” he explained gruffly.
“I’ve been here every night since Ari—Lady Arianna returned. What are you talking about?”
Sir Henry shrugged his beefy shoulders. “Orders are orders.”
Conrad’s eyes sharpened as his gaze raked over him. His brow furrowed in a frown of suspicion. His voice was quiet when he asked, “Who gave the orders?”
“The orders came from Lord Walter,” Sir Henry replied. “Let’s go.” He half guided, half pulled Conrad from the inner ward.
Lord Walter? Conrad slowly walked with him into the outer ward, his mind racing. That didn’t make sense. This had to be a mistake. Lord Walter had no reason to ban him from the castle. But then, a thought occurred to him. Henry and Kage were friends. “It was Kage, wasn’t it?”
Henry gently thrust him forward. “Kage?”
Conrad stepped around an elderly farmer making his way toward the inner ward. “He told you that the order came from Lord Walter.”
“Aye,” Henry agreed. “And I’ve no reason to doubt it. Move.” He shoved Conrad toward the castle gates.
Conrad gritted his teeth. He knew he wasn’t getting into the castle this way. He would have to think of another approach to get a message to Ari and soon. His time was running out.
Chapter Ten
Ari fisted her handson the sill of the window, trembling as she stared out into the night. Cold air seeped through the window and caressed her skin, numbing it. In a strange way, she welcomed the sensation, though it was not enough to reach her heart. The Yule used to be a time of joy for her, but this year, she was broken beyond repair.
She heard her maid, Sarah, enter for the hundredth time that day. Sarah had been reminding her that Mabel had requested to see her, but Ari didn’t want to speak with anyone. Least of all, a woman who she knew desired Finn. She had seen the way Mabel looked at him. Was Mabel the woman whom Finn would marry?
No, she didn’t wish to speak to Mabel. She quickly pushed the thought from her mind.
“It’s time, m’lady,” Sarah said.
