Uncle Richard himself escorted her back from the feast, along with the rest of the de Neville women tagging along behind. He’d made small talk, not unusual for her uncle who rarely said what was on his mind, instead preferring to throw out leading questions and then glean his information from the answers received. He had asked about her evening, her health, and finally what she thought of Aubrey. All Avalyn could think to say was that he seemed kind enough. Uncle Richard was looking for her to thank him for the smart marriage which, of course, she wasn’t about to do. She wasn’t thankful at all.
In the darkness, she quietly made her way across the room to the wardrobe. It was partially open, Isobel’s garments fromthat evening strewn across the door. Since she did not want to go digging for clothes, she took Isobel’s soft pink shift and slid it over her head, followed by the deep purple surcoat her cousin was so proud of. It was a truly lovely garment, but Isobel was shorter and smaller than Avalyn, so the surcoat clung almost indecently to her stunning curves. She could feel the snugness of the garment even in the darkness.
Her own hose were on the floor near the wardrobe and she slipped them on, tying them with the ribbons also strewn on the floor and not even caring if they were of the same color. Sliding on the matching slippers, as Isobel’s feet were indeed her same size, she fumbled for a cloak on the pegs near the wardrobe and came away with the heavy dark blue damask with the gray ermine lining that belonged to Anne. Now, Anne was taller by a few inches over Avalyn, and the cloak drug along the ground as she walked.
Carefully, Avalyn opened the door leading into the lavish sitting room. A fire burned low in the hearth, creating phantom shadows along the opulent walls. A servant was sleeping on a pallet near her aunt and uncle’s chamber door; Avalyn kept her eyes on the man as she slipped into the room and moved to the door that led out into the hall. Seeing that he was undisturbed, she very carefully lifted the iron latch, let herself into the corridor, and silently shut the door.
There were soldiers on guard out in the hall. She had known that she would run into them. There were four that she could see and probably more, and they all looked at her rather curiously. She decided the best way to handle it was to act as if she was doing nothing out of the ordinary. She pulled the cloak about her tightly and focused on the nearest man.
“I cannot sleep and need to clear my mind,” she said quietly. “Everyone else is asleep and I have no desire to wake them. I am going for a walk.”
The soldier was young, obviously fearful of her. “You will need an escort, my lady.”
It was more a question than a statement. She shook her head firmly. “No need. I shall stick close to the halls and will not wander far. If I need assistance, I shall scream. You will be able to hear me.”
The soldier blinked uncertainly, knowing he should probably go with her, but not wanting to dispute her. He simply nodded his head. “Aye, my lady.”
She almost kept walking, but something made her look closely at the man. There was threat in her expression.
“If my uncle or Inglesbatch come looking for me, you will swear that you have not seen me. You know nothing of my whereabouts. Is that clear?”
The soldier’s eyes widened. “Aye, my lady.”
“Good. Betray this promise and you shall regret it.”
With a lingering glare at the astonished man, she moved swiftly down the corridor, disappearing into the distant stairwell. The de Neville soldiers watched her go, each man looking curiously at the other. They had no idea what to make of it. But they let her go.
*
It was quitecold outside as Avalyn made her way from the Beauchamp Tower towards the White Tower. The moon had shifted positions in the sky, brighter than it had been earlier that night. She could see things more clearly. As she entered the shadows of the White Tower, someone slipped up behind her.
“Where are you going?”
Fully expecting it to be Brogan, she was shocked to see that it was Inglesbatch. His round face was pale in the ghostly moonlight, his expression nothing short of furious.Disappointed, not to mention rightly guilty, she held her ground against him.
“What are you doing out here?” she countered.
“I asked you a question, my lady.”
She lifted an eyebrow. “You’ll not take that tone with me, William. It is not your place to question me.”
“It is when you are deliberately disobeying your uncle and putting your life in jeopardy.”
“How do you know what I am doing?” she fired back at him. “I am not a prisoner that needs to be watched. I am a trusted advisor of Richard de Neville’s inner circle, as well as his niece. I am beyond your suspicion and I resent the implication.”
William drew in a long, deep breath. He eyed her. “Where are you going? Just tell me that.”
“It is none of your affair.”
He pursed his lips, struggling with his anger. “Perhaps not, but can you not see that I am trying to protect you? It has been my duty for ten years; therefore, I will ask you again: where are you going?”
Since Avalyn and William had very nearly grown up together, he would often speak to her more informally than most knights would address their liege, which was both a good and bad thing. Right now, he was having difficulty walking the fine line between obligation and need. He was obliged to serve her without question, but he needed to help her as someone who had loved her almost as long as he had known her.
Aye, he loved her.
Avalyn wasn’t oblivious to that. She had known almost as long as William had. But she clearly did not, nor had she ever, returned his feelings. He would often inadvertently cross the line when dealing with her, sometimes acting as a husband would in his concern or close attention.
“William,” she softened her stance. “If you must know, if you must truly know, I am going into town for an entertainment. We are leaving on the morrow and I want to see a play before we go. You know my aunt believes they are vile spectacles unfit for women. My only hope is to see it when she is unaware, for I have no way of knowing when next we will be in London.”
