“He is loyal to Charles just as you are loyal to me. I do not fault him his loyalty.”
William didn’t say what he was thinking, that he suspected the real trouble from this point would be Barton St. John.Though he did not personally know the man, he had a reputation for having the eyes of the hawk, the ears of a bat, and staunch loyalty to Warwick’s cause. He would bear watching.
“How are you feeling?” William changed the subject, not wanting to dwell on darker things at the moment. “Do you feel strong enough to make it to Weycomb?”
Avalyn shook her head. “Honestly, I would like it very much if we could stop in Beaconfield. I did not sleep last night and would like to find early rest this eve.”
“As you wish.”
“William?”
“Aye, my lady?”
“Do you think Brogan is all right?”
He was silent a moment. “He is a warrior, my lady. He has learned to control his emotions over the years.”
It wasn’t much of an answer. William suddenly spurred his charger forward and Avalyn watched the red beast’s butt as it flanked the troops in front of her, dirt flying from its hooves as it raced up the road. But she soon lost sight of the animal at the head of the party and she sat back in the cab, sighing heavily as the reality of the situation settled. She had never felt more alone.
The settlement of Beaconfield was a larger village with an inn in the center of town called the Bright Pony. When Aubrey’s party pulled into town, St. John sent the men to the outskirts of the town to set up camp while he and Charles went into the inn to procure rooms for the night. William stayed with Avalyn, protected against the evening’s chill inside her cab. There were few words spoken between them, as they were both exhausted from a day and night without sleep. Avalyn’s exhaustion was more mental than physical.
Charles and Barton emerged from the one-storied inn a short time later and approached the cab. William eyed Barton, standing very close to the cab door and refusing to move as ifto provide a physical barrier between Avalyn and Aubrey’s man. But both Charles and Barton were quietly congenial and almost passive.
“My lady,” Charles said. “If you are ready, I shall take you to your room.”
Avalyn nodded faintly, gathering up her heavy cloak and emerging from the cab with William’s help. But the moment her feet hit the ground, Charles took her from the knight. Avalyn looked a little panicked but calmed quickly, realizing that Charles had every right to escort her. In fact, he had nearly every right to do with her as he pleased. They did not re-enter the inn but rounded the corner, heading around back. Avalyn looked over her shoulder at the carriage and trunks left behind under guard.
“Will your men bring my things?” she asked Charles.
He nodded quickly. “Of course, my lady.”
Avalyn’s gaze lingered on the distant baggage, then finally William and Barton as they followed along behind like a pair of guard dogs. Barton was taller than William and several pounds heavier, but William was nothing to be trifled with. Avalyn knew, for a fact, that William was very scrappy when provoked. Her uncle had many tales of the man’s ferocious behavior in battle.
The inn had a few small cottages behind the main establishment that they rented out as rooms. There were four in total, lined up around a small, overgrown yard, and two were occupied. Charles led Avalyn up to the cottage furthest from the yard and lifted the big iron latch, pushing open the door. Avalyn peered inside; there was a dirty serving wench stoking the fire, a small bed, and little else. It was warm and smelly. Beside her, she could feel Charles’ gaze on her and it made her uncomfortable.
“This is where we shall sleep tonight, my lady,” Charles said, turning to the knights behind him. “St. John, you andInglesbatch will take the other cottage. Be prepared to leave at dawn.”
Barton nodded shortly but William didn’t budge. “My lord,” he said. “With respect, of course, I would remind my lord that he is not yet married to the lady and to share sleeping quarters with her at this time is inappropriate.”
Barton just looked at him, as did Charles. The man’s ruddy face turned even redder and he took a few steps in William’s direction and lowered his voice.
“Inglesbatch,” he said slowly. “I know that you are the lady’s protector. Courtesy of her uncle, I am also very well aware of your feelings for her. There are strange forces at work around Lady Avalyn and you seem to be the common denominator. I’ve not yet figured out what is going on, but I will. Give me time. Let me say here and now that I do not fault you your feelings for the lady; however, she is to be my wife and I will not tolerate any interference from you. You will know your place, or I will send you back to Warwick. Is that clear?”
William maintained his composure. “I am the lady’s loyal servant, my lord. It is my duty to protect her, in all things. I apologize if my words are insolent.”
Charles stared at him. He looked as if he wanted to say something harsh, but he refrained. “I should be grateful that she has a knight of your caliber to watch over her. But I am to be her husband and will abide no interference. Acknowledge this.”
“I do, my lord.”
The tension in the air was palpable, but Charles nodded as if he believed him. Avalyn, standing in the doorway to the cottage, had watched the exchange. Charles was establishing his territory; that much was clear. Although William’s expression had remained neutral, she could tell by his posturing that he was not pleased. Slowly but firmly, she pushed between the two men and put her hand on William’s armored arm.
“William has known me since I was a girl, my lord,” she said to Aubrey. “He is fiercely loyal. Although he surely knows his place and we both acknowledge that you, as my betrothed, may do as you will with me, I must agree with him. It would not be proper for you and I to share a room being unwed.”
Something was coming clearly evident over the past few days; whenever Charles came into Avalyn’s presence, he turned into a spineless whelp. Something in his expression slackened to the point of appearing dumbfounded. But he retained enough of his composure to send Barton and William away. When they had moved out of earshot, he turned to Avalyn.
“I realize your concerns, my lady,” he said quietly. “But believe me when I tell you that my intention is not to ravish you. My intention is to come to know you. We’ve not had much opportunity to be alone and I was hoping to use this trip to my advantage. But even today, as we traveled, there was no time for us to speak. You were in the carriage and I was on my horse. So… so I was hoping to have the opportunity now to come to know you a little better. Without Inglesbatch hanging around.”
It was a genuine request. Avalyn didn’t feel like speaking to him in the least and she had no great desire to know the man better. But he looked rather pathetic, as if he was begging for some of her precious time, and she began to feel herself relent. She didn’t know why she felt sorry for him, but she did. He was as much a pawn in this game her uncle played as she was.
