Page 84 of An Earl for the Archeress

Nottingham’s head whipped up. Clearly, that was a fact unknown to him.

“But…my king,” the sheriff said, “what missive did he bring to France? I thought you returned to England from war and traveled here so that I might brief you.”

“Sir Wendenal,” the king said. “I might have let you think that. However, I wish to get to the bottom of this, and disclosing Sir Naylor’s plea to you would have compromised my investigation.”

Nottingham’s face was white, shocked, and Crawford turned a glare on him.

“Your Majesty,” Nottingham began again. “You heard all I had to say. You heard how he attacked me, how he stole from me, disguised as a robber of the hood—”

“Silence!” boomed the king. “You are the one whom assumed I came to hear of the news of England since my departure, and you have had ample time to explain the dire suffering of my country. I left you in faithful charge, but you have overstepped your bounds! And included a Scottish lord in your schemes—who might very well be my cousin, distantly—with no more claim to any power in this country than a common beggar. I’ll have more from you when I ask it.”

Nottingham nodded, bowing low and backing away, and Ayr seemed to fume at him with vexation. Mayhap they had both been expecting a sympathetic ear.

“Rise up, Robert. Imagine my surprise,” the king said, “when Sir Jonathan showed up in France, having run a perfectly good horse into the ground after bribing his way across the channel, only to barge through my guardsmen to brief me with such news.”

Robert’s brow crinkled. He looked to the side of the room where Jonathan stood watching him. “What did he do?”

“He left Huntington with haste to inform me of your precarious state.”

Crawford, appearing to come to the conclusion that he would not find the sympathy here that he had expected, stood and began striding to the door. The king flicked his finger at two of his soldiers, and they moved to bar Crawford’s exit.

“Not so fast, sire,” the king remarked. “You’ll wait until I’ve finished questioning Robert, for I then have questions for you.”

Having turned to watch Crawford go, Robert turned back around, glancing at Jonathan again. He was confused.

“Your Majesty, if I may speak,” Robert started, “I would like to know how John came to know you were in France and where to find you, when no one knew of your imminent return before Nottingham forced his luxurious hospitality upon me.”

The king nodded. “Mayhap Sir Naylor would like to explain.”

He gestured for John, and his friend came forward, bowing again, then turned to Robert. “After you left with Mariel and didn’t return before dawn, as expected, we grew worried. Our searches of the forest and of Creake Abbey turned up nothing. A royal messenger then arrived at Huntington to inform us that His Majesty was in Aquitaine, examining his holdings there and would be returning to England to hold court in the coming sennights, requesting all the peerage in England to attend.

“That’s when David returned, reporting signs of a struggle on a forest path. He followed the tracks and determined that one set belonged to Crawford, and one to Nottingham. He followed Wendenal’s trail here to learn that you had been beaten and captured. He reported to us such news, and that’s when I made haste to find King Richard and bid him return immediately.”

“But where did you disappear to before that? The news came that Crawford and Wendenal were riding to Huntington, and you disappeared shortly after our disagreement.”

John’s expression turned sheepish. “I sought out the maid Bridget and spent the evening in one of the abandoned crofter’s cottages. She’s, eh, treated me well during my months at Huntington. Your intentions with Mariel filled me with jealousy and I needed female distraction. I did as you bade, posted sentries in the woods, and went to the bed of another to ease my anger.” He looked down, swallowed, then back at Robert. “I’m not proud of it, but I needed to cool my head before I saw you again. But I realize now how much you and Mariel care for each other. I never did stand to gain ground in her heart once she met you. Still, the revelation stung. I’m sorry I abandoned you, Robert. ’Tis all the more reason I went with haste to France. For my own atonement.”

Robert felt ashamed. He had thought the worst of John. But John had been loyal…which meant Wesley had been the traitor.

“Lord Crawford said someone close to me betrayed me. You were angered and disappeared on me. I could only conclude that either you or Wesley was the turncoat. I thought the worst of you, man, locked in that cell. My apologies.”

John nodded.

“I never said your traitor was a man,” Crawford grumbled, but said no more, his eyes cold as Robert turned to look at him.

Indeed…no he hadn’t. But what he now implied was that the traitor was a woman. Who knew of his affection for Mariel? Anna and Charlotte. Who knew he wanted to marry her? There was only one answer, and it sank in his gut like a ship’s anchor.

Charlotte.

He had trusted their friendship, but then again, Charlotte had wanted to be Robert’s woman. He had always been good to Charlotte. He had compensated her handsomely when he severed their relationship. He had thought their friendship ran deeper than her ambitions for his bedchamber. Perhaps there would come a time to confront her about that, if he ever got out of his blasted manacles…unless it was Anna.

He had dismissed Anna unkindly and she had clearly exhibited her dislike for Mariel. Anna might not have known he intended to marry Mariel, but she certainly knew he favored her. Mayhap, she had crossed Crawford and his men’s path on the roadside as she traveled northward to York and mentioned a female archer at Huntington holding Robert’s interest.

God be damned, but his brain felt like bursting.

He turned back to King Richard.

“I’m guilty of stealing from William de Wendenal, Your Majesty,” Robert said. “But only because his coin was ill-gotten from your loyal subjects, both rich and poor, people he evicted and terrorized. Every shilling, every pence was returned to people who needed it, or sits in an account for such charity. I took people in, offered them shelter and work. I donated purses confiscated from Nottingham to Creake Abbey, Newstead Priory, and Barking Abbey, and sometimes I felt like my men and I were the only ones trying to hold the world together whilst waiting for your return. Punish me as you will, but I did what was right when no one else could. I stand by my convictions.”