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She flushed with anger and humiliation, and then removed the missive, knowing he would have stripped her until he found it.

Milburn unrolled it and read without expression. When he looked back up at her, he said, “Your mistress is a fool. All this has done is earn her a day without food. It has earned you⁠—”

There was a knock on the door, and he gave it an impatient glance. “Who is it?”

The door opened, and in limped Sir John, leaning heavily on his crutch. He came up short when he saw Elizabeth. She was grateful for the interruption, glad that there would be a witness to her whereabouts. Milburn could so easily put her somewhere to keep her out of the way.

Sir John nodded. “Forgive me for the intrusion, Master Milburn. You had told me to come discuss a business opportunity with you.”

“I also told you to come in the afternoon.”

Sir John shrugged his shoulders. “I was walking by and thought I’d see if you were here.”

“Aye, you have been walking much today,” Milburn said musingly.

Elizabeth looked between the men, trying not to show her interest. She had known Milburn had some sort of plan for Sir John. She hoped they would discuss it and forget about her.

But Milburn gave her a speculative glance. “Sir John, you have come at an opportune moment. I was going to ask your help with a nearby manor whose bailiff has become ill.”

Elizabeth was bursting with the need to ask who the ill man was, but she remained silent. She had no idea why Milburn needed to discuss this now, when she waited anxiously for her own punishment.

“I cannot offer a permanent position at the moment, but would you consider supervising this manor on a temporary basis?”

Sir John smiled. “Master Milburn, I would be happy to accept. Even if only temporarily, it will give me a chance to replace some of the earnings that were stolen from me.”

“Good. We will discuss your payment at another time. You will need an assistant.”

“Philip Sutterly⁠—”

“Will be busy. I am assigning him to be the clerk to the captain of the guard. He needs someone to keep the account book as he supplies his troop. The captain informs me that your clerk has become familiar to the soldiers and should work well with them. And to you,” Milburn said, allowing a trace of sarcasm to enter his voice, “I offer the assistance of the maid Anne.”

Elizabeth stared at Sir John in confusion. Her punishment was to act as a clerk?

Nay, it was to keep her from the tower as much as possible. It was an effective punishment.

“Master Milburn,” she began, “my lady needs⁠—”

“Your lady’s needs will be met. But she does not need someone who will help her in rebellion.”

“But I didn’t—I don’t even know what the missive says!”

“I know you are not to blame, girl,” Milburn said gruffly. “Your mistress has to learn to accept the consequences of her actions. Her punishment is greater, do you not think?”

“Might I tell her what has happened?”

“Nay, I think we shall let her wonder for today. Sir John, the manor is at Hillesley, a small village several miles from here.”

As Milburn told Sir John what he’d been able to glean from the servants, Elizabeth tried to remember who the bailiff of that particular property was. And then it came to her—Master Wilden. He was an older man, whose wife had died and whose children were grown and married. He used to give Elizabeth apples from his orchard whenever she visited with her father.

“I just need an accounting of what is going on at Hillesley,” Milburn was saying.

“Master Milburn,” Elizabeth interrupted, “do you know if the bailiff will live?”

“The healer has been to see him, and he will be unable to work,” Milburn said shortly. “That is all I needed to know.”

“Thank you for the opportunity,” Sir John said. “I will let you know what I discover.” He opened the door. “Anne?”

She hesitated. Milburn would hide her father’s ring in a new place, and she might never see it again. Had Bannaster been looking for it? Had she just made things easier for him?