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“Anne, I cannot explain—I never meant—” He sighed. “I have never met anyone like you, not in all of my years of wandering. The women I knew only wanted pleasure, and the coin with which I paid for it. I am not used to women raised as you and Lady Elizabeth were, free and intelligent, who act because it is right, not because they will be rewarded. But you have suffered because of my actions, so please tell your mistress whatever you need to. I will not ask for your silence for my indiscretion.” He gave her a measured stare. “But I am here to help; tell her that. I vow that I will make things right—for the both of you.”

Her eyes were burning now—she could listen no more. “I—I will tell my lady your words and give you her response.”

She tried to move past him, and he touched her arm.

“Anne—”

“Do not ever touch me again!” she whispered, mortified to feel tears escape her eyes. She ran from his chamber and shut the door behind her.

John bent over and rested his hands on his knees. That had gone just as he’d expected—badly. When the door opened, he looked up with relief, but it was only Philip.

“I saw her running down the corridor,” Philip said. “She turned her face away when she saw who I was. I think she was crying.”

John nodded. He ached inside for the misery he’d caused, for how he’d made Anne feel. “I told her the truth.”

Philip sat down on his own pallet across from him. “What made you decide to do that?”

“I must obviously trust her, because I kissed her this afternoon.”

His eyes widened. “You kissed her? How did flirtation lead to that?”

John shrugged. “It wasn’t supposed to. Yet…I couldn’t help myself.”

“And now she’s running to tell Lady Elizabeth.”

“I apologized, told her things had gone too far. I know not what she’s going to tell her mistress. It is only fair that she make that decision.”

“Now Lady Elizabeth has much to hold against you, including the lie told about the estate supporting you in Europe.”

“I didn’t tell Anne that. She didn’t want to believe that my brother could have neglected the estate—how could I make him look worse?”

Philip groaned.

“We know that lie is untrue,” John continued. “It might not even have spread beyond Rame Castle, since I explained the truth to my people.”

“If they believe you over your brother’s steward.”

“How could they not? He took all their goods and rent, where I gave all the money I had to begin repairs.”

“That could look like guilt.”

“I intend to explain it all to Lady Elizabeth when we meet. I want nothing to stand between us.”

“Anne already does,” Philip said, shaking his head.

John sat down on the bed and faced his friend. “Let us put this aside for now. Tell me what you heard from Ogden and Parker.”

“There is no good news. They’ve spent the past night and day searching for Alderley’s soldiers, and have not found them yet. They’re going to start asking questions in the villages for at least a direction to expand their search, but you know how long that can take when one doesn’t want to arouse suspicion.”

John cursed, but it didn’t help his feeling of frustration. “There is little we can do until we have an army behind us.”

“And that is assuming, once we find them, that they trust us.”

“Believe me, I will make them see the wisdom,” John said grimly. “Did you make arrangements to meet with Ogden and Parker again?”

“Nay, because they’ll be roaming farther afield. They promised to come to us when they have the news you need.”

John nodded silently, already finding his thoughts on Anne again. “When I saw that soldier attack her,” he murmured, “it was like a part of me was glad that I could fight him. Have you found yourself…itching to train, to pick up a sword?”