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“Promise me ye’ll be careful,” Adalia said, touching her arm.
“I’ll be in front of the whole hall. I’ll be fine.”
“Ye weren’t last time. I had to set fire to me own kitchen to stop the brute.”
“You were the heroine that day.”
“And don’t ye forget it.” Adalia glanced at the two men. “What about them?”
“I’m going to ask them to remain here,” she said. “Will you mind?”
“I might put them to work.”
“I wouldn’t blame you.” Elizabeth walked over to John and Philip and relayed the news. “I need you both to remain here.”
“I’m not leaving you unguarded,” John said predictably.
“But what if this has something to do with your captor? What if he was too frightened to go through with the plan, and sent word to Bannaster instead?”
“You didn’t hear his gloating,” Philip said. “He’s gone—and he had help disappearing.”
“Still, I need you to wait here. You can watch, hidden, but please, trust me. Something feels very wrong.”
Once again, she stared at John, waiting for him to overrule her. But he only nodded, and she felt profound relief.
“Thank you,” she murmured. “I won’t worry so much.”
“But I will,” he said softly. “You are a woman who takes on too much.”
She gave him a fleeting smile, then walked into the great hall. Bannaster stood near the hearth, speaking to Milburn.
They both turned to look at her, and then Bannaster gestured for her to come forward. Wearing a chest and back plate, he looked more impressive than in his fine court garments. The scabbard belted to his waist looked as if it housed an intimidating weapon.
To her surprise, Bannaster sat in one of the cushioned chairs before the fire, and motioned her to the other one. She had a flash of memory, her parents sitting there, smiling at each other, smiling at her.
She sat down and waited.
“I received a missive this morn,” he said, wasting no time.
She nodded politely, trying to look baffled.
“Someone at Rodmarton Castle overheard news that interested me.”
A cold sweat suddenly broke out over Elizabeth’s body, and she prayed it was not visible. Rodmarton Castle was where her sisters were being fostered.
Bannaster smiled grimly. “He wants me to pay him well for it, and I shall.”
“My lord, I don’t understand why you’re telling me this.”
“I am told that somewhere in Alderley, Lord Russell is in disguise, trying to aid his betrothed.”
She whispered a silent prayer to God. Let John remain hidden. Had her foolish sisters discussed her plight where someone could overhear? Though it was the hardest thing she ever did, she gave him a puzzled frown. “Surely this courier misheard, my lord.”
He ignored her protest. “Milburn and I have been discussing who Russell could be. Milburn believes he could not be a regular servant—after all, the man is a knight, hard to disguise.”
She was dying to glance at the kitchens, wishing she could somehow signal John and Philip to flee.
“There is only one knight who is not a member of the household,” Bannaster continued.
