‘Nothing. My life is wonderful. I’m a lucky bastard and I’m deliriously happy.’ He stared blankly into his mug, his lips pressed into a thin line.
‘You’re deliriously something.’ Will smirked. ‘But happy? No.’
‘For once in your life, just leave it. Believe me when I say that there is nothing you can help me with.’
‘As bad as that, eh?’
Hugh shook his head and snorted. ‘Never get married. It brings nothing but trouble, Will.’
‘Oh, Lord. I thought this might have something to do with your heiress.’
Hugh threw his arms up. ‘Precisely,’ he said shaking his head. ‘Did I ask to get married? No. Did I want to get married? No. And yet here I am, married to the most confounding, maddening woman.’
Not to mention reckless, duplicitous and a whole host of other things.
Will sat back and regarded his friend. ‘I never thought a woman would capture your heart like this.’
Hugh gave him a disgusted look. ‘Know this: Eleanor Tallany has captured no part of me—least of all my heart,’ he spat.
Will let out soft chuckle. ‘Dear me, what has happened? One minute you’re wooing your lady with a flock of sheep—which, may I say, was a strange but inspired gift. The next you’re playing the part of lovelorn swain.’
Hugh lunged forward and grabbed his friend by his tunic, his jaw clenched tight, his eyes full of murderous intent.
‘What the hell is wrong with you?’ Will hissed through gritted teeth, and pushed hard against his friend’s shoulder.
Realisation of what he was doing hit Hugh like a bolt of lightning. He let Will go, sitting back against his chair, rubbing his head.
‘I’m sorry—that was uncalled for,’ he said as he buried his head in his hands.
Will stared at his friend in disbelief as he slowly exhaled. ‘I’ve never seen you like this over a woman before, Hugh. What has happened?’
Hugh lifted his head and rubbed his chin. After a long silence he finally spoke in a low voice. ‘It’s Eleanor.’ His mouth twisted. ‘She’s the traitor we seek.’
Will’s eyes widened in disbelief and his jaw dropped. He turned his head in both directions, checking that their conversation was not being overheard, before shuffling closer to Hugh. ‘Are you sure about this?’ he whispered.
‘Unfortunately, yes. I followed her and that old fool of a steward out of Tallany Castle, the night before we left to journey here.’ He met Will’s eyes. ‘She met the outlaw Le Renard.’
‘Oh, my God, Hugh.’ Will muttered an oath and whistled. ‘Is Eleanor aware that you know all this?’
‘No, she’s not—not yet. But believe me, she will,’ he growled. ‘First, I have to know who else is involved and how far this goes. And I can only do that if she isn’t aware that I know her secret.’
‘What are you going to do?’
‘I don’t know.’ He dropped his head and dragged his fingers through his hair. ‘What a damnable coil I’m in.’
‘You are—but you need to think hard and act quickly, Hugh.’
‘How am I supposed to act? Don’t you understand what a difficult position she has put me in?’
Will regarded him for a moment and sighed. ‘Yes, I believe I can.’
‘I’m torn in every direction. If I conceal the fact that Eleanor is a traitor then it may as well be me holding the traitor’s sword against our King.’
And if he didn’t, he might as well be signing her death warrant.
‘True—except that she is your wife.’
‘Except that she is my wife...’ Hugh repeated, in a flat, weary tone.
‘And you love her,’ Will said.
‘And I love—’ Hugh stopped and flicked his head up, frowned. ‘No, I do not!’ he snapped, and rose abruptly, scraping his chair against the hard floor.
‘Any fool can see you care for your lady.’ Will narrowed his gaze. ‘Sit down.’
Hugh gave his friend a hard stare before he sat back down and picked up his mug, turning it round in his hand. ‘You’re asking me to forsake my solemn oath to John?’
‘No, of course not,’ Will said. ‘But listen to me, Hugh. You are no longer a soldier who just follows orders blindly, like I do. You may have given your fealty to the King, but you’re also duty-bound to protect your vassals, your dependents, and most of all your lady—whatever she may have done.’
Hugh raised his brows at Will’s words, which strangely chimed with what Eleanor had said to him at Milnthorpe.
‘I know all this, Will, but her treachery also marks me unless I set her aside.’
‘Just deal with the situation yourself, Hugh,’ Will said. ‘But that’s not the only reason you feel “torn”, as you put it.’
Hugh frowned. ‘What do you mean?’
‘It’s Eleanor and the outlaw that has you in knots.’
A muscle leapt in Hugh’s jaw. ‘She betrayed me.’
‘Yes, it seems she did.’ Will sighed. ‘But before you go blowing bluster, Hugh, talk to her.’
‘Oh, I shall—believe me. But not yet,’ Hugh said. He met Will’s speculative gaze and smiled weakly. ‘Thank you for your counsel, though, my friend. I appreciate it.’
‘Just talk to her, Hugh.’ He nodded at his friend. ‘Now, let’s get drunk.’
Hugh looked at his mug grimly and then back at Will. ‘Yes, let’s. Blind drunk!’
Chapter Fifteen
Eleanor looked around the beautiful hall of Winchester Castle and bit the inside of her cheek nervously. She should never have ventured here with her husband. Not when this makeshift opulent court was as gloomy and bleak as this. It was a symbol of everything she detested. And being amongst these people she didn’t know or trust made her feel wary and unsure—especially as Hugh was doing his best to ignore her as well.
The mood was sombre and grim, even though the courtiers tried to lift everyone’s spirits—particularly King John’s. She stole a glance at her Sovereign, who had single-handedly been the cause of her grief and unhappiness with one husband and also her short-lived happiness with another.
The King spoke a little to his inner circle of men, amongst them Lord
