Chetwynd had his eyes closed when he heard a man’s voice outside his cell. He sat up quickly hoping it was Justin. Since the voice was deep and unfamiliar, he assumed the man was a guard. Rather than call out, he listened to the conversation and wondered if this might be his chance to have a message delivered to Justin.
“Only one prisoner on this level, Herlinda,” the guard was explaining. “Some unfortunate lord who angered Lothar.”
“Let’s leave Dacia to deliver his food so you and I can be alone, Will. She won’t mind.” The woman’s voice had a seductive quality to it.
“Tempting as that sounds, I can’t do that. Why’d you bring her along?”
Ignoring his question, she said, “Dacia’s not going to let him loose. You can lock her in with him. We need a bit of time to ourselves.”
“You’ll get me in trouble yet,” the guard grumbled.
“It’ll be worth your while,” she replied with a laugh.
The guard unlocked the door to the cell, and a serving maid stepped inside before the door closed. Chetwynd heard the bolt slide into place.
Although surprised to hear that a woman was being left behind, Chetwynd immediately wondered how this event might suit his purpose. Afraid that Isabel might make some attempt to seek information, he was desperate to get a message to Justin to warn him to keep an eye on her. In the past, she had shown she was willing to act on her own if she thought it was necessary. The serving woman might be easier to bribe than the guard.
Torches had been lit outside his cell, but it was still dim within. The woman stayed by the door, clutching a pail in her hands, and Chetwynd wondered if she was frightened. He stayed seated so as not to alarm her, thinking about what he would say. Only after the others had moved away did she start toward him. In spite of the poor light and drab clothing, Chetwynd recognized the shape and movements immediately and shot to his feet.
“Good lord, what have you done?” he whispered. Isabel dropped the pail when he moved toward her, gathering her into his arms in one sweeping motion. His embrace was so tight she couldn’t speak.
After a minute, Chetwynd held her away. His hands were on her shoulders, and he shook her. “What in God’s name are you doing? Does Justin know you’re here?” he whispered.
Isabel rushed to assure him. “No, no, don’t worry. No one knows.”
“This is supposed to make me not worry?” He would have shouted if he could.
“I had to make sure you were unharmed,” she said, raising her hands to his dear face. “I didn’t tell Justin, as he would have stopped me. It was a quick decision. I was in the kitchen with Marianna when Herlinda left to deliver food.”
He pushed her hands from his face. “I knew it. I knew you would try something. That was a demented thing to do. How could those women let you come in here?”
Taken aback by his fierce reaction, Isabel defended her friends. “It wasn’t their fault, Chetwynd. I talked them into it. I had to see you. It’s safe enough. I won’t stay long. No one pays any attention to the women who bring food to the prisoners. Please don’t waste our time together being angry with me.”
Instead of replying, he caught her up in his arms again. He was gentler this time as he pulled her body against his own. “I’m not angry; I’m worried. I don’t want you locked in a dungeon.”
“You sound angry.”
He shook his head. “Do you have any idea the chance you’re taking, Isabel? Trust Justin to take care of this. Once you leave this cell, promise me you will not try anything else.”
With tears gathering in her eyes, Isabel nodded. “I didn’t mean to upset you, Chetwynd. Perhaps I should have stayed away, but all I could think of was seeing you and making sure you were not harmed. I had to come.”
“Oh, Isabel,” he sighed.
“Let me finish, Chetwynd. When I discovered that Herlinda was leaving for the dungeon, I persuaded her to take me along. I had to talk Marianna into it, but Herlinda thought of it as a prank. She said there’d be no danger. Now that I see you’re all right, I’ll do as you say and wait for Justin to free you. Please don’t be upset.”
In spite of his horror that she had taken such a chance, Chetwynd was moved by her words. “It’s all right, my love. If I sound angry, it’s because I’m frightened out of my mind. There aren’t many things that frighten me this much, but clearly thinking of you in danger exceeds them all.”
Isabel breathed a sigh of relief as Chetwynd tenderly removed her drab head covering and buried his face in her neck so he could inhale the sweet smell of her. For a minute he was able to forget where they were, and he moved his mouth to capture her lips in a hungry kiss.
When his kiss became tender, she whispered against his lips, “I needed to see you, Chetwynd. That’s all I could think of. I’m sorry that I frightened you. I do promise to be careful from now on.”
“Maybe I overreacted, Isabel. I can’t bear to think of you in here. Come sit with me until they return, but as soon as we hear them, you must get ready to leave.”
Pulling her to the bench, he sat her on his lap. Making an effort to atone for his harsh words, he asked in a teasing voice, “Tell me, where did you get this fetching outfit?”
“Do you like it, my lord? I suspect it’s the latest in serving-maid fashion.”
