“That won’t work, Gilda. We’d have to take Freda with us if you’re going. It’s best that you stay with the others.”
Gilda knew it would be inappropriate for a young nun to travel alone with two men. If for some reason they didn’t meet up with the others as planned, she would draw unwanted attention to herself.
“I want to keep an eye on Philip’s injury,” she said. “I’ll borrow some of Philip’s clothes and travel as a lad.”
Justin knew it wasn’t the first time Gilda had discarded her habit and donned a disguise. The first time he saw her she was dressed as a noblewoman to help her brother. He remembered how angry he had been to discover she was a nun. The elegant noblewoman had caught his eye, and he realized now that he had been deeply disappointed to find she was unavailable.
Before Justin could reply, Philip asked in a disbelieving tone, “Are you going to let her do that?”
Gilda narrowed her eyes at the young man, and Justin laughed. He was learning it was futile to argue with her if she felt strongly about something. His guess was that this was one of those cases. “Sister Gilda is my partner. We have to stay together.” As he answered Philip, Justin wondered what Gilda would look like dressed as a lad.
“I’ll go with Philip to find some clothes for you, Gilda. You inform Leonardo and Freda of our plan. They should be in the great hall. Also gather some food, in case there is nothing to eat at the cottage.”
“Good idea,” Gilda replied, beaming at Justin. She had been prepared for an argument about accompanying them and was more than a little surprised when she didn’t receive one.
Later in the dining hall, even Sister Freda seemed resigned to the plan. “I think you’re right to rush Philip away from here,” Freda said after she heard Gilda’s explanation. “Lord Cedric is glaring in our direction. Perhaps we have overstayed our welcome.”
Gilda had kept her eyes from looking toward the high table, but now she stole a glance and grimaced at the expression on Cedric’s face. “Will you be all right traveling with Leonardo until we meet up tomorrow?”
“Of course. But I draw the line at dressing as a man. At my age I attract no attention. Don’t concern yourself. We’ll meet up with you soon enough. Just be careful, Gilda.”
“I have Justin with me.”
Freda searched Gilda’s face and must have seen something that disturbed her. “As I said, be careful.”
CHAPTER EIGHT
As Philip had promised, the cottage he led them to was secluded. Tall trees blocked out the light from the moon and stars, and Justin wasn’t sure he would be able to find his way back even in the daylight. But Philip must have memorized the winding route, as he guided them skillfully to a small clearing. No doubt it was a place he used often to meet Lady Emma.
Inside, the thatched-roof cottage was divided into two rooms, and the main one had a rustic fireplace. Because the spring evening was cool, Justin set a fire going while Philip took care of the horses. Justin checked to see that the shutters at the windows were closed, then watched Gilda open the sack of provisions and spread the food out in front of the fire. He knew that from a distance no one but he would recognize that Gilda was a woman. Her hair was securely captured under a woolen cap, and one of Philip’s doublets hung loosely on her body. The only possible giveaways to close scrutiny were her face, which was much too sweet even for a young lad, and her legs, whose form in the clingy tights drew his notice. Although boots covered her slim ankles, the shape of her thighs and calves were definitely feminine.
When Philip entered the cottage, Justin tore his eyes away from Gilda. “It’s cool outside,” he said, to cover the fact that he had been studying Gilda. Philip nodded and flopped down on the floor by the fire. He sat with his legs bent and crossed in front of him. Gilda observed the way Philip was seated and imitated his position.
They ate the bread, roasted fowl, and fruit they carried with them in silence until their hunger had been sated, each busy with private thoughts. Philip was the first to speak. “How did you persuade my brother to release me from the dungeon, Lord Justin?”
“The count is eager to have his annulment, so I appealed to his desire to have an end to our investigation. He is sure we will learn that Lady Mariel was unfaithful and you were her partner. He seemed pleased when I went along with his thoughts on the matter.”
A stricken look clouded the young man’s face. “I hope you were pretending to believe that story. I befriended the lady, but I didn’t bed her.”
“To tell you the truth, Philip, I don’t know what to believe. But I intend to discover the truth.”
Justin’s voice betrayed his impatience, and Gilda saw that Philip appeared even more downcast. Although she didn’t want to contradict Justin’s words, she spoke gently to comfort Philip. “Perhaps you should get some rest, Philip. We’ll have to leave early tomorrow for Saint Ives.”
“I hope you believe me, Sister Gilda. Compared to Lady Emma, Mariel is a child. I would never touch her.”
Gilda felt Justin’s eyes on her. “We have to keep an open mind while looking into this matter, Philip. That doesn’t mean we believe you are guilty of anything.”
Philip seemed only slightly reassured. “There’s a small room at the back. I’ll sleep there. You two can settle in front of the fire.” Then before leaving he appealed one last time to both Justin and Gilda. “You will discover that I showed Mariel nothing but friendship.”
Gilda watched Philip close the door behind him. “Why were you so impatient with him, Justin?”
