“Nonsense! I was there, as well,” Nicholas argued, terrified that even Reg seemed to believe it. “She crawled onto the battlefield, hardly able to stand. I saw her! Now take me to where they are meeting!” he demanded and gave Reg a shove toward the stairs.
“They are your own men, Nicholas!”
“No. The king’s personal guard, but not my men.”
“The king’s guard was not there at that battlefield,” Reg reminded him. “Why bring me before them and have them hate me for betraying them?”
But Nicholas didn’t answer. He dragged Reg to the gatehouse. One of his men? He would find out who.
When they arrived, none of the men appeared afraid or guilty. They greeted him as they should and continued whatever they were doing, polishing their swords, eating, talking. There weren’t many men present. The absent guards were in Nottingham or Leicester fighting the Reds. Some of the king’s guard was there. Where were the others?
“Which of you accused my wife of being a witch?” he demanded of them. He released Reg, who slunk away in the shadows.
“A witch?” Charlie Mayfair asked, stepping forward. “That is a serious accusation, my lord. I do not think any of the men—” he turned around to face them, all of them shaking their heads. “We are all fond of Lady Scarborough. None of us would say something that would cost her her life.”
For the first time, Nicholas was happy his men loved his wife. But someone was deceiving him. “I was told the rumor started here.”
“We are your men, my lord,” Charlie implored.
“But someone else—!” Reg suggested. “You cannot speak for every man here. They must all be questioned.”
Charlie looked at Nicholas.
“I want everyone questioned thoroughly,” Nicholas agreed and turned to Reg. “Beginning with you, Cousin. Charlie, you will do the questioning. I must find the king.”
He slowed down just a bit when he exited the garrison. Was Elizabeth in the castle? Where was Elia? He set out to find them and came upon Elia only. “Richard and Elizabeth left the grounds shortly after you and Kes did. They left without his personal guards. Some of them have gone off to find him.”
“They let the king and their lady leave without any escort?” Nicholas asked in a low voice. “I will have their hides and their titles. Do you know where they were going?”
She shook her head. “They made no spectacle of leaving. They didn’t even take the carriage. I tried to stop him. ’Tis foolish to run around the countryside unprotected, when so many do not like him. He would not listen, and you know Lizzie. She was running out the door.”
“He knew about the accusations when he left, aye?” he asked her, not really certain what it meant if he did.
“I would assume so, though ’twasn’t me who told him. I suspect whoever started this terrible accusation went to the king with it first.”
He told her about Reg and all the guardsmen, the king’s included. She promised to give it her thought.
“I am off to find the king,” he said on his way out. “Or I’ll start taking heads until I find the right one.”
He left Scarborough and tried to think of where Richard could be. He would not have taken Elizabeth to be alone with her. He had his own house attached to the castle to be alone with her. He hadn’t run off to stop this rumor. He would have told Elia if he was trying to help Kestrel.
Nicholas’ belly dropped. He had to find him. He tried to think of all the places Richard might go and why he would seemingly run away. The charge against Kestrel was very serious. She could be burned on a pike. He’d seen it before when charges were made against Agnes Barlow and Kate, the butcher’s daughter, last year in Nottingham. It was torture. The screams reminded him of his mother’s. He would never allow Kestrel to go through it.
He rode through the market, though he doubted the king would be out buying goods.
Two hours later, he decided to go back and check on Kestrel. He’d search for the king again later. As he neared Walter’s house, his heart accelerated at the thought of seeing her. He couldn’t wait. He missed her. When had his heart become so lost to her? He suspected it was when they were taking pictures. He had to ask her patience a little longer.
He rushed to the front door and knocked.
He heard footsteps approaching the door and knocked again.
“All right!” Walter’s gravelly voice sounded from the other side. “I am coming.”
He opened the door and smiled at Nicholas.
“She is all right then?” he breathed.
Walter smiled and nodded. “She has been keeping busy.”
Walter led him inside and then down to the cellars. “Did you speak to the king?”
“I cannot find him.”
They descended into the crypt, where Kestrel had set up a chair and a table on which sat four candles, a small stack of parchment, and an inkwell and quill.
She looked up from her writing and saw him. Her expression mirrored what his heart felt. She rose from her chair and went to him. He reached her first and gathered her in his arms.
“I could not wait to see you again,” he whispered into her ear.
“Tell me it’s safe.”
When he remained quiet, she drew back. “How afraid should I be?”
He smiled though he felt like he’d just been stabbed in the heart. “You should not be afraid at all. I will not let anyone hurt you.”
“You can only stop so much, Nicholas,” she said in a soft voice. “How can you go against the law if it says I am a witch?”
“How can I not? You are my wife. I love you.”
“They’ll burn you, too.”
His smile on her warmed. “No one is going to burn, my love. Many might die by my sword, but no one will burn. Now come, show me what you
