Chapter 21

Chapter

Twenty-One

H e opened Elara's chamber door after the longest wait of his life. At least, it had felt as much. After not being with her last eve, and not seeing her all day since he had no Strategies lessons, Alden half expected the door not to open.

But it did.

"Sir Eamon?"

His swordmaster's brows raised. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"Do not jest with him," Elara called from her bedchamber. As Alden stepped inside, he watched as she handed Eamon a goblet as if she were the hostess of a grand ball. She certainly looked the part. Elara wore a gown he'd never seen her don before, and it looked lovely on her.

Bright green, its bodice fitting tightly with laces up the sides, its sleeves long and flaring, the gown was beautiful. Though not as beautiful as the woman who wore it.

He wanted to tell her how lovely she looked. And how he'd never felt quite so...out of place in her presence. Her gown, her stature, a reminder of how different their worlds were when not at Castle Blackwood.

"Here." She handed him a goblet as well. "Come and sit. We've much to discuss."

He did, though having Sir Eamon in the chamber, and Elara dressed as she was, gave the experience a different feel than had been their norm these past days.

"We've just arrived from Ashford Manor. I'd hoped I had not missed you. There was no way to get word to you without raising suspicions," she said.

That explained the gown.

"Last eve," she began, "after the meal, I sought out Eamon and shared our suspicions of the maid. We had been planning to initiate a false mission, to bait the traitor."

"But if Stirling is involved, a shift in our plans was necessary," Eamon finished, watching Alden closely.

"You know the man better than most," Alden said. "Do you believe the instructor capable of such a thing?"

Clearly Eamon was disturbed by the possibility. He seemed to wrestle with his answer. "I'd not have thought it. Stirling is as passionate about our cause as anyone I know. I've never cared for his reservations about Lady Elara. He can be a hard man, difficult even, but a traitor?" Eamon frowned. "I am hopeful this ruse exposes rather than implicates him."

"That he whispered something to the maid, one we've no evidence is involved..." Elara said. "It could mean nothing at all."

"But you are not taking that chance," Alden guessed.

"We are not," Eamon said. "Yesterday morn, we received orders to send as many men as possible to Winchester within a sennight. Stirling had already planned to do so with a small contingency, one that now will include the majority of our men."

"Using this information," Elara said, "we suggested leaking this knowledge but changing locations from Winchester to Reading, another strategic location. In addition, we added an additional piece of false information, that Roland's brother was privy to the upcoming battle and warned Roland not to go to Winchester."

It was well-known Roland's family did not support Matilda. Indeed, he had met his own brother on the battlefield not long ago.

"I know Roland and Darien are aware of the traitor's presence."

Alden had been staring into his wine. At that, his head shot up, looking straight to Elara. He'd not confessed that fact to her yet.

In response, she smiled, ever so slightly.

"You've not yet learned all that I have to offer," she said.

She meant in terms of strategy, but Alden could have taken it a very different way. If Eamon were not present, he'd have said something else. Instead, he kept it innocent. "It appears not, my lady. How?" he asked simply.

"I had wondered, knowing how close you were to the men, if you may have told them but did not yet mention it to me. But now, I know for certain." She turned to Alden. "So it seems we can speak with Roland freely so that he may be in on our ruse."

Alden's eyes widened. She hadn't known. Elara and Eamon put this plan into place on her intuition alone?

"Alden, you will speak with him. Tell him to note any who ask, and especially if Stirling has a conversation with him about it. We must carefully track who spreads which piece of information."

"If any do come to Roland with the knowledge of his brother, Stirling is our traitor."

"If not him, then another at Ashford Manor tonight." Elara took a sip of wine. Alden marveled at how calm, and cunning, she was. More so than he ever could have imagined.

Mine.

He wanted her. Adored her. Needed her. The thought of any other man having her, touching her...why those thoughts should come to him now, Alden did not know. But they came, nonetheless, and a feeling unlike any that had ever overtaken him made his previous claims of possession appear as child's play.

"Who was present?" he managed to ask.

"The usual." Eamon sighed. "Stirling, Ashford, Bennington, Pembroke, Claymore."

"Why did you not simply ask Gareth if we had told Roland already? Especially before moving forward with the plan to involve Roland's brother?"

At that, Eamon seemed even less pleased. "I tried. He would reveal nothing. Said we should speak with you directly. I've never met a group of men so..."

"Loyal?" Alden provided.

"Stubborn," he said instead.

Elara laughed. "No matter. I assured Eamon, by Gareth's response and my own instincts, Roland was either already on board or, if not, would be soon."

Alden shook his head, as if to clear it.

"So if any bring the rumor to us that Roland's brother was involved in a shift from Winchester to Reading, our suspicions of Stirling grow. But what of the mission itself? What do we hope to gain by pretending we march to Reading instead?"

"At best, that the traitor reveals themselves," Elara said. "Or their accomplices do so. At worst, they pass along the false information to King Stephen's supporters so news of your arrival in Winchester is delayed."

"Our arrival, at Winchester or Reading, should not be revealed at all."

"Nay," Eamon agreed. "It should not."

All three of them fell silent.

"This afternoon," Alden remembered, suddenly. "I overheard one of the men speaking about the new priest. He seems to have taken a great interest in the recruit's training."

"Father Percival." Eamon stretched his legs out in front of him. "A good man, though I will admit, he can be odd as well."

"Odd?" Elara asked. "In what manner?"

"He is often worried and wrings his hands more than he keeps them still."

"How did you meet him?" Alden asked, curious.

"I spent many years in Kindridge Moor, where he presided before coming here. It is where I first met..."

He stopped.

They waited.

When Eamon did not continue, Alden guessed at the remainder of his statement.

Where he first met Evelina's mother. She'd been married to Ashford already, but Alden did not judge either of them. So often when marriages were arranged as theirs had been, the heart did not follow.

Which reminded him . . .

"Thank you, Eamon," Elara said. "For your aid in this matter."

He looked between her and Alden. It was a dismissal, though he did not appear offended. Eamon stood, gave her a quick nod and said, "It is always my pleasure. Alden, do be careful." Before he could respond, the swordmaster added, nodding to the hidden door, "I would not wish for you to be caught here."

His meaning was clear. Eamon's warning was more broadly reaching than the risk of Alden being discovered coming here.

As Elara escorted him to the door, the one Alden could never use, he considered the older man's words. This was a person who fell in love with the wrong woman and, as a consequence, was forced to watch his daughter be raised by another. By a "father" who did not treat her as she should have been treated. Sir Eamon had never married but instead devoted his life to finding ways to insert himself into Evelina's world.

"You appear thoughtful."

Elara was back.

She was as wrong for him as Evelina's mother was wrong for Eamon. Their situation would likely result in more pain than pleasure.

And yet, he could not stay away.

When she came to him, he welcomed her. Kissed her. Embraced her. And wondered how he could ever let her go.