Chapter Eleven
Devlin returned to the great hall and sat in his chair by the fire.
What just happened?
He could hardly believe it—she kissed him.
That single moment left his thoughts jumbled, but it wasn’t just the kiss that unsettled him.
She believed him to be a good man. He had never considered himself good.
Loyal, perhaps, but good? No. Even as his mind churned with heavy matters—the fate of Lord Edmond, the mystery of who had hidden his body, Rosalind’s uncertain future, and the children’s safety—he found himself returning, again and again, to the softness of her lips, the warmth of that kiss, and how his heart still pounded deep in his chest.
When Alden returned. Devlin didn’t greet him or even acknowledge his presence. Alden stared into the flames and had just started to doze when Devlin finally spoke. “She kissed me.”
His friend sat up in his chair, his feet dropped back to the floor, and he looked at his friend. “What? What do you mean she kissed you?”
“She said I surprised her, and she thought I was honorable and just. I disagreed, of course, but she insisted. And then she kissed me.”
Alden let out a hearty laugh, leaned over, and slapped his friend across his back. “Finally. A woman who doesn’t run away screaming when she sees you!”
“How could she, Alden? She doesn’t know me. She’s heard of things I’ve done, and what people know or hear about doesn’t begin to scratch the surface of my deeds.”
“So what does she say when you remind her of who you are?”
Devlin sighed, “She says she doesn’t believe all the rumors. She says if I did do what people say, then it was because I had to, not because I wanted to.”
Alden looked thoughtful. “She is mostly right.”
“What do you mean, ‘mostly’ right?”
“I mean, my friend that she is right when she says you’ve done what you had to do.
You had orders. But I think you can agree that you love to fight.
You want to battle an opponent, and you want to win—there is a part of you that is bloodthirsty—a part of you that enjoys the fight and sometimes the kill. ”
Devlin did not disagree, and that scared him. “She would do well to stay away from me, then,” he said sadly. “And the children.”
Alden’s head tilted slightly and in a low voice he said, “Oh, the opposite, my friend. The lone wolf doesn’t fare well forever.
No matter how fierce, the wolf needs a mate and a pack.
He won’t last long on his own. Lady Rosalind needs you.
She needs someone who’ll fight for her. She needs someone who’ll protect her children at all costs. That person just may be you, Devlin.”
“That’s the biggest load of horse dung I’ve ever heard, brother!
” Devlin cried out. “Since when do you go all poetic and soft? She doesn’t need me!
She needs a titled gentleman, one who is generous enough to take in the children.
One who can fill her wardrobe with fine clothes and can ensure she never scrubs a floor or slaves in a kitchen again. How could I ever give her any of that?”
Alden looked his friend squarely in the eye. “Would you…if you could? Would you marry her and raise the children as your own? Would you take her and the children in if you had the means?”
“Yes. Yes, I would, and Benton and Marta too, if they would come with us.”
Alden nodded. “Then we’ll find a way, friend.”
“But what if she is a murderer, Alden? What then?”
“Do you think if she did do such a thing, it would have been under the direst of circumstances? I can only see our sweet lady committing a crime if it was to protect herself or her family here.”
Alden stated the obvious, and Devlin fired back, “Of course! She doesn’t have a greedy or evil bone in her body and would never get enjoyment from someone’s demise.
You know that. And I know that. But the king?
Would he even care? His moods are like the wind.
He could be merciful one minute and then cruel the next.
Can’t you see how he might make an example out of anyone who threatens those who are loyal to him?
I fear I won’t be able to save her, Alden, no matter what.
If she is guilty, or even just the most likely culprit, then the king will do as he pleases, and I’ll be powerless to stop him. ”
“Then we must prove she is innocent,” Alden stated matter-of-factly. “Let’s start now. I know there has to be more to Ridley’s account than what he described. I’m going back up to Capell’s study, and I’m going to keep looking.”
“I’m coming with you.”
The men climbed the main staircase and passed the lady’s chamber and the girls’ room.
Alden peeked into the room. The fire still burned brightly, and the girls were snug under the covers.
Grim slept at the very end of the bed. The dog raised its massive head and tilted it to the side, as if to ask Alden what he needed and how dare he interrupt his sleep.
Alden came back into the hall and just shook his head, “That dog has turned into the children’s nanny.”
Devlin didn’t argue. When they reached the lord’s chamber, the cold air from the unused room hit them squarely in the face. Devlin felt the chill in his bones. He lit several lanterns, and the men went to work on Capell’s desk.
Devlin started by moving the ledgers he’d pored over and placing them on a small side table across the room.
Alden sat in the desk’s chair and took every object and paper from each drawer, and Devlin examined them.
Once each item was scrutinized, Devlin took them to the side table.
The desk didn’t have much in it overall, so it didn’t take long to empty it completely.
“Well, that’s it,” Alden announced reluctantly.
But Devlin wasn’t convinced. “There’s got to be something.”
He traced each edge and corner of the desk with his hand. There was nothing out of the ordinary. He then took out each drawer, turned them over, and peered inside the drawer space. Nothing there either. He even crawled under the desk and examined the underside, but again there was nothing.
Devlin sighed in frustration and anger burned from his core as he wanted to hit something. He paced the length of the room, and a few expletives escaped his mouth. He was at a complete dead end, and Kelley would be here any day now.
“Wait just a minute,” Alden said quietly.
Devlin rushed back to his side. “What have you found?”
“The front panel of the desk—part of it is recessed,” Alden said as he showed Devlin where he found the abnormality in the workmanship.
Alden pulled on the small section of wood, but nothing happened. But then he ran his finger underneath and discovered a small lever of sorts. He slid the lever over, and a hidden drawer popped open just slightly. The compartment was only slightly bigger than Alden’s hand.
“Well, what do you know?” Devlin smiled as he reached inside and found a thin, leather-bound book. He opened it to discover it was another ledger with numbers and dates recorded.
Just like the larger books he’d pored over before, the writing existed of only one or two initials and an amount. However, there was a notable difference here. All the entries listed were paid to Lord Edmond. There were no notes of money that he owed anyone recorded.
Devlin smiled and looked at Alden, “I think we have a real motive here, friend. It appears that several people were paying Lord Edmond regularly, and whatever it was for, he kept it hidden.”
“I agree. There’s no telling what that man was delving into. He was a disgrace. Still, our case would be stronger if we knew who was paying him and why.”
Devlin nodded and turned a few more pages in the small book. At the end of the book, the last three pages showed several dates and times recorded. Each one was written, then crossed out. Except for one, which had a location scribbled beside it as well.
Wisbech, The Boar’s Head, January 18, Dusk
“January 18. That is tomorrow,” Alden said.
“Then Wisbech is where I will go,” Devlin stated firmly.
“Finally, a real lead. I think we’ll find that Capell was up to no good. Let’s just hope there will be enough evidence that shows someone would want him dead.”
“We can hope, friend, we can hope.”
The hour had grown very late. Alden announced he would retire to his bedchamber, and Devlin did not argue.
And even though his body was heavy with the strain of the day’s events, his spirit was light.
As he dropped into his bed, his mind reeled over all the questions he needed answered to solve this puzzle and save Rosalind, the children, and the quirky servants he had grown so fond of.
****
What is that wretched noise?
Devlin had no idea what time it was. Ridley had not tended his fire and dawn’s light wasn’t seen through the cracks in his window shutter. Devlin let loose a few choice expletives, a loud sigh, and leaped from his bed. He threw only his breeches on and stomped out of his room.
Someone was pounding on the manor door incessantly, he realized at the top of the stairs.
Alden emerged from his room, dressed only in his drawers, which weren’t cinched at the waist. Sword in one hand and the other holding up his knickers, If Alden engaged in a fight, it just might evolve into a battle likened to Viking berserkers, when in a bloodthirsty rage, rid themselves of their clothing and fought naked.
“Who in the bloody he—” Alden started to rant but stopped when Rosalind opened her chamber door, her wrap tied around her.
Devlin took in her tousled hair and sleepy eyes and thought she never looked more beautiful. She glanced at the two scantily clad men but wasn’t surprised in the slightest.
“Lady, do you know who is responsible for this wretched knocking at this early hour?” Alden asked politely.
Rosalind simply shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.
The men and Rosalind quickly trod down the stairs to the entry hall. Devlin marched to the door and swung it open. Minute snowflakes floating in the frigid predawn air blew into the entry of the manor house. Before him stood a man, short of stature and clothed in fine robes.
Devlin knew who this was. Not from his face but from the two guards that flanked his side.
Each carried the king’s banner. The coat of arms consisted of three lions and a shield divided into four quarters.
The fleur-de-lis of France was in the first and fourth quarters, the lions of Scotland in the second, and the harp of Ireland in the third.
He’d carried this banner into many conflicts.
****
Lady Rosalind blushed in embarrassment. She could only imagine what was going through the clerk’s mind. There were two half-naked men at her open door, and she stood there only in her night dress and wrap. Oh, the impropriety! But still, there wasn’t anything she could do now.
“Mr., uh, Mr. Kelley, I presume. Please, come in.”
Devlin and Alden stood in the doorway and refused to let the man and guard pass through for a second or two.
Rosalind could tell that Devlin was wary of this man.
She placed her hand discreetly on his muscled shoulder, gave him a little pinch, and he finally moved to the side.
Edward Kelley grunted as if he was extremely inconvenienced by being there and entering.
His large eyes bulged from his head, and he looked down his pointy nose with disdain at his surroundings.
“The fire is warm in the great hall, Mr. Kelley. Please go take a seat and warm yourself.”
By now, Ridley was awake, and he stoked the fire in the grand fireplace feverishly to ward off the cold in the room. Benton, slightly disheveled because he’d dressed so quickly, had arrived and directed the royal entourage into the hall.
“Woman!” Kelley barked at Rosalind, “Warm ale! Now!”
Devlin moved faster than a bolt of lightning, grabbed Edward Kelley by his fine cloak and raised him nearly off the ground.
His guards immediately took offense and drew their swords.
Alden, in turn, stood at his friend’s side, grasping his sword with both hands.
His knickers fell to the ground and puddled at his feet.
Marta entered the great hall, took in the entire scene with a shocked gasp, and dropped the tray of hot drinks she carried.
“I will show you only a bit of grace here, Mr. Kelley. We’ve shown ourselves in your presence, let’s just say, not in our best light, and you obviously do not know who you address.
But that “woman” is the lady of the house, Lord Edmond Capell’s niece, Lady Rosalind, and will be afforded the respect that is due to her. Am I clear?”
Edward Kelley was speechless, but he managed to nod his head, and quickly called his men to stand down.
“Alden, retrieve your pants,” Devlin said. “I think Mr. Kelley will mind his manners more closely now.”
Without taking his eyes off the guards, Alden made himself more decent and backed away from his friend.
“Oh, goodness,” Rosalind said with a slight smile as she turned to Ridley, who stood with his mouth wide open in surprise. “Quickly, bring more drinks out to our guests and then we’ll help Marta clean up that mess.”
To Edward Kelley, she said politely, “It was an easy mistake, Mr. Kelley. We certainly didn’t expect you until the day after tomorrow, and you caught all of us still abed.
We were quite surprised to hear the pounding on the door.
Sir Devlin tends to be a bit prickly when he first wakes up.
And Mr. Danby, well… well, him, I’m not too sure about, especially now.
Please excuse me while I make myself more presentable.
Benton will see your needs whilst I dress. ”
Rosalind retreated up the main stairwell, only to race down the back servant’s steps again to the kitchen to help Marta. She hadn’t quite recovered. Rosalind found her sitting in a chair with a cold compress on her forehead.
“Really, Marta! Everything is fine. Our guests from the palace are warm and comfortable and sitting by the fire. With some hot drinks, they’ll be fine. Devlin will calm down, and everything will be just fine.”
Ridley bounded into the kitchen, poured more warmed ale, and then blurted, “I think Sir Devlin will punch that toad man right in the face. He’s just sitting there glaring at him. He’s not even making a move to get dressed.” Ridley grabbed the tray and headed back out.
“It doesn’t sound fine, my lady,” Marta replied weakly.
“But it will be.” She sat next to Marta, grabbed the compress, placed it on her own forehead, and whispered, “It has to be.”