Chapter Twelve
Rosalind sat for only a few moments, then she flew up the back stairs, rushed to her chamber and dressed as fast as she could.
She put on the best dress she had. She grabbed a clean linen chemise and over that she placed a tunic.
Plain tunics were all she had. This one, however, was dyed a yellow-gold and therefore better suited for being in the presence of the king’s representative.
It wasn’t much, she knew, but it would have to do.
She brushed her long brown hair and carefully fashioned a long braid that fell down her back.
As much as she tried to contain her locks, several curly tendrils escaped at her temples and in front of her ears.
Now dressed and her hair done, she took a deep breath and decided to look in on the girls and Grim.
They were gone! Rosalind said a quick prayer as she ran down the hall and back down the stairs to the kitchen.
Please, please, let them be in the kitchen!
But they weren’t. That could only mean that Kaylyn, Luella, and Devlin’s beast were with the king’s men. She flew out of the kitchen and rounded the corner to the great hall and took in the scene.
Luella sat in Devlin’s lap, wiping a tear from her eye.
Except that she wasn’t. Rosalind knew that look and it was a ruse usually meant to get attention.
Kaylyn sat in Rosalind’s chair by the fire and glared at Edward Kelley.
Grim stood only a hand’s width away from the odious little man; his yellow eyes staring right into his face.
His lips were peeled back, and each long incisor dripped with drool.
Rosalind heard his low growl from across the room.
“Sir Devlin, I apologize for the children’s interruption. I’ll get them to the kitchen now.” She motioned for the girls to come with her, then she addressed the men. “Marta has the morning meal ready and it will be served momentarily. Thank you for your patience.”
Devlin gave Grim the command to heel. The large dog licked his lips and then took his place on the rug close to the fire.
Once in the kitchen, she fired questions at the girls, “What happened in there? Why was Grim going to eat the king’s man? And Luella, why were you acting like you were crying?”
“I didn’t do anything, Mama Rose,” Luella explained. “That man was extremely rude. He said I was bothersome and I didn’t know my place. I was just asking him questions, and he tried to shoo me away. That’s when Grim jumped up in his face.”
“Oh dear,” Rosalind fretted. “Girls, listen and listen carefully. You are to stay away from this man, do you hear? I don’t know anything about him or his character.
He’ll report back to the king about Lord Edmond, and we must respect his station.
We don’t want to make him angry, and the king must think highly of him. Do you understand?”
Both girls nodded solemnly.
“So he said you were a bother, did he?”
“He did. But then I cried a little, and that got Grim upset, and I knew that Grim wouldn’t let him hurt me. Oh, and Sir Devlin didn’t like it either.”
“No, he wouldn’t, dear. He wouldn’t allow that man to hurt any of us,” Rosalind said confidently.
“Now, I don’t want you to think about Mr. Kelley anymore.
Marta has your breakfast here, and I’m going to eat with the grouchy man.
After you two eat, help Marta with the dishes and ready the noon meal.
If I’m not free when you are finished, go to the solar and work on your stitches. I will be up as soon as I can.”
The girls nodded and sat at the table. Benton and Ridley had come and retrieved the serving trays, and she followed them out to the dining hall.
Marta had completely recovered from the shock of seeing Alden, naked, ready to skewer the king’s men and had outdone herself.
With no planning, she had prepared a meal that was fit for the entourage dispatched from the palace.
There were poached eggs, freshly baked bread, two types of jam, sliced roast from the previous evening’s meal, dried apples, and porridge sweetened with honey.
Benton served each guest and then Rosalind.
Sir Devlin had gone to dress, finally, but re-entered the room as his lady engaged the king’s men in light conversation.
“I’m sure you are fatigued after your overnight travel, so I had Ridley prepare your room. I’m sure it will be warm and comfortable for you.”
Rosalind had not instructed Ridley to do anything of the sort, but she saw him dart from the corner of the room when she spoke.
“As much as I’d like to enjoy a bit of respite here in your humble home, I am here to get a report from Sir Devlin.
I will hear about your uncle’s disappearance from him as soon as possible.
I have no desire to stay here any longer than I need to, so I’ll not be wasting any time.
” Edward Kelley spoke as he looked down his nose at Rosalind.
Devlin entered the room, and before he could sit, Edward declared in his nasal voice that Rosalind suspected resulted from traveling in the cold all night, “Sir Devlin, I will hear your report on Lord Edmond’s disappearance post haste.
I will speak to you and only you in private as soon as you break your fast. I pray you have news that will satisfy our king.
And because I have not seen him yet, I assume he is either still missing or dead, so I’m desperately eager to hear the results of your investigation.
” The clerk then turned to Rosalind. “Lady Rosalind, do you mind leaving us? If you are finished with your meal, of course.”
Rosalind was not fooled by his civil tone. He only did so because Devlin had come to the table. This man wasn’t pleased about the task he was ordered to complete, and he obviously felt she was beneath him. But she wouldn’t let him rile her.
“Of course, Mr. Kelley. You and Sir Devlin have the room.” She stood, relieved and ready to exit, and gave each man a polite nod as she took her leave.
****
Once Rosalind rounded the corner to the kitchen, Kelley turned to Devlin and addressed him without preamble.
“I don’t need to remind you that the king is feeling quite insecure at this time.
The threat from Cromwell and the Parliamentarians grows with each passing day as their popularity grows.
Edmond provided King Charles with valuable information, and he now questions the loyalty of many of those he once considered staunch allies. So tell me, man, where is Sir Edmond?”
Devlin took a deep breath. “In short, Sir Edmond lies in the barn. He is dead, and he has been for quite some time.”
Edward Kelley sat in silence for a moment. “Continue.”
“Upon our arrival, we were shocked to find that only six people live here at the manor. Lady Rosalind, a cook, Edmond’s manservant, and three children.”
“The children, are they Edmond’s bastards or Lady Rosalind’s?”
Devlin explained that the children were neither but were the children of servants who had passed away years prior.
Accepting Devlin’s explanation about the children, he inquired about Edmond’s men. “I, too, find it odd that Edmond’s guards are absent. Where did they go?”
“They left when Edmond could no longer pay them,” Devlin said flatly.
“From what I see here, Edmond didn’t spend his money on the upkeep of his home.
It is practically bare of any comforts, and what is here is worn and tired.
And the lady of the house dresses practically in rags.
I know the king compensated him for the information he provided, and he had funds from Lady Rosalind’s estate.
Why weren’t his guards paid? Where did the money go? ”
Devlin was relieved that Kelly had noticed the state of disrepair the manor was in.
And he was grateful that he noticed that Rosalind had not been afforded the luxuries of a lady of her title.
“He had a weakness for strong drink and spent too much time at the gaming tables. But I think I need to dig deeper to find the true reason his accounts were depleted. I think there was more going on than just losing at the tables.”
“And your reason for thinking this way?”
“On the first day after our arrival, I asked Lady Rosalind if Lord Edmond kept ledgers or records. She directed me to his study, and there I found what I expected to find. Lord Edmond carefully considered the rents he collected from the estate lands, the sale of some livestock, and a few other receipts. But then I also found another ledger that recorded debts he owed and those who owed him.”
“And do you know who he owed? Any of these men could have sought out Capell.”
“No, unfortunately, the ledgers had no names. Just a single initial is recorded next to a total.”
“And what of the debts? Were any of enough amount to justify the risk of killing one of the king’s loyal and trusted barons.”
“In my opinion, no,” Devlin stated with regret.
How easy it would have been if that were the case.
Edward Kelley stayed quiet for some time. And when he finally did reply, he posed a question that Devlin dreaded.
“And what of this Roland Kirkeby? His message to the king was quite, shall I say, passionate in his petition. He claims that Lord Capell owed him, and he didn’t get his payment due to some interference. What do you know of this?”
Devlin took another deep breath. He’d hoped that Kelley hadn’t spoken to Kirkeby or at least wasn’t aware of Roland’s claim to Lady Rosalind.
He knew he had to tell the truth about Roland’s claim, but he wasn’t going to implicate Ridley in any way.
Only Ridley and Capell knew that the contract proposal was drafted, and Ridley was the only one who knew that the document wasn’t actually sent.
And as far as he was concerned, Kelley didn’t need to know about the boy’s involvement.
“Kirkeby contends that he won Lady Rosalind in a card game.”