Swords and Shields (Reign of the House of de Winter) by Kathryn Le Veque

Caerlaverock, she sent us a message,” he said. “She told Uncle Eustace that her granddaughter is marrying intae the House of de Winter.”
    Arn was still very concerned with what he was being told but he wasn’t quite sure what John was driving at. “I ken that name,” he said. “They are great warriors. They fight for the Crown.”
    John nodded. “Aye,” he said. “Lady Mabelle says her granddaughter will help us with what information she can. She’s married intae the de Winter family tae spy on them.”
    Arn lifted his eyebrows in response. He had to admit that he was somewhat impressed by the news. “But why should the Frenchwoman help us?” he wanted to know. “This is the first I have heard of this Lady Mabelle, the wife of your grand-uncle Argyle. Eustace has kept this information close tae him.”
    John had a knowing expression on his weary features. “She has been helping me da and Uncle Eustace for some time now,” he said. “She is very rich with old French money. Ye know ‘tis old French money because Uncle Argyle was never a man of much wealth. Uncle Eustace said that Argyle married the Frenchwoman because he loved her. She must have loved him, too, because she’s still helping our cause. She hates the English as much as we do.”
    Arn was increasingly impressed by what he was being told. “She must hate them if she would sacrifice her own granddaughter by marrying her intae a Sassenach family simply tae spy on them,” he said. “But why would she hate them so much? What’s her motive, lad?”
    John raked his fingers through his short, red hair, a weary gesture. “Because Edward killed Uncle Argyle in battle years ago,” he said. “Mabelle has been hatin’ the Sassenach for many years, more than most. If she can destroy them, she will.”
    It made sense to Arn and to every man in the room. An old Frenchwoman avenging her Scots husband . Aye, every man in the room understood that motive implicitly and because they understood that motive so well, it instantly made the news John was delivering more trustworthy. Revenge was something every man in the chamber had experienced in their lives at one time or another.
    “So she has been waiting tae plant a spy close tae the king?” Arn asked, wondering on the woman’s plans that seemed to have taken a long time to come to fruition. “She marries her granddaughter tae a warlord close tae Edward and forces the girl tae spy?”
    “Mayhap she isn’t forced at all. Mayhap she hates the Sassenach like her grandmother does.”
    “’Tis possible,” Arn said. “But if she’s the daughter of East Anglia, then she’s Sassenach by birth.”
    That threw a bit of suspicion into the conversation, about this mysterious granddaughter who was English by birth yet seemed to be spying on her own countrymen. John simply shrugged at the speculation.
    “Uncle Eustace believes Lady Mabelle, so if ye doubt his faith, ye’ll have to tell him yerself,” he said, watching the expression of doubt flicker on Arn’s face. He knew the man would not contest the powerful Eustace Maxwell. “He says he’ll share her information with ye if ye vow to support him in fighting the Sassenach and help him regain Caerlaverock. What information Lady Mabelle sends us could affect us all, Arn. Uncle Eustace wants tae make sure he has yer support if he shares the information with ye.”
    Arn pushed aside any doubts he had; he reasoned that the lure of potentially life-changing knowledge from the Maxwell spy outweighed any suspicions he might have. “Tae ken what the Sassenach are up tae straight from the House of de Winter,” he said, speculating on the quality of the information they might receive, “we could meet Edward at every turn. We could have a fighting chance.”
    “That is what Uncle Eustace thinks.”
    Arn pondered what he’d been told a moment longer before looking to William. His big, bad-tempered brother was seemingly interested as well. Any intelligence