face.
“Naught. She asked for naught. Auld Bessie went to her while I hid. Auld Bessie asked her for the spell. I vow to you, she asked for naught.” Evie dashed the backs of her hands over her cheeks.
Xára turned to Ulna and raised a brow.
“I turned me back for a moment, milady.” Ulna snapped her fingers. “She was gone. Wicked, wicked girl. To go to—”
Xára shook her head violently and Ulna pressed her lips together. Evie had done well using auld Bessie to beg the favor. For Xára knew Magnhildur had sought to have Bessie make her womb fertile. Magnhildur would never refuse Bessie nor harm her.
She scribbled. Where did you find Magnhildur? When? Is Néill with her?
“Lady Xára.” Ghazi burst into the room. “You must come with us at once. The girl, too.”
What had happened? The frantic alarm in the warrior’s voice sent Xára’s pulse into a furious hammering.
“Why?” Evie stood arms akimbo. “Why must we come with you?”
Ulna scurried nearer to them.
“Earl Godfraid arrives anon. He sent a messenger ahead of him.”
Why would Godfraid warn them? She frowned and wrote in the sand, He comes alone?
Evie read her question.
Ghazi glanced at the tray and then to Evie. He frowned, but answered, “Nay, my lady. His messenger relates he is on his way to King Kenneth’s court. He travels with his men. You must prepare to greet him as chatelaine of Lathairn in Lord Dráddør ’s absence.”
Her insides rioted. She pressed a fist to her mouth. Néill and Magnhildur must travel with Godfraid. They had returned as they had promised. She had hoped never to see Néill or Magnhildur again.
How could she face the two of them? Be in the same chamber without emptying her stomach? When had she become such a quailing coward?
Ghazi motioned for her to stand. “You cannot refuse him.”
Nay. She could not. A refusal would give Godfraid an excuse to invade and none would fault him, not even the king. But she knew ’twas no chance arrival. Godfraid, Néill, and Magnhildur had chosen their timing well.
“We will not leave you alone with him. It is best that the girl and the nurse go to a room near to your mother’s.” Ghazi gestured for her to precede him.
Xára understood the man’s reasoning. Having all those he was sworn to protect in one spot made for an easier defense. She took a deep breath. ’Twas not the time to panic. All she needs do was to ensure neither Godfraid, Néill nor Magnhildur were ever alone with her, Evie, or Jennie. She would greet them and offer them hospitality, but fall sick before they could utter a word.
“I have guards at Lady Nyssa’s door. She sleeps. Do you wish me to wake her?”
Temptation dangled before her like the devil himself. What she wouldn’t give to have the fierce Nyssa at her side. But, nay. ’Twas her duty to protect Nyssa and ’twould be perfect if the queen slept until Lord Konáll returned.
Sweeping a glance around the turret, she decided to have this chamber prepared for Godfraid. With only one exit and entrance, it would be easy to track Godfraid’s movements.
Néill and Magnhildur she would put in the last chamber of the west wing. It was isolated and they could be watched surreptitiously.
Xára wrote her intentions.
Ghazi surveyed the room after reading her words. “Aye. ’Twill do well. ’Tis a shrewd plan. When you retire, I and others will stand guard o’er your chamber. We must make haste, my lady.”
With a quick nod, she rose, linked hands with Evie, and signaled for Ulna to walk with them. They followed the warriors down the steep stairs. When they reached the great hall, Xára glimpsed Arnfinn’s steward, Haakon, sitting at a table with a group of villagers. She halted, tugged on Ghazi’s arm, and pointed to Haakon.
The warrior’s forehead creased and then his brows relaxed. “Mayhap the steward can greet Earl Godfraid on your behalf?”
Xára hesitated. The lure of using Haakon as greeter proved irresistible even
“Naught. She asked for naught. Auld Bessie went to her while I hid. Auld Bessie asked her for the spell. I vow to you, she asked for naught.” Evie dashed the backs of her hands over her cheeks.
Xára turned to Ulna and raised a brow.
“I turned me back for a moment, milady.” Ulna snapped her fingers. “She was gone. Wicked, wicked girl. To go to—”
Xára shook her head violently and Ulna pressed her lips together. Evie had done well using auld Bessie to beg the favor. For Xára knew Magnhildur had sought to have Bessie make her womb fertile. Magnhildur would never refuse Bessie nor harm her.
She scribbled. Where did you find Magnhildur? When? Is Néill with her?
“Lady Xára.” Ghazi burst into the room. “You must come with us at once. The girl, too.”
What had happened? The frantic alarm in the warrior’s voice sent Xára’s pulse into a furious hammering.
“Why?” Evie stood arms akimbo. “Why must we come with you?”
Ulna scurried nearer to them.
“Earl Godfraid arrives anon. He sent a messenger ahead of him.”
Why would Godfraid warn them? She frowned and wrote in the sand, He comes alone?
Evie read her question.
Ghazi glanced at the tray and then to Evie. He frowned, but answered, “Nay, my lady. His messenger relates he is on his way to King Kenneth’s court. He travels with his men. You must prepare to greet him as chatelaine of Lathairn in Lord Dráddør ’s absence.”
Her insides rioted. She pressed a fist to her mouth. Néill and Magnhildur must travel with Godfraid. They had returned as they had promised. She had hoped never to see Néill or Magnhildur again.
How could she face the two of them? Be in the same chamber without emptying her stomach? When had she become such a quailing coward?
Ghazi motioned for her to stand. “You cannot refuse him.”
Nay. She could not. A refusal would give Godfraid an excuse to invade and none would fault him, not even the king. But she knew ’twas no chance arrival. Godfraid, Néill, and Magnhildur had chosen their timing well.
“We will not leave you alone with him. It is best that the girl and the nurse go to a room near to your mother’s.” Ghazi gestured for her to precede him.
Xára understood the man’s reasoning. Having all those he was sworn to protect in one spot made for an easier defense. She took a deep breath. ’Twas not the time to panic. All she needs do was to ensure neither Godfraid, Néill nor Magnhildur were ever alone with her, Evie, or Jennie. She would greet them and offer them hospitality, but fall sick before they could utter a word.
“I have guards at Lady Nyssa’s door. She sleeps. Do you wish me to wake her?”
Temptation dangled before her like the devil himself. What she wouldn’t give to have the fierce Nyssa at her side. But, nay. ’Twas her duty to protect Nyssa and ’twould be perfect if the queen slept until Lord Konáll returned.
Sweeping a glance around the turret, she decided to have this chamber prepared for Godfraid. With only one exit and entrance, it would be easy to track Godfraid’s movements.
Néill and Magnhildur she would put in the last chamber of the west wing. It was isolated and they could be watched surreptitiously.
Xára wrote her intentions.
Ghazi surveyed the room after reading her words. “Aye. ’Twill do well. ’Tis a shrewd plan. When you retire, I and others will stand guard o’er your chamber. We must make haste, my lady.”
With a quick nod, she rose, linked hands with Evie, and signaled for Ulna to walk with them. They followed the warriors down the steep stairs. When they reached the great hall, Xára glimpsed Arnfinn’s steward, Haakon, sitting at a table with a group of villagers. She halted, tugged on Ghazi’s arm, and pointed to Haakon.
The warrior’s forehead creased and then his brows relaxed. “Mayhap the steward can greet Earl Godfraid on your behalf?”
Xára hesitated. The lure of using Haakon as greeter proved irresistible even
Similar Books
