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with so many witnesses. Witnesses who could not be bought, for he had no doubt that Salisbury’s men would be loyal to him. Men such as Salisbury demanded such loyalty, as if it were their birthright.
    Still, he would think on it.
    “Will the morning be soon enough for you to leave?” Salisbury asked. Renauld could tell by his tone that he was not looking forward to the company either.
    He thought for a moment. He needed time…time to prepare.
    “First light?” he said finally.
    “Agreed,” Salisbury replied, and took his leave without another word.
    Renauld watched him go. Salisbury possessed an air of confidence that irked him to the core. It always had, from the time Peter showed up with that whelp de Remy beside him and then challenged Renauld to a fight. Unfortunately, the challenge was issued in front of witnesses and, even more unfortunately, the fight had been with fists instead of weapons.
    It had been difficult to determine a winner; both were giving as good as they got. They kept it up until Lord Allan pulled them apart and sent Salisbury on his way. After that, de Remy was not nearly as malleable as before, although Renauld did his best to make the youger squire pay for his insolence. Especially after he realized Rhys wasn’t going to say a word about his accidental fall that day on the bridge.
    Perhaps he didn’t know Renauld had pushed him into the muddy torrent. But there were times when he caught the whelp staring at him…watching him…with those dark eyes of his that never showed fear or weakness. De Remy made sure he was never alone with Renauld after that day. Until Renauld was sent back to his own estates to learn their management from his father’s steward before he was knighted.
    That was when Eliane came upon him. The bitch. She would pay, de Remy would pay, and Salisbury would pay.
    He smiled. He would have all his enemies together in one place. The king had thought to outsmart him, but instead he’d left him with one more move. One more brilliant move. One that required he send a message to Chasmore at once.
    Be prepared, Your Majesty…I am about to declare checkmate.

Chapter Seven
    R hys stretched mightily in the luxurious bed he’d been shown to the night before. He sighed in contentment and tossed a pillow at Mathias, who still slept heavily on a pallet before the fireplace. The lazy twit should have been up already and heated the water for his bath. They both should have been up hours ago, but the weariness of their journey had caught up with them.
    There had been no lady of the castle to greet them upon their arrival the night before. Neither Lord Edward nor his daughter was about. Whether they were asleep or missing, he was not told by the man-at-arms who allowed them entry. Rhys assumed that Lord Edward’s absence was due to his illness; still, the daughter should have appeared to welcome them.
    Granted, they’d come late, guided by the crescent moon and the innumerable stars that reflected off the ice-encrusted snow. As they’d entered, Han had waved lazily at them from a comfortable pallet in the main chamber. That their guide was warm and well fed was of some annoyance to Rhys, especially since they’d been in Han’s company early this morning. Why could they not have taken the same route as Han? Did the woman who’d threatened him with her bow in the forest have anything to do with Han’s warning of yester morn? And did the man ever take off that blasted cap? He even wore it as he slept.
    Mathias stirred and blinked heavily as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes.
    “Be up, lazabout,” Rhys said. “I require a bath, clean clothes, and food, preferably all served by someone more attractive than you.”
    Edward’s daughter mayhap? Rhys had to admit that his curiosity was piqued. Especially since she had not greeted them last night. It was part of the lady’s duties to greet guests, offer to bathe them and clothe them. Unless her deformity was such that she was unable