Read Online Where Love Has Gone by Flora Speer - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Flora Speer
Ads: Link
another day, I think,” Desmond
said, careful to show no sign of annoyance with his host. “Two days
more, at most.”
“Why so long?” demanded Lord Bertrand,
frowning at him. “Have you found some indication of where Aglise
has gone? I cannot think you have; my men-at-arms overlooked
nothing. I supervised their search, myself.”
“You were most thorough, which is surely why
we are unable to detect any sign of Lady Aglise,” said Cadwallon.
When Lord Bertrand swiveled in his seat to glare at his other
guest, Cadwallon continued, “We have, after all, merely been
following in your careful footsteps, my lord. Since we have so far
uncovered no trace at all of Lady Aglise, and if the last few
people to whom we want to speak can offer no suggestions for
further investigation, then we must conclude that she has departed
from Jersey, just as you and Lady Benedicta have said from the
first.”
“But -” Elaine must have seen the slight
shake of his head that Desmond gave her, for she stopped whatever
she was going to say.
“Speaking for myself,” Cadwallon went on,
extending his smile from his host to Lady Benedicta, “I will be
grateful if Desmond and I reach King Henry’s court to find Lady
Aglise ensconced there, with all the squires and young knights
tripping over themselves to dance attendance on her. Everyone does
say she is wondrously lovely. Despite the distress her unexplained
absence has caused to her sister, and to you, my gracious lord and
lady, I think we will all be happy at such a conclusion.”
“Certainly, we will,” said Lady Benedicta,
though her mouth was hard and the glance she bestowed on Cadwallon
was cool.
“We do appreciate your generous hospitality,”
Cadwallon said, continuing his pretense of bland cheerfulness.
“We’ll not intrude upon it longer than we must. My lord, if you
will grant us two more days in which to complete the thorough
search Royce commanded us to make, then we will depart and you’ll
not see us again, unless we have the pleasure of meeting you and
your lady at court, at some future time.”
“Two days, then,” Lord Bertrand agreed. “I’ll
not countermand my old friend, Royce’s, orders. But, what of the
ship that brought you here? Isn’t it supposed to reach Gorey Harbor
on a particular day?”
“I believe the Daisy is presently
berthed in Normandy, at Lessay,” Desmond spoke up, unwilling to
leave all the arrangements to Cadwallon, though the two of them had
agreed in advance on how they would handle Lord Bertrand. Desmond
was beginning to see how useful Cadwallon could be when he employed
his lazy, cheerful manner. No one would suspect such a slow-witted
fellow of devious motives, not even when he invoked the powerful
name of Lord Royce. Still, in spite of his comrade’s deceptive
cleverness, Desmond was in charge of the mission and he didn’t want
Cadwallon to forget it. “We can send a message to Captain Piers by
way of one of the fishing boats, asking him to sail here and lay
just off Gorey Harbor until we signal our readiness to leave.”
“Yes, that makes sense.” Lord Bertrand
nodded. “You shall have your two days, though what you will do with
them, I cannot imagine.”
“My lord,” Ewan said to Cadwallon as soon as
the men and their squires were back in their guest chamber, “I
believe I’ve learned something important this evening.”
“You mean, you deliberately overheard it,”
Richard accused. “You were listening outside the armory door. I saw
you.”
“We are supposed to listen to anything that
might provide helpful information,” Ewan defended himself with some
heat.
“What did you hear?” Desmond asked. He held
up one hand to silence what would certainly be further criticism
from Richard.
“There’s a tale being whispered around the
castle that Lady Aglise was deeply involved with a man,” Ewan
revealed. “ Very deeply involved, if you understand me, my
lord. I’d rather not repeat the scandalous
said, careful to show no sign of annoyance with his host. “Two days
more, at most.”
“Why so long?” demanded Lord Bertrand,
frowning at him. “Have you found some indication of where Aglise
has gone? I cannot think you have; my men-at-arms overlooked
nothing. I supervised their search, myself.”
“You were most thorough, which is surely why
we are unable to detect any sign of Lady Aglise,” said Cadwallon.
When Lord Bertrand swiveled in his seat to glare at his other
guest, Cadwallon continued, “We have, after all, merely been
following in your careful footsteps, my lord. Since we have so far
uncovered no trace at all of Lady Aglise, and if the last few
people to whom we want to speak can offer no suggestions for
further investigation, then we must conclude that she has departed
from Jersey, just as you and Lady Benedicta have said from the
first.”
“But -” Elaine must have seen the slight
shake of his head that Desmond gave her, for she stopped whatever
she was going to say.
“Speaking for myself,” Cadwallon went on,
extending his smile from his host to Lady Benedicta, “I will be
grateful if Desmond and I reach King Henry’s court to find Lady
Aglise ensconced there, with all the squires and young knights
tripping over themselves to dance attendance on her. Everyone does
say she is wondrously lovely. Despite the distress her unexplained
absence has caused to her sister, and to you, my gracious lord and
lady, I think we will all be happy at such a conclusion.”
“Certainly, we will,” said Lady Benedicta,
though her mouth was hard and the glance she bestowed on Cadwallon
was cool.
“We do appreciate your generous hospitality,”
Cadwallon said, continuing his pretense of bland cheerfulness.
“We’ll not intrude upon it longer than we must. My lord, if you
will grant us two more days in which to complete the thorough
search Royce commanded us to make, then we will depart and you’ll
not see us again, unless we have the pleasure of meeting you and
your lady at court, at some future time.”
“Two days, then,” Lord Bertrand agreed. “I’ll
not countermand my old friend, Royce’s, orders. But, what of the
ship that brought you here? Isn’t it supposed to reach Gorey Harbor
on a particular day?”
“I believe the Daisy is presently
berthed in Normandy, at Lessay,” Desmond spoke up, unwilling to
leave all the arrangements to Cadwallon, though the two of them had
agreed in advance on how they would handle Lord Bertrand. Desmond
was beginning to see how useful Cadwallon could be when he employed
his lazy, cheerful manner. No one would suspect such a slow-witted
fellow of devious motives, not even when he invoked the powerful
name of Lord Royce. Still, in spite of his comrade’s deceptive
cleverness, Desmond was in charge of the mission and he didn’t want
Cadwallon to forget it. “We can send a message to Captain Piers by
way of one of the fishing boats, asking him to sail here and lay
just off Gorey Harbor until we signal our readiness to leave.”
“Yes, that makes sense.” Lord Bertrand
nodded. “You shall have your two days, though what you will do with
them, I cannot imagine.”
“My lord,” Ewan said to Cadwallon as soon as
the men and their squires were back in their guest chamber, “I
believe I’ve learned something important this evening.”
“You mean, you deliberately overheard it,”
Richard accused. “You were listening outside the armory door. I saw
you.”
“We are supposed to listen to anything that
might provide helpful information,” Ewan defended himself with some
heat.
“What did you hear?” Desmond asked. He held
up one hand to silence what would certainly be further criticism
from Richard.
“There’s a tale being whispered around the
castle that Lady Aglise was deeply involved with a man,” Ewan
revealed. “ Very deeply involved, if you understand me, my
lord. I’d rather not repeat the scandalous
Similar Books
