Bea’s features lighted with relief and her eyes seemed to glow with joy. He feared she might embrace him, so he held up hishand and said, “You may stay only until Wenna has her baby. Then youmustleave.”
“Oh, thank you, Ranulf!” Bea cried as if she hadn’t heard the last. “I knew you had a heart!”
Yes, he had a heart. A damaged one.
He began to back away. “You understand me, my lady? You may stay until Wenna has her child, and no longer.”
“Of course,” she said with another bright smile. “And in that time, I can help you in other ways, too.”
He took refuge behind sarcasm. “Should I expect to find you discussing the repairs with Merrick’s masons next? Or perhaps huddled with my garrison commander, planning the castle defenses?”
She didn’t look the least upset by his remarks. Instead, she laughed. “Nothing so practical, I’m afraid, Ranulf. But I can act as a sort of go-between between you and the villagers.
“Well, the women, anyway,” she clarified. “It isn’t only Wenna who wants to find out who killed Gawan. The other women want the guilty person caught, too, because they fear for their sons and husbands.”
“Then they think Gawan was deliberately killed?”
“Oh, yes, they seem quite certain of it.”
“If that’s so, and they’re worried, why don’t they tell me who they suspect?” he asked, thinking of the frustrating wall of silence that seemed to surround the village.
“I think they’d like to, but you’reyou, while I’m me, if you follow me.”
“Not precisely.”
“Women find it easier to confide in other women,” she said. “And not only are you a man, you represent their overlord and even the king. I don’t. Not directly, anyway. I’m much less intimidating.”
“Apparently not to cooks.”
She flushed. “He was very insolent.”
“Perhaps I should hire another cook,” he suggested, quite willing to do so if she agreed.
“There’s no need for that,” she replied. “Much has learned his lesson. But I don’t want to talk about the cook. Wenna told me something much more important. She said she told you about the Frenchman and how Gawan went to meet him, but she didn’t tell you…”
Bea hesitated, went to the door, checked the corridor, then closed it.
No matter what she had to say, shutting them in here alone wasn’t wise. Not wise at all.
Ifhewere wise, he’d run.
Unfortunately, Bea stood between him and the door.
CHAPTER EIGHT
BEA DIDN’T SEEMto realize what she’d done as she launched into her revelation. “What Wenna didn’t tell you was that the villagers are watching for the Frenchman’s ship and the moment a landing party comes ashore, they plan to attack them, perhaps even kill them. Then they’re going to scuttle the smugglers’ ship.”
Ranulf was no longer distracted by Bea’s proximity and the fact they were alone. “By themselves?”
“They’re very angry about Gawan,” she said as if that explained it all, and perhaps it did. “There’s a cove where the Frenchmen usually come ashore, and they’re watching it day and night.”
“Where is this cove?”
Bea shook her head. “I don’t know. Once Wenna said they were going to scuttle the ship, some of the other women got a bit…well, I gather they thought I’d already heard enough and regretted that I’d even heard that much.” Her eyes brightened with her usual enthusiasm. “Since I’m going to stay a little longer, maybe I can find out more.”
Maybe she could at that, Ranulf thought, and despite his reservations. “Any information would be welcome.”
She came closer. “Wenna will be even happier than I am to hear your decision about letting me stay, Ranulf. It’s been so difficult for her.”
