The king halted at the center of the room, folded his arms across his chest. “Due to the great value of the holy relic hidden below Latharn Castle, I decided to join Lord Dunsmore as he transported the artifact toAvalon Castle.”
Aiden cursed the answer he must give his king. He glanced at his wife, then back to the sovereign. “Sire, we found nay mention of the receipt of the holy relic from the Grand Master in the secret ledger. We have searched every tunnel and found naughtbut supplies.”
“If there is another chamber hidden below, Your Grace,” Gwendolyn added, nervousness sliding through her voice, “’tis one my father never disclosed.”
Aiden gave her hand a quick, supportive squeeze, then let go. “With your permission, Sire, I shall continue the search until ’tis found. Then, when I do, I shall personally deliver the artifact to Avalon Castle.” Body taut, he awaited his sovereign’s ire forhaving failed.
“’Tis here.” A grim yet confident smile touched the king’s mouth. “The writ I received from your father stated he had sent you a message with the location and instructions regarding it. Clearly, his missivenever arrived.”
She shook her head. “Nay, Sire. I received naught.”
“Regardless,” the king said, “I know where the artifact is hidden.”
“If you knew,” she said, confusion in her voice, “why did you not tell Aiden long ago, when you gavehim the task?”
A frown touched the sovereign’s brow. “I didna know then. A sennight after you departed, the monk who gave your father the last rites arrived at my camp. He explained that before your father died, when he hadn’t heard from you and, concerned the missive he had sent to you somehow had been lost, he revealed the location of the secret vault to him and asked that the information be delivered to me.” King Robert paused. “Given my travels during my campaign to claim Scotland, a quest that has taken the monk several months to achieve.” He paused. “Lady Gwendolyn, bring me the gold key with theTemplar Cross.”
She frowned. “Key? I… There isna such, Your Grace.”
The king grimaced. “I see you havena opened the pouch sealed with a gold filigree cord I gave you after you wed. Bringit to me now.”
Frantic eyes moved to Aiden before shifting to the monarch. “I—”
“Sire, Lady Gwendolyn had me place the key in a safe place. I will be but a moment.” Aiden winked at her ashe strode off.
She watched him in disbelief. Incredible to think that after all their efforts over the past weeks, there was another secret to be found.
A short while later, he reentered the solar, the satchel in his hand.
“Give it to Lady Gwendolyn,” the king instructed.
Her fingers trembled as she accepted the velvet sack, then loosened the ornate cord. She withdrew, and then unrolled, a delicate swath of copper silk. Amazement widened her eyes as she lifted the key. Within the stream of sunlight, an emerald centered at the apex lay a glittering prism across her hand. “’Tis beautiful,” she breathed.
“Aye,” the king said with pride. “More important, it unlocks a secret, the identity none but the Templars can ever know of. Come; I will show you where the vault is hidden. Once we have removed the holy relic, Lord Dunsmore andI will depart.”
* * * *
As the setting sun lingered on the horizon, pride surged through Aiden as he watched the king, Lord Dunsmore, and their contingent ride east along the shore.
As they rounded the bend, the faint whinnies of horses carried on the breeze as the army faded from view, and his gaze dropped to their tracks etched in the sand. With each new wave that smoothed the beach, their passage disappeared.
Memories of the gold-plated chest they’d removed from the secret hiding place rolled through his mind, still overwhelmed by the moment he’d first seen the gilded trunk. One described in the Book of Exodus as containing the Tablets of Stone on which the Ten Commandments were written.
The awe on Gwendolyn’s face, and the king’s, and Stephan’s, had matched his own. With care, they had secured the sacred container within a larger, plain chest, and then the king and Stephan had departed with the treasure.
“I still canna believe the key to unlock the secret vault was in the velvet sack,” Gwendolyn said, her voice filled with wonder. “To think, I tossed away such a treasure because of my foolish anger. Thank God you retrieved myfather’s gift.”
Aiden smiled and entwined his fingers with hers. “You were angry. I had planned to return the king’s gift to you, but between battle preparations, my recovery, and the castle repairs, the pouchwas forgotten.”
Pewter-gray eyes warmed. “I thank you for being so thoughtful. I am blessed to have such a husband.”
He kissed each fingertip, then her palm. “’Tis I who is blessed. I love you, Gwendolyn. You are a wonderful woman, one of strength and wit, with a kind heart.” Aiden drew her against him, tipped up her chin. “Months ago, at the wedding of Thomas MacKelloch, a Templar and a close friend, I insisted a woman and a family are not my desire. That I preferred the lifeof a warrior.”
A smile teased her mouth. “And now?”
His heart swelled as he drew her against him. “Now I think differently.” He crushed his lips upon hers before easing his mouth away and nipping along the soft curve of her jaw. Her soft gasps heated his blood as their gazes met. “It took me too long to acknowledge I had fallen in love, but now I canna exist without you.”
A blush slid up Gwendolyn’s cheeks. “I have a confession tomake as well.”
