‘This dinner certainly is, and the goose was delicious.’
‘Alice, what is going on?’
‘Other than my eating entirely too much and wanting to sleep for three days, I don’t know what you mean.’
‘You do know what I mean because you did two things this evening—’
‘Only two?’
‘You have certainly never spent time with wool merchants or spinners before. Your projects have always involved the poor and less fortunate.’
But those poor and less fortunate wouldn’t get her into the home of a possible traitor.
‘I know that’s our sister Mary’s passion, but it’s not that I don’tlikethe business. It’s difficult not to have some concern—especially with Father’s severe lack of care.’ Alice lifted a shoulder. ‘Anyway, doesn’t my interest only confirm my dedication for possible suitors?’
Elizabeth tapped her chin. ‘As to those suitors... I noticed you ignoring someone the entire night.’
‘I thought you’d chastised me for giving Mitchell too much attention.’
‘You know who I mean.’
If she ignored her sister the conversation would only get worse. ‘Hugh? Of course I ignored him. I told you I am looking for a husband, and Hugh hardly suits.’
Elizabeth frowned. ‘You didn’t look at him once. You purposely avoided him. No one does that unless they want to talk to them.’
‘Your argument makes no sense,’ Alice scoffed, though she knew exactly what her sister meant. Every moment sitting next to Hugh had made her feel like wool on a distaff just waiting for the spindle to twirl and pull. ‘And I did talk to him once.’
‘Then quickly turned around,’ Elizabeth pointed out.
She had—like a dangling spindle with too much weight. ‘Don’t you have any duties other than spying on me?’
Alice immediately regretted her words. It wasn’t only the use of the word spy, it was because—
‘I know you too well, sister,’ Elizabeth interrupted. ‘When you prevaricate, you’re on the defensive. So what is it that you’re hiding?’
Chapter Seven
The morning air was crisp and cold with a heavy mist. Hugh didn’t care about the bite of the air or the swirls of icy wind that brushed against his tunic. What he did care about was the weight of his sword and the terrain around him as he faced Eldric.
It was madness, being out here at this time of day, in this kind of weather. The mud and frost-crusted earth made for dangerous footwork. But he revelled in the fact that Eldric hadn’t hesitated when he’d suggested it. He owed his friend retribution for last night.
He made a swift raising of his sword as Eldric swung down. The clatter was nothing to the reverberation arcing up his arms and stabbing down his back.
‘Quit!’ Eldric gasped.
Hugh shook his head. Eldric was a taller and broader man and, given the terrain today, Hugh was taking the full brunt of every blow. His shoulders ached as if he carried one hundred shields, the slightest weight had become excruciating.
Eldric was faring no better. His sword visibly pulled on his strength, its tip lowering with each of his breaths. Hugh knew he simply had to outlast him, and quickly.
He swiped his sword low, and Eldric missed the tip by stumbling back. Hugh took advantage by digging in his toes and swiping again.
He’d been a stumbling fool last night. A night at a dinner he never would have accepted if not for the amount of alcohol drowning out all his reason. In the light of day he could excuse himself, tell himself that he’d needed to keep up the facade of searching for the Seal.
But his ego shouldn’t have been anywhere near Alice last night.
On a surge of strength he thrust forward again, and again.
‘Enough!’ Eldric spread his unsteady arms wide and bowed his head to take gasps of breath.
