“No,” Elora overrode. “Sarah will remain. I think it unwise to be alone in a room with you.”
“Me?” Osmont echoed, his eyebrows rising. “I am your cousin. I would bring no harm to you.”
“You already have.” She turned her head to display her temple to him.
He stiffened. “I did not do that.”
“You pushed me against the wall in your hurry to get to Sir Julian.”
Osmont’s lips thinned and tightened. “Perchance, it helped your addled brain. What were you doing with him?”
“It is not your concern.”
“But it would be your brother’s concern.”
Elora lifted her chin defiantly. “Have you come to threaten me?”
“No.” He took a deep breath and moved toward her. Sarah waited near the open door.
“I’m surprised you didn’t immediately go to Edward,” Elora observed.
“How do you know I didn’t?”
“Because he would be here instead of you.”
Osmont’s eyes shifted to the cut on the side of her head. “I had intended to go to him, yes. But then I thought it better served me not to tell him. Yet.”
Tingles of trepidation danced along the nape of her neck, and her eyes narrowed. “Yet?” she echoed.
He stalked to the window and stared out over the darkening landscape. He put his hands behind his back. “I thought the situation over. I’m certain you should not have been with such a hedge-born. It is disgraceful.” He inhaled and slowly turned to her. “But… perhaps there is a way we can remedy this.” He ran a finger over his slick black mustache as he approached her. He stared down, towering over her.
Elora lifted her chin. She took deep breaths to remain calm.
Finally, he licked his lips and lowered his head closer to her. “I want you to find a way I can defeat him.”
She reared back, disgusted. “What?”
“Go to him. Tomorrow morning, before you break your fast. Get him to tell you something.” He spread his fingers. “Anything. Something I can do to knock him from his horse. Do that for me, and I will not tell Edward.”
She frowned furiously and waved him away dismissively. “You’re mad!”
“I will meet you tomorrow before I joust. You will tell me what you’ve learned.”
“I would never do that for you. No honorable knight would ask for that. Find your own way to defeat him.”
Osmont shook his head slowly. “As you wish. It is your decision. I shall do my utmost to cast you in a favorable light when I tell Edward of your rendezvous.”
“It was not a rendezvous!”
“It certainly looked like one. What other explanation could there be? You’ve always been rather…” His shrewd stare raked over her. “…Shameless.”
Elora clenched her teeth. She wanted to hit him. She wanted to command him to leave. But doing either would only enhance his determination to tell Edward.
He retreated to the door.
Sarah stood aside, pulling away from him as if he had leprosy.
Panic flared inside Elora, and her gaze flitted around the room as if searching for a solution. She could find Edward and tell him the truth before Osmont reached him, which was the logical thing to do. She wrung her hands. She had promised Edward she would not leave her room. He would never understand. She didn’t even understand herself. Instead of saying goodbye to Julian, she had told him she would picnic with him on the morrow! She chewed her lip, swiveling to Sarah. How could she betray Julian for Osmont? But given the circumstances, how could she not?
