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He watched the table but could see no movement with so many sitting between them.

“If that happens,” he said without looking at her, “it means I am dead,” he answered honestly. “And will have taken at least some of them with me. I’ve a knife in the room that I want you to strap to your leg. If you’re taken, use it. Escape by any means necessary, Sabine. Imprisonment means death.”

He looked toward the men then back to his wife long enough to be sure she heard him.

Though Sabine lost color, she did not flinch. She nodded as if he’d asked if she would like for him to fill her mug with more ale.

“Do you understand?”

She didn’t have time to answer.

“Now!”

A serving girl was walking past their table, providing the perfect cover. He watched as Sabine did exactly as he had instructed, using the girl to hide her escape. Guy did not dare to move in any way until she was safely through the door that led to the second floor. Once she was gone, however, he moved quickly.

Using a variation of the trick he’d advised her to use, Guy hid behind a knight and made his way to the edge of the room, where he could see the king’s men more clearly. One of the men looked around the hall. Precisely what he’d expect him to do if he were here searching for someone.

Cursing de Chabannes under his breath, Guy prepared to defend himself. Although he had trouble believing the Frenchman would betray him without first hearing the terms he brought, he could think of no other explanation. Perhaps his former company leader had turned him in but not Sabine, although he couldn’t rely on that.

He would take the bald man first. He was the largest and most likely to cause real damage. Timely, as he was also the first to stand. His companions followed, and Guy unsheathed his sword as quietly as possible. He’d positioned it along the wall so as not to draw attention to his movements.

Either you kill all four of them or Sabine remains in danger.

Guy was ready.

When the men rushed forward all at once, he turned and nearly raised his sword to greet them. Except Guy belatedly realized they were rushing toward the door of the inn.

Not toward him.

“Lord Berkshire, you are—”

In the ensuing scuffle, Guy could not hear anything but shouts. From the king’s men? Lord Berkshire? Before long, both parties had stumbled through the door, the soldiers spiriting their prisoner off into the night.

Following them, Guy attempted to get past the crowd, and he managed to get close enough to see the men had already mounted, the unfortunate nobleman between them. Already whispers reached his ears.

“Not paying his taxes . . .”

“He comes here often. Good man . . .”

“They go too far to arrest such a man as Berkshire.”

“His only son killed at Bouvines.”

Guy had heard enough. With the king’s men well away from him, he made his way through the crowd once more, this time to get back inside.

To assure himself she was safe.

Chapter 26

Sabine paced back and forth as Guy and de Chabannes met belowstairs, the room as stifling today as it had been all week. Three days had passed since the incident. After the king’s men had come, and de Chabannes had failed to do so, she and Guy had agreed not to venture far. Which meant this room, the hall below, and the inn’s grounds had become quite familiar.

Much as she and Guy had become familiar with each other.

Though she still saw glimpses of the arrogant mercenary she’d first met, the Guy who had sat quietly by the fire telling her tales of tourneys and battles was very different. She’d commented on it one night as they supped in the hall.

“Which Guy Lavallais is true?” she had asked, not for the first time, after he grabbed her hand, pulling her up to dance as the fiddler launched into a lively tune.

“This one or the slightly arrogant one who spits at danger and swaggers through every hall as if it is his very own kingdom?”