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She could not pretend ignorance without looking like she deliberately lied. “Who—you mean Sir John Gravesend?”
He was watching her carefully as he nodded.
“But my lord, I have been working with him every day. Never once did he portray anything but a bailiff. Aye, he was once a knight, but he could not afford to remain one.”
“He’s been waiting for the right moment, using you to get to Lady Elizabeth.”
And that’s what he’d first been doing when he arrived at Castle Alderley, Elizabeth thought, feeling the threat of hysterical laughter.
“That cannot be true,” she said firmly.
“We’ve simply found him out before he had the chance. Now why don’t you tell us where he is. I understand you have spent the last several nights in his company.” Bannaster’s eyelids were half closed in sensual mockery.
“My lord, I do not—”
“We have found him, my lord!” a man cried.
Twenty-One
Elizabeth spun in her chair in time to see John and Philip dragged forward by two soldiers. Before she had more than a moment’s feeling of terror, John sent one to the floor and came up with his sword. The other soldier pulled Philip away and forced him to his knees.
There were shouts and screams as people backed away from the armed man. With a flick of his wrist, John cut the bindings of his splint, and it fell in pieces.
Bannaster had already surged to his feet. But instead of looking dismayed at John’s freedom, he wore a grin of triumph as he drew his own sword.
“Get back!” he shouted at his soldiers.
Why had she not noticed how many soldiers there were in the great hall at mid-morning? she thought desperately. Bannaster must have been lying in wait to surprise John.
“Russell,” Bannaster called, striding into the center of the great hall. “How good to finally meet you.”
There were gasps all around, and several people looked at Elizabeth, wide-eyed, betraying their knowledge of her identity. Luckily, Bannaster and Milburn were focused on John.
John circled slowly, his sword raised, keeping an eye all around him, even as he watched Bannaster warily.
“Nay, no one shall challenge you except myself,” Bannaster said. “It is only fitting, as we fight over a woman.”
“We fight not over a woman,” John shouted. “We fight over your unchivalrous treatment of my betrothed.”
Bannaster closed the gap between them, but still circled. “I am only righting your wrong. You left Lady Elizabeth alone for months.”
“I came the moment I heard,” John said, feinting forward with his sword.
Bannaster hopped nimbly to the side. “Ah, yes, how did it feel to discover that you were third choice?”
John smiled. “I am the youngest son. Being third comes naturally to me.”
“You will lose, you know,” Bannaster said, then slashed suddenly at John’s legs. “Why not just take the maidservant you already seem fond of?”
“I simply used the girl.”
Elizabeth gasped and tried to look outraged. Adalia walked to her side and put a comforting arm around her.
The two men finally crossed swords in a great blow that echoed through the hall. Both sprang away unharmed.
During the shouts and cheers, Adalia whispered, “Did ye know who he was?”
Elizabeth gave the slightest nod of her head.
