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“And after that, there were two courses of –”
“That’s enough,” snapped Conrad. “If I want a report on every morsel of food served, I’ll go down to the kitchen and ask the cook myself. Willow, open the door,” Conrad called out, knocking again. When no one answered, he entered the room to find it empty. “Damn,” he spat. “I’ve missed them. Were they in the great hall for the meal?”
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so,” answered Toby. “Of course, when the servers came out with tray after tray of sweetmeats, cakes, fruit, cheese and even frumenty pudding, I have to admit I could focus on naught else.”
Conrad salivated at the mention of all the food he’d missed while he slept. His stomach growled. He was so hungry he felt as if he could eat a horse. It angered him almost as much as the fact that Willow had snuck out without him.
“Come on, we’ve got to get down to the courtyard and try to find them.”
After an hour of searching for the girls and not finding them anywhere, Conrad finally got his answer from a young man named Branton that happened to be Lord Beaufort’s page.
“I saddled horses for Lady Willow and Lady Hazel early this morning,” said the boy with a nod of his head. “They left well over an hour ago but have yet to return.”
“Left?” asked Conrad. “What do you mean, left? They can’t have left the castle walls. I informed every guard on duty not to let Lady Willow leave here.”
Branton smirked at hearing this.
“Why do you laugh?” asked Conrad, sternly.
“Because Lady Willow always leaves the castle unescorted.”
“Unescorted? The women were by themselves?” The thought was unsettling. It was so dangerous for women to be outside the castle walls without a man to protect them.
“Aye, said Branton. “I offered to go with them, but Lady Willow said they wanted to go for a ride with the wind blowing through their hair. She said I would only slow them down.”
“Wind through their hair? Willow is exposing my innocent sister to the ways of a harlot, I swear. How could this have happened?” Conrad paced back and forth in the courtyard. “They can’t have gotten past the guards.”
“They took the horses out the old postern gate. That’s what Lady Willow and her cousins always do to avoid being seen exiting the castle.”
“Egads, this is awful. Toby, saddle our horses, we’ve got to go look for them, anon.”
“I wouldn’t worry. They’ll be back shortly,” said Branton.
“How do you know that? Did they tell you where they were going?” Conrad drilled the boy with questions.
“Well, nay, but I can guess. I’m sure they went to the secret garden. That’s always where they end up.”
“Secret garden? What secret garden and where is it?”
“It was the garden of an old woman named Imanie who died last year.”
“Why in heaven’s name would she go there? Especially since the old hag is dead.”
“I’m not supposed to say anything, but . . .” Branton looked around and then leaned forward and continued to speak in a whisper. “You know, Willow is one of the chosen ones by the late Queen Philippa.”
“Chosen? Chosen for what? What in God’s name are you talking about?” asked Conrad.
“She was their grandmother. The queen that is.”
“I know that. Tell me something I don’t know because you are trying my patience.”
“The queen started a secret society of women called the Followers of the Secret Heart.”
“Now I know you are making this up because it is the most outrageous story I’ve ever heard in my life. There is no such group and certainly not with women.” He reached out and gripped the boy by the front of his tunic. “I’ll teach you not to lie to me again.”
“Sir Conrad, do not hurt my page because he tells the truth.” The Earl of Rothbury walked across the courtyard to join them.
“I’m sorry, Lord Beaufort, but I find this whole idea of a secret group of women preposterous.”
