Page 95 of The Knight’s Reward

You must accept Lady Alina. Kathryn wishes for you to do so.

Neill dismounted and handed his reins to a stable boy.

“Pardon, my lord.”

He turned, knowing that voice.

“Morley!”

He grasped arms with the only man who had beaten him in the joust in the King’s Tournament, the annual event held during summer solstice attended by the best knights in England and beyond. Neill had been named champion the following year, but still remembered the hit this man had given him.

Sir Kenton Morley was also a borderer, so Neill had a fondness for the earl’s son.

“Are you lost?” he asked, knowing Morley’s aversion to the south.

Morley laughed. “Of sorts. My father sent my brother and me here to petition the king, once again.”

“I can likely guess. This is over Derrickson land, is it not?”

“Aye.”

The Morleys and Derricksons had been fighting for years over property, something that should have been decided by the border line drawn in the Treaty of York.

Morley lowered his voice. “My father attended the council and told us of your intervention. I’ve also heard the Scottish king has renewed his pledge of fealty.”

Neill watched as Aylmer followed the boy into the stables. His friend would bring his horse into the hall if he could and trusted few with his keeping. The boy was about to get an earful.

Smiling, he gave his attention back to Morley.

“He has.”

Neill knew what Morley’s next question would be, and he dreaded having to answer it.

“So it is done? Caxton will be removed?”

He was prepared to say aye but stopped and spoke the truth instead.

“The king granted my request with a condition, one I did not share with the council.”

If Morley was confused by the confidence, Neill was no less so. Why was he sharing his story with a relative stranger? He had no true answer for that, and yet it felt good to be honest.

“My marriage to Lady Alina deBeers.”

Morley cleared his throat. “I don’t know a deBeers.”

Neill continued. “Since that time, I have fallen in love with another woman. The king was not pleased—”

“You told him?” Morley tsked and shook his head.

“Aye. And he gave me three days to set a date for my betrothal to Lady Alina, or Caxton will remain as warden.”

“He would risk the continuance of our upheaval? I understand why his father was pledged to Caxton,” Morley said, lowering his voice, “but surely Edward is not so indebted.”

“Lord Caxton’s bribes bring him coin when it’s needed most.”

“So what do you plan to do?”

Aylmer made his way toward them.