Page 52 of To Love

Chapter

Twenty-One

He opened Elara’s chamber door after the longest wait of his life. At least, it had felt as much. After not being with her last eve, and not seeing her all day since he had no Strategies lessons, Alden half expected the door not to open.

But it did.

“Sir Eamon?”

His swordmaster’s brows raised. “Were you expecting someone else?”

“Do not jest with him,” Elara called from her bedchamber. As Alden stepped inside, he watched as she handed Eamon a goblet as if she were the hostess of a grand ball. She certainly looked the part. Elara wore a gown he’d never seen her don before, and it looked lovely on her.

Bright green, its bodice fitting tightly with laces up the sides, its sleeves long and flaring, the gown was beautiful. Though not as beautiful as the woman who wore it.

He wanted to tell her how lovely she looked. And how he’d never felt quite so . . . out of place in her presence. Her gown, her stature, a reminder of how different their worlds were when not at Castle Blackwood.

“Here.” She handed him a goblet as well. “Come and sit. We’ve much to discuss.”

He did, though having Sir Eamon in the chamber, and Elara dressed as she was, gave the experience a different feel than had been their norm these past days.

“We’ve just arrived from Ashford Manor. I’d hoped I had not missed you. There was no way to get word to you without raising suspicions,” she said.

That explained the gown.

“Last eve,” she began, “after the meal, I sought out Eamon and shared our suspicions of the maid. We had been planning to initiate a false mission, to bait the traitor.”

“But if Stirling is involved, a shift in our plans was necessary,” Eamon finished, watching Alden closely.

“You know the man better than most,” Alden said. “Do you believe the instructor capable of such a thing?”

Clearly Eamon was disturbed by the possibility. He seemed to wrestle with his answer. “I’d not have thought it. Stirling is as passionate about our cause as anyone I know. I’ve never cared for his reservations about Lady Elara. He can be a hard man, difficult even, but a traitor?” Eamon frowned. “I am hopeful this ruse exposes rather than implicates him.”

“That he whispered something to the maid, one we’ve no evidence is involved . . .” Elara said. “It could mean nothing at all.”

“But you are not taking that chance,” Alden guessed.

“We are not,” Eamon said. “Yesterday morn, we received orders to send as many men as possible to Winchester within a sennight. Stirling had already planned to do so with a small contingency, one that now will include the majority of our men.”

“Using this information,” Elara said, “we suggested leaking this knowledge but changing locations from Winchester to Reading, another strategic location. In addition, we added an additional piece of false information, that Roland’s brother was privy to the upcoming battle and warned Roland not to go to Winchester.”

It was well-known Roland’s family did not support Matilda. Indeed, he had met his own brother on the battlefield not long ago.

“I know Roland and Darien are aware of the traitor’s presence.”

Alden had been staring into his wine. At that, his head shot up, looking straight to Elara. He’d not confessed that fact to her yet.

In response, she smiled, ever so slightly.

“You’ve not yet learned all that I have to offer,” she said.

She meant in terms of strategy, but Alden could have taken it a very different way. If Eamon were not present, he’d have said something else. Instead, he kept it innocent. “It appears not, my lady. How?” he asked simply.

“I had wondered, knowing how close you were to the men, if you may have told them but did not yet mention it to me. But now, I know for certain.” She turned to Alden. “So it seems we can speak with Roland freely so that he may be in on our ruse.”

Alden’s eyes widened. She hadn’t known. Elara and Eamon put this plan into place on her intuition alone?

“Alden, you will speak with him. Tell him to note any who ask, and especially if Stirling has a conversation with him about it. We must carefully track who spreads which piece of information.”