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“And he you?”

Another brief nod.

“Ah, what a man,” Adalia said in appreciation.

Elizabeth glanced at her in surprise. But at another clash of swords, she gave her full attention to the sword fight—and watched in awe at the demonstration John gave. He moved with a speed difficult to see, thrusting, cutting, parrying away his opponent’s sword before it came anywhere near him. Bannaster’s glee gradually faded as a look of concentration came over him.

Wringing her hands together, Elizabeth glanced at Philip, who was still on his knees, held at each elbow by a soldier. All three of them seemed engrossed in the combat.

John stepped away again. Bannaster was breathing heavily, but John looked barely winded. He only smiled with confidence as Bannaster tried to hide his anger.

“You have been at Alderley for many days now,” Bannaster said. “You have yet to even see Lady Elizabeth.”

“I don’t need to see her to know she needs my help,” John parried Bannaster’s sword away as if a child swung it. “Can you not find a woman without having to imprison her?”

“She’s being kept safe, not imprisoned.”

John laughed without humor. “I don’t think she’d agree with you.”

Once more Elizabeth looked at Philip—but he was gone, the two soldiers who’d been holding him left groaning in a heap. No one else seemed to notice, so she quickly looked back at the sword fight.

But…how could this possibly end? John couldn’t very well kill Bannaster—he was a viscount, and the king’s cousin, who’d just appealed quite legally to the king in a matter both men were involved in. They could not fight to the death, as if hundreds of years of civilization had not passed.

If Bannaster put John back in the dungeon, this time there would be guards. The League could not so easily provide aid.

Yet John was obviously the stronger, more skilled swordsman. She found herself wishing she could have seen him win those tournaments in Europe.

Perhaps Alderley could host a tournament. John could⁠—

What was she thinking? John could die right now—or he could marry her and go off on his adventures like before. And she’d convinced herself that that’s what she’d always wanted.

But she found she couldn’t imagine being separated from him, even if it meant she had to share the management of Alderley with him.

But would he want to remain with her? Once they’d slept together, perhaps he’d tire of her. She couldn’t imagine tiring of his kisses and caresses, but he was a man of the world—he had had lovers before her.

She had to stop distracting herself. Two men might be battling to the death over possession of her. Each wanted the biggest share for himself. She knew she was just the newest toy for Bannaster, but what was she to John?

A great cry went up from the spectators, and all fell back as Bannaster began to chase John. John jumped up on a table and went running down it, vaulting to the floor at the far end, closest to the doors. Suddenly, she saw Philip there, and he looked dramatically shocked to find himself in the midst of soldiers. He dove back into the center of the great hall, and a great mass of men followed him as he led them on a chase to the far end, and through the corridor.

Leaving the entrance to the great hall free of men.

John suddenly swept into a bow, though a table separated Bannaster and him. Then he turned and left the castle.

He’d made a fool of Bannaster with his skill, but no one had gotten hurt, not even a scratch.

“Seize him!” shouted Bannaster, as he went running to the doors.

But many of the soldiers had followed Philip, who was probably leading them on a merry chase through the castle. The others had been caught off guard by John’s unexpected retreat. By the time they followed their lord to the inner ward, Elizabeth had no doubt that John would be gone. She went to the doors and leaned against the frame, watching the commotion in the ward below, as soldiers picked their way between carts and horses, dogs and chickens.

She stared at the gatehouse, feeling almost lost.

John was gone.

How could he possibly return? Bannaster knew who he was—everyone would recognize his face. The danger to John would be too great.

Elizabeth hugged herself, feeling the strangest urge to cry.

And Adalia was there again, standing beside her. “Will ye be all right?”