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“On the contrary,” said Jacob, running a hand over his chin in thought. “She might be exactly what I need to get inside the castle. If luck is on my side, perhaps I can even get her to fight with us.”
“Against her betrothed?” asked Will.
“She doesn’t want to marry the man. I’m sure of it. This could be our lucky break.”
“But what are you going to do? You’d have to get inside the castle to talk to her.”
“Then that is what I’ll do. I’ll wear a disguise, looking like a peasant and hole up near the gates with the beggars. Then when I see her, I’ll come up with some excuse to get inside.”
“I don’t like this. It’s too risky.” Will frowned. “Why don’t you just forget the whole idea?”
“I’m not going to be able to attack if she is in there with her cousin. If anything happens to them, I’ll never forgive myself.”
“But you don’t even know her, my lord.”
“Well, I hope to change all that soon.”
Jacob looked down the road that led to the castle and wondered how the hell he was going to convince a woman who hated him to be on his side.
* * *
“Morag, hurry up,”said Maira, standing watch at the door of their chamber the next morning. “Branton has already taken our trunks to the stable. If we want to get out of here before the High Sheriff awakes, we have to move fast.”
Morag yawned and stretched, taking her time putting on her shoes. She wasn’t one to awake before the sun, and normally liked to sleep right through the first meal if she could.
“Maira, ye are daft if ye think the High Sheriff is goin’ to let us just ride right out the gate. He’s goin’ to stop us and then we’ll be punished again.”
“You don’t want to stay here, do you?”
“Of course no’, ye ken that.”
“Then less with the talking and more with the moving. The corridor is empty. Now is our chance.” She ran back and took Morag by the hand, pulling her to the door as Morag grabbed her cloak along the way. Then Maira dragged her along as they hurried down the corridor. “If we’re quiet, we can sneak past the great hall and out to the stables without anyone seeing us. Put up your hood.”
“Aye,” said Morag with a yawn, pulling her hood over her head. “What about ye, Maira? Ye should cover yer head, too.”
“I will.”
When Maira lifted her hood over her head, Morag made a face. “Where is yer crown, Maira?”
“Oh, no.” Maira’s hand flew to her head. “I forgot it in the room. Go to the stable and I’ll meet you there. Now hurry!”
Maira rushed back to the room to retrieve her crown that she had placed on the shelf the night before. “I’ll not be foolish enough to leave this for the greedy man.” After putting the crown on her head, she pulled up her hood and made her way back down the corridor.
Along the way, she had to stop several times and wait in the shadows as some of the High Sheriff’s men passed by. Finally, she made it to the courtyard. Rushing into the stable, she found Branton helping Morag up to the bench seat of the wagon. She headed in their direction and was about to call out when she saw the High Sheriff enter the stable.
“And where are you off to so early this morning?” he asked Morag and Branton.
Maira stopped in the shadows and watched, not sure what to do.
“We’re goin’ . . . out for a ride,” said Morag.
“Really?” Sir Gregory made his way to the back of the wagon and peered over the edge. “With your trunks? You were leaving Castle Durham, weren’t you?” he asked.
Maira flinched. The man had caught them and if she didn’t do something quickly, he was going to punish them again.
“Aye, they are leaving,” she said, stepping out to make her presence known.
“Lady Maira?” The man scowled at her. “You were going to leave Castle Durham, too, weren’t you? After all, we are betrothed and leaving here would break the alliance. That would be punishable with a spell in the dungeon for both you and your friends.”
