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“Never knew what? Spit it out. I have things to do.”
“It’s about the boy,” said the bishop.
“Ricker?” asked Sir Gregory, draining the cup and placing it back down. “What about him?”
“It seems Lady Catherine didn’t want you to know.”
“Know what? Tell me before I choke it out of you.”
“Ricker is not your son. He is the son of Sir Jacob Quincey, my lord.”
Maira gasped when she heard this. Sir Gregory looked up at the wall. She stepped back and covered the hole, hoping he hadn’t heard her. She waited a few minutes and when she uncorked the hole in the wall again, the bishop was gone and in his place was the High Sheriff’s right-hand man, Delbert.
“What is it, my lord?” asked Delbert.
Ricker was still in the cage but it looked as if he were sleeping.
“The Bishop of Durham has just brought to my attention that Ricker isn’t my son, but instead the son of Sir Jacob Quincey.”
“Ah, that is unfortunate, my lord.” The guard turned and looked at Ricker in the cage. “Did you want me to do away with the lad?”
Maira bit her tongue and held her hand over her mouth. Had she just heard him correctly?”
“Nay, not the boy. I need an heir if I’m to keep Durham Castle. But I cannot take the chance that anyone knows the truth of whose son he is.”
“You know you can count on me. I’ll never say a word.”
“I know. You are the only one I can trust. Now, what I need you to do is to get rid of the bishop.”
Once again, Maira had to use all her control not to cry out.
“Shall I hang him the way I did the last bishop?”
“Nay. I am thinking a blade to the heart this time.”
“I’ll take care of it right away, my lord.”
“Nay, you won’t. We’ll wait for Jacob to arrive first.”
“I don’t understand, High Sheriff.”
“What better way to make sure I get rid of him forever? He has been a boil on my neck for too long. I want him framed again. When he shows up in his feeble attempt to attack me, kill the bishop – but with this.” He tossed the jeweled dagger to the guard.
“Why this?” asked the guard.
“Because, I am going to make it known that Jacob has stolen my wife’s dagger.”
“I thought Lady Maira had this,” said the guard, inspecting the blade.
“She did. But then she left the castle walls and returned it to Jacob.”
“She did? Then why do you have it?”
“Keep up, you simpleton,” said Sir Gregory, slapping the man on the side of the head. “It’s the story we’re using and I want it spread throughout the castle immediately. As soon as Jacob attacks, bring the bishop and kill him with the dagger and then shout out that Jacob did it.”
“As you wish, my lord.”
Once the guard and the High Sheriff left the room, Maira stuck the cork back into the wall and made her way to the kitchen. Slipping inside, she found Cleo and motioned for the woman to join her.
“What is it, my lady?” Cleo kept an eye on the door for the High Sheriff.
“Things are worse than we thought,” explained Maira, revealing what she’d learned to the cook, wondering how she was going to proceed. So many lives were in danger and Maira wasn’t sure she could protect them all. This was a horrible situation and someone was sure to die before it was all over.
