Page 9 of The Silent Songbird

“Where are you going?”

“Do not try to stop me. If you do, I shall kill myself before morning. I would rather die than marry Lord Shiveley.”

They were whispering as men milled around the inner bailey near where they stood.

“You foolish girl!” Muriel’s voice was bitter and her brows drew together, wrinkling her forehead. “Why can you not accept your fate as any other woman would?”

“Let me go.” A fierceness rose inside her. Evangeline pulled out of Muriel’s grasp.

“I am coming with you, then.”

Her words made Evangeline stop and look back. “No, Muriel. You cannot.”

“I will not let you get killed out in a world you know nothing of. I am coming.”

“You will cause me to be discovered. I can blend in better without you.” Evangeline tried to say whatever would be most likely to deter Muriel. Searching the bailey for the man and his companions, she saw some men just passing through the gate over the first moat.

“I must gonow. I cannot wait for you.” She blinked back tears at saying such a thing to her friend, but she was desperate.

Muriel only hesitated for a moment. “Let us go, then.”

Would Muriel alert the guard at the gate that the king’s ward was escaping? Would she get word back to the king where Evangeline was staying? Short of doing bodily harm to her friend and companion, she had little choice.

“Come then. But do not betray me.” Evangeline frightened herself with her passionately whispered words.

Muriel answered in her own harsh whisper, “If I wished to betray you, I would run back into the castle and tell the king what you are doing.”

“Hurry.” Evangeline hastened across the bailey. Her skirt was a bit too short for her tall legs, but that enabled her to move faster. Soon Muriel, with her shorter, heavier frame, was huffing and puffingbehind her. Evangeline pushed forward, as the men had already exited the gate.

The main gate on the other side of the double moat was guarded by four men. Would they demand to know their names and what their business was? Servants rarely left the castle, and they certainly should not be leaving now, while the king was there. What would she and Muriel tell them?

Evangeline slowed her pace and kept her head down as they approached the guards. Muriel walked beside her. Evangeline held her breath. At any moment the guards could command them to halt.

As she and Muriel entered the gate, the guards looked at them but then glanced away without pausing their conversation. None of them said anything to Muriel or Evangeline.

Evangeline hurried on, and after several more yards she bowed her head to speak quietly in Muriel’s ear. “I will pretend to be mute so no one will suspect my true identity. You will tell this group of men that we wish to travel with them. You may tell them we are peasants whose lord has died of the plague and we are looking for work.”

Muriel’s eyes widened. “This is your plan?”

Evangeline straightened. “You may go back to the castle if you wish.”

“Very well. I suppose it is a good disguise—for you, at least. I will do the talking.”

Muriel’s dress was much too fine for a peasant’s. What if the men did not believe them? What if they became suspicious and alerted the guards?

And why was Muriel being so helpful? Perhaps she wanted to do her duty and protect Evangeline. She probably thought she could talk her into going back to Berkhamsted Castle later.

The men and their cart were just ahead. When Evangeline andMuriel had nearly caught up with them, the two men at the rear turned and saw them.

“Good evening,” Muriel said to them, a smile on her face.

The men called to the others in the group, who also stopped and stared.

“We are traveling tonight,” Muriel said, “and would be very grateful if you would allow us to travel with your group.”

“Where are you going?”

The man who had rescued the child from the runaway horse stepped toward them. He was even more handsome close up in the light of the moon and stars.