Page 48 of Retribution

“To see Edward,” Aidric said simply. “I believe it is time we tell him what is happening, for his own safety.”

No one disagreed with that.

Most of Edward’s subjects had to make appointments with him in order to speak with him, but his personal guard did not. At this time of day, Edward was usually in the royal apartments, so that was where the three of them headed. Truth be told, when Aidric came back from Adelie’s, he had already visited the royal apartments and told Edward’s chamberlain that he wished to speak with him at his convenience. The chamberlain had told him to return in a short while, and that was what he was doing. Aidric did not know where Britt or Dirk or Stefan or Bennet were so that they could be part of this meeting, but he couldn’t take the time to hunt for them.

He had a king to see.

By the time the three knights reached the royal apartments, Edward was ready for them. He usually rested in the afternoon, and had since his return from the Holy Land, because all of that travel had been taxing on his middle-aged body. He was in a crimson robe, standing over a table with a cup of wine in his hand and reading a dispatch that was on the tabletop in front of him. Fat tapers burned in the chamber, giving off an acrid smell because there were so many of them. When the three knights entered, Edward glanced up from the table.

“Ah,” he said. “The three of you are here. Excellent.”

Aidric entered first, followed by Gerard and Orion. “My lord,” he said. “Thank you for seeing us. We shan’t take a good deal of your time, but there is something we must discuss with you.”

“What about?”

“The Archbishop of Cambridge.”

Immediately, Edward’s rather pleasant attitude seemed to vanish. “A pity it could not be a more pleasant subject,” he said. “What has he done now?”

“It is what he wants to do, my lord.”

“What is that?”

“Kill you.”

Edward looked at him to see if there was any measure of jest in his expression. Seeing none, he indicated the chairs around the table.

“I think you’d better sit,” he said. “I think I should, too.”

The knights moved for the table, taking the chairs indicated. Edward sat down, looking at the three of them, wondering if he even wanted to hear what they had to say. Lifting a hand, he motioned for them to speak.

“Now, what’s this about Cambridge?” he said. “What has happened?”

Aidric took the lead. “To explain how we know, my lord, I must go back a few days and start at the beginning,” he said. “I went to Adelie, the dressmaker, in London because I wanted her to fashion tunics with the Guard of Six standard on them.”

Edward nodded. “I saw them at the feast,” he said. “They were magnificent.”

“Thank you, my lord,” Aidric said. “But Adelie did not make them. They were given to us as a gift from a woman whose life I saved whilst at Adelie’s. Robbers targeted her and I protected her. She happened to be one of the Seven Jewels of London, however, and she belongs to the Archbishop of Cambridge.”

Edward cocked his head thoughtfully. “Ah,” he said. “A Jewel, you say?”

“Indeed, my lord.”

“With Cambridge?”

“Aye, my lord.”

“That was the woman in white who came to my feast,” he said. “She was pointed out to me when she entered with Cambridge. She was hard to miss.”

Aidric nodded. “That was her.”

“And you saved her from a robber?”

“Aye,” Aidric said. “Because of this, it would seem that the woman has formed some trust in me. I suppose any man who would save her from robbers is worthy of her trust.”

“Of course,” Edward said. “So she belongs to Cambridge, does she? Seeing a Jewel is rare, you know. Most of them are kept away from the world.”

“I know,” Aidric said. “Believe me, she is worthy of the title. The woman is positively magnificent.”