Page 67 of Retribution

Her brow rippled with confusion and then realization. “There is a spy in the archbishop’s home?”

“Aye.”

Not strangely, that seemed to please her. In fact, she chuckled. “He would be absolutely furious about that,” she said. “But I am glad. Very glad.”

Gerard could see her amusement, but it was a serious matter. “He must never know, my lady,” he said. “You must never say a word about it. Is that clear?”

Her humor left her and she nodded solemnly. “Of course, my lord,” she said. “I would never, ever mention it, to anyone. I will take the secret to my grave. But it amuses me to think that Cambridge is being watched when he believes himself to be above such things. The man’s arrogance knows no bounds.”

Gerard knew that. They all did. Cambridge’s pride was well known throughout England, so she wasn’t stating anything secretive. She was simply confirming the existing dogma. After that, there wasn’t much more to say about what needed to happen, so the Guard of Six filed out, one by one, until it was only Stefan, Orion, Gerard, and Aidric in the room.

Gerard stopped Stefan and Orion before they could leave.

“When you return to Westminster, find appropriate clothing for a servant,” he said. “The both of you look clean and well fed, so find something dirty. Rub dirt in your hair. Let your beard grow in. You need to look convincing as a servant.”

Orion, who had done this kind of work before, long ago, had a gleeful gleam to his eye. “I will shave my head,” he said. “I might even cut my scalp once or twice. That will make me look like a foolish servant, don’t you think?”

Gerard cocked an eyebrow. “It will make you look foolish, in any case.”

Orion gave the man an expression of displeasure before departing the chamber with Stefan behind him. That left Aidric, and, seeing that the man probably wanted to bid the lady farewell alone, Gerard followed the others from the chamber and shut the door behind him. When Aidric and Cleodora were finally alone, he turned to her.

“You are very brave,” he whispered. “Braver still with what you must do. I admire you greatly for it, my angel. You are strong. You can do this and do it well.”

She stood up from the chair and went to him. They were still a little awkward with each other, still discovering the boundaries of personal contact, but he opened his arms up to her and she immediately fell into them. He held her tightly, his face in the top of her head.

“It seems to me that Cambridge is causing you a great deal of distress,” she said.

He kissed her head. “No more than any other enemy of the king,” he said. “Cambridge, however, is obvious about it. Sometimes that makes it easier to fight back.”

“Have you ever had to kill any of his enemies?” she asked.

“Not Edward’s,” he said. “But Henry had a few that went away and were never heard from again. It is the nature of this position. You do what you must in order to fulfill your objective.”

You do what you must in order to fulfill your objective.

That had a ring to it. Somehow, it meant something to Cleodora and she held him tightly for a moment longer before releasing him.

“Then I had better leave,” she said. “I am going to have to do enough explaining without staying out all night.”

“I will escort you back.”

“Nay,” she said, stopping him as he moved for his tunic. “You will not. I left with Filly and I shall return with Filly. If I am seen with you, that will bring up more questions that I do not wish to answer.”

He understood. He didn’t like it, but he understood. “At least let me follow you until you are close to Thornhill,” he said. “I do not like the idea of you and your maid wandering the streets of London alone this night.”

She was hesitant, but agreed. “As long as you stay out of sight and leave when we have sight of the manor,” she said. “You must not been seen with me.”

“I will be a shadow, I promise.”

That was the only way she would agree. They both finished dressing and he took her down to the common room, which was full at this time of night. There was singing going on in one corner and near the hearth, a group of men were telling stories loudly. Cleodora found Filly in the rear of the establishment where the servants congregated and they went, along with Aidric, to the livery behind the business.

Aidric’s horse was across the road at another livery, so he helped the ladies gather their horses and walked out with them to the street. Across the road, he could see his colleagues at the other livery, gathering their mounts, so he let the ladies begin their journey back to Thornhill while he went to collect his horse. He told Britt and Gerard that he was simply going to follow the women to ensure they didn’t get into any trouble and Gerard joined him.

Together, the two of them hung back, in the shadows, watching the women as they made their way back to the magnificent structure of Thornhill Manor. Once they could see it in the distance, and observe the women all the way to the gate, they ducked into an alley to watch until the women were safely inside. Once the gates were closed, Aidric and Gerard turned for Westminster.

“You did not have to come,” Aidric said. “I could have done this alone.”

“You do not want the company?”