Page 24 of To Love

But Alden was different.

“You’ve entertained many times,” he said, accepting the wine and echoing her thoughts.

Alden appeared much the same as last eve, with one difference. His hair was still damp, tousled in a way that made him even more appealing, if such a thing were possible. She knew the men used the nearby river to bathe, despite the chill. There were not enough servants to heat and carry buckets of water for so many men, though most did not complain. Only a few of the wealthier recruits had done so and earned an earful from Lord Stirling for it.

“Many, many times,” she said sitting.

Alden did the same, nodding to the fire. “You temporarily dismissed your maid, yet have a fire?”

“Do you think,” she teased him, “that because I lived at court I cannot tend to my own fire?”

“Touché,” he said. “Now that we have established that I can read and you can tend to a fire . . .” Alden’s smile did little to calm her racing pulse. “Have you learned anything this day?”

“Sadly, I have not. If there are discrepancies within Pembroke’s ledgers, they are well concealed. I met with the council earlier as well, and we agreed ’twould be too risky to break open any sealed correspondence, though we were less united on that which is not sealed. Some wished to read all that comes within the castle walls, others do not believe such a breach warranted. In the end, we decided only to read anything that may seem suspicious, as deemed by Pembroke, since he sorts all of it.”

Alden frowned. “That is unlikely to yield any results.”

“Very unlikely. As I said, we were not all in agreement on this matter. Have you learned anything?”

“Only that Lyra, the new archer, seems to have a quarrel with Sir Corwin deMonteforte. Of all the knights, he seems to be the most zealous to Matilda’s cause, so I asked the other recruits about her.”

“Our only female recruit.” She liked it not. Elara had been pleased when Stirling and Eamon had brought her to Blackwood. A skilled archer from a family of loyalists, that she was the only female recruit seemed not to bother the young woman in any way. She was also the newest recruit, so although Elara had quickly taken to her, she could admit to knowing her the least of any others.

“Aye. I am not pleased about the matter either.”

Elara looked up from the wine that she’d been peering into. “Nay?”

“I’ve a very competent mother and younger sister who would be keen to learn that a woman, two with yourself included, fought for our cause.”

Loyal. Handsome. Strong. Intelligent. Enlightened.

Each day she spent with Alden, Elara learned something more about the man she liked. But she knew well, all men, and women too, had faults. What were his?

“I am glad to hear it,” she said. “Aught else?”

“Only that Gareth does not believe our traitor is one of the recruits.”

“You spoke to him of the matter?” she asked, knowing how easy it would be to have a conversation overheard. If the traitor learned they were suspicious, it would be nigh impossible to uncover them. She’d been forced to conjure an elaborate story when dismissing the guard and her maid, and even that worried Elara.

“Briefly. And we were not overheard.”

“Why does he not believe any of the recruits are involved?”

“He said, having trained with them, he has seen their dedication and loyalty and does not believe they would risk everything they’ve worked so hard for by turning traitor.”

“Do you agree with his assessment?”

Alden sighed. “I would like to believe it more than I can say, with conviction, ’tis true.’”

“It can sometimes be difficult to separate the heart and mind. Knowing and feeling are often at odds with each other.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Elara realized the double meaning.

Alden seemed to as well. His jaw locked, as it did when he was pensive or thoughtful. His lips parted, as if to say something, but then closed once again. She would know what he was thinking.

“Say it,” she prodded. “The situation forces a trust between us, and you’ll remember, in this chamber, we are not instructor and mentee but on equal measure.”

“I wondered,” he said, “if you spoke of the situation, or of us?”