Romancing the Earl (38 page)

Cate warmed beneath her mother’s praise.
She
never discounted Cate’s abilities. “I did. Why does the Order want to keep it secret? It’s an important historical artifact.” Like the tapestry and the sword.

“Because they believe the thirteen treasures of Britain—which are apparently also as real as the men—would cause turmoil and bloodshed as people clamored to claim them.” Her eyes narrowed briefly. “And I suppose they’re right, since this Camelot faction has gone after the sword.”

“What Camelot faction?”

“Septon explained after you left that there’s a group within the Order that seeks to return all Arthurian artifacts to the actual knights’ descendants. They are somewhat militant in their methods and it seems as though Kersey has joined them.” She pressed her lips together. “Your father is quite upset.”

Because Kersey was important to him for some reason. Father had always gone out of his way to ensure they spent their summers together—until Lady Stratton had left her husband. Then Lord Stratton had kept Kersey from all of them, despite Father’s efforts. It had hurt him greatly not to be able to see Kersey, and Cate had wondered why. “Is there a reason why Kersey is so special? Is this another secret?”

“Now
that
is very complicated. Yes, it’s a secret, and unfortunately one I am not permitted to share.” This time, the regret in her tone was unmistakable. “It affects too many people and it may just be that it stays a secret forever.”

Cate was horribly intrigued, but knew that once her mother had made a decision, it was nearly impossible to change her mind. “I hate that you won’t tell me.”

“Does it help to know that Penn doesn’t know it either? I promise that if this information is ever going to come to light, you will be the first person I tell.” Mother smoothed her hands down her skirt. “Now, tell me about Lord Norris before your father and Septon set out with him in the morning.”

“They’re all leaving together?” Presumably to find Kersey.

“Yes. Septon didn’t want to disclose Kersey’s potential location. He’s afraid of what Norris might do. The earl blames him for his brother’s death.”

Cate’s heart ached for Elijah’s loss. “And he may be justified in doing so. Kersey certainly had the motive, given his pursuit of the sword, and he had a connection with someone in the previous Lord Norris’s household who tried to steal the tapestry. He seems more than a bit guilty.”

“Do you think he is?”

“I don’t know.” Cate wished she did. “He did keep me from being harmed at Kentchurch. His hirelings are a mercenary lot.”

Mother paled a bit. “I hate that you were in danger. I believe we’re going to have to reassess your future travel with Grey. I’m just glad Norris was with you in this instance.”

Cate was glad he’d been there too. Indeed, she didn’t want to contemplate him
not
being there. “Elijah has been an excellent traveling companion.”

Mother’s eyebrow arched, and Cate realized she’d just first-named him in front of her. “He called you Cate downstairs.”
He had?
“It seems you share a certain level of familiarity. Your father and I have allowed you far more freedom than any young woman ought to enjoy—and I don’t regret that. Society’s silly rules mean as little to me as they do to you. However, your safety and well-being
are
important to me. Do you want to talk about your relationship with Norris?”

What could she say? She certainly didn’t want to reveal the depths of their familiarity—rather, intimacy. And she was confused. She wanted him desperately, could barely envision going back to her life of just a few short weeks ago, but what was the alternative? He wasn’t ever going to marry, not that she was sure she wanted him as a husband, and she doubted they could maintain a romantic relationship, particularly since he’d plainly stated that last night would not be repeated. “I don’t think so.”

Mother’s green-brown eyes studied her. “If you change your mind, you know where to find me. Don’t forget that I was once a young unmarried woman like you. I’ve told you before I never wanted to marry, that falling in love with your father wasn’t something I’d planned.”

Yes, Cate knew that. It was why she didn’t think she needed to marry either. “It was really that easy? You fell in love with Father and decided marriage was worthwhile?”

“I’m not sure it was easy.” Her lips curved up. “In fact, I’m fairly certain I made your father a bit mad with my insistence that we needn’t marry.” Cate wondered how far their relationship had progressed on that adventure and decided there were parts of Mother’s story she didn’t need to hear. Apparently Mother agreed because she said, “Well, that’s neither here nor there. I just hope you know that I will always support you, provided you don’t do anything exceedingly foolish.” She gave Cate a pointed look that carried a wealth of meaning.

“I always endeavor never to bring you shame or embarrassment. All I’ve ever wanted was to make you and Father proud. It’s why I wanted so badly to find the sword.”

“Oh, Cate.” Mother left the bed and pulled Cate from her chair to enfold her in her arms. Cate welcomed the comfort, squeezing her mother tight as she’d done in her girlhood.

“I love you so much, and we couldn’t be more proud of you.”

“I love you too.” They broke apart a moment later. “Thank you.”

“Get some sleep. The men will undoubtedly be off fairly early.”

The men.
“I should like to accompany them,” Cate said.

Mother’s gaze turned shrewd. “I figured as much. I would too. However, your father and Septon are adamant that we not go. Who’s to say what we might do after they leave . . . ”

Cate grinned. “
Where
are they going? Or are you supposed to keep that from me too?”

Mother’s forehead creased. “In fact, I wasn’t supposed to say anything, but I don’t see why you can’t know, so long as you don’t tell Norris.”

“I won’t even see him.”
Unless she stole into his room in the middle of the night.
The thought summoned heat and anticipation throughout her body.

“Kersey will likely take the sword to the man heading this Camelot group within the Order. His name is Timothy Foliot and he resides in Glastonbury.” Of course he did. Glastonbury was one of the places most associated with Arthur. In fact, Glastonbury Abbey was one of the many supposed burial sites of Arthur and Guinevere.

“Do they plan to simply travel to his home and demand he relinquish Dyrnwyn? Kersey had at least five men, and Foliot could have even more.” Cate wished that Grey and Wade were with them to increase their numbers.

“Septon has a plan that involves the Order. I’m not aware of the specifics. He seemed fairly certain that Kersey would go to Foliot and that he would go alone. It seems Foliot is very particular about who is allowed to visit him.”

How Cate longed to go! “Does that include a ban on women?”

“Perhaps, but I don’t think that’s why your father doesn’t want us to go. He sees this as dangerous and I don’t disagree. We should probably remain here.” She sounded disappointed, but she’d made a decision and Cate couldn’t hope to change her mind. Which meant she had to come up with another plan if she wanted to be the one to reclaim the sword.

She said good night to her mother and considered her options. Her earlier thought jumped back into her head:
unless she stole into his room in the middle of the night
.

Perhaps she could convince Elijah to leave with her. If Kersey was traveling alone, maybe they could overtake him. He’d presumably stopped somewhere for the night. She calculated the time in her head and determined they could be as little as four or five hours behind him. If they left after the household was abed and traveled along the river to Chepstow, they could catch up with him
before
he reached Glastonbury. It seemed their chances for retaking the sword would be far greater if they stopped him from arriving at his destination.

Cate’s gaze strayed to her armoire, which held the men’s clothing she’d removed earlier. Mother’s maid had offered to take the garments away, but Cate hadn’t been willing to part with the memories they represented. Now she was glad she hadn’t, for they would be most useful.

She turned to the clock on her mantel. Just past ten. She had at least a few hours to wait.

Would Elijah go with her or would he agree with her father and Septon that it was too dangerous for her? Could she persuade him to take one last adventure together, knowing it might be their last?

Emotion burned in Cate’s chest, making the loss of the sword pale in comparison. Maybe it wasn’t the sword that had upset her most. Maybe it was the threat of losing Elijah. Somewhere between realizing her lifelong goal and spending a week with a charismatic earl, her priorities had changed. Not only was she worried she couldn’t return to her life before Elijah—she feared she didn’t want to. And where would that leave her?

Chapter Twenty

E
lijah stared at the ceiling of his bedchamber and tapped his foot against the base of the bed. He doubted he’d sleep, but he should at least try. Hell, he
was
trying, but it was useless. Between his fury at Kersey, his frustration with Septon and Bowen, and his unsatisfied desire for Cate, he had no hope of finding rest.

He wondered where she was. He had no idea where her chamber might be located, not that he would go to her. The only thing worse than first-naming her to her father would be sneaking into her chamber under his very nose.

And now he had to journey with both Bowen and Septon. He pounded his fist into the mattress in renewed resentment. Why wouldn’t they just tell him where Kersey was going?

Because they didn’t want him to resort to violence. He hadn’t voiced his intent, but they’d—accurately—surmised what he planned. There had to be a way he could do what he needed without them interfering.

The sound of his door latch turning jolted him from the bed. Light from a single candle flickered into the room. He rushed forward as the door closed and swung the intruder around.

“Cate.” She was garbed in her men’s costume, clearly ready to depart. “What the devil are you doing here?”

She looked him up and down. “Good, you’re at least partially dressed.” He wore his breeches and a shirt that hung loose around his hips.

He would argue that being dressed in her presence wasn’t good at all, but they were past such flirtation, if they’d ever even been there at all. Wait, of course they had. They’d flirted with for quite some time before . . .
before
.

“Why does it matter?” he asked as she steered back into the chamber.

“Because we’re leaving.”

He stopped and turned to face her. “Where are we going?”

“To get Dyrnwyn back.”

“I don’t know where it is.” His pulse quickened. “Do you?”

“Yes. Get dressed.”

She knew where to go.
His shoulders dipped in relief. But it was brief. He looked at her skeptically. “Who else is coming with us?”

She looked at him as if he were daft. “Who do you think? Did you suppose I would just come into your bedchamber in the middle of the night to fetch you whilst everyone else awaited us downstairs?”

He fought the urge to smile. How he loved her humor and intellect, even cloaked in sarcasm. Now he fought the urge to kiss her. She smelled of honey and lilac, as if she’d just bathed. The scent was intoxicating and such a welcome distraction from the turmoil of the last hours. It felt so good to let his anger and sadness and fear melt away . . . He blinked. “You can’t come with me.”

She put her hand on her hip. “Of course I can. We’ve taken every step of this journey together. I don’t mean to let you finish it alone.”

“It’s too dangerous, Cate. I can’t let you come.”

Though the candlelight offered meager illumination, he could see the fury kindling in her gaze. “You can’t ‘let’ me come? As it happens, you have no say. If you don’t ‘let’ me come, you don’t go anywhere. Do you know where to find Kersey?”

Hell and the bloody devil.
“You’re a menace of a female.”

“Thank you. Now get dressed.” She went to the window and lifted the curtain to peer out into the night. “We need to borrow horses from the neighbor down the road. I don’t want to chance waking the stable lad. He’ll tell my parents, and I want at least a few hours’ lead time.”

“You’ve thought this through quite thoroughly.” He couldn’t keep from admiring her. It seemed he’d done that from the moment they’d met. She might be exasperating and infuriatingly tenacious, but he actually loved that about her.