by Lisa Shea
Her hands clenched in anger. “I’ll have you know he’s –”
Lord Ingram took another menacing step forward. “I’ll tell you what he is. He is a traitor to England. He is a lethal danger to your father. To you. To every single person within this keep.”
He pushed Isabel aside and came to stand in front of the barred window – to stare coldly into Philip’s eyes.
“And tomorrow, at first light, he will be tried, judged – and executed.”
Chapter 24
Isabel could barely breathe. Surely she had not heard right. She stared at Lord Ingram in shock. “You can’t be serious? You are going to execute Philip? Tomorrow?” Her brain struggled to catch up with such an outrageous revelation. “On what charges?”
Hillie pushed to his feet and gave a low growl.
Lord Ingram’s eyes narrowed. “The commanders are finalizing the charges at this very minute.” He looked back down the stairs and shouted, “Guard, come escort Isabel back to the courtyard. The prisoner is to have no further visitors until tomorrow’s tribunal.”
The blink of an eye and the guard’s hand was gently but firmly on her arm, guiding her down the spiral. When she reached the bottom she was helped out onto the grassy lawn.
Hillie joined her.
The sturdy oak door was resolutely pressed shut.
This was not real.
She could barely breathe. Barely process the sequence of events. Surely if she turned and looked up, the window would be empty, and this would all be a dream, a horrible, soon-to-end dream -
She turned and looked up at the tower’s window.
Philip’s dark eyes were at the stone-lined rectangle. His strong fingers curled around the bars.
She stared into those eyes.
As much as she still ached over his lies, as much as the sense of betrayal speared into her soul, one thing rose high above it all.
Philip would never hurt her.
She knew it with every beat of her heart.
Philip might be many things. He might be stubborn. He might be reticent to share his past. But she knew he would never imprison her or her father.
But what if King John ordered him to?
She blinked away the tears.
She just didn’t know. Every ounce of her being hoped that he would find a way. Find a way to reconcile his loyalty to King John with his care for her family.
For her.
Hillie whined, his rheumy eyes pointed high in the direction of the cell window. She dropped to a knee alongside her loyal pup and tenderly scratched between his ears. Her voice was a low murmur. “I know, Hillie. It’s all mixed up.” She pressed a kiss to his aging forehead. “I know the King desperately wants to dissolve the Magna Carta and to punish everyone involved with it. And I have no doubt that the Pope will soon annul the document. Too much wealth is at stake for the Pope to allow mere barons to control England’s cash flow.” Her fingers clenched. “But why does Lord Ingram want to kill Philip? Surely the King has many other knights to throw at us, should he truly want control of the Tower in the coming months.”
She shook her head and looked around.
Lord Ingram’s men seemed to be everywhere. Walking with critical attention along the walls. Organizing projects in the blacksmith’s workshop. Bringing strings of mounts into the stables. They were like an infestation of cockroaches, their numbers growing with every passing minute.
They were a much-needed bolstering of the ranks.
And yet, they were like an invading army.
It came to Isabel suddenly.
Lord Ingram was playing both sides.
The truth of it took her breath away, and she put her hands down to steady herself.
Lord Ingram had been planning this for years. He had been well prepared for the dark chaos which was about to engulf England because it was of his own doing. She doubted that he cared one whit about the fates of the innocent fishmonger or the elderly seamstress caught up in his maelstrom.
He cared about one thing only.
Himself.
By shoring everything he owned safely within the strongest tower in the land, he guaranteed the security of his own wealth and position. If it looked like the signers of the Magna Carta would win the fight, he could always claim that he was protecting the tower for their interests. And, indeed, her father and generals would attest to that fact.
But if King John managed to make headway into the destruction of the nobles who had stood against him …
Isabel nodded in understanding.
She had no doubt that Lord Ingram would reveal his ‘true intention’ of undermining the rebels. He would take control of the keep and proclaim loudly for King John. He would state that it was always his intention to ensure the tower remained safely for King John.
And with Philip dead, who else would King John trust to manage such a large defensive structure?
Panic twisted around Isabel’s chest, and she fought to breathe. She rose her eyes again to that window, to the innocent, loyal man who was trapped within.
Trapped due to her own actions.
She rose to her feet, her throat closing up. She called up, “God, Philip, I’m sorry!”
Relief coursed through his face. He nodded in understanding, his fingers still tight on the bars.
She took a step closer, so she was immediately beneath him. Her voice broke. “What can I do? Tell me what to do.”
He changed the grip of his right hand.
Now, instead of a full grasp, he only held the bar with three fingers.
Her brow creased.
Three?
What were there three of?
Awareness lit her, and she nodded.
She needed to find Johann, Luigi, and Braun.
She gave Hillie a fond pat on the head and knelt beside him. “You stay here and guard Philip,” she whispered to him. “Keep him safe until I return.”
Hillie nodded and plunked down next to the main entrance of the tower. He laid his head on his paws, but his eyes stayed open and alert.
Isabel took one last look up to the tower window. She held Philip’s gaze, sending him every ounce of strength she had. On the ship he had fought by her side when everything was at stake.
She would be there for him now.
It ripped her heart to turn from him, to stare around at her keep and start making her plans.
Not the main gates. Lord Ingram’s men were clustered in droves at the front of the keep, moving in wagons of supplies and even more troops.
She turned and delved further into the complex. Her shoulders eased as she wended through the quieter alleys and found only a scattering of Ingram soldiers. Apparently few had made it into the deeper layers.
True relief coursed through her as she approached the back gate. Carl, an elderly soldier she’d known her entire life, had been stationed there. She brought on her largest smile as she approached him.
“Carl! Well met! If we are truly to be sealing ourselves in then there are a number of personal items I need to gather up today. A last shopping run before those doors firmly shut.”
Carl looked at her with concern. “Surely this could be delegated to one of the servants?”
She kept her smile bright. “Ah, but these are quite personal. I need to make the choices myself. Women’s things, you know.”
The corner of Carl’s mouth turned up. “Oh, well do I know. My missus can get quite particular about such items. All right then, Isabel. I will go with you.”
Panic closed her throat and she forced her cheer to shine. “No, no, I wouldn’t have you leave your post! Not with everything that’s going on! It’s full daylight. The shops are just around the corner. I won’t be long.”
His brow creased. “I really should –”
“You really should man the gates,” she countered. “Lord Ingram will be making his rounds and you need to make a strong first impression. You wouldn’t want an unguarded gate to reflect poorly on my father, now, would you?”
That seemed to get through to him. “That’s true. You’re sure these shops are nearby?”
“Right across the street,” she vowed. A twinge of guilt niggled her at her lies, but she had no other choice. Philip’s life was at stake. “I won’t be but a minute.”
He nodded. “All right, then. You run into any trouble and you call out. We’ll be to you before you know it.”
She smiled. “I know you will be. Thanks. I will see you soon.”
He pulled open the door and she stepped out into the streets of London.
Relief coursed through her. Now she just had to find the three men.
She gazed around –
The enormity of the task suddenly shook her. London was a city of one million inhabitants. With the rebel lords and their entourages currently occupying various areas, the population had swelled.
How in the world was she going to find three lone men in that sea of humanity?
She fought off the growing panic and clenched her hands.
Somehow she would find a way.
She started down the fish street with its pike, trout, and halibut. The rich aroma of the freshly-caught fish made her stomach rumble with hunger, but she held it off. She would have to find food later on. Right now she was on a mission.
Next it was the milliner’s street. Fabrics of all shapes and sizes called to her. She pushed the sights out of her mind.
The pungent smells of the leather-worker’s quarters.
The elegant clothing of the banking district.
Time passed.
Shadows lengthened.
The streets began to blur together, one after another. Her feet ached with each step, but she kept moving, her eyes searching, searching, searching –
A church’s bells were pealing with warmth and a laughing couple emerged, followed by the throngs of their family and friends. Isabel barely saw them. She pushed her way through the crowd, being buffeted, turned –
A strong hand closed on her arm.
She was pulled into a shadowed alley.
Firm fingers closed over her mouth.
Chapter 25
Panic rose high in Isabel’s throat. She opened her mouth to scream –
Johann’s rough accent rumbled in her ear. “Hush, lass. We won’t hurt you.”
She relaxed in relief against him. As her eyes adjusted to the dark she could see Braun at their back, his sword out. Luigi was peering around the corner into the main street, his eyes scanning the thick crowds of well-wishers.
Luigi reported, “We’ve lost him for now. Best get moving, though. He’ll be quick after us once he realizes what happened.”
Johann nodded and took Isabel’s hand. “Follow us.”
The men moved like wraiths and Isabel was swept along in their trail. They stepped over piles of debris and stooped under stairs. They delved deep into the maze which was lower London. She barely knew where she was by the time they tucked into a quiet tavern hidden in a dark alley.
The men within seemed serious and quiet. They looked up and nodded to the group as they entered, then went back to their murmured conversation. Johann led them to a small, round table in the back. Within a minute mugs of ale were laid down along with fragrant fish stew.
Isabel couldn’t help it – she dove into it with ravenous hunger.
Luigi smiled. “See, I told you she’d be hungry,” he told the others. “She hasn’t stopped walking for hours.”
Isabel picked up the mug and drained down half of her ale.
Johann’s eyes twinkled. “Thirsty, too, it seems.”
She finally found a moment to breathe. “You’ve been following me?”
Johann nodded, taking a mouthful of his own stew. “From the moment you emerged from the keep. But that one-eyed mercenary of Lord Ingram’s was hot on your trail as well. We didn’t want to compromise you by meeting openly with you. So we had to wait until we could get you safely away from him.”
Isabel blinked in surprise. It had never occurred to her that she’d been followed – never mind by two different groups of people.
Johann regarded her steadily. “So, lass, it’s time you told us the truth of what is going on.”
Her brow creased in confusion. “What do you mean?”
“You refused to tell us why you disliked Lord Bedemor. That then made Philip reluctant to admit who he was to you. The next thing we know, you have opened the gates of your keep to the man you claimed to despise – Lord Ingram. And Philip is locked high in the tower.”
Isabel opened her mouth to disagree –
She closed it again in surprise.
Johann was exactly right.
All this time she had been railing against Philip. Accusing him of refusing to tell her things.
But hadn’t she done the exact same thing to him?
Hadn’t he asked her to share her reasons behind disliking Lord Bedemor – and hadn’t she refused? And for what? For hurt pride? Out of embarrassment?
She looked down at her stew. “I have been wrong about so many things. I let my emotions get the better of me.”
Johann patted her hand. “It’s all right, lass. Let’s start afresh. Tell us everything.”
And so she did.
She lowered every hurdle within her and she told them every truth she knew.
She told them her fears that Lord Bedemor would oust her beloved father and destroy his will to live. She told them of her fears that Philip would leave her. She told them of the Magna Carta, of Pope Innocent the III, and how she now believed Lord Ingram to be playing both sides of the conflict. She told them how Lord Ingram’s men were now swarming the Tower of London like ants on an overripe peach.
She told them that Philip was trapped in the tower – and that tomorrow he would be executed.
The group was on their third ales by the time she finished. The fish stew was long since gone. The afternoon had eased into evening; long shadows stretched outside the grime-stained windows.
Johann’s gaze held hers. “Ah, lass. You know Philip well by now. Do you truly think he would show such disrespect to an honored soldier? His plan was to install your father as the respected elder, to be consulted on all matters involving the keep’s maintenance and defense. Philip would take over the day to day administration, to ease your father’s burden.”
Isabel’s heart glowed. Her father would have loved that.
Her gaze shadowed. “But what of the Magna Carta? Philip is a staunch supporter of King John.”
Johann’s lips turned up. “It is true that he has always supported the monarchy. At the same time, he is an advocate of the Charter of Liberty signed by Henry I. He has spoken out many times about the importance of that document. When we received word that the Magna Carta had been ratified, we celebrated for three nights. Philip felt that at last the King was worthy of full support. He would do everything he could to see that document, and all it signified, succeed. He wanted to support King John in the implementation of that new system.”
Hope lit her from within. “So it was the Magna Carta he supported? He would not blindly follow King John to execute every Lord involved with its signing?”
Three pairs of eyes stared at her in surprise. Luigi was the one who spoke. “My God, lass, how could you imagine such a thing?”
The layers fell away from Isabel’s eyes. She flushed. “I’ve been so wrong about everything. And now he’s about to be killed – and it’s all my fault.”
Johann gave her hand a squeeze. “Do not fret, Isabel. Philip has been in worse straits than this – and we have always gotten him out again. We will find a way.”
Isabel could not see how anything could possibly be worse than the situation Philip was in now, but she nodded. “What do we do now?”
He gave a low smile. “Now we do something which has rarely been done in the history of the tower.”
Her gaze rose to his. “And what is that?”
His eyes shone. “We help a prisoner to escape.”
>
Chapter 26
Isabel’s heart hammered against her ribs. She had known it would come to this. There was no other way. And yet the enormity of the statement still had the power to shock her.
Her voice was low and hoarse. “Only a tiny handful of prisoners have ever escaped from the tower. And certainly not with the level of guards we have in the complex now.”
Luigi’s eyes twinkled with delight. “And that is why all of London will be so surprised when we are able to pull it off!”
Isabel leaned forward. “But we have triple the guards on duty as usual! Perhaps even more! And they are all on high alert. We do not know when the official annulment will arrive from the Pope. The moment it does, King John will have carte blanche to utterly destroy every person associated with the signing of the Manga Carta.”
Braun nodded his head. “There is no doubt King John does not deal kindly with any who dare to stand against him. He will wish to make an strong example of these rebels. An example which causes all others think thrice before speaking out against him.”
Isabel shook her head. “So how are we to succeed against such odds? There are only four of us.”
Johann gave a small smile. “Are we?”
Isabel was suddenly aware of the room of men around them. The men did not seem to be farmers or shop-keeps. Rather, to a man, they seemed well built, serious, and armed.
Her eyes went round.
Johann nodded. “Do not fret, lass. We have known Philip a long, long time. We have been through countless conflicts. We shall not allow him die ignominiously from something as boring as an executioner’s axe.”
He glanced out the windows at the deepening shadows. “However, the hour grows late. You must now head back to the keep with your bags full of supplies. It is, after all, why you ventured out. That way there is no suspicion of what is to come.”
Isabel was beyond wondering just how these men knew so much about her activities. Her mouth quirked up “And just where am I to find these supplies?”
Luigi went to the far wall and brought over three large cloth bags full to the brim with every manner of item conceivable.
