Page 151 of Feathers in the Wind
Penitence appeared in the doorway with a tray of breakfast. “Oh, good. You're awake,” she said, setting the tray on the table.
Luke grunted a response and was about to swing his bare feet on to the floor when he realised he was naked. He pulled the sheet up to his chest.
“Pass me my breeches.” He pointed to the chair where his clothes had been hung.
Penitence put her hands on her hips and regarded him. “You shouldn't be out of bed. You need to rest...”
“Bloody nonsense,” Luke swore. “Breeches, woman.”
With a snort, Penitence threw the garments at him, and he pulled them on beneath the bedclothes.
He rose gingerly, and the room tilted and swum alarmingly for a moment or two before righting itself. Penitence helped him with the rest of his clothes and he ate most of the meagre breakfast, hoping he would manage to keep it down. He needed his strength to deal with Deliverance.
Penitence sat across from him as he ate, her hands folded in her lap. He looked at her, frowning as shreds of memory started to come back into his fuzzy mind. “What are you doing here? Didn't I have you locked up?”
Penitence flushed and lowered her eyes. “I gave Deliverance my parole,” she said.
Deliverance.
Trust her to countermand his orders. No doubt that man, Truscott, had been reprieved as well. The list of matters he needed to discuss with her was growing by the minute.
“Where is Deliverance?” he demanded. “I have to talk to her.”
Penitence's lips tightened, and she swallowed. “I don't know. She disappeared in the night without leaving a note or any sign as to where she has gone. Ned is searching the castle.” She twisted her hands in her lap. “There’s more... Lovedie's gone as well, and Jack Farrington.”
Luke's hand flew to his neck. The key to Farrington's cell was missing. He rose to his feet as Ned flung the door open and stood in the doorway, flushed with the exertion of running.
“Collyer, thank God you're up. The man we put on the sally port last night, Tom Watts—he's dead.”
That news came as no surprise. The sally port may as well have been High Holborn with all the people coming and going through it. Luke went to run his hand through his hair and then remembered his injury.
“How?”
“Knife through the ribs. Neat job.”
And easy for an attractive woman, Luke thought, seeing the plot unfold. Lovedie had taken the key, released Jack and made their escape. A cold tremor of fear ran through him.
What about Deliverance?
Ned leaned on the table. “I think we can assume that our enemy agent was Lovedie Brown. She’s made good her escape with Farrington,” he paused, “and possibly Deliverance.”
Penitence gave a sharp intake of breath, her hand rising to her throat. “If Farrington has her…”
Luke turned his gaze on her. “One thing at a time, Penitence. We don’t know that. Ned, bring me the Brown boy. I'll be in the Great Hall.”
* * *
Two burly soldiers,accompanied by Sergeant Hale and Melchior Blakelocke, escorted a dishevelled Toby Brown into the hall. They deposited the boy at Luke’s feet where he huddled close to tears.
Luke hauled the boy upright. “Where's your sister gone?”
Toby looked up at him with large, frightened eyes. “Lovedie? What’s she done?”
Luke pushed the boy away from him. “Your sister's disappeared, taking Jack Farrington and Mistress Felton with her.”
“She'll have gone back to Farrington,” the boy blurted out. “I told her he was no good.”
Luke stared at him. “Gone back to Farrington? What do you mean?”
