Page 27 of Promise of a Knight
“Aye, the bloody necklace!”
Alex closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them, they glistened. Would she try to use her tears and feminine wiles to trick him some more?
“Your sobs will gain you nothing. Best tell me where the necklace is before I drag you to the dungeon.” Even the threat itself left him feeling sour. What would she do in the dungeon? Her silky skin nibbled on by rats.
“Alaric, I swear to ye, I did not take the necklace. I did not.”
Her limbs trembled under his grip. He let go. The thought of her being afraid of him was unbearable. He was not a monster. Their gazes locked, her eyes entreated him, hands outstretched to him, faltering and falling back to her sides.
Alex’s words sounded genuine, but how could he believe her? Every time he drew near to her his mind became a jumble of thoughts. This treachery he could not forget. And yet, looking at her, studying her honest face and her imploring eyes, his gut told him to trust her. But his mind… In his mind the skeptic raged.
And his heart—why did it feel like it was ripping out his chest?
“You know how important Queen Margaret is to me. That I am honor-bound to protect her and her property. How could you do this to me, Alex? I cared about you.”
Alex reached for him, her hands brushing his arms, but Alaric took a step back, out of her range.
“Alaric, I wouldn’t. I couldn’t. When I told ye how I felt, I meant it. When I told ye my allegiance was to the crown, I spoke the truth. It wasn’t me. Ye have to believe me.”
Alaric frowned, growling, “I wish I could.”
He left her there on the ramparts, the memory of her honeyed kiss bittersweet to her treachery.
* * *
Devastated didn’t beginto describe the heart wrenching sensation laying havoc to Alex’s heart. What had happened? Who could have set her up this way? All she’d wanted was to be with Alaric. To make him proud. To do the right thing by the new queen and her king. And now, someone had sabotaged that.
Angry tears burned in her eyes but she refused to let them fall.
She stormed down the stairs, fists clenched, intent on finding out, however she could, who had taken the necklace. She had to clear her name.
As Alex reached the bottom of the stairs, a statuesque woman slipped inside a tower door. Dressed in peach-colored satin, and the same color ribbons woven through her curls. She was a familiar figure. Too familiar.
What in…?
Alex couldn’t believe her eyes. Was that her eldest sister, Agnes? She must have come to court with her husband to celebrate the king’s marriage. And that meant…
Holy Mary Mother of God.
Alex raced after her sister, catching up with her in a darkened corridor within the castle.
“Agnes,” she blurted out, not sure exactly how to accuse her sister of duplicity.
Agnes turned around, the sneer she’d been wearing on her face most of Alex’s life still solidly in place. Her features were much like their mother’s. In fact, all of her sisters had the look of their mother, save for Alex. She took after her mother’s sister, and if she were to listen to the talk of the maids, she had also inherited the only pretty face. When Alex had sobbed to her governess growing up about how badly her mother and sisters had treated her, the sweet, old woman had often said they were merely jealous of her beauty, for they had nothing but bitterness in their blood.
“I see ye found me,” Agnes said, bored. She waved off a fly that buzzed around her head.
“When did ye arrive at court?” Alex asked, trying to sound normal, but her voice was just a little too rushed.
“Yesterday.”
Alex frowned. “Why did ye not send for me?”
“What for?” Agnes rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, tapping her foot as if counting down the seconds before she could rush off.
’Twas obvious her sister held no warm feelings about her or their reunion and only sought to make this exchange most unpleasant. Alex refused to be cowed. She’d found an inner strength since coming to court. A will to stand up for herself like she’d not had before.
“Did ye take the necklace?” No sense beating around the bush with Agnes.
