Page 94 of The Knight's Pledge
There was no gasp of surprise this time, the shock of the crowd so sudden and deep that the only sound recognizable to Effie was the thudding ofher own heart.
“That is a serious accusation, Miss Hargrave,” the king warned. “Haveyou any proof?”
“Caris Hargrave admitted as much to Iris Montague, while she wasin her employ.”
“Montague?” the king repeated. He nodded tothe intendant.
“The king callsIris Montague.”
A moment later, the woman stood at Effie’s side.
“You are now married to Padraig Boyd, I understand. How exactly are you related to Sir Lucan Montague?” the king pressed although it was impossible Henry didn’t already know.
“Lucan Montague is my brother, Your Grace,” Iris said.
“How did you manage to come into the service ofLady Hargrave?”
“I escaped the convent where my brother and I had been interred since our parents were killed in the fire at Castle Dare. I intended to find out the truth about why they were killed.”
“You didn’t feel it was an accident.”
“No, Your Grace.”
The king turned his attention to Caris once more. “Did you know the girl’s history when she came to you?”
“I did not recognize her as the child of our dear friends,” Caris whispered, her tone full of false shame. “Iris Montague had taken the name and station of a housemaid.”
The king looked back to Iris. “You kept your true identity hidden.”
“To protect myself and my brother,”Iris admitted.
“Just when did Lady Hargrave admit to the claims made byMiss Hargrave?”
“While we were trapped in the dungeon of Darlyrede House. She had poisoned me and taken me there to kill me after she discovered whoI really was.”
“That’s a lie,” Caris Hargrave interjected. “We were indeed trapped by the flames. But Iris was only there because the dungeon was our one hope to spare both of our lives from the fire.” She paused and shook her head ruefully. “I had grown much attached to her—loved her, in fact. I had no idea she had come to Darlyrede with the intent to destroy me utterly.”
“And so, Lady Hargrave, you deny that you confessed such atrocities to the girl?” the king pressed. “Whom you were under the impression was another person altogether?”
Caris lifted her chin. “I do. This is nothing but a gang of thieves set out to rob and destroy Darlyrede House, as well as sully the name of my dearly departed husband. It’s an attack of the common against the nobility, Your Grace.”
The king looked back to Iris for a long, thoughtful moment. “You are dismissed, madam.”
Iris hesitated.
The intendant frowned at her. “Take your seat.”
“Where have you been these past fifteen years,Miss Hargrave?”
Effie swallowed. “In Northumberland, Your Grace.”
Henry raised his eyebrows and waited.
“I’ve made my homeamong friends.”
“These friends wouldn’t also happen to be the same band that has terrorized the roads around Darlyrede House, would they?”
“I cannot say, Your Grace.”
