Lord Gawain's Forbidden Mistress

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Elise stared frantically at the pavilion entrance, pulse racing. Was Gawain out there? With luck, André would be out of Gawain’s line of sight, running down the back of the tents. She wasn’t confident that the Guardian Knights—or Gawain for that matter—would give him the benefit of the doubt.

A distraction was needed. Noise, plenty of noise. Well, that was no problem for Blanchefleur. Elise took a deep breath and began to scream. She really put her heart in it.

* * *

The scream turned Gawain’s blood to ice.

‘Aubin, with me.’ Snatching out his sword, he sprinted to the pavilion. Lord, what a voice, it cut like a knife.

Elise was holding on to the central tent post, staring at a gaping hole in the back of the canvas. The instant Gawain stepped inside, the screaming stopped. Dark eyes looked at him.

‘You’re hurt?’ Puzzled, Gawain ran his gaze over her. He couldn’t read her, but she didn’t look hurt. The lantern gave enough light for him to see that her hair was neatly braided. Her clothing hadn’t been disordered in any way. She looked fine. Slightly flushed, perhaps, but it was a warm night. Otherwise, she looked fine. ‘Elise, what happened?’

She opened her mouth as Aubin raced in, panting.

‘Aubin, take a look outside. Round the back.’

‘Yes, my lord.’

When Elise touched Gawain’s arm, the temptation to cover her hand with his was strong. When she bit her lip, the temptation to kiss her on the mouth was stronger still.

‘Gaw—my lord, you will think me such a fool.’

Gawain looked speculatively at her. ‘What happened?’

‘A knife.’ She gestured at the tear in the canvas. ‘I was waiting for André. I...I didn’t expect to see a knife cut through the back of the pavilion.’

‘Did you see who it was?’

Her hesitation was brief, but Gawain marked it. ‘It could have been whoever forged that sword,’ he said, slowly. ‘But I don’t think it was. It was your lute-player, wasn’t it?’

She lowered her gaze, seeming to speak to the ground. ‘I...I am sorry, my lord. I think my scream scared him away.’

‘Don’t lie to me. You warned him,’ Gawain said in a cold voice. Sliding his sword back into its scabbard, he took her by the wrist. ‘Your lute-player must have noticed the extra patrols and thought he’d be clever. And you, Elise, you warned him. You weren’t the least bit afraid, were you?’

She swallowed and kept her gaze on the ground.

‘Elise?’

She looked up, eyes fierce. ‘Yes, I warned him. You would have had him arrested!’

‘Not necessarily. I merely want to question him.’

Grip firm on her wrist, Gawain pulled her closer, close enough for him to catch the faint scent of ambergris. ‘Did he stay long enough for you to speak to him?’ Her lips tightened. ‘Well?’

‘I... Yes!’

‘And...?’ Her mouth worked. She was frowning at her wrist. Gawain eased his grip. ‘Elise?’

‘Mon seigneur, André knows he has done wrong and he is sorry. He says he will try to put things right. He will come back when he has done so.’

Gawain clenched his teeth. He hated the way she had addressed him as mon seigneur. ‘You expect me to leave it at that? Elise, the lute-player—’

‘His name is André.’

‘André appears to have dealings with people suspected of trading counterfeit arms. Fraudsters. Criminals. He must be questioned.’ Gawain huffed out a breath. ‘You do yourself no service by preventing that from happening.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘I had hoped to discover that you were not involved. But you have just admitted that you warned the man away.’ He frowned. ‘Elise, what am I to think but that you too are involved?’

‘Do you really think that?’

‘I would be failing in my duty if I did not consider it.’ Tightening his hold, he brought her close. ‘Elise, what have you done?’

‘Nothing, I’ve done nothing! All I want is for you to leave us alone.’

He shook his head. ‘I wish I could, but I can’t. Elise, what happened between us last year—’

‘Was a mistake.’

Gawain felt a muscle flicker in his jaw. ‘I hadn’t thought so. What I was going to say was that it had consequences. Pearl. Her very existence binds me to you.’

At her sides, Elise’s fists clenched. ‘I don’t see why, I’m not asking for help. You can forget all about us.’ She gave him a strange look. ‘Gawain, you can marry Lady Rowena with a clear conscience. If you are concerned that one day Pearl and I shall turn up at your gate begging for alms, don’t be. I wouldn’t embarrass you like that.’

A cold fist formed in Gawain’s belly. She dismissed their loving as though it had been of no account. It hadn’t been of no account, not to him. And she dismissed him as a father too, which was worse. However, he had to be honest, with his forthcoming marriage he wasn’t in a position to offer her much. He felt his frown deepen. She was distracting him, making him forget what he was trying to say.

‘Elise, this is no longer personal, it’s no longer just about Pearl. The discovery of that sword has turned it into something else entirely. It’s about the trafficking in counterfeit regalia. It’s about trickery and deceit. It’s about honest people being gulled into buying dross.’

‘Gawain—’

‘Elise, when I saw you by the market I thought simply to return you to your pavilion. You must see that has changed. I find myself embroiled in—in what, exactly? Are you and your little troupe part of a larger ring of counterfeiters? Is this how you really make your living? I need you to answer me honestly. What is the exact nature of your involvement with the counterfeiters?’

Her jaw fell open. ‘None. I have no involvement with counterfeiters whatsoever. How can you think it?’

He leaned in, caught the scent of ambergris and straightened quickly. ‘I don’t know you. I thought I did, but I don’t. You might be involved in anything.’

‘Well, I’m not.’

‘So I believed, so I hoped. But you must see that letting André get away does not put you in a good light.’

‘He’s gone to make amends! I told you.’

‘You believe that?’

She nodded vigorously. ‘André has a good heart. I’ve known him for years and he has a sweet, loving nature. I think that learning he was to be a father pushed him off course for a while, but I believe him when he says he will sort things out. He will. You’ll see.’

‘Mon Dieu, I almost wish I’d not seen you at the market,’ Gawain muttered. He didn’t mean it. Despite all that had happened—Pearl; the finding of the sword—it had been a relief to see Elise looking so well. As to her involvement with the fakers—he didn’t know what to think. She had always struck him as fundamentally honest.

Yet he knew she was capable of evasion. When he’d met her last year, she’d not mentioned her sister, Morwenna—he’d only learned of the connection between Elise and the late Countess d’Aveyron after Elise had fled Champagne. Elise had kept him in the dark about her need to gain entry to Ravenshold, just as she had kept Lady Isobel in the dark. It was hard to look into her eyes, now turned so earnestly to his, and think her capable of serious deceit. Would she lie for her friend André? It was possible.

‘If I could, I would wash my hands of you,’ he said. ‘But I don’t think you would like it if I did.’

‘How so?’

‘When I approached Sir Raphael about the sword, he made it clear that because we are old friends he is staying his hand. You wouldn’t like it if I withdrew. You and Vivienne are likely to end up in the castle lock-up while your lute-player does whatever he deems necessary to make amends. And as you yourself say, the castle prison is no place for babies.’

Elise felt the fight drain out of her. Gawain was right, Sir Raphael would want to make sure of them. As Captain of the Guardian Knights he would be bound to hold Vivienne as a surety of André’s return. And in the meantime, Bruno and Pearl would be incarcerated alongside her. And since Elise would not desert them, so would she.

Quick footsteps heralded Aubin’s return. He ducked into the tent. ‘I found nothing, my lord. I went as far as the Madeleine Gate and asked everyone I saw. No one will admit to seeing anything unusual.’

‘My thanks, Aubin. If you wouldn’t mind waiting by the fire?’

‘Mon seigneur.’ Bowing, Aubin went back outside.

Gawain looked down at her, blond hair shining in the lamplight. ‘I shall give you the benefit of the doubt,’ he said. ‘For the moment, I think it best if you remain my responsibility, don’t you agree?’

‘Thank you, my lord.’

Gawain gave her a tight smile and took her hand. He hooked her arm around his. It was a familiar gesture, a possessive gesture. Elise was irritated to discover that it was also a comforting gesture.

‘I shall escort you back to La Rue du Cloître,’ he said. His smile twisted. ‘It’s a pleasant evening for a walk.’

‘Walking, my lord, again? Where’s The Beast?’

‘Back at the barracks. Elise, I give you fair warning, my men will be watching the house at all times. I’d hoped to spare you that, but after tonight you must see that I cannot shirk my responsibilities.’ He sighed. ‘It has to be better than the castle dungeon.’

Elise stared at him and saw in her mind the bars on those windows. It would seem they were to be prisoners after all. Still, she had to agree it was better to be hemmed in by Gawain in La Rue du Cloître than to be tossed in the castle dungeon. ‘I understand, my lord,’ she heard herself say. Even though, in her heart, she wished it was otherwise.

* * *

The shutter was open. It had been an airless, tiresome night. Elise had hoped a breath of wind would find its way into their bedchamber, but she had hoped in vain. Ever since dusk, Bruno and Pearl had taken it in turns to be fretful. No sooner had Elise shut her eyes than it seemed Pearl was crying again—and Pearl’s crying was surely loud enough to be heard in Paris. Sighing, Elise heaved herself up on an elbow.

Vivienne was sitting in a shaft of dawn light, feeding Bruno. Shoving her hair out of her eyes, Elise yawned. ‘I’ll bring Pearl over.’

Nodding, Vivienne bent over Bruno, but not before Elise saw the glitter of tears. ‘Vivienne?’

Vivienne sniffed. A tear splashed on to Bruno’s cheek. Vivienne’s face was pale, her eyes shadowed.

‘You’re thinking about André.’

Vivienne’s throat worked. ‘It’s been three days.’ Her voice was thick with emotion. ‘Three days since we last saw him and there hasn’t been a word. Where is he, Elise? Where?’ Another tear landed on Bruno’s cheek.

‘We must have faith in him. He’s not stupid. He told me—’

‘That he would put matters right. I remember what you said.’ Vivienne swiped her eyes with the back of her hand. ‘But how is he going to manage it? If he has truly been dealing with counterfeiters, do you think they’ll take kindly to him confessing that he’s lost that sword?’

Picking Pearl up, Elise came to the window and searched Vivienne’s face. ‘You know more than you have told me.’

‘No, I don’t. Truly. But I’ve been thinking. Elise, these past three days I’ve done nothing but think and if André’s friends—the players he told us about—if the players are the counterfeiters, what will they do when they learn the sword has fallen into the hands of the Guardians? They might hurt him.’

‘I don’t think they will.’ Elise spoke firmly, even though the thought had occurred to her too. When she had seen André in the pavilion she hadn’t imagined that three days would pass without a word. Three days. No message, nothing. Just a silence as ominous and oppressive as the August heat.

‘It’s possible he tried to get a message to us,’ Elise murmured. Pearl squirmed in her arms. ‘But with Lord Gawain’s men posted in the street to watch our every move, he might have been afraid to come near.’

Vivienne looked at her, eyes watery. ‘They’re still out there?’

Elise peered into the grey morning light. ‘Two men are leaning against the house opposite. And though I can’t see from here, I’m guessing that two more will be stationed either side of the door as they were yesterday. I think there will be four of them.’

She sighed, Gawain was nothing if not thorough and Elise didn’t like it. She really did feel as though she had been imprisoned. It didn’t help that every hour she had to listen to the tolling of the cathedral bells—every horrible note brought back the convent. Trapped. Trapped. Trapped. The bells, the rigid routine... She thought she’d escaped all that.

‘I suppose we should be grateful we’re not locked in,’ Vivienne said. ‘What shall we do?’

Pearl let out a wail. Elise handed her to Vivienne and waited until she had settled before she spoke again. ‘I’m going back to Strangers’ City.’

Vivienne jerked her head meaningfully in the direction of the guards in the street. ‘Will they permit it?’

Outside, Gawain’s men stood as still and solid as carved wooden pillars. Their expressions didn’t betray the slightest hint of fatigue even though they’d been there all night.

Elise pursed her lips. ‘Lord Gawain didn’t actually forbid me to return.’

‘No, but two of his men accompanied you when you went to buy bread yesterday.’

‘That’s true.’ Elise squared her shoulders. She wished things were easier between her and Gawain. If only she could trust him. No, that wasn’t right, she could trust him. Gawain would do the right thing. He always did the right thing. And that was exactly the problem. Elise wasn’t sure what André had done and she wanted him to have a chance to make things better. But the instinct to ask for Gawain’s help was strong. ‘It must be resisted,’ she murmured.