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already falling, Gytha was unable to stop them both from tumbling backward into the moat.
Amaury shouted in warning as the two women began to fall. The nearest of her men stepped forward at
once, intent on catching at least their mistress, but none were close enough to be able to grab at her
before both women plummeted into the moat. Once they had disappeared beneath its dark surface, the
men all simply stood about, grimacing as they watched for one or the other of the women to resurface.
Amaury reached the half circle of men and burst through to the front. Grabbing a torch from the nearest
man, he crouched down on his haunches and held it out over the moat. It looked like black pudding.
There was not a bubble or circle of disturbance on the top. It was as if it had just swallowed the women
up.
Phew! Blake muttered, reaching his side. Think you some one should dive in there and fetch them
out?
Lady Ascot s men peered at him as if he were mad.
Her ladyship is dead, one of them said. The maid slit her throat wide open as they fell.
Aye, another agreed. And I ll not be diving into that mess to save the woman who killed her.
As the others murmured agreement to that, Amaury straightened, his frowning gaze still on the surface of
the moat.
Their gowns will keep them down there, the king murmured, stepping through the crowd to Amaury s
side and surveying the fetid water. And good riddance too. I ll not make a man risk his life swimming in
that muck to save a murderer.
Tis amazing Emma survived her plunge in there, Blake muttered.
Aye, Amaury agreed grimly, then glanced at the king as he spoke again.
Post a guard here until the bodies surface.
What of Bertrand? Amaury asked.
I shall banish him. Put a guard on him as well for now. Tomorrow he can be taken on a boat and sent
toFrance , or mayhapItaly . He shrugged. Whatever the case, he will no longer be a threat. Without
lands, riches, or courage, he shall not bother us again.
Amaury nodded at that. And what will you do about Arundel?
He pursed his lips. Nothing. He will stay on as lord chancellor, he decided, a grim tinge to his voice.
Then spying their dismay, he explained, Tis better to keep Arundel, whom I know I cannot trust and
can therefore guard myself against, than to have a new chancellor whom I may trust mistakenly. He let
them think on that briefly, then added, Sides, Arundel has many friends. Most of them much like Lady
Ascot and her son. Twould take more than hearsay to oust him without a battle, and that is all we have.
Hearsay from Bertrand to Lady Emma and from her to me. He did not get the chance to try his trick.
Therefore we have no proof.
Blake nodded solemnly at that, then glanced toward Amaury, only to find the man gone. No doubt to
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find his wife, he realized, and smiled to himself as the king began barking his orders.
They are sure that they are dead, are they not? Emma glanced at her cousin with surprise. It was
nearly three weeks since the events that had ended in Lady Ascot s and her maid s death. She and
Amaury had returned to court the morning following the escapade. Emma had thought they would simply
collect their things and return home. However, the king had insisted they should stay at court for a few
days to be sure Emma was recovered from her excitement and had not collected a chill from her dip in
the moat.
Those few days had dragged into weeks before they had managed to extricate themselves and start
home. They had arrived back atEberhartCastle only the day before. Just in time, it had seemed, for
Emma had awoken that morning to the news that her cousin and Bishop Wykeham were riding up to the
castle.
It had taken her longer than expected to make her way below stairs. Rolfe and the bishop had already
been seated at the table enjoying a repast when she joined them. Emma had greeted them warmly, then
spent the first little bit updating her two guests on court gossip. Rolfe and the bishop had not been at
court during the time she and her husband had. InScotland on court business had been all the king had
told her when she had asked.
Once she had exhausted what little gossip she had bothered to listen to at court, Emma had turned to the
tale of their woes with Bertrand and his mother. Now she smiled gently at her cousin s concerned
expression.
Aye. Lady Ascot floated to the surface of the moat the day after we left the demesne for court and
Gytha& Emma paused, her lips pulling down with concern as she saw Sebert enter the castle and head
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