A Dishonorable Knight - By Morrison, Michelle Page 0,148
her trunk. Packing as carefully as she could, she crammed her best gowns and half of her jewels into the trunk. The rest of the jewelry, she placed in an embroidered pouch. She fastened the pouch under her full skirts and moved about to see if it was evident. Satisfied that it was well hidden, she fetched her cloaks from the hooks on which they were hung. One of these she would have to sneak down to Gareth to help disguise him when he made his escape. Elena looked at both of them, trying to decide which would be the least conspicuous for Gareth to wear. With a sigh, she realized that neither of them would work. One was a rich red velvet with ermine lining and the other, though a simple dark blue wool, had gold couching covering every inch of it. With a sigh, Elena looked up. A thin grey cloak with a full hood hung on the farthest hook on the wall. It was the cloak Margaret wore when she visited the convent she soon hoped to join. It would be perfect, but--
The door creaked open and she started. When Margaret entered, she breathed a sigh of relief that it was not Catherine and took it as a sign that she should ask for the cloak. Before she had a chance to voice the question, Margaret spoke.
"Is it true you are to leave immediately? Tonight?"
"Is it tonight now? When last Richard spoke, it was merely before first light," she said dispassionately.
"It is true then?
"Aye, it's true."
"But why? You have long been one of Richard's favorites." Margaret walked closer and surveyed Elena's packed trunk.
"I have not been a favorite since I was in the company of a man not my husband or father for weeks. A man Richard now thinks is a traitor."
"That is ridiculous. It was all well explained! Surely he would not send you away on a mere suspicion!"
"On no, that is only why I am no longer his favorite. I am being sent away because I refused to marry the Earl of Brackley."
"You did? But why?" Margaret's face pinkened. "I mean, I know of his purported cruelty, but I thought you were pleased with the new rank it would give you."
"I told Richard I could not marry Edmund because I was in love with another man. I even said I was going to have his child."
"Are you?"
"No. At least, I don't think so." Elena expected to see condemnation in the pious Margaret's eyes, but instead she saw something that surprised her. She saw compassion and...respect? Before her "adventure," Elena and Margaret had always been at odds, Margaret making no effort to conceal her disapproval of Elena's methods to gain favor and attention, and Elena scorning Margaret's avowals that a life in the church was the only way a woman could gain any sort of freedom. Now, Elena thought, I too see the uselessness of life as a lady-in-waiting, and court life, for that matter, where we walk on eggshells hoping we don't annoy the king and we agree to marry ugly old men just to gain a title or the king's favor.
Deciding to risk at least part of her plan, Elena drew Margaret to sit down in the sunny window seat.
"Margaret, there is another who would leave this castle tonight, but may be detained if he is recognized. May I use your cloak? I'm afraid you may not get it back."
"Of course you may have it."
"Are you certain?"
"It is a small enough affair. I shall scarce miss it."
"Oh thank you, Margaret! Here," she said, standing and retrieving her own two cloaks. "You must take one of these in return."
"No, no. That's not necessary."
"Well of course it is. It's only fair we trade cloaks. Now which one do you like? I think the red would look divine with your dark hair."
Margaret shook her head.
"The blue then? It would set off your eyes."
"Really Elena, it's alright. They are both beautiful--"
"Take them both, then." Elena held them both out.
"They are a bit too fancy for my taste. Besides you will need warm cloaks at your parent's home. It is near the Scottish border, is it not?"
"I will only need one cloak and so will you come winter. You know how drafty these halls become when that winter wind is blowing."
"I hope to be a novice nun at St. Mary's convent by winter time this year. Such cloaks as these would be inappropriate to wear over my plain habit."