One of the king’s eyebrows rose. “McQuade claims he was with ye every moment of last evening. Is that a truth?”
“It is.”
She held the king’s stare. It was intense and she couldn’t tell what the man was thinking but she refused to lower her eyelashes. Confidence burned inside her too brightly to pretend anything but solid belief in Keir’s innocence.
“Why did ye run away the night before yer wedding?”
The question surprised her. It seemed so long ago that she allowed the answer out without hesitation. “Edmund told me I was to wed Ronchford by your command.”
“So ye ran away from your king’s order?”
Her cheeks colored but she maintained her level chin. “Yes, I did.”
Everyone was silent. Helena heard the rain hitting the glass in the windows but the king suddenly chuckled.
“Ye’re a better match for McQuade than I ever imagined. God grant me patience to deal with the children ye will give him.” His amusement vanished. “Providing we can discover the truth of this mess.”
“Raelin McKorey will prove it.”
“The girl is likely drowned.” The king’s tone was hard with authority. “Which leaves me with a dead peer and a pair of lords who were fighting over you for the gain ye would bring them.”
Helena shook her head but the king held up his hand. “Ye may visit yer husband. Once.”
James Stuart resumed his progress down the hallway. Helena didn’t bother to lower herself. The man wasn’t looking at her but many of his entourage did and she refused to show them anything except confidence.
“Well now, I’m impressed.” Farrell moved out of the shadows to grin at her.
“Don’t be. The difficult challenge is still in front of us. The king may have two lords in the Tower, but the one who wed me shoulders more suspicion.”
The sort of suspicion that cost lives. Helena shivered, unable to suppress her foreboding any longer. It grew inside her chest every moment that she waited for the parchment that would allow her to enter the Tower. When the king’s royal guard returned with it she took it with a hand that trembled.
“Let us go to the Tower.”
The McQuade men closed around her, escorting her toward the yard. Every set of eyes in the great hall turned toward their progress. But Helena’s attention was focused on the journey in front of her. It was one many had traveled on their way to their deaths.
One that led to the Tower of London.
Chapter Twelve
The Tower of London was a fortress that struck fear into those who entered it. Helena decided that the dark weather fit the moment. The outer walls were protected by a moat, and somewhere along the stone walls was the traitor’s gate. The storm had likely saved Keir from entering the Tower through that infamous opening.
But that wasn’t much mercy.
The walls rose up above her, sending a shaft of fear through her. The solid stone and iron was inhabited by too many ghosts to name. Past the outer walls and towers there was another entire set of walls and towers before you reached the tower green where the scaffold stood. At the very heart of the fortress stood the white tower. Its walls rose ninety feet into the air, built to impress Norman rule after Britain had been conquered.
Black-uniformed yeomen stopped them. Helena felt the rain splatter on her cheeks when she stretched her neck to watch Farrell hand the parchment over to one of the yeomen. He looked up, his gaze settling on her face.
“Bring the lady closer.”
She climbed down from her seat at the front of the wagon that hauled her trunks before any of the McQuade men offered her a hand. She didn’t blame them. They were uneasy and watching what was coming toward them. Her own stomach was twisted into a knot. The sight of the outer wall sent terror through her. The Earl of Essex had lost his head not a full two years ago.
And now her husband was imprisoned inside it.
Helena moved closer to the yeomen.
“Push your hood back and open your cloak.”
Farrell protested but the yeoman silenced him. “It wouldn’t be the first time someone tried to sneak in wearing a dress.”
“I am a woman.” Helena did as instructed and the rain quickly soaked into her hair. She opened the wool cloak wide. Heat burned in her cheeks when she watched the man’s gaze settle on her breasts.
“All right then.” He waved his hand and there was a groan from