“Perhaps you should go, so as not to disturb him again.” Frau Lena patted Margaretha’s arm.
“Let me just say good-bye to him and see if he remembers the words I taught him.”
“Very well. I shall be upstairs if you need me.” Frau Lena gave him one last long look and left.
Margaretha righted her stool and sat down next to him. “Gawain? Are you feeling well?”
“Who? What?”
Already he had forgotten. “Remember? You didn’t want to tell me your name, so we agreed I would call you Gawain.”
He frowned. His hands still covered his eyes.
When he didn’t say anything, she asked, “Do you remember our German lesson? What will you say if I find you some clothes?”
“Danke für die Kleidung.”
“That is very good.”
“Das ist sehr gut.”
“Excellent!” She hadn’t taught him that sentence, although he must have put the words together from other sentences she taught him. Was he only pretending not to know German?
Gawain was half sitting, propped up on one elbow. He’d moved so fast, she hadn’t even noticed. He grabbed her arm.
“Listen to me,” he said, returning to English. “You must not mention me to Lord Claybrook. Promise you won’t say a word. If he knows I’m here, all will be lost.”
What was he talking about? Should she call for Frau Lena? “Hush now, Gawain. All will be well. You are distressed at the moment, but — ”
“You must promise me.” He tightened his grip as his eyes bore into hers. “Your life could be in danger, especially if he thinks you know about me.”
“Lord Claybrook? He would never harm me. You only need to rest — ”
“No, it is you who do not understand.” Gawain pulled her closer, and she almost lost her balance and fell off the stool. “The man is evil. He has killed before, and he will do it again.”
The gleam in his eyes frightened her, as well as the fact that she couldn’t pull loose from his grip on her arm. “Frau Lena!”
He leaned even closer and spoke in a hoarse whisper. “You must listen. Please, Lady Margaretha. All our lives depend upon it.”
He was clearly delirious again. His words and the intensity in his eyes were frightening, but he obviously believed what he was saying.
“Are you sure it is the same Lord Claybrook? That he killed someone?” What if he was right? Could Lord Claybrook be a killer? It seemed impossible, but now that she thought about it . . . there was a coldness in his eyes sometimes. And when he talked about hunting, there was a bloodthirstiness in his voice. Shouldn’t she at least consider it a possibility?
“Yes, I am sure! Lady Margaretha, you must not trust him.”
Frau Lena came hurrying into the room again. Her eyes went wide with horror.
Gawain glanced down at his hand gripping Margaretha’s arm and let go, as if dropping a burning ember. He must have realized how it would look to Frau Lena.
Frau Lena hurried to her. “Did he hurt you? Are you all right?”
“I am not hurt.” Margaretha’s arm tingled where his fingers had pressed into her flesh. “He is only dismayed about Lord Claybrook, I think.”
She couldn’t break away from his gaze, as he stared at her with those intense blue eyes.
“Please,” he begged her as if her life depended on her believing him. “Please.”
Her heart tripped strangely. “How do you know Lord Claybrook?”
He stared into her eyes for a moment, then sighed. “You need to know, since he is here.” He frowned, but the intensity never left his face. “We are from the same part of England. He murdered my sister’s friend, a young woman, the daughter of a wealthy landowner, because she was pregnant with his child and he didn’t want to marry her. He came here to escape justice, and for who knows what other evil intentions. He has been amassing an army of knights for the past several years and has brought them with him.” His lips parted as he stared at her. “You don’t know what he is capable of. Please believe me.”
“What is he saying?” Frau Lena’s voice was tense by her side.
“Don’t tell her what I’m saying,” Gawain said. “Don’t tell her any of it. Please.”
Margaretha stared at him. Then she looked at Frau Lena. “He . . . he is only ranting.” She shrugged and shook her head. “I am not sure.”
Frau Lena’s forehead was still creased. “You should go. He may be dangerous. I don’t think you should visit him anymore.”
Gawain leaned toward her again, that intense look in his eyes. “Please promise me you will come back. I must talk with you again.”
“Did you understand Frau Lena?” Was he only pretending not to understand the healer? Or had he simply anticipated what she would say?
“No. What did she say?” He looked as if he sincerely wanted to know.