An Uncertain Choice

“My knight would never harm his friends,” the duke insisted. “They’re like his brothers. And he has no reason to hurt them, not when he’s capable of winning Lady Rosemarie’s heart without resorting to such methods.”


The abbot shook his head. “One of my servants overheard Sir Derrick telling her ladyship that he didn’t consider himself worthy enough for her. Perhaps he thought his only hope was to eliminate his competition.”

I couldn’t keep from thinking back to the innocent comments both the duke and Derrick had made concerning his jealousy. Derrick had said he couldn’t guarantee the safety of the other two knights if I spent any more time with them. And the duke had said he was glad I’d chosen Derrick because he was afraid Derrick would harm his friends with his jealousy.

I’d believed them to be jesting. But what if Sir Derrick was more reckless than I’d imagined?

The abbot cleared his throat and spoke again. “Can you explain why these unfortunate accidents have happened only to Sir Collin and Sir Bennet — ?first the shooting and poisoning, and then the fallen tent and the horse losing its shoe? Why have both of them suffered such attempts and not Sir Derrick?”

Sir Bennet had stepped next to Sir Collin, and his dark gaze narrowed on the abbot. “Perhaps Sir Derrick is being set up by one who doesn’t wish him to win Lady Rosemarie’s heart, especially since he appears to be succeeding at it.”

The abbot’s eyebrow rose again. “Are you laying claim to the misdeeds then, Sir Bennet?”

“You know that I’m not.” His voice was rigid and his glare narrow. “I believe there is one who has greater motivation —?”

The duke stopped Sir Bennet with a touch to his arm.

Sir Bennet clamped his lips closed, but his chest was puffed with the words he apparently wanted to speak.

“Of course you’ll want to defend your friend,” the abbot said in the measured, calm tone he always used. “But now, with all the evidence of the sheriff’s murder pointing directly at Sir Derrick, we have no choice but to lock him up.”

Sir Collin’s and Sir Bennet’s protests echoed through the Great Hall.

“If not for your safety, sirs,” the abbot said, “then for her ladyship’s? You surely would not wish to see any harm befall her? Would you?”

Suddenly, Derrick stepped forward, his gray eyes blazing like the white heat of a hearth fire. “She had better not get hurt.” His voice was ragged.

Only then did the abbot look at Derrick, holding his gaze for a long moment. “If you wish your friends and her ladyship to be free of danger, then I think it best that you hand yourself over. Don’t you agree?”

Beneath the layers of my gown, my legs trembled in fear for Derrick, of what would befall him. He was being accused of murdering the sheriff and treachery against his companions. And there seemed no way to refute the evidence.

As if coming to the same conclusion, the duke finally nodded at Derrick, as though trying to reassure him, before turning to the abbot. “Very well, Father Abbot. If you must lock up Sir Derrick, I ask that it be in one of the chambers.”

“I concur,” I said. “We can post a guard outside his door.”

The abbot didn’t turn to acknowledge me, but instead continued to direct his conversation to the duke. “If he’s not in the dungeon, what’s to prevent him from trying to escape?”

“Because he’s a man of honor,” the duke replied.

The abbot only shook his head, his face filled with scorn.

“In the meantime,” the duke continued, “Sir Collin and Sir Bennet and I will commence a thorough investigation to find evidence that he’s innocent.”

“He deserves death by hanging for taking the life of the sheriff,” the abbot said bluntly. “The law demands it. The people will expect it. And justice must be served. If not, I cannot guarantee what may happen.”

The abbot’s words dripped with a foreboding and an undercurrent of threat.

“If I hand myself over and allow you to lock me in the dungeon,” Derrick said, “then you’ll guarantee Lady Rosemarie’s safety?”

Surely he didn’t think I was in danger.

“You don’t have to do this, Derrick.” Sir Collin’s harsh whisper echoed in the silent hall. “We’ll find another way.”

Derrick spun and glared at his friends. His face was carved granite, his eyes iron. Their expressions pleaded with him.

I didn’t want to meet Derrick’s gaze, but when he turned his on me, I had no choice. He studied my face and something within his eyes pleaded with me to believe him, to trust him.

I wanted to. I didn’t think him capable of murdering the sheriff or harming his friends. But with so much evidence against him, I knew I couldn’t ignore it. I had to get to the bottom of all that had happened too. “Rest assured, I shall start my own investigation into all the recent happenings as well.”