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but now covered with weeds and grass. In the center, moonlight shone through the
trees onto a circular stone altar covered with moss and vines.
They were searching for an old Roman system of drains Roderick had played in as a
child. Apparently, the drains had been in disuse for hundreds of years but led directly
into a secret room within one of the towers of the castle, not too far from the master s
chambers.
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Roderick had worked as a man-at-arms for Ranulf of Lewes until Ranulf had killed
his brother. At that point, he d taken his family and escaped Fordhaven. They d
wandered until they came to Loxburn, where upon hearing his story, Elena had taken
them in. They had been happy at Loxburn ever since, and Elena had earned the man s
undying loyalty.
 There it is. Frowning, Roderick motioned to a ragged cluster of rocks and recently
upturned dirt just beyond the altar.  Now that s odd. I expected the grass to be grown
over it. When I left this place, these drains had long since been forgotten.
Together they stood over the grate, a crisscrossed circle of metal bars flung open to
reveal a stone ladder leading down into a dark hole.
 Someone has been here recently, Roderick whispered.
 Yes, but look. Stephen picked up a lump of recently turned grass.  It hadn t been
used for sometime before that.
 Should we risk it, Sir Stephen?
 Do we have any other way to get in?
Roderick shook his head.
 Then let s go. Holding the rushlight in front of him, Stephen descended
The drains were old indeed, cracked in places, at times knee-deep in dirt and rocks.
Tree roots hung down from the top. Other than the encroachment of nature, however,
they were clear of too much grime and debris, and he and Roderick made quick
progress through them until they encountered a second grate.
 There shouldn t be anyone in the room, Roderick whispered.  It s a storage room
for the kitchens.
Roderick held back, holding the light while Stephen investigated. The room was
dark, but the grate was partially covered with a crate of some sort.
It took nearly an hour of awkward heaving before Stephen and Roderick were able
to lift the grate and emerge into the dark, silent storage room.
Brushing off their tunics, they opened the door that led to the tower stairs. Right
into the face of a maid carrying a chamber pot.
 Oh! the girl exclaimed, dropping the pot. Stephen caught it neatly.
 Good evening, he said softly. With a smile, he handed her the sloshing pot.
 We re here to see Lord Lewes.
It was simpler than Stephen had predicted. He gave the chambermaid a small purse
of gold and without question, she led them up to Lewes door, happy to betray her
master.
The door was made of thick planked logs and was solidly barred from the inside.
Stephen placed his hand against it. He knew Elena could be in there, but he couldn t
feel her as he had at Loxburn and at Winchester. Maybe he had completely severed the
bond between them after all. Maybe it was too late.
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Dawn Halliday
He nodded at the chambermaid.
 M lord, she called,  a message has just arrived from Winchester Castle.
After a long silence, a gruff voice came from the other side of the door.  Well, come
in then.
The lock squealed as someone inside slid it free. Grinning, the girl opened the door
for him. When Stephen stepped through, he saw a man lying on the big bed in the
center of the room. This must be Lewes his demeanor said he thought himself the
master of this place. He was a big man with dark, curling hair and narrow, calculating
eyes. Naked from the torso up, he looked relaxed, though his shoulder was wrapped
with a large white bandage.
Stephen hoped that was Elena s work.
A naked woman lay beside Lewes. Not Elena, thank God. This woman was pink
and busty, with pale brown hair and big eyes that sloped downward at their edges as if
she were perpetually exhausted. Given her state of nudity, she likely was.
It appeared as though Lewes and the woman had been playing a game of chess in
bed. Another man, a skinny, bookish type with stringy blond hair, stood beside a big
armchair, his arms crossed over his chest in what appeared to be an attempt to look
threatening.
Lewes looked from Stephen to Roderick and back again.  Why if it isn t Stephen de
Verre. And Roderick, fancy seeing you again, you traitorous slime. You smuggled this
bastard into my castle, didn t you?
Despite the harshness of his words, Lewes didn t appear overly perturbed. Stephen
stood stiffly, every sense honed, every nerve alert.
Lewes smiled.  Well then. Which one of you shall I play next? He looked at his
naked companion.  Sorry, my dear, but this game is nearly at its end.
No doubt of that, Stephen thought wryly.
 Where is Lady de Burgh? he said aloud.
Lewes flashed him a dark glare.  Why should I tell you?
Stephen s sword hissed as he unsheathed it.  Where is she?
Lewes gestured at his bandage.  Surely you wouldn t attack an injured man.
Stephen stepped forward menacingly. He would do whatever it took.
 In any case, Lewes continued, giving him a one-shouldered shrug,  she is not
Lady de Burgh. She is mine. Lady Lewes. My wife, legally wed to me. Ainsley, show
him the marriage contract.
The pasty-faced man near the fire rifled through some papers on a nearby shelf,
then stepped forward, holding out a document in a trembling hand. Stephen snatched it
and scanned it quickly.
No. It had to be a fraud.
 I assure you, it is no fraud, Lewes said smoothly.
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Sins of the Knight
 Then why are you in bed with this woman and not Elena?
 My wife has been indisposed.
The way the man called Elena his wife made Stephen shake with rage. This couldn t
be happening.
As if he found the entire situation immensely boring, Lewes studied his nails.  She
is with child, you know.
The statement slammed into Stephen s gut, but he held his ground.
Lewes glanced up at him, eyebrows raised.  Oh? Hadn t you heard? It seems Hugh
de Burgh didn t have as sluggish a prick as we all thought.
Stephen did a quick mental calculation. If Elena had been telling the truth about
Hugh s lack of interest in her for the last several months and he had every reason to
believe her the baby had to be his.
Elena carried his child. And, with all those twisted, misplaced notions of honor and
loyalty, he had left her alone. She was the only one who deserved his honor and loyalty.
Would she ever forgive him?
 Where is she? he ground out.
Lewes sneered.  You have just infiltrated my keep. Why would I hand her to you?
You must think me mad.
 Take me to her. Now.
 Now why would I take you to her? Lewes threw up his hands in exasperation.
 So you can proclaim your loyal, undying love? Come now, de Verre. There is nothing
you can do. As much as you think you love her, you wouldn t steal another man s
wife.
Another man s widow, perhaps. He was within striking distance of Lewes. It would be
so easy to slit his throat&
 And you won t kill me either. You are too honorable to murder a defenseless man.
I ve an injured shoulder, a headache 
Honorable? No. In the end, he wasn t so very honorable. Was he?
Elena, Elena. What would you have me do?
Lewes had hurt Elena. He had stolen her from Winchester, possibly raped her,
possibly hurt her no, their babe.
Ranulf of Lewes deserved to die.
Stephen raised his sword and swung it with all his power at Lewes neck.
At the same time, Lewes leapt from the bed with an almost unnatural speed and
thrust a dagger at Stephen s gut. It pierced his tunic and dug into his side before Lewes
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