‘Don’t worry. If everything goes to plan, then he won’t know who to blame and I’ll be the one raising the alarm in a few hours. Now just give me a couple of minutes to make sure the hall is still empty and I’ll meet you in the gatehouse. Good luck!’
Constance waited, wrapping the cloak around her shoulders and counting the seconds on her fingers to stop herself from rushing, before finally sneaking out into the gallery. Thankfully, it was deserted as she crept cautiously towards the steps leading down to the hall. There were no sounds coming from below either, only a faint muffled noise coming from the direction of the solar.
She hesitated at the top of the steps, one foot hovering in mid-air. It sounded like sobbing, but there was no time for her to find out who it was or why they were upset. Susanna had said Sir Ralph was in his chamber, which meant that he could come out again at any moment. If she didn’t seize the opportunity to get away from him now, then she might not get another...
She went down a few steps and then stopped, muttered an oath and turned back towards the solar. The door was ajar, allowing her a clear view of Lady Adelaide, hunched over in the middle of the room with her face in her hands.
‘Adelaide?’ Constance hurried inside, opening her arms instinctively. ‘Are you...?’
She stopped in her tracks as the other woman looked up. Her eyes were red from crying, but the skin on one side of her face was swollen and purple, too.
‘Oh!’ She couldn’t stop herself from gasping. ‘What happened?’
‘I can’t...’ Adelaide tried to cover her face again, but Constance rushed forward and grasped her shoulders.
‘Did he do this to you?’
The other woman nodded and she shuddered. If she’d needed any more proof that Ralph Wintour was a monster, this was it.
‘Come with me.’ She grabbed the other woman’s hand and tugged her towards the door. ‘I’m taking you to Lacelby.’
‘What?’ Adelaide gaped as if she’d just said she was flying to the moon. ‘How? There’s no way out.’
‘I have a horse waiting. It can carry us both.’
‘You’re running away?’ Adelaide pulled back against her. ‘No, it’s too dangerous.’
‘More than here?’
‘Alan’s gone to find Sir Matthew, then he said he’ll come back for me.’
‘And what then?’ Constance tried to reason with her. ‘Even if he manages to find Matthew, Sir Ralph won’t let them back inside Wintercott. We can’t just stay here and wait to be rescued. We need to do it ourselves. You’ll be safe in Lacelby.’
‘Nowhere is safe for me.’
‘That’s not true. If the barons can get the King to surrender his power, then it means that things can change. And if Sir Ralph doesn’t have John as his protector any more then he can’t treat you like this. Matthew will make sure of i
t, I promise.’
‘I can’t take the risk.’ Adelaide shook her head. ‘I daren’t, but you should still go. Hurry!’
‘Go where exactly?’
The sound of Sir Ralph’s voice behind her made her insides curl with fear and the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end. Slowly, she turned around, Adelaide’s grip on her hand tightening painfully as he stepped out of the shadows of the doorway.
‘Surely you’re not thinking of leaving us, Daughter?’ There was something maniacal about his expression.
‘Yes.’ Constance lifted her chin, resisting the urge to back away. ‘You can’t hold me here against my will any longer. I demand that you let me go.’
‘You’re here for your own safety.’ His voice sounded dangerously soft. ‘As I’ve explained.’
‘What danger could be greater than you?’ She didn’t bother to hide her contempt. ‘I’ve seen what you’ve done to Adelaide.’
‘Then you know what I can do.’
‘You wouldn’t dare. If you lay so much as a finger on me, then Matthew really will strangle you next time.’
‘But Matthew isn’t here.’ Sir Ralph’s lip curled. ‘The gates of Wintercott are closed to my son. Both of my sons. But I intend to keep you.’