“I kept company with Bethany,” Clive said.
Royden’s brow went up. “I thought you had a bad stomach?”
“I did,” he was quick to explain. “Bethany was kind enough to bring me a broth that helped settle it.”
“So she did not stay long with you,” Royden said.
Oria couldn’t help but tense. Bethany made it known to many a man that she would not be free with her favors. That was meant for marriage alone and she’d have it no other way. And if Clive lied, Bethany would make the truth known.
Clive shook his head. “Nay, Bethany stayed until I finished the broth, then left.”
“Then my original question remains. Did you go into the woods last night?” Royden asked, more of a demand in his tone and once again he watched Clive’s mask slip.
Oria saw it too. He was obviously annoyed and obviously about to lie and she wondered if the men spotted in the woods had been there to meet with Clive.
“What reason would I have to go into the woods at night? I slept after Bethany left and didn’t wake until dawn,” Clive said, his smile gone.
“Maybe you saw to your nightly duties before falling asleep and perhaps spotted the men we searched for last night,” Royden suggested and turned to his wife. “And why do you tense at these questions? Is there something you both keep from me?”
Oria had had enough. She turned to Clive. “I won’t lie to my husband any longer.”
Royden stepped away from her. “Any longer?”
Oria looked to Clive.
“To my solar, the both of you,” Royden ordered and turned away to climb the stairs, not waiting for them to follow, but expecting them to. And they did.
Once in the solar, Royden turned to his wife and ordered, “Tell me.”
Clive responded, “She can’t. She swore to keep her word and she has, even as difficult as it has been to do so.”
Though annoyed, Royden admired his wife for honoring her word. Now, however, since they were husband and wife, he expected no secrets to be kept between them.
“I wanted to tell you so badly, but it meant the safety of others,” Oria said.
Royden could easily see that it had troubled his wife and that troubled him.
“I need someone to explain, now!” Royden demanded.
“That’s the problem,” Clive admitted. “We can’t.”
“You aren’t a merchant, are you?” Royden more stated than asked.
“No, but that cannot be divulged or others will suffer, for while I would like to think that I could withstand torture, I fear everyone has a breaking point. Oria’s breaking point is lying to you.”
Royden reached out and took his wife’s hand from where they sat beside each other at the round table.
“I made a promise,” she explained. “One I was honor bound to keep for the good of many. I never meant to intentionally keep anything from you.”
Clive went on to explain. “She gave me an ultimatum. A week’s time no more or she would reveal—”
Oria interrupted, wanting her husband to know, “What was safe for you to know while continuing to keep the deepest of trusts, the deepest of promises.”
Royden knew the cost of promises. He had one he had yet to keep. “There is much I wish to ask you—”
“I ask that you don’t,” Oria said, squeezing his hand.
“This has been a burden for you,” Royden said, seeing the torment in her eyes.
“Not until you returned home. You should know—”
“But it is best you don’t,” Clive finished.
Royden looked from one to the other. “I don’t like not knowing.”
“I don’t know everything myself,” Oria admitted, leaning in to press her shoulder against his, needing to be as close as she could to him, needing his strength.
Royden sensed and felt her need for him. It stirred in his gut and tore at his heart. He moved his chair closer to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders to keep her tight against him.
“Is there anything you can tell me?” Royden asked.
Oria couldn’t keep it from him any longer. “Your da is alive.”
Royden’s heart slammed against his chest, catching his breath.
“He was severely injured in the attack, but he has healed well,” Oria said.
Clive shook his head. “You should have waited.”
“His da would want him to know just as he would want to know his son has returned home,” Oria argued.
“My wife is right,” Royden said. “When will my da return home?”
Clive appeared reluctant to say.
Oria spoke up. “Your da will not want to leave Wren.”
“Wren?” Royden shook his head, the name unfamiliar.
“The witch in the woods,” Oria explained.
“What has the witch to—” He shook his head again. “She healed my da.”
“If it hadn’t been for her, he would have never survived,” Oria said and looked about to say more but stopped.
“Tell me,” Royden encouraged, thinking he was indebted more than he ever thought possible to a witch.
“Your da fell in love with Wren and she with him,” Oria said. “And I doubt he’ll want to leave her.”