Willow was surprised that her husband wasn’t with his grandmother when she entered the bedchamber, though more surprised to find James there and to see that he and Eleanor were asleep. He had placed his chair beside hers and her head rested on his shoulder while his head rested atop her head. It appeared James was more than smitten with Eleanor and obviously she felt the same.
Willow hated to disturb them, but she had to see to Sara.
“Eleanor,” she said softly and the young woman and James’s heads shot up.
James quickly got to his feet and turned to face Willow. “We fell asleep.”
“It was generous of you to keep Eleanor company,” Willow said.
Eleanor’s cheeks blossomed red. “We were talking and must have grown tired.”
Willow almost chuckled at the way they both attempted to explain what happened.
“I must see to my chores,” Eleanor said, appearing eager to take her leave.
“I as well,” James said, looking toward the door.
“I am most grateful for your help… both your help,” Willow said.
Eleanor gave a bob of her head as she hurried and left the room.
James stopped halfway through the open door, casting a hasty glance after Eleanor before turning his attention to Willow.
“When you are done here, a word, please, in my solar,” he said.
“Aye,” she said a smile breaking free, watching James inching more and more out the door as he cast another glance toward the stairs. “I’ll be there soon.”
“Good. Good, see you there,” he said and rushed off.
Willow had been tempted to ask James if he had seen Slatter, but being she had found him and Eleanor asleep, she doubted he had seen her husband.
She walked over to the bed and saw that Sara still slept. She placed a gentle hand to her brow and was relieved to find it normal to the touch. That the old woman didn’t stir worried her some. She would ask Eleanor and James how Sara had fared during the night.
A young servant lass, Carna, appeared at the open door just as Willow was adding logs to the hearth. She knew all the servants’ names, not that there were that many to remember, most all were trustworthy and dependable. A few got into their cups too often, but James dealt with those.
“I’ve been sent to help with whatever you need,” Carna said, hurrying over to help Willow with the logs.
“I need you to sit with Sara and watch over her until I return. I need to know if she stirs much or remains still,” Willow explained.
Carna nodded and once done with the hearth went to sit in the chair by the bed and keep watch.
Willow hurried down the stairs and to the kitchen to have cook prepare the brew Sara would need when she woke or stirred. She was surprised and pleased to find Eleanor already there seeing to it.
With that done, she made her way to James’s solar. She half expected to run into Snow, her sister an early riser, but then she recalled before going to see Sorrell that Snow had been taking the pup out in the morning for a walk, which was probably what she was doing now. She would find her later and talk with her in their mum’s solar, a place she and her sisters would gather to talk, laugh, and cry together. It was a place that brought them comfort and camaraderie.
James had left the solar door open for her and she entered, closing it behind her.
He pointed to the chairs by the hearth. “Hot cider awaits us on this cold day. Yesterday’s snow stopped, though I think it will fall again before the day ends.”
They sat, both stretching their legs out toward the flames lapping at the logs in the fireplace.
James finally spoke. “Tell me why you wed this scoundrel.”
Her answer slipped out without thought. “I love him.” She smiled upon hearing herself admit it aloud. It felt good to say, to let someone know what her heart had been telling her. “And he’s not the scoundrel he professes to be.”
“You are the most sensible woman I know, Willow. You can’t tell me that you believe his outrageous tale about a person who resembles him being responsible for all he’s accused of.”
“I understand how you doubt that, and if I hadn’t seen the man with my own eyes, I would be skeptical myself.”
“You saw this phantom man?” James asked anxiously.
“I did and I would have sworn, if asked, that it was Slatter I saw.”
“You saw the two at the same time?”
“No, but where I saw the man and then saw Slatter,” —she shook her head— “he would not have been able to get to that place so fast.”
“I would like to believe you, I truly would, and if you had seen them together, then there would be no denying it.”