Snow confirmed what Slatter had said and was quickly dismissed from James’s solar along with Willow who protested vigorously until her husband ordered her to leave to her surprise.

Leave now, wife.

His words still rang in her head as she sat with Snow in their mum’s solar.

“Let the men do what they will,” Snow said, petting Thaw, asleep in her lap. “And we will do what we will, search for the truth ourselves.”

Willow snapped out of her musings. “You’re right. I know the man who resembles Slatter exists.” Willow sat up straighter in the chair. “So does Devin, a longtime friend of Slatter’s and so does Walcott, another friend, though often pessimistic, but faithful to Slatter. Then there are all the people he has helped who would defend him.”

“They need to be here to help him. No one believes another like Slatter exists and, therefore, will not bother to search for him. But he must be close if he convinced Rhodes to meet him in the woods.”

Willow gasped. “I never thought of that, but you’re right. That man must be close by if he met with Rhodes under the pretense of being Slatter.”

“Have James send a small troop of men to escort them here. At least then you’ll have some who will defend Slatter,” Snow explained.

Willow laughed softly. “And here I thought I was the sensible one.”

“Love distracts,” Snow said, laughing herself. “And don’t bother to deny you love your husband. I can hear it in your voice when you speak about him just as I can hear it in his voice when he speaks about you.”

“You think Slatter loves me?” Willow asked.

Snow tilted her head at her sister. “Isn’t that why he wed you?”

Guilt poked at Willow for not telling her sister the truth. The three had always trusted one another, knowing anything they shared would not be shared with anyone else.

“I need to tell you something,” Willow said.

“I was wondering when you were going to get around to it.” Snow lowered her voice, though the door to the room was closed. “So tell me why you truly wed Slatter.”

It didn’t take long for Willow to explain it all and finish with, “How I fell in love with him I’ll never know.”

“Fate, I suppose. And truth be told when I spoke with him this morning I couldn’t seem to align him with the man who had set fire to our shed or did the many things said of him. I know his tongue can charm but he doesn’t strike me as a scoundrel.”

“I have seen him kill without hesitation,” Willow said, recalling the men who had meant them harm and explained to Snow.

“He killed to protect you. That is different from luring a man into the woods and murdering him.”

A soft rap on the door and Eleanor calling out that she had hot cider for them had Willow hurrying to open the door.