Blackmane nodded and swung his horse around. They cantered east, following the men for a while before splitting up. Blackmane loaded his bow and took aim at the larger of the two riders, shooting him through the neck. The other guard watched his comrade fall from his horse, then, panicking, dug his heels in, preparing to flee. Tolly appeared, blocking his exit and drawing his sword. The guard was forced to pull up, looking over his shoulder as Blackmane trotted up to join them. He immediately raised his hands, confirming to Blackmane that he had kept the right man alive.

‘We need some information,’ Tolly said. ‘And you’re going to give it to us.’

The guard looked between them with a worried expression. ‘I don’t know anything—’

‘Isabel Maddock,’ Blackmane said. ‘You know that name, don’t you? That’s why you’re out here looking for men like us?’

His expression confirmed that was exactly what he was doing. ‘Of course I know her. She’s lived at Hampstead Keep for years.’

‘But then she left, didn’t she?’ Tolly said.

He seemed unsure how to answer that. ‘She was away for a period.’

‘She left,’ Blackmane said, leaving no room for argument.

The guard remained silent.

Blackmane kept his arrow trained on the man. ‘The only reason you’re still alive is because of the information you have—remember that.’

He let out a resigned sigh. ‘What do you want to know?’

‘Is she unharmed?’ Blackmane asked.

There was a beat of silence. ‘Yes.’

‘You hesitated.’

‘She’s unharmed.’

Blackmane studied him. ‘But?’

The man wrestled with his response for a moment. ‘But she’s been refusing food.’

‘For how long?’

‘I don’t know all the details. They had dinner. There was a fight. Now he won’t let her eat unless she eats with him.’

Blackmane knew she would sooner starve than share a table with him. ‘And where is she at present?’

‘In her bedchamber.’

‘The one she was in before she left?’

The guard nodded, then looked nervously between them. ‘Are you going to kill me now?’

‘No,’ Tolly said. ‘We need you for this next part. What’s your name?’

‘Morris.’ He was sweating now. ‘If I help you, I’m dead anyway.’

Tolly frowned. ‘You haven’t even heard the plan yet.’

The guard made the sign of the cross on himself. ‘God help me.’

Blackmane put his bow away and moved closer to him. ‘So here’s what’s going to happen. You’re going to take me into custody and lock me up.’

Morris blinked and looked between them, as though trying to gauge if they were serious. ‘Lock you up where?’

‘Hampstead Keep has a dungeon,’ Blackmane said. ‘I paid it a visit last time I was there.’

Morris was staring at him like he was mad. ‘Is this some sort of trick?’

‘If it was,’ Tolly said, ‘do you think we would tell you?’