‘I really wouldn’t do that,’ Hadewaye said, stopping a safe distance from the group.

‘Defenders,’ Rabbit said through gritted teeth. ‘She set us up.’

‘No,’ Isabel said.

Ita looked from Blackmane to Isabel. ‘Are they here for you?’

Isabel swallowed. ‘That is a very strong possibility.’ She positioned herself in front of Ita. ‘Everyone stay calm. Please. Let me handle this.’

Blackmane’s eyes landed on her, as black as the charred ruins of Maddock House. Someone was clearly not happy about her little excursion.

Head high, she braced for impact.

CHAPTER 13

Any other time, Blackmane would have shot every rebel dead, put Isabel on his horse, and ridden off before anyone else had a chance to join the fight. But he could tell by the way she stood in front of that woman, her expression determined, that this was Ita, the friend she had been searching for.

‘You can’t expect them to put their weapons down when you have yours pointed directly at them,’ Isabel told Blackmane. She looked around at the others. ‘What if we all agree not to kill each other for a moment while we sort this out?’

The St Clare group looked between themselves, a non-verbal conversation. Then Ita said, ‘Let’s see the defender put his away first.’

Blackmane signalled to Hadewaye, and they lowered their bows at the same time. Then his eyes returned to Isabel. ‘What the hell were you thinking leaving the camp by yourself?’

Scowling, she walked over to him. ‘I am not a prisoner, you know. I am free to come and go as I please.’

He pointed to the others. ‘Do you even know all these people?’

She looked over her shoulder. ‘A good percentage of them, yes.’

‘Twenty-five percent of them?’

She swallowed. ‘If Ita trusts them, then I trust them.’

Her naivety was sending him mad. ‘So you’re safe in their company, then? These people are going to protect you from Hodge’s mood? Return you to the camp later when you’re done reminiscing?’

It was clear by her expression that she had no real plan.

‘You know,’ she began, crossing her arms, ‘you have the most unusual way of expressing concern for my safety.’

‘So you are safe?’

She hesitated. ‘Yes.’

He nodded slowly. ‘Great. Then I’ll leave you to it.’ He looked past her to the others. ‘There are guards swarming the area. You might want to fix your bows before they get here.’ Then he gestured to Hadewaye. ‘We’re leaving.’ With that, he turned his back to Isabel and walked away.

She ran after him, catching hold of his arm. ‘Wait.’

He stopped. ‘What?’

‘Are you angry at me?’

He brought his face close to hers. ‘Am I angry? My rage is barely contained right now. So I suggest you get your hands off me and go back to your friends.’

She let go of him, eyes never leaving his. He should have walked away at that point, but her wounded expression held him in place.