Sir Adam hadn’t been surprised—or offended. “I would have been suspicious of me as well,” he said. “But I’m afraid you’ll have to look elsewhere.”

Not only did Sir Adam have an explanation for being in the priory—it was where his youngest son had been laid to rest when he’d died of a fever exactly a year before—he also provided Alex with information that made it extremely unlikely that he was the spy.

The night before Sir Adam had returned, a group of soldiers had stopped a monk after a night of revelry in town “to have some fun with him.” Alex’s mouth hardened. In other words, they were harassing him. “The monk seemed to be holding his pouch too tightly and grew agitated when they asked what he was hiding. It turns out he was carrying a missive with the approximate number of troops at both Wark and Berwick, including a breakdown of infantry and cavalry, as well as the names of all the barons who have arrived so far and the size of their retinues. My name was on it, as was yours.” But unlike Alex, Sir Adam had not been to Wark, making it unlikely that he had passed on the information. Sir Adam paused significantly before continuing. “There was also a mention of who had not yet arrived.”

Alex grimaced, knowing Sir Adam was referring to the earls who had not answered—and might not answer—Edward’s call to muster.

“Aye,” Sir Adam said, reading his expression. “I’m sure Bruce would like nothing more than to know that Lancaster and his fellow earls—and their cavalry—will not be joining the campaign. Although if it encourages King Hood to stay and fight and not scurry off into one of his fox holes, I almost hope they do not show.”

Alex hadn’t thought of that, but Sir Adam might be right. One of the reasons Alex had gone over to the English was because raids, skirmishes, and ambushes weren’t getting them anywhere anymore. The pirate warfare, the so-called dirty war that Christendom accused Bruce of fighting, could only take them so far. The righteousness of Bruce’s cause would only be proved one way: by fighting like a knight—in other words, by a pitched battle of army versus army. But that was something Bruce had adamantly refused to do to this point. Would the earls’ absence change his mind? Could Bruce finally be brought from the trees and fox holes of ambuscade to the battlefield?

Alex didn’t think so—Bruce had been adamant on this issue whenever Alex had brought it up—but he supposed if the odds were enough in his favor it was possible. But against such a powerful army, even without the earls, would Bruce ever think the odds in his favor?