Brigitta hugged the letter to her chest. “I wish we could go to the wedding.”
The elfin girl tilted her head. “’Tis strange how her prediction came true. I wonder if she has some kind of power other than seeing the dead.”
“Ye think she can see the future?” the redhead asked. “Then all of her predictions might come true?”
“Oh, I hope so!” Brigitta’s eyes lit up. “She said I would have seven suitors vying for my hand.”
The redhead snorted. “Like that would e’er happen.”
“It could,” Brigitta protested.
“Read the letter!” Maeve yelled.
“Fine.” Brigitta studied the letter. “Where was I?
“He seems quite strong and dependable, honest and trustworthy. And I find him extremely handsome. His hair is a dark red, but he doesn’t have the freckles that Sorcha feared he would.”
“Well, that’s a relief,” the redhead grumbled.
Apparently the redhead was Sorcha. Brody continued to listen as the letter went on to describe Leo in glowing terms. Whoever the writer was, this lady pretending to be Lady Tatiana, she was clearly attracted to Leo.
“Oh, my,” the elfin girl said. “Luciana sounds like she’s smitten!”
Brigitta giggled. “I think ye’re right, Gwennore.”
Luciana? Was that the name of Lady Tatiana’s imposter? Brody listened to the rest of the letter, and sure enough, it had been signed with the name Luciana.
The four girls chattered excitedly as they stood up.
“I’m famished!” Sorcha announced. “Let’s go eat.”
“Oh, I promised some food for my new friend.” Maeve spun around till she spotted Brody half hidden behind the gravestone. “Julia! There ye are!”
He winced.
“Good goddesses.” Sorcha looked him over. “Where did ye find the dog?”
“Down on the beach.” Maeve patted Brody on the head. “I named her Julia. Isn’t she adorable?”
Gwennore grinned. “I think he’s more of a Julian.”
“No, she’s not!” Maeve huffed. “Look at her pretty blue eyes.”
Brody whimpered, and the other girls laughed.
“Come on, Julia.” Maeve rubbed his ears. “I’ll find ye an old bone to chew on.”
I’d rather have bacon. Brody hesitated while the four girls headed for the kitchens. Then he circled to the front of the gravestone to read the name engraved there.
LUCIANA.
His eyes narrowed. Tatiana and Luciana. One was buried here, and the other was about to marry the Lord Protector. He needed to hurry back to Vindemar to warn Leo.
After he had some bacon.
Chapter Twenty-six
“Father Rune has disappeared,” Nevis told Leo in the privacy of his tent. “His room is empty, and the other priests have no idea where he is.”
“Is he no longer at Vindemar?” Leo asked. He’d been traveling all day with Ana’s father, visiting nearby villages and vassals. Upon their return to Vindemar, he had gone to his tent to remove his chain mail and helmet. Normally, he only wore armor if he was going into battle, but it had seemed necessary now that he’d made himself a target. With his lightning speed, he could usually avoid an arrow. But only if he saw it coming.
“We were having him watched,” Leo insisted as he hung up his armor. “What happened to the soldier—”
“He was found asleep outside the chapel.” Nevis held up a hand to stop Leo’s angry reaction. “He was drugged. Someone grabbed him from the back, put something over his mouth and nose, and everything went black. I believe him, for he was staggering about even after we woke him up.”
Leo narrowed his eyes. “Then the priest knows about potions.”
“It looks that way,” Nevis agreed. “I had the keep and grounds searched, but there was no sign of him.”
Leo paced about his tent. His gut warned him that Father Rune had been responsible for yesterday’s murders in the dungeon. The jailers had trusted the priest enough to let him in, and the first jailer had died without any defense wounds for he’d been caught entirely by surprise.
“Everyone in the vicinity should know by now that I’ve taken over the duchy,” Leo thought out loud as he paced. “If the priest has truly left, then Ana and her father may no longer be his targets.”
Nevis gave him an exasperated look. “Why did you make yourself the target? That damned priest could be planning to kill you while you travel around.”
“That’s what I’m hoping for.”
Nevis groaned. “You’re endangering yourself for a woman you’ve known for only a few days.”
“Shouldn’t a man protect his wife?”
Nevis snorted. “It’s a marriage in name only. You can’t even touch her. And she’s already had one affair. What makes you think she’ll—”
“Enough!” Leo shot his friend a warning look. “You will not speak of her that way. She’s mine.”
Nevis blinked. “Holy shit. You’re in love with her.”
“Don’t be ridic—” Leo stopped. Was he? No, not possible. Not when he didn’t know who exactly she was. Not when she didn’t trust him enough to tell him the truth.
“Leo!” General Harden barged into the tent. “A soldier just arrived from the troop we left on the Woodwyn border.”