After stopping to water the horses, Claude had Evelina ride with Felix. She was a little disheartened and wondered why. He had also been adamant that she ride behind Felix instead of in front of him.

“This is it,” said Claude, hopping off his horse as soon as they approached the White Cliff Inn. It was located at the top of one of the white cliffs of Dover, overlooking the channel. Dover was the closest point from England to France. Evelina had often been able to see the white cliffs of Dover from the shores of France on a clear day. The blue-green waters shone in the sun, and the vast sky was filled with swirling clouds.

“The view is breathtaking,” said Evelina from atop the horse.

“Let me help you down.” Felix reached up for her.

“Nay. You tend to the horses. I’ll get her.” Claude was there instantly, reaching up and wrapping his hands around her waist and helping her dismount.

“Thank you,” she said, staring out at the water. “Isn’t this beautiful?”

Claude didn’t even seem to notice the beauty all around them. “Stay here and look at the water if you want. I’ll go inside and pick up the soul cakes. Then, we’ll be off to get the rest of the supplies and be on our way back to Sandwich.”

“But we just got here,” protested Evelina, wanting to take some time to enjoy her surroundings.

“I have a job to do and need to get back to Rose’s side.” Claude was stubborn, and it would probably do no good to complain. He was in a hurry to get back to Rose and nothing she did was going to stop him.

“I’m hungry,” complained Felix. “Something sure smells good coming from the inn.”

“We’ll eat when we get back to Briarbeck Castle and not before,” growled Claude.

Claude left Evelina standing there, hurrying to the inn.

“What is the matter with him?” she asked Felix.

“I’m not sure,” said Felix, tending to the horses. “I have never seen him act this way before. It is almost as if something is bothering him.”

“Do you think it’s me?” she asked.

“You?” Felix laughed, running his hand down the neck of the horse. “How could you bother anyone? You are a pure joy to be around. And a sight for sore eyes as well, I must add.”

“You are too kind, Felix.” She looked over at the inn. It was a small and quaint establishment made of wood with a clay-tiled roof. The aroma of food drifted on the breeze, making her mouth water. “I just wish I knew why Claude doesn’t like me.”

It wasn’t but a few minutes later when Claude came out of the inn with a scowl on his face.

“Why the frown, my lord?” asked Felix.

“The innkeeper’s wife says they are sold out of soul cakes. She needs to make more.”

“How long will that take?” asked Evelina.

“She has to send one of her servants out to get more rosemary and lavender. She said it might take a few hours before they are ready.”

“Good,” said Felix. “That will give us time for an ale or two and mayhap a bowl of pottage.”

“Nay. You’ll take Evelina to town to get the rest of the things Lady Rose needs,” said Claude. “I will wait here for the soul cakes.”

“But the horses need to rest,” complained Felix.

“The innkeeper has offered to lend you his horse and wagon. Just don’t tarry.” Claude looked out over the channel. His eyes narrowed. “There is a change in the wind. I have a feeling bad weather is on the way. I want to get back to Sandwich before it starts raining.”

“Rain?” Evelina looked out over the sea. The sun was shining although there were clouds in the sky. “It is a beautiful day.”

“Trust me. I know about storms. There is one coming,” Claude grunted.

“Well, perhaps, we’d best be on our way then,” Evelina told Felix.

* * *

While Evelina would have rather had Claude take her to town, she was thankful to be with Felix as well. He was much easier to talk to. Claude seemed very upset and fidgety today and a few minutes away from him might prove to be relaxing for all of them.

“Here’s the clothier’s shop.” Felix stopped the wagon and tied the horse’s reins to a post outside the shop. The town was small but, for the most part, in good condition. Several dirt streets were lined with buildings. Peasants, merchants and stray dogs filled the street.

There was a church at the far end of town. A group of men and a few women who looked like whores congregated outside the brewery. She noticed a cobbler’s shop, a bakehouse, and a fishery on one side of the street. There was a furrier, butcher, and cordwainer’s shop on the other. She thought about Lady Rose and Lady Isobel going shopping together for shoes. A part of her wished she was with them right now. She had never had any close friends, and those two seemed so happy.

“Let me help you,” said Felix, guiding her from the cart to the wooden sidewalks.

“Thank you, Felix. I shouldn’t be long.” Evelina entered the shop to find a plump woman sitting in a chair, sewing. A man who was most likely her husband was standing behind a counter.

“How can I help you?” asked the man.

“I am here to purchase . . . some things.” She felt apprehensive asking the man for lady’s undergarments. Their store was a small shop with a few long, suspended poles with hooks in them holding finished gowns. On the table were bolts of material and in the corner behind the counter was a bin with what looked like undergarments.

“Well, what is it you need?”

She looked over at the woman. “Lady Rose of Sandwich sent me to get . . . undergarments.”

“Harold, I will help her.” The woman put down her sewing and pushed her plump body from the chair. “Right this way.” She led her over to the bin while her husband disappeared into the back room. “What size is Lady Rose?”

“She is nine months pregnant,” answered Evelina.

The woman chuckled. “I don’t have anything for pregnant women. Most garments are made to order, but I try to have a few things on hand. However, some of the things in this shop would fit you.”

“I didn’t think you’d really have anything to fit Lady Rose,” said Evelina, realizing this was Rose’s way of getting her alone with Claude. But Claude wasn’t even near her. “Lady Rose did tell me to choose something for myself.”

“A pretty young thing like you needs something like this.” She plucked a shift and a drawstring pair of drawers from the pile and held them up. “By the way, my name is Beatrice.”

“Thank you,” said Evelina. “Those will be fine. I would like to look at your gowns as well.”

“I think I have the perfect gown for you.” The woman led her over to the pole and pulled down a simple gown made of wool. It was more for a commoner and did not look pretty at all.

“What else do you have?” asked Evelina, looking through the gowns. Each one was just as drab as the one before it. She was never going to catch Claude’s eye wearing one of these.

“That’s it, Missy.”

Evelina noticed the gown the woman had been sewing when she walked in. It was made of purple velvet. “What about that gown?” asked Evelina.

“Oh, no. That is a gown for a noblewoman, not a commoner like you.”

“Can I see it?” Evelina was tired of pretending to be a commoner. Perhaps if she dressed like a noblewoman, it would make it easier when she revealed her true identity to Claude. Then again, she wasn’t at all sure that was a good idea. Everything confused her lately. Rose put thoughts in her head that Claude liked her, yet Evelina didn’t see it. Perhaps, she should tell him she was a noble. Then, mayhap, he would treat her the way he treated Rose.

“It is one of my best works,” said Beatrice excitedly, holding up the gown. “I even added lace on the bodice. Look at these tippets that trail all the way down to the ground.”

Evelina ran her hand over the velvet, feeling empty and sad inside. She couldn’t go on much longer pretending to be someone she wasn’t. She had thought by running away from her problems that she would be free. Instead, she had only created more. Would Rose and Claude hate her when she finally told them the truth? No one likes to be deceived. Even though she was a noble, she had deceived nobles. As far as she knew, she could be punished for that.

Perhaps, she should have stayed in France and married the evil Lord Onfroi of Grenoble after all. Now that she’d run away, her father was sure to be furious with her. And if Lord Onfroi was as evil as he was ugly, he was sure to raise a hand to her in punishment for trying to avoid him.

Evelina felt so alone with no one to confide in. Watching Claude and Rose had made her want the kind of friendship they had. Watching Rose and Toft made her feel as if she would never be in love the way they were.

“Evelina, are you almost finished?” Felix stuck his head inside the shop. “The sky is becoming very dark. I do believe Lord Claude was correct in saying a storm is brewing.”

“I’ll take it,” said Evelina, pushing the gown back into the woman’s hands.

“But I can’t sell the gown to you,” said the woman. “You can’t wear the clothes of a noble.”

Felix wandered inside and perused the gown that Beatrice held up. He whistled lowly. “That is one fine gown that any noblewoman would love. But I don’t think it is going to fit Lady Rose until after the baby.”

“Lady Rose will love it,” said Evelina, hoping the shop owner would think it was for a noble and sell it to her after all. “Wrap it up along with the undergarments,” Evelina told Beatrice, pulling her coin pouch open and dipping her hand inside. “You wouldn’t happen to have any rosewater, would you?”

“Nay, I don’t,” said the woman. “That is something only found in the baths of nobles.”

“Please hurry,” said Evelina, hearing the low rumble of thunder outside. Claude was sure to be in a foul mood since the storm was approaching and they had yet to return to the castle. In a matter of minutes, she was climbing onto the bench of the cart with the package in her hands.

Felix hopped up next to her, grabbing the reins and directing the horse back to the inn. No sooner had they left when the sky opened up in a downpour of rain. By the time they got back to the inn, they were soaked to the skin.

Claude stood at the door of the inn with his arms folded over his chest and a frown on his face.

“I’ll take the horse and wagon to the stable and meet you inside,” said Felix, helping Evelina from the cart.

In the pouring rain, she ran with the package, stopping at the door directly in front of Claude.

“What took you so long?” he growled. “I told you it was going to storm.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I had no idea we were gone that long. Please step aside so I can come in out of the rain.”

“Why bother?” he asked. “As soon as the soul cakes are done we’ll be leaving.”

Felix ran up just then, coming to a halt right in front of Claude. He was dripping wet as well. “I can’t wait to get in front of a warm fire with a tankard of ale,” said Felix.

“Lord Claude says we shouldn’t bother coming in out of the rain since we’ll be leaving soon,” Evelina explained.

“Leaving? In the midst of a storm?” Felix didn’t like the sound of this, and neither did she.

As if on cue, a loud crash of thunder rumbled the earth. Two more flashes of lightning split the sky. Evelina was so cold her teeth started to chatter.

Claude looked out at the sky, and a dark shadow crossed his face. It seemed as if the storm upset him. “We need to get back to Lady Rose, but perhaps we can wait for a little while and see if the storm lets up. However, if we wait too long, we will be riding in the dark.”

“I would rather ride in the dark than in the rain,” said Evelina. “Please step aside and let us in to warm our bones. You need to stop being so unlikable.”

Claude felt shaken by the storm, as his memories of his time in Hastings Castle overwhelmed him still to this day. The last time he’d seen a storm like this, he’d almost died in the tower when his father’s castle fell into the sea. He also didn’t like the fact Evelina was so cold that her teeth were chattering.

He stepped aside and let them enter. “I’ve secured a table by the fire. I’ll have the innkeeper send over some wine and ale and a hot meal.”

“Thank you, my lord,” said Felix, eagerly heading for the fire. Evelina started to follow him, but Claude’s hand lashed out and grabbed her by the wrist.

“Are these the things for Lady Rose?” He took the package from her.

“I can hold on to them,” she told him.

“You are dripping wet. I won’t have Lady Rose’s things ruined. Now go sit by the fire, and I’ll have the innkeeper hold the package along with the soul cakes until we are ready to leave.”

She didn’t seem happy that he was offering to hold the package. But with another shiver, she nodded and followed Felix over to the fire.

Claude brought the package to the innkeeper. “Bertram, will you hold on to this package along with the soul cakes Josephine made until we are ready to leave?”

“Of course, my lord,” said the man. “But by the looks of the storm brewing out there, I don’t think you’re going anywhere tonight. I have one room left if you’d like me to hold it for you before it’s gone.”

“Nay, we won’t be staying.”

“The girl with you is cold and wet and tired. If you take her anywhere in the rain, she is likely to get sick.”

“She’ll be fine.” Claude handed the man the package. “Can you send over some wine and ale and a hot meal for my friends?”

“Do you mean your squire and the maidservant?” asked the man.

“Aye, that’s who I mean.” He dug into his pocket for money to pay the innkeeper. Behind him, the door to the inn blew open, and a group of soldiers entered.

“It’s getting worse out there,” said one of the men.

“A tree blew over and nearly took our lives,” said one of the other soldiers.

“No one better leave anytime tonight, or they’ll be walking into the den of the devil,” said another of the men. “Innkeeper, we need a room for the night.”

“I’ve got only one room left,” Bertram called out.

Claude glanced back to the fire where Evelina had her arms wrapped around her, trying to get warm. Her teeth chattered and her body shook. Water dripped from her hair and clothes. His squire sat next to her on the bench and underneath them was a large puddle.

Claude decided he couldn’t take them out in the storm. He didn’t want Evelina to get sick and die. Nay, he didn’t want anything to happen to her because he cared about her. He was traveling with her, and it was his responsibility as a knight to protect her even if she was only a handmaid.

“Nay, you don’t have any rooms available,” Claude told him, handing Bertram a fistful of coins.

“My lord?” asked Bertram in confusion.

“I’ll take the room for the night as well as a hot bath. Can I pay to stable my horses in the barn tonight as well?”

“You are welcome to the room as well as the barn for your horses, my lord. There is no charge since you are a noble.”

“I might be a noble, but my friends aren’t so I want you to take the money.”

“Yes, my lord,” said the man, greedily scooping up the coins and shoving them into his pocket. “Josephine,” he called to his wife. “Have a bath sent upstairs for Lord Claude.”

“It’s not for me,” he told the man, looking back at Evelina. “It’s for the lady.”

“The lady? You mean the handmaid?” asked the man. “My lord, where will you spend the night?”

“I’ll sleep on the bench by the fire along with my squire,” he told him.

“Pardon me for saying that I don’t understand why you’d give up your room and bath for a mere maidservant, my lord.”

“Nay, I don’t suppose you’d understand. I can’t say that I entirely understand either. All I know is that I am not going to let her shiver in wet clothes, being subjected to a bunch of drunken men all night. Now, do as I ask and do not question my actions again.”

“Aye, my lord. At once.”

Another crash of thunder shook the building, and Claude felt a knot forming in his stomach. This was going to be a very long night.