She looked about for her robe, which was draped over a frame by the hearth where Edward had put it to warm it. One of the ironies of her captivity was that she had collected clothing from every castle she had been held captive at; not having anything but the clothes on her back when she was abducted, her captors took on a peculiar benefactor roll by providing her with beautiful clothing, shoes, cloaks, robes, and in one case, even jewels. Everyone wanted to bestow gifts on Henry’s granddaughter to say that had done something kind for her. As a result, she had a glorious wardrobe.
The robe that Edward placed on her shoulders was emerald brocade with gray rabbit fur lining. It was big and heavy and warm. He helped her put her arms through the thick sleeves and even tied the sash around her waist. He fussed over her and she let him. He couldn’t seem to figure out why the sash wasn’t sitting correctly around her waist and Elizabeau bit her lip, wondering if he would realize it was because her belly was swollen. But he made no such mention of her rounded belly and when he was finally finished adjusting the bow, their eyes met and she smiled wanly.
“Thank you,” she said, making her way stiffly over to a massive dressing table that held combs and pins. With a few strokes of a brush, she plaited her long hair into a single braid that draped over her shoulder and secured it with a leather tie.
Being caged in a room for weeks on end was not a particularly pleasant thing. One of Elizabeau’s favorite activities during this time had been standing at the window, watching the activity of Ludlow three stories below. It was an enormous place and there was always something going on, but in this snow, she saw few people in the bailey. In fact, the soldiers were hardly on the walls, mostly huddled in their guardhouses or in shelter away from the heavy weather.
The gates of Ludlow were open and a few people trickled in and out, although she could not imagine who they were or what they were doing traveling in such horrible weather. One man, evidently a soldier from his clothing, charged in and headed straight for the keep. More politic intrigue and business, she supposed, as Ludlow was full of it. But as she watched the sporadic influx, it occurred to her that, without an abundance of men to watch the gates of Ludlow, it might be the perfect time for another escape attempt. If she could only get a horse, she could make a break for the open gates. Once into the countryside, she had every confidence she could escape back to Wales. She didn’t know where else Rhys would be looking for her. Wales, and Whitebrook, seemed the most logical destination.
But she would have to plan carefully. In weather like this, she did not want to chance freezing to death, which was a very real possibility. She would have to swath herself in warm clothing and hope she didn’t look too obvious about it. There was also the matter of her nervous stomach these days; she wasn’t feeling well these days and was consequently weak. She would need food, and to fortify herself, before making the break. And there was also the matter of Edward.
He didn’t seem too inclined to help her. He was a knight and he was obeying orders. She understood that, but she was also sorry. He had become her friend, but the truth was, he was simply her jailor. She realized that the man was, in truth, her enemy. The fact that she felt some compassion or identification with him was simply a result of her captivity. In the real world, Edward would kill her if he was ordered to. She did not want to give him that target.
She stood there for some time, lost to her thoughts, before finally realizing that snow was coming in the window and she secured the cloth, returning to the fireplace that Radcliffe had once again stoked into a bonfire. Her hands were cold and she held them up to the blaze as she pondered another escape attempt. But there was a knock on the door that distracted her and Radcliffe went to see who it was. One of de Lacy’s men pulled Edward out into the hall for private conversation and Elizabeau suddenly found herself alone in the room.
She came away from the hearth quickly, making her way back over to the lancet windows again. Ripping away the oil cloth, she looked for a possible escape route; a ledge, a roof edge, anything that she might be able to jump to. By the time she hit the fourth window, Edward came back into the chamber and she quickly moved away from the window again. She didn’t want him to pick up on what she was planning. He’d already been duped by four escape attempts and she was afraid he would catch on to the fifth.
But Edward wasn’t looking at her. In fact, he was followed by de Lacy’s knight, a man who, from what she gathered, had command of the castle defenses. His name was Lewis but beyond that, she knew nothing more. He was older with receding red hair. He fixed her in the eye as he came to rest just inside the door.