“So they had sex then.”

Lady Annes head shot up and turned to face Lady Jane Asper. “I beg your pardon.”

“Anne and Henry? They had sex.” Her head was tilted ever so slightly to the side and she had raised one eyebrow above the other. The mace hung loosely from her hand, scraping the floors. She looked quite silly all things considered.

“I heard you, I just don’t quite understand.”

“You know,” she sighed. “Engaged in coitus. Getting down with it. Rolling in the hay. Sex.”

Lady Anne blushed violently. “I know what sex is but they aren’t married, Anne would never.”

“Well Anne has never been very good at staying pure. I don’t see why she wouldn’t be tempted at the very least.”

“You speak of sin so freely Lady Taylor.”

“With Anne, I’d be surprised if her head isn’t sliced off by 25.”

“Lady Taylor!”

“You can call me Jane, you know.”

“There are three Janes. It gets confusing.”

Of course, Lady Jane Taylor then chose to chime in. “You can just call me the pretty Jane and Lady Denton can be the baby Jane.”

“I am no baby!” Lady Denton said, her head shooting up from its resting spot on Lady Osmonds shoulder.

“You’re 16. That’s younger than most of us.”

“Not that much younger,” she pouted.

“Now wait one minute,” said Lady Asper. “If you’re the pretty Jane, who am I?”

“You can be the old one, Miss 19 years old.”

“No respect for your elders,” she huffed but Lady Anne could see a smile peeking out from the corners of her mouth. “Besides, Anne is much older than us.”

“I thought Anne was 19. That’s the same as you!”

“Not Anne Rolfe, Lady Anne. Why would I want to talk about Anne Rolfe, Lady Anne is right in front of us!”

“I’m very confused,” Lady Denton said.

“Enough.”

Lady Asper and Lady Taylor both froze, mouths still slightly open. Kate rose from her perch on the table. Her hands were still locked around the sword, which pointed ever so slightly at Henry. The thief stood beside Anne, not quite touching but leaning into each other’s space.

“Everyone sit. It’s time to consider our demands.”

Henry scoffed at that. “What makes you think you can make demands?”

Kate lifted the sword, pointing it at his chest. If she were to fall, the sharp weapon would plunge into his chest. Lady Anne supposed that was on purpose.

“I have a weapon.”

“So do I,” he said, swiftly slipping a knife from a holster on his leg.

“2 against 1. I like those odds,” Lady Asper chimed in, showing off her mace. “How about you?”

The energy had quickly shifted from playful to dangerous. Anne Rolfe was silent, eyes flicking between her princess and her lover.

After a few moments, Henry resheathed his knife and lifted his hands in surrender. “Alright,” he said. “What are your demands?”

Kate stepped forward, the sword creeping closer and closer to him. “I want you to give me my carriage and its horses.”

“The carriage is long gone. We sold it as soon as we could.”

It made sense. The carriage was fancy to say the least and selling it was the most profitable way to cover their tracks.

Kate scowled. “Then you will give us a wagon large enough to carry all of us.”

“No such wagon exists.”

The sword was poked at his shoulder. Red seeped where it had touched. “Find one.”

Lady Anne watched as Kate and Henry stood off. Anne Rolfe stood to the side, lost and terrified at the sight of Henry bleeding.

“Stop it!” she cried, reaching for Henry.

For a moment, it seemed as though Kate had won. Then, in the blink of an eye, Henry grabbed the outstretched sword and flipped it into his hands. Lady Asper moved to hit him but he spun Kate around and laid the sword upon her throat. She froze.

“Move,” he said. “And I split her head from her body.”

No one dared to question him.

The man who had forced them to cook, Arien she believed, suddenly entered. For a moment, he appeared bewildered. Then he rattled off in what Lady Anne thought was French but couldn’t be quite sure. She had always been bad at languages.

Henry nodded at the man and replied in a low voice. Slowly, Henry dragged Kate out of the door, leaving the ladies behind. “Come on Anne,” he called.

The ladies turned to Anne Rolfe. Begging her to stay. Instead, Anne slowly followed their captors. Arien stared at the women, then left, shutting the door behind him.

Horse steps began to sound out, getting closer and closer. Men yelled, swords clashed and bow strings filled the air. As the carriage began to pull away, a war horn was blown.

Lady Catherine Kimbell had been found.