The Recruit (Highland Guard #6)(89)

Leaving the soldiers with the horses, she approached the church first, and then when her inquiries proved fruitless, the nunnery.

“I’m sorry, my lady,” the abbess said. “I was here three years ago, and I don’t recall a woman as you describe seeking refuge.” She studied Mary a little closer. “You say she was your twin?”

Mary nodded. “We look very much alike.” Even more so now that Mary no longer looked like a “half-starved sparrow.” She glanced down at the gown she wore. For her journey into the city, she’d donned one of her old veils and gowns. She was surprised how much she disliked doing so. She’d grown used to pretty things again. But it had seemed wiser not to draw attention to herself at the market. Her mouth quirked. “Although she would have been far more colorfully dressed than I am. With long golden hair—”

The nun shook her head. “I’m sorry, my lady. She was not here.”

Mary tried to smile. But no matter how many times she asked, she couldn’t hide her disappointment. “Thank you.” She handed her a coin. “Please, take this, and remember her in your prayers tonight.”

The woman nodded but seemed to avoid meeting her gaze. Mary was almost out the door when the nun called after her. “I hope you find her, my lady. Someday.”

Mary smiled for real this time, tears glistening in her eyes. “So do I.”

Lost in thought, she wasn’t watching where she was going and nearly collided with a monk outside. He dropped a book he’d been holding—obviously, he hadn’t been looking either—and bent down to pick it up. “I’m sorry, sister—” He startled when he saw her face. Mary saw the flicker of recognition before he smiled. “You’re back!”

A buzz ran up her spine and spread over her skin. Her entire body froze with excitement. “Do you know me, brother?”

He looked surprised again, taking in the details of her face and clothing that he hadn’t before. “You aren’t a nun.”

“But have you seen me before?”

His expression grew troubled. “I thought so, but now I can see that I made a mistake. You look a great deal like a young nun who traveled through here before.”

Mary felt every nerve ending in her body flare with excitement. This was it. This was the break she’d been waiting for. She tried to control the frantic pounding of her heart, but it was blaring in her ears. “When?” she breathed.

He stroked his chin. “About a year ago, I think.”

“What do you know about her? Whom was she with?”

Without realizing it, Mary had grabbed onto the monk’s arm. He was looking at her as if she were a madwoman. “No one, my lady. She stopped for the night to take a meal, that is all.”

“Where was she going?”

Obviously wishing he hadn’t said anything, the young churchman carefully extracted his arm. “I don’t know, my lady. Do you know her?”

“I think she is my sister. She’s been missing for over three years.”

His eyes filled with sympathy, and something else. Pity, she realized.

“I’m sorry, my lady. It couldn’t have been your sister. The young woman I spoke of was Italian.”

Mary felt her heart sink. “Are you certain?”

He nodded. “She didn’t speak a word of English and very little French.”

The disappointment was even more crushing than before. Despite the monk’s certainty, Mary wondered if maybe he was mistaken. But why would her sister be pretending to be Italian? Janet had been horrible with languages.

Mary apologized to the monk for her zealous questioning and quickly took her leave. But she could think of nothing else on the ride back to the castle.

It was later than she’d realized by time she passed through the gates. The feast had already been going on for nearly an hour by the time she’d changed and started toward the Great Hall.

She’d half hoped Kenneth would be waiting for her. Not only was she eager to speak to him about Davey, she also wanted to get his impression about what had occurred at the church. Usually she would have gone straight to Sir Adam, but her first instinct was to find Kenneth.

She had to apologize for what had happened this morning. A blush stained her cheeks. Well, maybe an apology wasn’t necessary in light of how much he’d enjoyed it, but she knew things could not go on as they had been. She wanted to give him—them—a chance.

The Hall was a flurry of sound and color as she entered. Obviously, the ale and wine had been flowing freely for some time. People were swarming about the room. She stood on her tiptoes, trying to see where Kenneth was seated but was unable to see over all the heads.

Finally, after fighting her way through the crowd near the door she saw him. The smile that had become reflexive in such a short time rose and then fell. The blood drained from her face, as everything inside her body seemed to curl inwardly. Her heart. Her stomach. Her hope.

The sear of white-hot pain across her chest was nearly unimaginable.

He was surrounded by women and basking in the glow of their adoring light, like some Greek god at a temple. The women on either side of him were leaning so close their bodies were pressing against his. He wasn’t doing anything to encourage them. Yet. But it was only a matter of time. He’d made her no promises. The picture before her was brutally familiar and a reminder that she could not forget that. No matter how much she wanted to. If she’d wanted her eyes opened, they were now.