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She nodded, a tiny movement of her head, but it was that small motion that made Robin realize she was not just frightened by a nameless murderer, but by himself. And he was taken aback by the discovery. No man had cause to fear the de Burghs except their enemies, and women…well, women had always been thrilled by the presence of his family members and grateful for the protection they offered.
Never had he incited anyone to horror, and Robin didn’t like the feeling. He frowned. Was it because he was a man inside the sheltered world of the nu
“They are not accustomed to…knights,” Sybil told him, spitting out the last word as if he were some kind of monster. He was tempted to ask her if he would be more acceptable if he were unable to defend himself and them, but he kept his mouth shut as he mulled over this disturbing development.
He was still lost in thought when Sybil stood to greet the woman at the door. This nun was quite elderly, to the point of deafness, so Robin was forced to nearly shout into her ear. He repeated his questions over and over until Sybil saw fit to point out that the old woman had her own room from which she rarely ventured forth, so saw little of others. Upon receipt of that information, Robin ushered the elderly nun out, while casting a dubious glance over his shoulder at his companion. As he suspected, Sybil appeared to be fighting back her amusement at his discomfiture.
With a scowl, Robin turned his attention back to the nun who was leaning on him and called to a servant passing in the corridor. He asked the girl to escort the elderly woman back to the chapel and to fetch him some paper and quill, so that he might better record the names of those he had already seen. His scholarly brother Geoffrey had often made notes when he was studying, and Robin equated this tedious investigation to a learning experience.
When he again entered the room, Sybil was wearing a look of surprise instead of her usual surly glare. “You can write?” she asked.
“Of course, I can write,” Robin said. “My father, the Earl of Campion, sets great store by learning. Can you not?”
“Of course, I can write! I have been schooled by the nuns since I was very young,” Sybil said.
“Too bad they couldn’t teach you better ma
Luckily, he was blessed with quick reflexes and she with poor aim. He ducked, though it proved u
Obviously, such outbursts were new to her, as well as frowned upon in the nu
With a grunt of denial, Robin tugged at the neck of his tunic, caught himself and grimaced. He was becoming far too cozy with the One for his own good. It was none of his business what kind of temperament she possessed or what kind of life she led here or anything else about her. He was better off sparring with her than making such speculations or worse, enjoying himself with her. Robin blanched, the arrival of a servant with his quill the only thing that saved him from incipient panic.
He had just mumbled his thanks when another nun arrived, one who, he soon discovered, disapproved of the whole questioning process. Although she gave him no rebuke, she answered him as shortly as possible, until Robin sat back and ran a hand through his hair in exasperation.
“I’m just trying to find out who killed Elisa, so that no further blood is shed,” he said, his patience already tested this day.
“I hardly think anyone else here will meet such an end,” the nun replied, with a sniff. Robin studied her carefully. Was her disapprobation meant for him or the deceased?
“And why do you say that?” he asked. “Was there some reason why Elisa was targeted when others were not?” The question probed as close to his own suppositions as he dared without revealing them outright. Unfortunately, it resulted in a squawk of protest from Sybil and a demure look from the nun. Sending his companion a caustic glance, Robin wondered whether her presence was a help or a hindrance to him.
Definitely a hindrance, he soon decided, for the nun would say nothing further, finally excusing herself huffily. After she left, Robin pointedly closed the door behind her. “Just what are you doing?” he asked, advancing on the One with nothing but menace on his mind.
“What do you mean?” she asked, rising to her feet, in fearless, foolish challenge. Although he had to admire her pluck, he was in no mood for her posturing.
“You know very well what I mean!” Robin said, his voice silky yet threatening. “If you plan to interfere with my work, then I shall have you removed from the room.”
“You ca
Robin cut her off. “The abbess told you to assist me, not impede me!”
“I will not let you speak ill of the dead!” she answered, that tiny tic in her cheek the only evidence that she was not as composed as she would have him believe. Nor as brave. Robin felt the bluster seep out of him.
“Sybil,” he said in a gentler tone. Stepping forward once more, he reached for her, but she winced, seemingly as wary of him as he was of her. However, Robin doubted that it was rooted in the same cause, for she gave no indication that she recognized him as anything other than a boorish knight who was disrupting her existence and maligning her friend. With a sigh, Robin dropped his hand and moved back, wondering how he was going to find out who Elisa’s lover was if he was not allowed to allude to the possibility of there being one.
Another puzzle, perhaps unsolvable, Robin thought, before the moment was shattered by the entrance of one of the nuns. Taking a deep breath, he turned away from Sybil and tried to focus on the task ahead. Graciously seating the woman, he poured on the de Burgh charm, while sending a warning glance to his companion.
To her credit, she did not protest again, but neither did he make any headway. The older nuns claimed to have had little contact with Elisa, while the younger ones professed ignorance of her personal life. Surely, within the small confines of this community, someone must have heard something! Although Sybil informed him that gossip was proscribed by the bishop, Robin did not believe that the good women, no matter how devoted, had given it up entirely.
He was so frustrated by the end of the day that he began to wonder if he was going to have to begin the questioning all over again—alone. Obviously, Sybil had been a friend to the deceased, and, as such, put a damper on any revelations the other women might provide about her. With mixed feelings, Robin considered asking the abbess to assign Sybil some other task. It would be better for him, too, if he were rid of her, he thought, quelling an unruly objection somewhere in his body. Presumably, it lodged in his nether regions, yet it seemed to be higher up in his chest, which held his yearning for the family life he had no more.