The Good Knight (A Gareth and Gwen Medieval Mystery)

shadows. King Owain noticed Gareth’s movement, and to Gareth’s astonishment, raised his goblet in salute. Gareth bowed. As he straightened, he caught sight of Cadwaladr’s face. He was directing a glare of such malevolent loathing—for once not at Gareth but at the King—that Gareth feared it would skewer King Owain then and there.
    Having finished speaking to the Council, Hywel had come to stand nearby. Gareth turned to him to tell him what he’d seen, but the young prince put a hand on his arm to stop him speaking—and perhaps to restrain him from leaping between the two brothers to protect King Owain.
    “I see it,” he said.

Chapter Fifteen

    “ I ’ve something you need to see,” Cristina said.
    Gwen turned, surprised to find anyone—much less the woman who would soon be wife to the King of Gwynedd—in the bath room with her. She was so stunned, in fact, that she didn’t answer, just stared at Cristina stupidly.
    Cristina didn’t appear to notice. “It’s lovely isn’t it?” Walking down one side of the bath, Cristina trailed her fingers along the patchwork of mosaics on the wall. “When my lord Owain hired masons to rebuild the curtain wall in stone, I asked him to let me borrow them for a time to repair the walls in here too. The decorations aren’t complete and I don’t know that we’ll ever be able to finish them properly, but I’d like to try.”
    “I’ve never seen anything like this room.” Gwen decided that standing before her future mistress in nothing but her shift didn’t bother her as much as she might have thought.
    Cristina wore a dress of deep burgundy, fitted in the bodice and with white lace at the wrists and neck. It would have been a dreadful color on Gwen but it offset Cristina’s honey-colored hair perfectly. A gold necklace adorned her throat.
    Without haste, Gwen began pulling on her stockings. “How does the bath work? The water was very warm and retained its heat far longer than I expected.”
    “There’s a tunnel below this room that leads to a fire,” Cristina said. “Owain only lets me light it to heat the water once a week, but when he does, sometimes I stay in here all day.”
    Now Gwen was worried. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know. I should have spoken to you before I used it.”
    “Oh no.” Cristina waved a hand as if it was no matter. “I had my bath this morning.”
    “Lord Hywel urged me to come in here.” Gwen allowed herself a slight laugh. “The road was long and we’ve been involved in some unsavory things.”
    “I understand.” Cristina shivered. “Dead bodies! It would be selfish of me to keep all this splendor to myself. Besides, this way I can speak to you without interruption.”
    Gwen straightened, unsure of Cristina’s meaning. Cristina continued to trail her hand along the walls. When she’d circled the bath completely, she came to stand in front of Gwen. Then she reached into the scrip at her waist, her eyes never leaving Gwen’s face, and pulled out a small box. Opening it, she held it out to Gwen. Inside lay a small, gold seal.
    Gwen took the box from her. Warily, she traced the design carved into the metal: a lion rampant. “This is a royal seal. Why are you showing it to me?”
    “I found it in King Cadell’s rooms,” Cristina said, “but it isn’t his.”
    “Whose is it?” Gwen’s stomach clenched, since she knew the answer before Cristina spoke.
    “Anarawd’s,” Cristina said. “I recognized it from the paperwork that confirmed his marriage to Elen. It’s his personal seal. It was nestled next to the traditional crest of the royal House of Dinefwr, which was also in Cadell’s possession.”
    Gwen closed the box with a snap. “Will you come with me?” Gwen hadn’t liked Cadell from the first. She was glad to finally have a proper culprit, even if she had no idea how the seal had gotten from the road near Dolwyddelan to Aber. “Lord Hywel must learn of this.”
    Cristina stepped back. She held up both hands, palms out, and shook her head. “No. I will not speak of this to Hywel. That’s why I brought it to you—and you may only take it to him only under the condition that you leave me out of it.”
    Gwen’s eyes narrowed. She found she was no longer intimidated by this beautiful woman, just suspicious. “What do you mean?”
    “Just as I said,” Cristina said. “Owain must not know that I found it.”
    Gwen gaped at her. “How am I to explain to Lord Hywel how I acquired it,