Emmaline had to admit that she was tempted. She could point the finger at Kasimir and be well out of town before anyone knew the wiser. It would certainly serve the young man right. Her eyes met Kasimir's and flashed with mischief for a moment.

"He haz jist come owt into ze corridor from is rooms," Eleanor declared in ringing tones.

"He could not possibly iv gotten back here in time. He vere's ze sim clothes as earlier and zere is no blood on them," she added. Kasimir was a problem for her, but at the end of the day he was an innocent man. More importantly he was the one man in the castle whom she knew had not had a hand in Oderick's death. That meant if she couldn't get out of the city, he was the one man she might be able to trust.

"There is still the matter of the sword," one of the guardsmen declared, a stubborn set to his jaw.

"I am sure zat monsieur vil clear up an misunderstandings," Eleanor continued, "but ze real killor might still be in ze castle, ve should be searching!"

"Right," the stubborn guard said, nodding his head.

"I'll seal the gates and rouse the garrison," the guard declared, "My Lords and Ladies, by the authority of the count, return to your rooms until we can clear this up!"

The crowd might have resisted the orders of a mere castle guard, but at that moment a squad of armsmen in hastily donned gear came clattering down the hallway, forcing nobles back into their rooms at risk of being trampled. Eleanor tried to flatten herself against the wall to allow them to pass, but the effort was rendered moot.

"The pair of you will come with us," their leader declared, politely but firmly. "I'm sure the Chancellor will have questions for you both."