(John's POV)

This poor girl had been forced to carry a knife around to protect herself. He felt sick. Why hadn't she come to him? Why hadn't she told him how terrified she was? He would've defended her.

But he knew why. She hadn't come to her because he himself had mistreated her. He had been rude and insulting.

"I know it was wrong of me to try to use the knife as a weapon-"

"You were only trying to protect yourself." He closed his eyes, groaning inwardly. God, how could You ever forgive me? How could she ever forgive me? How can I forgive myself?

"But the bailiff was holding my knife, and that's why- that's why-"

"That's why whoever was with you had to hit the bailiff on the head with whatever he was hitting him with." Now he can see the full picture.

They sat in silence. John stared down at his hand. He could have, should have protected her from the bailiff.

No matter what it cost him, he would protect her now.

"I won't let anything else happen to you." He continued to stare down at his hand. "I will protect you and the person who was with you last night. I will help you."

(Isabel's POV)

Isabel stared at his face and she felt peace go through her body. He would protect her. This is what she wanted from her brothers, a feeling of protection and security.

A tiny movement near her foot caught her attention. A dark, geometric pattern slithered on the ground. A poisonous adder.

She stifled a scream. If she pulled her foot away, it might strike.

"Be still." Lord Goodwin stood.

The adder turned its head towards him and struck at his leg.

He leapt back.

Isabel jumped off the rock, landing on the ground behind the boulder.

She found a fallen limb and grabbed it. Lord Goodwin stood besides her facing the snake, which lay ready to strike again six feet away.

He slowly stretched out his hand towards Isabel, keeping the rest of his body still. She handed him the stick. He lowered it near its head until it rested on the ground in front of the snake. Then, he sent the snake sailing through the air with a flick of the stick.

She looked down at Lord Goodwin's leg. "Are you hurt? Did he strike you?" If he was bitten- O God, don't let him die.

"No, he missed."

She stared hard at his face. "Are you sure? I saw him strike! You could be poisoned! Those snakes are deadly."

"I'm telling the truth." A smile started to form on his lips and he shook his head. "He never touched me."

Isabel took a deep breath to calm herself. Relief that Lord Goodwin wasn't bitten surged through her body.

Lord Goodwin reached out to her, and before she had time to think, she leaned into his embrace. She realized she was enjoying his hug a little too much. Not only should she not be enjoying it, but her lord shouldn't be holding her in his arms. It was improper.

She suddenly had a terrifying thought. Was Lord Goodwin holding her because he was having the same feelings for her that Bailiff Richard had? Now that she thought about it, why had she agreed to this meeting alone with him? Would he begin treating her the way Bailiff Richard treated her?

She stepped away from him. He could probably see the horror on her face. She watched as the kind look in his eyes turned hard and his smile turned into a scowl.

"Let's go," he demanded, "before someone sees us and thinks we're doing something improper." 

She felt stung. Instead of waiting for him to lead the way, she hurried forward, leaving him behind. Maybe the snake should've bitten him.

They walked in silence. They had been through so much in the last couple days. He defended her from Richard, had saved her from the snake, he'd been burned in the fire, and she had tended to his injuries. 

A connection had formed between them. But now, she felt as distant from him as when she'd arrived. The awkward feeling when he yelled at her for looking at his paintings seemed to have come back.

But it wasn't only his angry reaction that made her feel uncomfortable. Her own feelings towards him confused her. She was positive they would go away.

She had let her lord hold her in his arms, and actually enjoyed it. Did he despise her now? Did he think she was trying to entice him?

(John's POV)

Sir Neville Jovi had always been a friendly person. John remembered him from when they were young, going on hunts together with their fathers. As adults, they had met a couple times at weddings, feasts, and an occasional ball. His long history with Sir Neville could work in their favor.

But Sir Neville was also intelligent. Very little escaped his notice, which definitely did not work in their favor. John would have to be equally clever for Isabel's sake, as well as the one she was protecting. Even if that person attacked the bailiff to save her, he would still have to pay a large fine and Isabel's reputation would be linked to the bailiff's accident. There was no knowing if Richard would recover, and if he didn't, she would be rejected by the rest of the village. She didn't deserve that.

John would do his best to protect Isabel, even though she was clearly repulsed by him. Although, he shouldn't blame her for the way she reacted. He was her lord, not a friend or a relative comforting her. He should've shrugged off her rejection instead of lashing out on her. But the look of horror on her face had seemed to stab him in the heart and fire up his temper.

John would keep Isabel safe as long as it takes. His heart wouldn't allow him to do it otherwise.

Sir Neville arrived sooner than expected. Before he did anything to relax, he asked to see the barn where the fire happened.

"Before you look into this fire, there's something else that happened." He explained that the bailiff had been found in the woods lying unconscious with a head wound. Sir Neville immediately asked to be taken to where the body had been found.

John explained the exact position of the head and the feet while Sir Neville examined the ground and asked questions.

Sir Neville examined the rock lying about three feet from where the bailiff's head was. When he turned the rock over, a couple of beetles scurried away. 

"Hmm," He murmured, "Can you take me to the bailiff?"

"He is still unconscious."

"I realize that, but I need to.... inspect some things."

"Of course." John hoped the bailiff would still be unconscious when they arrived. If the bailiff told Sir Neville about Isabel and Henry, it would be impossible to keep Isabel out of trouble.

They walked towards the bailiff's sister's house and entered inside.

Bailiff Richard looked pale. A large bump sat above his left eyebrow. But other than that, he looked like he was sleeping.

John introduced Sir Neville to the bailiff's sister. "Has there been any changes?"

"No, my lord. Richard hasn't made a sound or a movement since he was brought here."

Sir Neville inspected the bailiff. He asked, "Is he wearing the same clothes he was wearing when he was brought here?"

"Yes."

"Everything is exactly the same?"

"Well, we did go through his pockets."

"What was in his pockets?"

"Only some money. He did have a knife in his hand."

"May I see the knife?"

She brought him the knife, and after looking at it, he handed it back. After several more minutes of examining the body, Neville asked the bailiff's sister if she would go into a different room.

When she left, Sir Neville pointed to the bloody spot over the bailiff's left eye. "This seems to be the only wound. Maybe he tripped and fell, hitting his head on the rock near his body.

"Yes, that seems likely." John hoped he didn't sound too eager.

"But the problem with that theory is that the stone seemed to have been moved. It was damp and dirty on one side, meaning it was somewhere for a long time before being moved. However, if he tripped over it, he wouldn't have been likely to strike his head on it. It seems more likely that someone hit him with it."

John raised his eyebrows to make it look like he was interested in the fact. "I see."

"But the most interesting thing is the knife. Why would he be holding a knife? Was he fighting someone off or perhaps attacking someone?

He lifted that bailiff's hand, turning it over. He started to stare harder at it.

John kept his eyes on him. "Do you see something?"

"There seems to be bite marks here. If we find who made these teeth marks, we find the person who wanted the bailiff dead. You said you were the one discovering that body?"

"Yes."

"Do you know anyone who hated that bailiff and might have wanted him dead?"

John shrugged. "I've only been here for a few weeks."

"Did the bailiff have an argument with anyone recently?"

"Not that I know of."

"It's impossible to say if the bailiff will recover. If he does, he may not be able to function normally. And due to the circumstances, I will have to talk to the king's court. I appreciate any help you can give, Lord Goodwin."

"You will have any help you need, Sir Neville."

They walked back together to the manor house.