In The Shadow

– He looks like our Miss Alienor! Could he be her brother? – One of the girls guessed as the richly dressed nobleman disappeared around the corner of a wide stone corridor decorated with expensive tapestries, among which a huge dark green tapestry with the Norton tree was a special place.

The girls whispered and agreed that the handsome man was indeed Miss Alienor's brother, and therefore the son of Sir and Lady Norton, and they hurried to find an older servant to ask the poor fellow what he knew of the handsome young Norton.

But Philip was completely oblivious to the lustful and admiring glances of the maids: he was looking at Brigid, his copper-haired bride, so modest, so shy… How sweet it would be to undress her himself on their wedding night! Of course, he will not be allowed to take off her wedding dress, but still he will get the most tasty piece of the bride's garment: her white, long, night gown. He takes it off slowly, so as not to frighten the chaste Brigid, and when the dress is on the floor, he will cover the bride's body with soft, tender kisses…

Entering, without knocking, into his father's chamber, young Norton was displeased to find that he was not in the room. But Philip did not have to wander round the castle and garden: as he opened the door to leave the chambers, he almost knocked his own father down.

With a short sigh of surprise, his father rushed to embrace his son.

– You're back… You're back! – Sir Norton whispered fervently, not letting Philip out of his loving embrace.

– I told you I would come back, father! And here I am! – Philip said in a trembling voice, full of tenderness and joy.

– Six months! Not a word! – Sir Norton sobbed, pulling away from his son. Then he put his palms round Philip's smooth-shaven face, and, as if he could not believe that it was not a dream, pressed it so tightly that the young warrior had to laughingly withdraw his father's large, warm hands from him.

– How can there be none? I sent two letters! – Philip was surprised, but then laughed ringingly. – But the Devil with them! How glad I am to see you, dear father! What a fine beard you have grown! It's time for braids! Have you not heard that the King's court nowadays imitates Henry and his short beard? You're part of this court, it's time you got rid of those cosms!

– Enough, my son, enough! Let the young spoil their beards, but we old men will remain true to the old days," said Sir Norton, smiling good-naturedly and patting his son on the shoulder. – What an outfit! It is as if you had not come back from the war, but to a wedding!

– How cleverly you've got me, Father! I am going to marry! – Philip said in a more serious tone, and a happy smile lit up his handsome face. – I have dreamed of this girl for five years, and now she has given her consent!

– She has?

– And her father, of course.

– When did you have time? Must be some Spanish passion rose?

– Only one girl could win me over. Only one rose. A rose born in my beloved Mother England.

– And the name of this beauty…

– Brigid Guise.

The happy light in Sir Norton's blue eyes faded, the corners of his lips drooped.

– Come into my chambers, my son," he began.

– What is wrong, father? – Philip interrupted, as he recognised the shadow that had suddenly darkened his father's countenance.

– Come in, come in. We can't stand here in the middle of the corridor! – Sir Norton pushed his son into his chambers, then quickly went in himself and closed the door tightly behind him.

Chapter 7

– Philip! You're back!

In a moment, Alienor was hanging around her older brother's neck, and he laughed and twirled her around, just as he had done before he went to war. That loving sisterly embrace, that favourite ringing voice, that exuberance of feeling, that angelic smile… How he missed it all! Although there was a difference of four years between brother and sister, she never let Philip be bored, and he, like their father, indulged all her whims. Long years of European wars, drenched in the blood of enemies and friends, toughened the character of young Norton, but for his "little sister" he remained the same Philip.

– How you have grown… Yesterday you were ru

– Oh, do you even doubt it? – replied Alienor in a sweet voice. – The other day a handsome young man, whose father is almost as rich as ours, asked for my hand.

– I have just come from father, and he has not even mentioned that he is giving you away in marriage! – Philip laughed heartily. – Poor father! Well, who else is going to ravage him when you come under your husband's care?

– Marriage, dear brother, is not my destiny! – Alienor snorted contemptuously and twirled her brother in a dance. – I will be the Queen's lady in waiting!

– But, what of the suitor? – Philip wondered, obeying Alienor's whim.

They danced in the middle of a garden decorated with brightly coloured flowers, to the loud singing of birds, as if they were in a huge dance hall, and their feet glided over the grass as deftly as over cold flat stones.

– The suitor had to pick up the shards of his heart trampled by my shoes! Father was upset, mother even cried, secretly from me, but you know, Philip: my will ca

– How did you know? – Philip was so astonished that he stopped the pas, and his lips spread into an incomprehensible smile.

– I heard that today some fine rich man has asked for the hand of our beautiful Brigid," Alienor said with a sly smile, as if not noticing her brother's surprise, still dancing without a partner. She danced so gracefully, and her movements were so captivating, that the gardener, a sullen young man, was distracted from his work and stared mesmerised at the dance of the master's daughter.

– And this man is the happiest of mortals," Philip gri

– For Christ's sake! Forgive me, sir! Forgive me, miss! For Christ's sake! For the sake of the Virgin Mary, Mother of God! God knows I've been blinded by the beauty of Miss Norton's sunshine! – The frightened gardener fell on his knees and crossed himself repeatedly.

– Go away, you dog! If you ever look at my sister again, I'll have you quartered! – Philip spat out, and his face showed such anger that Alienor frowned.

– I don't recognise you, my brother… To be so angry over a miserable gardener! Dance with me! – She grasped her brother's hands again, wishing to win back his good spirits by dancing, and he, with a deep sigh, joined her again. – Happy Brigid! How happy she is! Think of it! She's been in love with this man for years!

– In love? Did she tell you that? – Young Norton's heart thumped as loudly as a horse's iron horseshoes against a stone bridge.

– Who else? – Alienor laughed gleefully. – Soon she will have what she desperately desires, and I am happy that she is happy! And even if her fiancé is not worthy of her, even if he is a fool and a buffoon…

– How nice to receive such praise from my own sister! – Philip laughed.

– They are not for your ears, you fool! They are for the ears of Brigid's betrothed!

– He is the one you are talking to now.

Alienor stopped abruptly, pushed her brother away from her and gazed intently into his face.