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"What good would that do?" Gawin asked, perplexed.
"Then," Aunt Elinor explained, "you would challenge any knight in the castle who disagreed to come out and meet you. Naturally, several of them would have to meet your challenge-in order to save face with their ladies. And," she finished delightedly, "those knights whom you vanquished would then have to go to Lady A
"Oh, Aunt Elinor," Je
"Most assuredly! Why, 'twas the custom until very recently."
"And I've no doubt," Stefan Westmoreland said gallantly, "that a great many knights were vanquished by your stalwart suitors, my lady, and sent to kneel before you."
"What a pretty speech!" said Lady Elinor approvingly, "I thank you. And it proves," she added to Gawin, "that chivalry isn't falling by the wayside one bit!"
"It won't help me, however," Gawin sighed. "Until I myself am knighted, I ca
"Perhaps something gentler than fighting would win your lady's heart," Je
Royce listened more attentively, hoping for some clue as to how to soften her heart.
"Like what, my lady?" asked Gawin.
"Well, there's music and songs…"
Royce's eyes narrowed in discouragement at the thought of having to sing to Je
"You did learn to play a lute, or some instrument, when you were a page, did you not?" Je
"No, my lady," Gawin confessed.
"Really?" said Je
"I was sent to Royce as a page," Gawin advised her proudly, "not the castle of a married lord and lady. And Royce says that a lute is as useless in battle as a hilt with no sword-unless I mean to swing it around over my head and launch it at my opponent."
Eustace sent him an ominous look for further damning Royce in Je
"I have it," Je
Royce frowned, trying to remember poems, but the only one he could recall went:
There was a young lass named May
Ever good for a toss in the hay…
Gawin's face fell and he shook his head. "I don't believe I know any poems-Yes! Royce told me one once. It went, "There was a young lass named-"
"Gawin!" Royce snapped before he could catch himself, and Je
"Well then, what should I do?" Gawin said. With hope that his idol would think of some more manly way of impressing the lady, he asked Royce, "What did you do the first time you wished to impress a lady-or were you already a knight and could show her your mettle on the field of honor?"
With no hope of being able to further observe Je
Je
"Eight, as I recall."
"What did you do to impress her?"
"I… er… staged a contest with Stefan and Godfrey so that I could dazzle the maiden with a skill of which I was particularly proud at the time."
"What sort of contest?" Lady Elinor asked, thoroughly engrossed.
"A spitting contest," Royce replied succinctly, watching Je
"Did you win?" Eustace laughed.
"Certainly," Royce declared dryly. "I could spit further than any lad in England at the time. Besides," he added, "I had already taken the precaution of bribing Stefan and Godfrey."
"I think I'll retire now," Je
Royce abruptly decided to tell all of them the news, rather than keep it from Je
"A messenger came today from Henry confirming the changes," Royce added. When she continued to regard him with polite lack of interest, Royce added pointedly, "The decision was made by our kings at the same time the truce was signed." Not until he added, "And I will be riding in them," did she seem to comprehend the import of what he was saying. When she did, she looked at him with contempt, then she turned her back on him and left the hall. Royce watched her walk away and, in sheer frustration, he got up and went after her, catching her just as she opened the door to her bedchamber.
He held the door open for her and followed her inside, closing it behind him. In front of his knights, she'd kept her silence, but now, in private, she turned on him with a bitterness that nearly surpassed the night of William's death: "I gather the knights from the south of Scotland will be attending this little soiree?"
"Yes," he said tightly.
"And it's no longer to be a joust? It's a tournament now?" she added. "And of course, that's why you're going to ride in it?"
"I'm going to do it because I've been commanded to do it!"
The anger drained from her face, leaving it as white as parchment and just as hopeless. She shrugged. "I have another brother-I don't love him as well as I loved William, but he should at least give you a little more sport before you kill him. He's closer to your size." Her chin was trembling and her eyes were shining with tears. "And then there's my father-he's older than you, but quite skilled as a knight. His death will amuse you. I hope," she said brokenly, "you'll find it in your heart-find it possible," she amended, making it clear she didn't think he had a heart, "not to murder my sister. "She's all I have left."
Knowing she didn't want him to touch her, Royce still could not stop himself from pulling her into his arms. When she stiffened but didn't struggle, he cupped her head, holding it pressed to his chest, her hair like crushed satin in his hand. Hoarsely, he said, "Je
And then he knew.
He knew exactly why he loved her, and when it had happened: his mind snapped back to the glade, when an angel dressed like a page had looked up at him with shining blue eyes and softly told him, The things they say about you, the things they say you've done-they aren't true. I don't believe it.
Now she believed everything about him, and with good reason. And knowing it hurt a thousand times more than any wound Royce had ever received.