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The rain stopped just as dawn crept across the sky Hugh was too wet and weary at that point to care He&039;d actually begun to doze off in the saddle when the whistling caught his ear Straightening in the saddle, he cocked his head, listening for the source of the cheerful sound It was only then that he caught the acco to the sword resting at his side, he urged hishie and thefrom the sudden alarm on the newcoe of the clearing, Hugh&039;s presence caer&039;s appearance was no less of a surprise to Hugh The h he was dressed as a peasant, there was nobut a soldier He ell-muscled and his horse was definitely a quality beast The stranger&039;s response was telling as well After that first h, his weapons, his horse, then the peaceful cottage behind hih didn&039;t ht hand dropped to rest on one of several sacks that hung fro and slender enough to hide a sword, Hugh decided to get the introductions over with quickly

"Baldulf?"

"Whoh didn&039;this query It didn&039;t really matter; there had been a flash of surprise in his eyes before he covered it It was enough to tell Hugh he&039;d guessed correctly

"Hugh Dulonget, lord of Clayan and earl of Hillcrest" Despite his craed to sit a little straighter in the saddle as he made that announcement It was the first time he&039;d used his new titles and he almost winced at the pride evident in his own voice as he claimed theave a nod in lieu of a bow as he road forward until they were side by side "Aye I am Baldulf &039;Tis an honor to meet you, h said dryly

Panic promptly entered the soldier&039;s expression and he cursed volubly "I knew I should not have left, but Willa insisted she needed black cloth for proper e so I had to - was she harmed?" he interrupted himself to ask "Your presence here tells h assured hi comment had alarmed the man unnecessarily "I did not irl"

Baldulf&039;s eyebrows flew up at this news "Then what harh was reluctant to ad her a bastard and refusing to marry her However, he had no doubt the man would eventually hear the news froet the matter over with himself

"I fear when I first arrived, I was less than pleased to find myself willed a wife"

The man nodded sy of a surprise"

"Aye" He grimaced "In my er surprise, I was perhaps less than diploh winced inwardly at his own understately, he asked, "How much is less than diplomatic?"

"I called her a bastard and refused to marry her" The words tumbled out of histhe ire rising in the other&039;s nation fill hie and relationship business "I have since apologized, of course"

"Well, I should hope so!" Baldulf&039;s tone was rather disrespectful, not at all the proper h felt it behooved hi He even allowed theand glaring back Recalled to their positions, Baldulf let his eyes drop and glanced toward the cottage before clearing his throat and saying in h, ?"

"Since yester morn"

"Ah" He nodded slowly "If, as you claiuard out here so long?"

That was so rainy day and night "I a to persuade Lady Willa to marry me"

Baldulf nodded, then asked in extree on your horse?"

"I ah said stiffly He felt foolish even saying the words Seeing amusement fill the other man&039;s face, he added, " &039;Twas not ht soften Willa&039;s anger if I vowed to stand guard over her beauty until she accepted ?"

Baldulf covered hissounds, then thumped his chest as he shook his head "Nay, ht inand snuffling

Hugh harrumphed irritably and waited for the fit to pass The ained control of hilance "Knowing her as well as you do, perhaps you could suggest a more useful approach?"

Hu the lines that tih noticed that it wasn&039;t very sympathetic amusement

"Well now, that would be difficult to say, aze shifted past Hugh, his voice becoifts Little trinkets and such My wife always enjoyed those By your leave, ed his e without awaiting the leave he&039;d requested Hugh glared after hi if perhaps he did not have a coh she were the queen and he a common peasant Now, one of his o soldiers rode off ere he&039;d finished talking to him

He&039;d had several questions for the ood hour that first night after Wynekyn had explained things questioning the foruard, Howel Unfortunately, the man who now served as seneschal at Hillcrest appeared to know no s, he knew even less It was doubtful that Baldulf would know anyat the spot where man and horse had disappeared when he heard Lucan and Jollivet approaching Their words and laughter were audible severalThey were obviously noring his stiff and sore bones, Hugh slicked back his still daht in the saddle Grim-faced, he awaited their arrival At thatto take his sword to the pair, and wanting to take his lance to the his fists to them sounded attractive, too They were, after all, the source of the

"Good morn!" Lucan called as he broke from the trees on horseback

He looked well-rested and daust as his friend rode toward hi, Lucan raised an eyebrow and quickly unfastened a bag fro hich to break your fast" He offered the bag with a winning s like a hungry dog snapping up a bone Even as he began to tug the bag open, he caught the glance his friend exchanged with Jollivet, who had urged his own horse to Hugh&039;s other side The two men flanked him

"Actually, we did not expect you to still be here It rained last night" Jollivet h&039;s notice Fortunately for his cousin, Hugh was too hungry to waste tied hi look and a dry, "I noticed," then continued rooting inside the bag

Lucan winced "Surely you did not stay out here in the rain? All night?"

"What else was I to do?" he snarled, pulling out a hunk of bread and a skin of ale "You wrote in that damned letter of yours that I would remain here until she acceptedI arihtest of ideas My apologies, Hugh I take it she has yet to accept your suit?"

Hugh&039;s baleful expression was answer enough as he chewed on the dry bread

"Well, perhaps she shall relent after seeing that you have spent the entire night in the rain guarding her"

"She was not moved to relent after I spent all of yesterday in the rain Why should a little darkness rowled, then took the ale skin Lucan now handed him and lifted it to histo convince her" He paused as Hugh nearly choked on the ale he was downing Pulling the ale skin away from his mouth, he turned hot eyes on his friend

"I shall thank you and Jollivet not to help lanced away "Well, did you coht?"

Hugh&039;s expression was answer enough, but he said, "Nay She has done no ry aboutshe was beneath ure out how best to apologize what she would accept"

"Did you try flowers?" Jollivet piped up "I did tell you that women are partial to theh started to growl deep in his throat at his cousin&039;s suggestion, "perhaps someone who knew her better would know best how to please her"

Hugh gave up glaring at the younger estion "I did consider that In fact, I asked Baldulf for suggestions"

"Baldulf?" Lucan straightened with interest "Has the o He left just before you rode up"

"Did he say where he had been?" Lucan asked as Hugh took another gulp of ale

"I gather he was seeking black cloth for Willa to est?" Jollivet asked curiously