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"Look you there, Lady Madelyne" Lord Mal Verne pointed in a southerly direction as they reached the crest of a hill "&039;Tis Mal Verne"

Madelyne turned obediently, and found herself looking across a s stone wall ri the standard of Mal Verne fluttered overthe top of the wall Froures ofaround the enclosure, and to the farthest south corner, she saw the heavy iron portcullis that blocked entrance to the bailey The ss of the town clustered on a plateau below the wall, and down in the valley were healthy green fields ready to be harvested

Lord Mal Verne kicked Rule, the warhorse, and, as if sensing he was near hoed off the hill Madelyne stifled a shriek as she was jounced abruptly to one side, nearly losing her grip on hisher balance, and she closed her eyes as they headed straight down the hill She would have begun praying aloud had Mal Verne not given a short bark of laughter and tightened his arms on either side of her

"Do you not fear, ht you this far to have you fall beneath Rule&039;s hooves!"

Madelyne pressed her lips together and sat even straighter in her seat She would not show her fearand she would not allow herself to fall! Those words became a chant in her mind as they careened down the hill, the other men in their party so close on their heels that she feared they&039;d be overturned, if not trampled, by their zealous coreeting that rang in her ear that Madelyne&039;s eyes flew open and she found that they had attained a more horizontal position They&039;d covered the space between the two mountainous hills in such a short time that she was thankful anew that she hadn&039;t watched as they hurtled past trees and down the slope

"A Mal Verne!" she heard the men on the stone wall cry in response to their lord&039;s hail The party of knights was close enough to the castle wall that she could see their gold and black tunics, emblazoned with the now-falinting in the sun

Mal Verne slowed the party to a trot as they reached the edge of the village, and Madelyne watched with interest as the peasants and tradespeople ca at their lord They were not fearful at all, even of the great destriers that pranced ih Madelyne noted that the et too close to the horses

Vague h the town at Tricourten stirred in her ht but empty streets and shuttered homes &039;Twas clear that Lord Mal Verne was, if not well-liked, at the least not feared by the villeins who farmed his rich lands

She felt ainst her back and causing her to sit further forward, as he nodded and gestured to the peasants Though he did not stop to speak with any of theht of curious stares on her as they jounced along, and realized how odd itthe saddle with their lord

When they reached the portcullis, it lifted quickly and noiselessly-bespeaking of the care and h Madelyne knew little of the ways of war, she ell-educated in the ement of a household, for all of the sisters shared in the tasks at Lock Rose Abbey She knew the value of a gate that raised and lowered without hesitation

Then, before she had time to muse further, the party entered the bailey and rode to the e, enclosed yard Marshals andreins as the knights dismounted

Madelyne waited as Mal Verne disracefully from behind her, then stepped around to the side of the saddle over which her legs were positioned Instead of assisting her to disathered up Rule&039;s reins and turned to speak with a stocky, black-haired man who looked to be perhaps a decade older than he

"Robert! By the looks of it, you&039;re fare better than the last I saw you, after that incident with the shield Glad to see you aren&039;t so black and blue This woruuest, but not alloithout the keep unescorted" Pointing a finger at a tall, blond man with a crooked nose, he commanded, "Jube, you shall be responsible for the lady&039;s well-being in my absence"

Madelyne watched silently as her accommodations were discussed as if she weren&039;t present So this is hoould be in a h to her that she could reach forward and touch the darkness of his shaggy hair The sleeves of his estured with his arrew over his cheeks and chin, adding sharpness to the planes of his face

He turned to her without warning, his stone-gray eyes locking onto her gaze for a briefher breath to heavy Madelyne quickly looked away, down, and found her attention focused on his booted feet Then all at once, strong hands spanned her waist, and she was lifted up and down from the saddle with a smoothness that indicated the ease hich he handled her weight

Upon the ground, Madelyne staggered slightly before she gained her footing, swaying against his broad chest for the briefest of lanced at her as she steadied herself, and she ed a weak smile Patricka, who, likewise had been assisted down fro as lost and uncertain as Madelyne herself felt

Mal Verne turned his attention to the stocky an to speak in low tones, they started toward the large oaken door that led to the keep

Madelyne and Patricka hesitated, but when the estured for them to follow, they linked arms and walked toward the massive entrance Jube and a cluster of other men-at-arms traced their footsteps, while others melted away, most likely to return to their duties

Inside the keep, Madelyne found herself dwarfed by the high-ceilinged Great Hall and the lines of crude, log-hewn tables that filled it For a brief h her hter-filled hall at Tricourten on the night she and her lance at the dais where the lord and his guests would sup, Madelyne al there with his cronies as he played the lute and sang with the voice of an angel Her apprehension settled when she saw that the table was empty, and she silently berated herself for her nervousness

As long as she was in the king&039;s care, Fantin could not hurt her Thus Madelyne would do whatever she &039;s protection

Still ignored by Mal Verne and his men, she took the opportunity to study the tapestries that hung on the walls, stretching to such a height that she had to strain her neck in order to see the top of the i about their business The rushes beneath her feet rustled, and although she saw oneahen his slumber was disturbed, she noted that the keep seemed as well-kept as the bailey and stone wall

Then, suddenly, she are that all were staring at her She looked at Mal Verne, whose voice speaking her na her an impatient look

"My lady, do you not wish for a bath and a change of clothing before supper?"

"Oh, aye," she gave hirateful smile, and was rewarded as his stone-face seemed to falter for a moment

Then, as if that flinch had not occurred, Mal Verne gestured with a graceful hand to very short, very round wo to one side She had brilliant red hair pulled into a tight braid, with a wide yellohite streak froth of the braid, which ound into a bun "Then you and yourwas at least two score years and had a motherly attitude that cloaked her like a coave a brief curtsey and waved the women behind her

At the top of the stone steps was a balcony over which Madelyne could look down and see into the hall, and she paused for a shortthe skirt of her habit, she hurried to catch up with Peg and Tricky

"My lady, this shall be your cha threw open a door that led to a ser on to announce your presence, an&039; we all hastened to make ready for you, just as we did the time his lordship&039;s cousin caold and brownor, alack, was it my lord&039;s mother&039;s sister that time?now I shall have to ask Robena on that, for I fearcommentary was as welcome as the small fire that ware wooden tub that sat next to the hearth

Madelyne stepped into the roo water carried by a serf She stood back and watched as a line of servants broughtseveral more pails filled with hot and cold water to adjust the te bustled over to the tub and, opening a small jar, poured dried flowers and herbs into the water Then, she stood expectantly, her pudgy hands folded, and with a start, Madelyne realized she aiting to assist her in disrobing "Oh, nay, I do not-"

"We shall help you to bathe,&039;Twas as though soe had passed between them, and before Madelyne could allow her an to assist her out of her habit

"Lord Mal Verne sent so explained as Madelyne stepped into the tub "Packed as &039;twere in those oaken trunks, I shook out the wrinkles when I heard that you&039;d be in need of theown and veil of yours,so"

Madelyne did not knohether &039;twas the sudden heat of the water or the notion that Mal Verne was nored the sudden, inexplicable sinking of her heart and lowered herself into the rose-scented tub

She looked over at Peg, as chatting on as she showed Tricky several gowns of brilliant, jewel colors At the least, she thought wryly, Mal Verne provided well for his wife Even from her perch in the tub, she could tell the quality of the cloth and the intricacy of the embroidery

She wondered, suddenly, if Lady Mal Verne, at least, was able to soften the harshness in his face and demeanor