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"Indeed?" Maris could not hide the shocked expression on her face

"My lady," began Agnes, hesitating She took a deep breath and began again, "My lady, you did not coave a short, hunes, of course I do not I would ith no man under my oill Yet, I have a betrothed of h he is hardly no more a prize than is Lord Bon"

"My lady, I would--I would do all I , her eyes fearful as she looked up at Maris "I would ask a boon, my lady I know ’tis unseemly to ask, my lady," her words now tumbled out as if she could not stop thee for--for helping you"

Maris turned a cool gaze on the frightened led up her spine "How ht I help you leave as I am hter of a powerful lord, ’tis certain that he or your betrothed will co for a hand to strike her face "An’ I would go with you when they coh she’d never been approached by a servant requesting aid, it was not an uncommon occurrence The serfs that were bound to a land were also bound to its h shea serf was another matter entirely "I cannot take you frones sed heavily, then continued, "I am a freewoman, my father a merchant near York, when I was taken from him I wish only to be free from Lord Bon" She unconsciously touched the purple scar "’Tis but a reer" Tears welled in her eyes, and despite herover her

"As you shall help me, I vow repayment in kind," she told the other wo her rather than living the life of a merchant’s wife Ofttimes, the family of a merchant was even wealthier than those of the nobility, whose wealth lay in the land rather than cones here

"Thank youforth "Praise God and thank you!"

"Now, then" Maris became business like and drew the y You must tell me all that you know about my lord and his plans, and we shall decide how to proceed from there"

As the wo care to keep their voices at a low level, a different scene unfolded below

Dirick had not , that had flitted across Maris’s face when she saw hi thus to the entire great hall, and he considered that not a sh no one else seeh hiathered her up in his arms to carry her above Dirick almost started after them, determined to do whatever he had to in order to protect the lady’s virtue

He would have, in fact, done so if he’d not noticed Edwin Baegot watching hient desire to protect her, Dirick forced hiu there

When Dirick heard the lord of the keep bellowing for hot water to be brought to the above stairs cha to the hall, he realized he had soer--assu that Victor d’Arcy hadn’t already helped hi onto a short stool, Dirick stared into the fire that snapped viciously in its enclosure

First, hesoe that could be trusted would be a battle in itself, but a healthy pal at a string on his tunic, heMaris’s virtue: all without arousing his host’s suspicion

Dirick was just returning froe--ostensibly to visit a whore--when the keep’s inhabitants were shoving and jostling for place for the eveninghim that Merle would place hi Bon de Savrille