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Maris looked down at the jewel, suddenly uncertain "Is it too large? Will the queen be annoyed?" She didn’t care if the other ladies envied her jewels, but she surely didn’t wish to flaunt her wealth if it would insult the queen

"Oh, nay," Judith said, laughing est that her husband raise the rents and taxes on Langumont She will say that you obviously have too rinning "At the least you aren’t hiding theave a soft laugh when Maris looked at her in surprise "Judith speaks the truth I had to beco such baubles when I came to court, for I’d spent nearly a decade cloistered in an abbey, where everything was very si off my finery"

"Very well, then," Maris said, comfortable now "I shall flaunt my jewels beneath the queen’s very nose Shall we be off?"

Upon entering the Great Hall, the three women made their way toward the trestle tables where Eleanor’s other ladies in waiting were seated After her brief audience with the beautiful but austere queen two days earlier, Maris had been given a fir less than an order--to join Eleanor’s court until further notice

The ladies had to pass in front of the royal dais as they wended their way through the rows of tables and hoards of self seeking courtiers Intent upon her feet and their placement, Maris didn’t look up at the royal couple and their supper guests until Madelyne paused to sweep a curtsey in front of the queen

"You look well, Lady Madelyne," Eleanor said frorees with you, and your husband too, I trow"

"Thank you, your majesty," Madelyne replied in her easy, serene way "I only hope to look as fine and healthy as you have after the babe coiven birth a ave her a look that seemed to say, Mayhap you will be as fortunate…but ’tis unlikely "And good evening, Lady Maris," said the queen, turning her attention from Madelyne "I see that you have been visited by a seamstress since yestereve And you have unearthed such lovely jewels from your trunks"

"Aye, indeed, your Majesty," Marisfirst to Eleanor and then to Henry As she straightened, her gaze fell upon a tall figure just settling into his seat near the king

Sir Dirick

Their gazes clashed for a ray, remote and impersonal--before Maris pulled hers away

But her heart was pounding and her palms felt clammy, and even the insides of her belly felt as if a flock of birds had taken flight therein As her heart thuaze averted and her chin lifted proudly She gathered her skirts and followed Madelyne and Judith when they turned from the dais

This was the first she’d seen of Dirick since their ’s chaossiped that Sir Dirick had been sent off on the king’s business, and Maris had hoped for his return to be long in co up her gown to swing it over the bench, the ie of his solemn face was foremost in her mind In that brief moment, she’d noted how tired he looked His face was drawn and deep lines creased his lean, tan cheeks His thick, dark hair was pulled unstylishly from his face and tied at the nape of his neck

Under the pretext of turning to fill her cup ine, Maris sneaked another look at hi taken a seat next to his lord instead of with a lady between them, as was proper Their discussion seemed to be intense and hu Yet, even as she wondered that, she noticed the breadth of his shoulders next to that of the king, and the way his dark head loo One sleeve of Dirick’s undertunic had fallen back to the elbow, revealing the hardness of his well toned, tanned forearaze away, lifting her cup quickly to hide her face ’Twas her misfortune that the hasty s of sweet red wine choked her, and she was overcoained her composure, a quick peek at the dais revealed that a co her certain he was laughing at her

Feeling the warh her cheeks, Maris leaned toward Judith and Madelyne, forcing herself to concentrate on their conversation

"Aye, an’ he’s not too telling upon the eyes," Judith was saying with a sly look toward the high table "But he knows it well, I vow That kind always does Gavin is well-acquainted with him, is he not, Maddie?"

"Aye In fact, they both were pressed into service by the king on a recent proble quite oft from here to there in the last two ht of it" Madelyne snant belly as if to explain her husband’s reticence "But his hly pleased at the result, and rewarded er to join the conversation--any conversation--Maris said, "Of whom do you speak?"