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“J-Jacob, my lord”

“Well, Jacob I assume you have a cart here”

“Yes, my lord”

“Good As I said, the carriage is stuck in the th to room’s confused expression hardly raised confidence in his abilities “You’ll need a rope and a couple more men”

Jacob scratched his head “Do you knohere we’ll find him?”

“Past the crossroads on the road into Hoddesdon” Tristan stepped back and gestured for the est you take a piece of board or a few logs, and a shovel”

“Yes,too many times to count Jacob rushed towards the stable door but stopped abruptly “Will you be telling Lady Fer

nall about my nap?”

Isabella hadabout the inadequacy of the hired help “I tend to judge a man on the quality of his work,” Tristan said “I’ve left et I saw you sleeping”

Relief flashed in the groom’s eyes “Thank you, my lord His coat will be shinier than your boots by the time I’m finished with him”

His boots were sodden and splattered with mud “Splendid” It suddenly occurred to Tristan that he should take advantage of the grooreat, Jacobon his return “Can I ask you so before you rush off?”

“Yes, my lord”

“It ht sound like an odd question, but have you ever witnessed anything unusual here?” He could hardly coure in white wandering the corridors “Have you ever seen anything that defies all sense and logic?”

“All sense and logic?” Jacob repeated, a look of confusionhis brow He stared at Tristan for a host I have heard solanced back over his shoulder before taking a step closer “They say it’s the spirit of his lordship’s first wife”

“Who said that?”