will do to replace the ones stolen.”
“And when will your husband be joining you?”
Robert asked pleasantly. “He will undoubtedly be pleased to see the excellent progress you have made in restoring your home. We shall look forward to seeing you both in the spring at Hillview. I know that would please our grandfather greatly.”
Adair flushed, and then, drawing a breath, said, “I have no husband, sir.”
“I should not have thought that the king would allow a maiden of your tender years to return to her home alone,” Andrew Lynbridge said softly, watching Adair closely as he spoke. The talk of a husband had turned his serene hostess edgy.
“I am sixteen, sir, and quite capable of running my own house. Albert watches over all, and I have appointed Dark Walter as captain of my men at arms. England is at peace, and the Scots are not raiding currently.
But if they did we should be able to protect Stanton now. In my father’s time it was thought we were too isolated to be bothered with, but I am wary of all. I have known since midmorning that you were coming to visit.
I have watchers in the hills,” Adair told him.
“A wise precaution,” Robert agreed, nodding. “And most clever.”
“You must remain the night,” Adair said. “With winter upon us it is already almost sunset. There is no moon to guide you home.” She turned to Albert, who had been hovering in the background. “Tell Cook we have guests.”
“Yes, m’lady,” he said, and hurried off.
“I thank you for your hospitality,” Robert responded.
“And in the years I have been away,” Adair said to him, “have you both taken wives and sired children? I’m sure that would please your grandfather.”
“I have a wife,” Robert told her. “She has given me twin lads, and will birth another child in late winter. And aye, Grandsire is pleased.”
“And you, sir?” Adair asked Andrew. “Have you a wife?”
“Nay,” he told her. “I haven’t found a woman who pleases me enough. Yet.”
“Albert says we have guests.” Elsbeth now bustled into the hall.
“Robert and Andrew Lynbridge, old Lord Hum-
phrey’s grandsons from Hillview,” Adair told her. “Sirs, this is my nurse and dear companion, Elsbeth. It was Elsbeth who took me to the king.”
Both men nodded, murmuring almost simultane ously, “Mistress Elsbeth.”
“I have asked them to remain, as the night is upon us,” Adair said. “Will you see that a guest chamber is prepared for them?”
“Bed spaces in the hall will be more comfortable, and warmer,” Elsbeth said, eyeing both young men suspiciously. “Does Brenna still lie with your grandfather?”
“More to keep the old man warm now,” Andrew Lynbridge said with a grin. “You know Brenna, Mistress Elsbeth?”
“We are kin,” Elsbeth replied tartly, “although I rarely admit to it, for Brenna is no better than she ought to be, and never was.”
Andrew Lynbridge laughed loudly. “She’s a wicked piece, and always was,” he agreed, “but she has a kind heart and is good to the old man. She cares for him like her own babe, and best of all, she makes him laugh. He is much infirm now, but she rarely leaves his side. She’ll always have a place at Hillview.”
“Agreed!” Robert echoed his younger brother.
Having satisfied herself, and none too subtly, that the two men were who they said they were, Elsbeth left the hall to get the bedding and make up the two bed spaces that the Lynbridge brothers would sleep in tonight.
Robert appeared a sensible man, and settled, but the younger sibling, Andrew, was, Elsbeth suspected, a proper hell-raiser. It was plain to see no woman had yet tamed him.
Neither of them, especially that Andrew, was going to get above the hall tonight, Elsbeth decided. Adair had her reputation to protect. She was young, innocent, and beautiful. But there was no other woman of rank in the house who could attest that her virtue was intact come the morning. The word of a
“And when will your husband be joining you?”
Robert asked pleasantly. “He will undoubtedly be pleased to see the excellent progress you have made in restoring your home. We shall look forward to seeing you both in the spring at Hillview. I know that would please our grandfather greatly.”
Adair flushed, and then, drawing a breath, said, “I have no husband, sir.”
“I should not have thought that the king would allow a maiden of your tender years to return to her home alone,” Andrew Lynbridge said softly, watching Adair closely as he spoke. The talk of a husband had turned his serene hostess edgy.
“I am sixteen, sir, and quite capable of running my own house. Albert watches over all, and I have appointed Dark Walter as captain of my men at arms. England is at peace, and the Scots are not raiding currently.
But if they did we should be able to protect Stanton now. In my father’s time it was thought we were too isolated to be bothered with, but I am wary of all. I have known since midmorning that you were coming to visit.
I have watchers in the hills,” Adair told him.
“A wise precaution,” Robert agreed, nodding. “And most clever.”
“You must remain the night,” Adair said. “With winter upon us it is already almost sunset. There is no moon to guide you home.” She turned to Albert, who had been hovering in the background. “Tell Cook we have guests.”
“Yes, m’lady,” he said, and hurried off.
“I thank you for your hospitality,” Robert responded.
“And in the years I have been away,” Adair said to him, “have you both taken wives and sired children? I’m sure that would please your grandfather.”
“I have a wife,” Robert told her. “She has given me twin lads, and will birth another child in late winter. And aye, Grandsire is pleased.”
“And you, sir?” Adair asked Andrew. “Have you a wife?”
“Nay,” he told her. “I haven’t found a woman who pleases me enough. Yet.”
“Albert says we have guests.” Elsbeth now bustled into the hall.
“Robert and Andrew Lynbridge, old Lord Hum-
phrey’s grandsons from Hillview,” Adair told her. “Sirs, this is my nurse and dear companion, Elsbeth. It was Elsbeth who took me to the king.”
Both men nodded, murmuring almost simultane ously, “Mistress Elsbeth.”
“I have asked them to remain, as the night is upon us,” Adair said. “Will you see that a guest chamber is prepared for them?”
“Bed spaces in the hall will be more comfortable, and warmer,” Elsbeth said, eyeing both young men suspiciously. “Does Brenna still lie with your grandfather?”
“More to keep the old man warm now,” Andrew Lynbridge said with a grin. “You know Brenna, Mistress Elsbeth?”
“We are kin,” Elsbeth replied tartly, “although I rarely admit to it, for Brenna is no better than she ought to be, and never was.”
Andrew Lynbridge laughed loudly. “She’s a wicked piece, and always was,” he agreed, “but she has a kind heart and is good to the old man. She cares for him like her own babe, and best of all, she makes him laugh. He is much infirm now, but she rarely leaves his side. She’ll always have a place at Hillview.”
“Agreed!” Robert echoed his younger brother.
Having satisfied herself, and none too subtly, that the two men were who they said they were, Elsbeth left the hall to get the bedding and make up the two bed spaces that the Lynbridge brothers would sleep in tonight.
Robert appeared a sensible man, and settled, but the younger sibling, Andrew, was, Elsbeth suspected, a proper hell-raiser. It was plain to see no woman had yet tamed him.
Neither of them, especially that Andrew, was going to get above the hall tonight, Elsbeth decided. Adair had her reputation to protect. She was young, innocent, and beautiful. But there was no other woman of rank in the house who could attest that her virtue was intact come the morning. The word of a
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