to do is recognize your birthday eve.â
This morning, we all had to make our confessions to Haket, and I felt very uneasy, because Iâve been thinking about what I heard and saw on the riverbank and Iâm sure Haket is forcing Rowena to do something against her will, maybe even giving him her body. If he is, how can I confess to him? And, anyhow, who does he make his confessions to?
Shrove Tuesday is a holiday, the first since I came to Holt, and this afternoon many of the people living on the manor gathered in the South Yard. But not Haket, Iâm glad to say.
First Anian and Catrin tied little spurs to two cocks, but I donât really like watching them stab each otherâs eyes and rip each other to pieces. After that, I wrestled with Anian and threw him, although heâs two years older than I am. But then Sayer, the kennelman, threw me, and so did Simonâheâs stronger than he looks. All the same, I know Iâm stronger than I was last year.
âArthur!â Rowena called out. âIzzie wants to wrestle with you.â
Everyone laughed, and Izzie blushed.
âI wonât,â I said. âYouâre both stupid.â
âWhat about Rahere?â Alan said in a sneering voice. âYouâd like to wrestle with Arthur, wouldnât you?â
âCertainly not!â said Rahere huffily. âWrestlers donât jest!â
When we met in the hall for supper, Lord Stephen bowed to me. âWill you sit down, sir?â he said.
Lord Stephen showed me to my place and brought me a little basin of water. He kissed the towel draped over his right forearm, and I washed and dried my hands. Then Lord Stephen served me, and not until Iâd eaten the first mouthful of my egg-and-butter pancake was anyone else allowed to start.
After weâd finished our pancakes and boiled chicken stuffed with garlic and apricotsâthe last meat and butter weâll eat until after EasterâLord Stephen rang his little handbell, and Gubert carried in a wobbling, striped jelly. It had fourteen layers, and each one was a different color.
âGubert!â exclaimed Lord Stephen, and he smiled and opened his hands.
âAh!â sighed Rahere. âThe very sight of itâ¦turns my insides to jelly.â
âStrained saffron, my lady,â said Gubert.
âWhich?â asked Lady Judith.
âThe bottom stripe. Then parsley-juice green, and pink rose petalsâ¦that violet-blue, thatâs sunflower. Egg whiteâ¦â Gubert explained each stripe until heâd reached the top layer.
âPoppy,â guessed Rowena.
âI know,â said Izzie. âPlum skin.â
âOr blood,â said Lord Stephen.
âSandalwood red,â said Gubert proudly.
âImported from Venice,â Lady Judith announced. âMy merchant buys sandalwood and pepper and caraway from Venice.â
âLet Arthur sniff!â Lord Stephen said.
I leaned over the jelly, and the sweet confusion of scents and spices swirled inside my head.
âArthurâs smelly!â Rahere said quite fondly.
âYouâll bring home lots of spices from the Holy Land, I hope,â Lady Judith said. âThey cost so much here, when you can get them at all. Iâve heard the Saracens even serve their meats with sauces of different colors.â
After this, everyone shook hands with me and wished me a happy birthday.
âHappy as a clam,â Rahere said, and he opened and snapped his mouth several times. âWell! As happy as you can be with ash on your forehead.â
âYouâve been here at Holt for six weeks already,â Lord Stephen said. âNow, on Friday I want you to ride over to Gortanore.â
âThis Friday!â I exclaimed.
âIâve arranged for you to stay for one week.â
âDo I have to, sir?â
âAnd in the meantime,â said Lord Stephen, âI must somehow make do without my excellent
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