speculation.”
“You intend to forgo a thorough inspection this time?”
At Edwin’s mock horror, Stephen stepped back andreopened the garderobe’s door. “Care to have a look Edwin?”
Waving a hand before his face, Edwin turned around and headed back down the stairs. Stephen shut the door and followed, his eyes stinging from the smell.
Edwin chuckled. “I suppose ’twill need cleaning from the bottom up. I pity the poor man given the task.”
“On that we can agree.”
As they’d agreed on so many things over the past week, though until now Stephen hadn’t uttered the words aloud. In a more companionable fashion than Stephen had thought possible, he and Edwin made steady progress on Carolyn’s list. He spent so much time in his rival’s company that he could now tell from Edwin’s expression if they agreed immediately on some item or if Edwin was undecided.
For the most part, Edwin resisted confirming the immediate need for some repair simply because Carolyn thought it necessary. The man was having a hard time believing a woman could have such foresight and knowledge, enough to properly oversee a holding as large as Branwick.
Stephen stepped out of the tower and into the outer bailey, leaving the stink behind, encountering other odors no more pleasant but at least tolerable.
Craftsmen’s shops lined the curtain wall. From the tanner, the smithy, the cloth dyer and the charcoal maker came the malodorous scents distinct to those various trades. As in every holding of good size, among the pungent odors mingled sweet aromas—bread baking in the common oven, the herbs in the apothecary, fresh cut wood at the carpenter’s shed.
Marian walked out of the smithy, a daughter on either side of her, hands clasped and swaying gently as thethree made their way across the outer bailey toward the keep. People stepped aside to allow her to pass by. Stephen compared the parting crowd to those he’d seen move aside for nobility—until he saw a woman sneer down at the twins and cross herself.
Ignorant bitch .
The condemnation came hard and fast on a lightning bolt of anger. The crowd parted for fear of two adorable little girls, mistrusted and thus avoided because they were twins.
“Superstition runs deep,” Edwin commented, frowning.
Stephen didn’t trust himself to answer. His ire yet roiled. If he opened his mouth, he’d be tempted to berate the entire crowd, at the top of his voice, for their lack of wits and cruelty. Perhaps he should. Perhaps ’twas time someone did.
Except it wasn’t his place to tell the people of Bran-wick how they should think or act. William or Carolyn or Branwick’s priest must do so for the scolding to have impact. Even then, many would hold on to their deep-seated fears.
Had Corwin and Ardith faced the same shunning as children? Stephen was ashamed to admit he had no notion if his best friend had suffered simply because he’d been born at the same time as his sister.
Not all at Branwick treated Audra and Lyssa as less than human. William fair doted on the girls, and Carolyn accepted them. Even Edwin spoke fondly of them, displayed nary a qualm of picking up Lyssa on the night he’d been asked to assist Marian.
Calmer now, Stephen noted that not everyone in the bailey shunned the girls, either. Here and there a hand raised in greeting, a voice called out a good morn. Marianpassed through the gate into the inner bailey without mishap.
Perhaps he’d overreacted.
Still disturbed, he turned to Edwin. “How long has it been since you have taken to the practice yard?”
“Several days. Think to end our contest at sword point?”
The jest held a hint of a challenge, and Stephen loved a challenge. Even the verbal sparring with Edwin seemed a contest. ’Twas becoming a matter of honor to see which of them claimed the last word.
“Nay, though you might oblige me by succumbing to unaccustomed vigorous exercise.”
“Not a chance, pup.”
“Pup, is it? I will have you
“You intend to forgo a thorough inspection this time?”
At Edwin’s mock horror, Stephen stepped back andreopened the garderobe’s door. “Care to have a look Edwin?”
Waving a hand before his face, Edwin turned around and headed back down the stairs. Stephen shut the door and followed, his eyes stinging from the smell.
Edwin chuckled. “I suppose ’twill need cleaning from the bottom up. I pity the poor man given the task.”
“On that we can agree.”
As they’d agreed on so many things over the past week, though until now Stephen hadn’t uttered the words aloud. In a more companionable fashion than Stephen had thought possible, he and Edwin made steady progress on Carolyn’s list. He spent so much time in his rival’s company that he could now tell from Edwin’s expression if they agreed immediately on some item or if Edwin was undecided.
For the most part, Edwin resisted confirming the immediate need for some repair simply because Carolyn thought it necessary. The man was having a hard time believing a woman could have such foresight and knowledge, enough to properly oversee a holding as large as Branwick.
Stephen stepped out of the tower and into the outer bailey, leaving the stink behind, encountering other odors no more pleasant but at least tolerable.
Craftsmen’s shops lined the curtain wall. From the tanner, the smithy, the cloth dyer and the charcoal maker came the malodorous scents distinct to those various trades. As in every holding of good size, among the pungent odors mingled sweet aromas—bread baking in the common oven, the herbs in the apothecary, fresh cut wood at the carpenter’s shed.
Marian walked out of the smithy, a daughter on either side of her, hands clasped and swaying gently as thethree made their way across the outer bailey toward the keep. People stepped aside to allow her to pass by. Stephen compared the parting crowd to those he’d seen move aside for nobility—until he saw a woman sneer down at the twins and cross herself.
Ignorant bitch .
The condemnation came hard and fast on a lightning bolt of anger. The crowd parted for fear of two adorable little girls, mistrusted and thus avoided because they were twins.
“Superstition runs deep,” Edwin commented, frowning.
Stephen didn’t trust himself to answer. His ire yet roiled. If he opened his mouth, he’d be tempted to berate the entire crowd, at the top of his voice, for their lack of wits and cruelty. Perhaps he should. Perhaps ’twas time someone did.
Except it wasn’t his place to tell the people of Bran-wick how they should think or act. William or Carolyn or Branwick’s priest must do so for the scolding to have impact. Even then, many would hold on to their deep-seated fears.
Had Corwin and Ardith faced the same shunning as children? Stephen was ashamed to admit he had no notion if his best friend had suffered simply because he’d been born at the same time as his sister.
Not all at Branwick treated Audra and Lyssa as less than human. William fair doted on the girls, and Carolyn accepted them. Even Edwin spoke fondly of them, displayed nary a qualm of picking up Lyssa on the night he’d been asked to assist Marian.
Calmer now, Stephen noted that not everyone in the bailey shunned the girls, either. Here and there a hand raised in greeting, a voice called out a good morn. Marianpassed through the gate into the inner bailey without mishap.
Perhaps he’d overreacted.
Still disturbed, he turned to Edwin. “How long has it been since you have taken to the practice yard?”
“Several days. Think to end our contest at sword point?”
The jest held a hint of a challenge, and Stephen loved a challenge. Even the verbal sparring with Edwin seemed a contest. ’Twas becoming a matter of honor to see which of them claimed the last word.
“Nay, though you might oblige me by succumbing to unaccustomed vigorous exercise.”
“Not a chance, pup.”
“Pup, is it? I will have you
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