well.”
“Benedict, you stay right here, do you hear me?” Alice snapped.
Dunstan chuckled evilly. “Who knows, Benedict? Sir Hugh plans to take the field himself shortly. Mayhap he will allow you to help him with his own personal armor.”
“Do you really think so?” Benedict asked.
“By the Saints.” Alice could not believe her ears. “Do not tell me that Sir Hugh intends to waste time on a silly joust.”
Dunstan gave her a sunny smile. “You have as much to learn as your brother, Lady Alice. Of course Sir Hugh will take the field today. Vincent of Rivenhall is here.”
“Who is Vincent of Rivenhall?” Alice demanded. “What has he got to do with this?”
Dunstan’s bushy brows rose. “I’ve no doubt your betrothed lord will soon explain that to you, my lady. ‘Tis certainly not my place to do so. Now, pray excuse me. Benedict and I have work to do.”
“Hold.” Alice was seething now. “I am not at all satisfied with this turn of events.”
“You must take up your dissatisfactions and complaintswith Sir Hugh,” Dunstan murmured. “Come along, Benedict.”
“Wait,” Alice ordered. “I need Benedict’s assistance.”
“But, Alice—” Benedict said unhappily.
“You will not need Benedict for anything this afternoon,” Dunstan assured Alice.
She glowered at him. “And, pray, just how do you know that, Sir Dunstan?”
“Why, ‘tis obvious.” Dunstan gave her an absurdly innocent smile. “You will be occupied with very important matters yourself.”
“What important matters?” she asked icily.
“‘Tis plain enough. As is the case with any newly betrothed lady, you will surely want to watch your future lord demonstrate his skills on the jousting field.”
“I have absolutely no intention of doing any such thing.”
“Nonsense,” Dunstan said. “The ladies all love to watch the sport.”
Before Alice could summon up further wrath, Dunstan quickly dragged Benedict off in the direction of one of the refuge tents. The shelters had been erected at opposite ends of the large field. The knights, squires, and men-at-arms gathered beneath them to prepare for the day’s jousting.
Alice was outraged. She could not believe that Hugh had altered his plans to find the green stone merely because of a jousting match. It made no sense.
When Dunstan and Benedict had disappeared into the crowd she whirled about and started toward the black tent. She would search out Hugh and let him know precisely what she thought of this situation. It was ludicrous for him to enter a joust when they had vastly more important matters to see to.
She came to an abrupt halt when she found her path blocked by a massive black war-horse. She recognized the beast at once. There was no mistaking the huge hooves, broad head, muscular shoulders, and sturdy construction of Hugh’s prized stallion. The smell of well-oiled steel and leather assailed her nostrils.
Alice blinked at the sight of Hugh’s booted foot in thestirrup. It looked very large. Her gaze rose slowly upward. This was the first time she had seen him in his hauberk. The finely linked mail of his battle armor gleamed in the warm afternoon sun. He had his helm tucked beneath one arm.
Hugh was sufficiently intimidating at the best of times, but when he was clad for war, Hugh the Relentless was a truly unnerving sight. She shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked up at him.
“I hear that ‘tis a new custom among ladies of fashion to give their favored knights a token to wear into the jousts,” Hugh said quietly.
Alice caught her breath and then hastily regrouped her energies. She was, she reminded herself, thoroughly incensed. “Surely you do not intend to participate in the jousts, my lord?”
“‘Twould be remarked upon if I did not. I do not wish to arouse suspicion concerning my true reason for being here at Ipstoke. The stratagem was to mingle with the fair crowds, if you will recall.”
“I see no necessity for you to waste
“Benedict, you stay right here, do you hear me?” Alice snapped.
Dunstan chuckled evilly. “Who knows, Benedict? Sir Hugh plans to take the field himself shortly. Mayhap he will allow you to help him with his own personal armor.”
“Do you really think so?” Benedict asked.
“By the Saints.” Alice could not believe her ears. “Do not tell me that Sir Hugh intends to waste time on a silly joust.”
Dunstan gave her a sunny smile. “You have as much to learn as your brother, Lady Alice. Of course Sir Hugh will take the field today. Vincent of Rivenhall is here.”
“Who is Vincent of Rivenhall?” Alice demanded. “What has he got to do with this?”
Dunstan’s bushy brows rose. “I’ve no doubt your betrothed lord will soon explain that to you, my lady. ‘Tis certainly not my place to do so. Now, pray excuse me. Benedict and I have work to do.”
“Hold.” Alice was seething now. “I am not at all satisfied with this turn of events.”
“You must take up your dissatisfactions and complaintswith Sir Hugh,” Dunstan murmured. “Come along, Benedict.”
“Wait,” Alice ordered. “I need Benedict’s assistance.”
“But, Alice—” Benedict said unhappily.
“You will not need Benedict for anything this afternoon,” Dunstan assured Alice.
She glowered at him. “And, pray, just how do you know that, Sir Dunstan?”
“Why, ‘tis obvious.” Dunstan gave her an absurdly innocent smile. “You will be occupied with very important matters yourself.”
“What important matters?” she asked icily.
“‘Tis plain enough. As is the case with any newly betrothed lady, you will surely want to watch your future lord demonstrate his skills on the jousting field.”
“I have absolutely no intention of doing any such thing.”
“Nonsense,” Dunstan said. “The ladies all love to watch the sport.”
Before Alice could summon up further wrath, Dunstan quickly dragged Benedict off in the direction of one of the refuge tents. The shelters had been erected at opposite ends of the large field. The knights, squires, and men-at-arms gathered beneath them to prepare for the day’s jousting.
Alice was outraged. She could not believe that Hugh had altered his plans to find the green stone merely because of a jousting match. It made no sense.
When Dunstan and Benedict had disappeared into the crowd she whirled about and started toward the black tent. She would search out Hugh and let him know precisely what she thought of this situation. It was ludicrous for him to enter a joust when they had vastly more important matters to see to.
She came to an abrupt halt when she found her path blocked by a massive black war-horse. She recognized the beast at once. There was no mistaking the huge hooves, broad head, muscular shoulders, and sturdy construction of Hugh’s prized stallion. The smell of well-oiled steel and leather assailed her nostrils.
Alice blinked at the sight of Hugh’s booted foot in thestirrup. It looked very large. Her gaze rose slowly upward. This was the first time she had seen him in his hauberk. The finely linked mail of his battle armor gleamed in the warm afternoon sun. He had his helm tucked beneath one arm.
Hugh was sufficiently intimidating at the best of times, but when he was clad for war, Hugh the Relentless was a truly unnerving sight. She shaded her eyes with her hand as she looked up at him.
“I hear that ‘tis a new custom among ladies of fashion to give their favored knights a token to wear into the jousts,” Hugh said quietly.
Alice caught her breath and then hastily regrouped her energies. She was, she reminded herself, thoroughly incensed. “Surely you do not intend to participate in the jousts, my lord?”
“‘Twould be remarked upon if I did not. I do not wish to arouse suspicion concerning my true reason for being here at Ipstoke. The stratagem was to mingle with the fair crowds, if you will recall.”
“I see no necessity for you to waste
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