her around on his arm. His sisters, Marie and Marguerite, both married, offered him a glut of matronly advice. Do this, don't do that, be attentive but do not crowd her.
Give her presents, but don't spoil her. Eventually Hugh managed to escape to the company of his sister-in-law Ela, Countess of Salisbury, who was resplendent in a gown of blue silk embroidered with little golden lioncels.
'You are kin to me on both sides now,' she teased. 'Halfbrother to my husband, and now cousin by marriage through your wife.'
'I'm glad of the bond,' Hugh replied, and meant it, because whatever he thought of Longespee, he was genuinely fond of Ela. 'Do you have no words of wisdom for me today?'
She gave him her very sweet smile. 'Surely you have already endured a surfeit of those!'
Hugh chuckled. 'I certainly know all the things I am not supposed to do, although I'm in no danger of being near enough to my wife to be put to the test. I've hardly had a chance to speak to her and I'd not know what to say if the opportunity did arise.'
'Trust me, you would.' She patted his arm. 'My own wisdom, for what it is worth, is to let everything unfold in its own time.'
Hugh snorted. 'The timing thus far has been well ahead of me, but I'll try to keep abreast of where I'm supposed to be.'
Longespee arrived to claim his wife with a possessive hand. Hugh made a few stilted comments to his half-brother and excused himself to go in search of his bride.
There was no sign of her in the hall, or outside. A guest who had over-indulged was vomiting into the winter-sparse rose trellises against the wall. Shaking his head, Hugh crossed the courtyard to the old hall where Mahelt had been given her lodgings, climbed the outer stairs to the solar chamber and opened the door.
Mahelt was sitting on the bed, cuddling the strange little three-legged dog she had brought with her from Striguil.
Looking up, she drew a swift, short breath. 'I . . . I came to check on Tripes.'
Her cheeks were as bright as rose-hips. 'He's been shut in here a long time.'
'Indeed you must make sure of the dog's welfare,' Hugh said gravely. 'I know everything is strange just now, but I hope you will grow accustomed.'
'Yes,' she said, with doubt in her eyes.
He gestured round. 'You can arrange this room just as you desire. Everyone will do their best to welcome you.'
She gave him a serious nod. 'Thank you.'
Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Richard Marshal put his head round the door. 'They're looking for you, Matty.' His glance darted between her and Hugh.
'Can I not even visit my dog without everyone hunting for me?' She glared at her brother. 'Am I to have an audience even in the privy?'
'Quite likely,' Hugh said with a straight face. 'Tongues and opinions are busier today than flails at threshing time.'
She rose to her feet and lifted her chin. Bidding Tripes stay, she walked to the door like a queen, her silver-green gown shimmering like water. Then Hugh saw her surreptitiously pinch away tears with her forefinger and thumb and felt a pang of compassion. Poor lass. She didn't even have a haven where she could go for a good weep to release her tension. In silence, he stood aside and courteously ushered her before him. 'Perhaps it would be better if you escorted your sister to the hall,' he said to Richard.
The youth's cheeks brightened with embarrassment. 'I didn't think you were doing anything dishonourable in here.'
Mahelt gave her brother a glare filled with furious reproach.
'Of course not,' Hugh said, smoothing the path, knowing full well that Richard had indeed come to check on them for that purpose. 'But she is your sister and an agreement has been made that you desire to see honoured in every way.' He gestured to the door.
Chagrined, Richard extended his arm to Mahelt and she took it. Hugh inclined his head in courtesy and stepped back to follow at a short distance.
'I'm sorry,' Richard muttered from the side of his mouth. 'I just wanted
Give her presents, but don't spoil her. Eventually Hugh managed to escape to the company of his sister-in-law Ela, Countess of Salisbury, who was resplendent in a gown of blue silk embroidered with little golden lioncels.
'You are kin to me on both sides now,' she teased. 'Halfbrother to my husband, and now cousin by marriage through your wife.'
'I'm glad of the bond,' Hugh replied, and meant it, because whatever he thought of Longespee, he was genuinely fond of Ela. 'Do you have no words of wisdom for me today?'
She gave him her very sweet smile. 'Surely you have already endured a surfeit of those!'
Hugh chuckled. 'I certainly know all the things I am not supposed to do, although I'm in no danger of being near enough to my wife to be put to the test. I've hardly had a chance to speak to her and I'd not know what to say if the opportunity did arise.'
'Trust me, you would.' She patted his arm. 'My own wisdom, for what it is worth, is to let everything unfold in its own time.'
Hugh snorted. 'The timing thus far has been well ahead of me, but I'll try to keep abreast of where I'm supposed to be.'
Longespee arrived to claim his wife with a possessive hand. Hugh made a few stilted comments to his half-brother and excused himself to go in search of his bride.
There was no sign of her in the hall, or outside. A guest who had over-indulged was vomiting into the winter-sparse rose trellises against the wall. Shaking his head, Hugh crossed the courtyard to the old hall where Mahelt had been given her lodgings, climbed the outer stairs to the solar chamber and opened the door.
Mahelt was sitting on the bed, cuddling the strange little three-legged dog she had brought with her from Striguil.
Looking up, she drew a swift, short breath. 'I . . . I came to check on Tripes.'
Her cheeks were as bright as rose-hips. 'He's been shut in here a long time.'
'Indeed you must make sure of the dog's welfare,' Hugh said gravely. 'I know everything is strange just now, but I hope you will grow accustomed.'
'Yes,' she said, with doubt in her eyes.
He gestured round. 'You can arrange this room just as you desire. Everyone will do their best to welcome you.'
She gave him a serious nod. 'Thank you.'
Footsteps sounded on the stairs and Richard Marshal put his head round the door. 'They're looking for you, Matty.' His glance darted between her and Hugh.
'Can I not even visit my dog without everyone hunting for me?' She glared at her brother. 'Am I to have an audience even in the privy?'
'Quite likely,' Hugh said with a straight face. 'Tongues and opinions are busier today than flails at threshing time.'
She rose to her feet and lifted her chin. Bidding Tripes stay, she walked to the door like a queen, her silver-green gown shimmering like water. Then Hugh saw her surreptitiously pinch away tears with her forefinger and thumb and felt a pang of compassion. Poor lass. She didn't even have a haven where she could go for a good weep to release her tension. In silence, he stood aside and courteously ushered her before him. 'Perhaps it would be better if you escorted your sister to the hall,' he said to Richard.
The youth's cheeks brightened with embarrassment. 'I didn't think you were doing anything dishonourable in here.'
Mahelt gave her brother a glare filled with furious reproach.
'Of course not,' Hugh said, smoothing the path, knowing full well that Richard had indeed come to check on them for that purpose. 'But she is your sister and an agreement has been made that you desire to see honoured in every way.' He gestured to the door.
Chagrined, Richard extended his arm to Mahelt and she took it. Hugh inclined his head in courtesy and stepped back to follow at a short distance.
'I'm sorry,' Richard muttered from the side of his mouth. 'I just wanted
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