Page 113 of Forbidden

“Yes. Why do you think he made Duncan steward of Stone Ring Keep?”

“To give you a husband of reasonable wealth,” Cassandra said simply.

“That is a result, not a reason.”

Cassandra gave the younger woman a look from clear, rain-colored eyes.

“Erik knows Duncan will be able to hold the keep,” Amber said, “freeing Erik to fight the Norse raiders at Winterlance.”

“Ah, yes. The Norsemen.”

Death will surely flow.

Cassandra closed her eyes. “The Norsemen, too, know that a harsh winter is coming.”

“Yes,” Amber said. “The messenger from Winterlance said that the raiders were but two days away.”

“Did he say how many ships were sighted?”

“One vassal saw four,” Amber said. “One saw two. One saw seven.”

Another toast was shouted. Again Amber raised her smile and her goblet, sipped, and returned to watching her husband.

“When does Erik leave?” Cassandra asked.

“At dawn.”

“How many knights is he taking?”

“All but one,” Amber said.

“Alfred?”

“Nay. Duncan.”

“Even the Scots Hammer can’t defend a keep by himself,” Cassandra muttered.

“Four men-at-arms will remain.”

“A risk, nonetheless.”

Amber’s mouth turned down in a melancholy smile.

“Is it?” she asked. “Duncan of Maxwell, lord of an unclaimed keep and vassal of Dominic le Sabre, was Stone Ring Keep’s greatest threat.”

“And now Duncan is its seneschal, vassal of Erik the Undefeated,” Cassandra said. “Is that how Erik’s reasoning goes?”

“Yes.”

The older woman shook her head with a mixture of rue and admiration for Erik’s boldness.

“Still, ’tis an appalling risk,” Cassandra said. “When Dominic le Sabre hears—and be certain that he will—he will attack Stone Ring Keep himself.”

“There is no time to mount an attack before winter itself defends the land.”

“There is always spring or summer,” Cassandra said simply.

“By then, the Norse raiders will no longer threaten Winterlance. Erik can concentrate his knights here.”