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“I had that brooch of yours straightened out,” he said genially.

Aimee unwrapped the silver heart and found it polished and gleaming with all dents disappeared and the decorative edging, which had been bent and twisted, standing proud. The lettering which spelt out Heart be Trewe was now inlaid with gleaming gold. “Oh, Father!” she exclaimed. “Why, it looks almost a different brooch! How lovely it now looks!” Carefully, she lifted it out of its wrappings and found that a short silver chain was now hanging from the central eyelet at the bottom. From this chain was suspended a large and lustrous pearl. “Oh!” she exclaimed. “Oh, how beautiful! A pearl!”

Her father shrugged. “It’s a shame the brooch is not gold,” he said. “But it’s a pretty enough trifle.”

“I could not possibly like it more than I already do,” Aimee said stoutly. “I shall wear it to the tournament tomorrow with pride! How pleased Freda will be to see it looking so well.”

Her father patted her shoulder. “Well, well. It was a nice gesture of hers to give it to you.” He looked around. “Mistress Freda does not keep you company today?” He sounded a little disappointed.

“No, alas,” Aimee answered quickly. “She had a visit to make with Magnatrude, so I will not see her until this evening.”

Her father accepted this without comment. “I must eat my supper alone tonight, I find,” he sighed. “For your sister is moving out today into her new house.”

Aimee frowned. “I thought she would have moved out quite two days ago!”

Gerold shook his head. “Hilda did not think Ursula was feeling strong enough for such exertions.”

“Hilda!” Aimee exclaimed with displeasure, thinking of the overprotective old servant.

“Well, well, you know she can be a bit of a mother hen when Ursa is concerned.”

Aimee pulled a face. “Ursula is now a married woman, Father!”

“Now, now, Aimee, you must not take on so,” he counselled, patting her shoulder. “You know your sister is not so stout of heart as you.”

Aimee tutted. “At this rate, Sir Renlow will think she is frail as an old woman!” She bit her lip. “Of course, I will see her at the royal tournament tomorrow. I can speak to her then.” Her father avoided her eye. “Why do you look like that? Ursula surely means to attend the royal tournament, Father?” she asked with some misgiving.

Gerold looked evasive. “As to that, she was undecided last time it was mentioned.”

“I daresay Hilda thinks it would be too much for her!” Aimee could not help but retort. “Why, I have half a mind to come back with you now and give her a piece of my mind!”

“You must not do that, Aimee!” her father said hastily. “She will be far too busy overseeing her packing. Besides, I am not going back to the house. I told you, I am attending the merchant’s guild this afternoon.”

Aimee huffed with displeasure. “I had thought to see my sister on the morrow!” she muttered. “I thought for certain that she would wish to cheer her husband on.”

“Well, you may still see her there,” her father said without conviction.

Somehow, Aimee doubted it very much. With an effort, she pulled herself together. “I am sorry, Father. I should not be complaining to you of it. Not after you have just given me such a handsome present.”

“Nay, it was not I gave you the brooch, but Mistress Freda.”

“The pearl was from you,” she pointed out, taking his hand. “And I dearly love it.” He beamed at her. “If you have no desire for your own company at supper this evening, then you could always take your meal here with us.”

He waved away her offer at once. “Nay, certainly not, child! I spoke in jest,” he said hurriedly. “In truth, I do not lack for company. I daresay I shall sup with Master Crawley,” he said, mentioning another senior at the merchant’s guild. “It has been an age since we exchanged our news, and I have much to apprise him of with two daughters lately married.”

She smiled perfunctorily at that, and he kissed her cheek and hurried off about his business. The rest of the day passed quietly. The first of Freda’s new gowns was delivered, and Aimee set this carefully on her new relative’s bed herself so that it would not crease or wrinkle before the next day. Then she set about selecting her own outfit for the big day. She would, of course, be wearing the particolored gown in the Kentigern colors of blue and yellow. With it she would wear her gold chain, her blue beads, a gold thread hairnet, and her silver brooch with the pearl.

She ate her supper alone as none of the Bartrees returned in time to take it with her, a fact that made Golda’s expression grow tight with disapproval. After that, she took a long, leisurely bath and retired early to bed, both nervous and excited for the morrow.

14

“Freda?” Aimee called quietly, knocking on her new kinswoman’s door. “Are you awake?” She had risen ridiculously early and had washed and dressed over an hour ago but had not wanted to break her fast alone. Golda had scolded her as she dressed Aimee’s hair in a heavy, gold beaded hairnet, for she had risen at the crack of dawn. ‘And far too early, Miss Aimee!’

Aimee had not admitted it, but in truth, she had hoped for a glimpse of Lord Kentigern before he left the house that morn. To her disappointment, by the time she had dressed and adorned herself, he had already left, and since then, she had been racketing about the house quite by herself.

On impulse, she had gathered up a handful of her glass topped hairpins to gift to Freda after she had seen the sad state of Freda’s own a couple of days before. The door swung open, and Freda stood in her shift, her hair stood about her in an untidy cloud. “Oh, Aimee!” she said distractedly. “Oh, I scarcely know what I am about this morn. And you already dressed and looking so fine!”

Aimee took one look at Freda’s nervous state and stepped into the room, resolutely closing the door after her. “You have plenty of time, Freda,” she assured her. “I could not sleep and woke betimes. Allow me to assist you in getting ready.”