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“Aye,” his captain replied. “Someone from court, mayhap?”

The earl nodded after a moment of thought. “I will write to Queen Eleanor. She will spare a suitable lady.”

That matter settled, they sat in companionable silence for several moments as wine was shared and thoughts wandered. William was feeling his fatigue and wished that the earl would dismiss him.

“She is beautiful, is she not?” the earl finally said.

William looked up at the man and saw that he was smiling into the fire. Careful, William told himself. “Aye, my lord,” he replied. “She will bear you many strong sons.”

“Is she as beautiful as you mysterious angel of mercy?” De Longley pressed with a grin.

He remembered. William thought with horror. He knew that he had to be truthful at the first, for it would be far worse if he admitted it at some later time. Better to get it out in the open to quell any suspicion.

“Sire, I have a confession,” William said. “Your betrothed was my angel of mercy. Believe me that I was quite amazed to discover it upon reaching Langton.”

De Longley was surprised. “Of all the women in Scotland, you came upon the same one twice?” he guffawed loudly. “Amazing. And you were absolutely right, William; she is exquisite.

“Aye,” William replied as neutrally as he could. “I was glad to see her again so that I was able to thank her for saving my life. Mayhap that is why I protected her so fiercely on our journey. I feel a debt to the woman.”

“Ah, honorable William, you would,” the earl replied. Then he gave him an odd, lingering look. “Do you, mayhap, have other feelings for this woman?”

William looked him in the eye. “I am married to Northwood, sire, and she is betrothed to you,” he said. “To have feelings for her would be a colossal waste of effort, something I am unaccustomed to.”

“Well I know you, lad,” his liege said. “You have served Northwood and me well. And you will continue to serve Lady Jordan as you serve me. Is that clear?”

William was puzzled at the question. It was an unnecessary one. The earl saw his confusion and waved at him.

“I simply meant that I know you have lost many friends and colleagues to the Scots,” he said. “I should not like to hear that you have discriminated against Lady Jordan in any way, although I know you would not knowingly.”

“She saved my life, sire.” William was confused as to why he even had to explain this. “I would do her no harm, knowingly or otherwise. Have I ever given you a reason to doubt my honor?”

“Nay,” de Longley said firmly, then set his cup down with a thud. “ ’Twas not what I meant, lad, and I apologize if I insulted you. What I meant was that hostility toward my lady is running high…I want you to make sure that one of the knights are with her at all times. I never want her alone, even for a second, for it could be that second that does her in.”

As if he did not already know that. “Aye, sire.”

The earl was fatigued. His exhaustion had fed his paranoia and had made him say all of those unnecessary things to William. He knew that, now that he’d had a moment to think, but he was not a man to apologize. Instead, he rose, signaling to William that the conversation was over. William stood too, stiff from immobility.

“ ’Tis well past my bedtime,” de Longley yawned. “Go get some sleep yourself, William. You have earned it. We shall speak more on the morrow, including the ceremony for Adam.”

“Aye, sire,” William bowed crisply and quit the room.

William did not go directly to his chambers but, instead, checked the posts one last time. His mind was a jumble of thoughts and emotions, and he could not have slept if he tried, so he went about his rounds and hoped the walk would clear his brain.

He ran into Paris walking the inner wall. His second had the night watch and smiled wryly at his captain.

“My lord looks… wrung out,” he commented dryly.

William did no more than shrug and, together, they walked the wall for several silent minutes. The cold dampness of the night settled into William’s tunic but he did not feel it. He seemed to be concentrating on each individual footfall he made. Paris knew he was preoccupied and why, but wisely he said nothing.

“Paris…,” William began slowly.

“Aye, William?” Paris answered lightly.

William felt as if he needed to confide in someone. Whether it was to express his joy or his great confusion, he wasn’t sure. Mayhap he just needed to hear another voice tell him he wasn’t completely out of his mind. Mayhap he needed a trusted opinion. He was unused to dealing with matters of the heart.

“There is a… problem.”

“What kind of problem?” Paris looked concerned.