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“Nay, you don’t,” he said, shaking his head. “Your little game may have worked on me once, but I swear your charming powers of persuasion will not work on me a second time. So save your breath.”
She let out a sigh and looked back at his sister. “I don’t want to stay here all night with her. She probably won’t speak the entire time.”
“You’re so skilled with words that I’d think you’d be a good teacher. She needs you to guide her.”
“Do you think so?” She looked up to see him smirking at her. “You didn’t mean that, did you? You only said it because you were trying to manipulate me.”
“You aren’t the only one who can play that game.” He smiled once more and turned and left the room.
Willow looked back at the quiet girl still standing there as if she were afraid to move. What could she possibly say to Hazel? And what could she teach the girl? It wasn’t as if they had a thing in common. This was going to be the worst night of her life.
* * *
“My lord, you seem upset,”said Toby as they made their way to the great hall. “Is something troubling you?”
“Aye, it’s the girl,” grumbled Conrad.
“Has Lady Hazel done something you don’t like?”
Conrad stopped in his tracks and turned to talk to Toby. “Nay, it’s not Lady Hazel I am talking about. She is too quiet for her own good, and that worries me. And leaving her with someone like Lady Willow does naught to ease my mind either.”
“Ah, so it is Lady Willow who has you bothered.”
“Aye, Toby, it is. I promised her father I’d watch over her and keep her away from the men, but that is already proving to be a full-time job.”
“I can help you, my lord. Would you like me to keep an eye on Lady Willow?”
Conrad thought about it for a minute and shook his head. Lady Willow would have no trouble getting someone like Toby to do what she wanted. She’d barely even have to try. “Nay, it’s my responsibility but thank you, Squire.”
“There you are, Lochwood,” said Earl Alnwick, sticking his head out of the great hall. “I didn’t think you were going to make it down here in time, so I signed you up for the joust.”
“You did?” Conrad wasn’t excited about this. He already had his hands full with Willow and didn’t have time to compete. “What made you think I’d be any good at it?”
“Come now, don’t be so modest,” said Alnwick, putting his arm around Conrad’s shoulders as he headed into the hall. “Your squire told Earl Rothbury and me how no one can beat you at the joust. Plus, you are a knight, and he also mentioned you were mentored by one of the Legendary Bastards of the Crown. That’s all we needed to hear.”
“My squire told you that, did he?” Conrad tossed a frustrated glance behind him. Toby shrugged his shoulders and smiled. Conrad scoured the hall. “Where is Earl Rothbury?”
“He had to return to his solar, but he should be back any minute.”
Conrad had some whisky with the earl, and then a tankard of ale as he waited for the lord of the castle to return. Finally, Lord Beaufort entered the great hall.
“Ah, Sir Conrad, I’m so glad you joined us. I wanted to talk with you,” said Beaufort.
“What about?” Conrad had no idea what was going on.
“This year, the competitions are only for the single men, so I hope you will join us.”
“Why only the single men?” he asked.
“Several lords are looking to marry off their daughters. And three winners will have the opportunity of choosing one of the eligible ladies of the castle to marry.”
“Really?” His ears perked up. He wanted to marry and that had been part of the reason why he was here. Once he settled down with a wife, he’d bring Hazel to live with him. “I might be interested if the ladies are to my liking.”
“Good, good,” said the earl, ushering him to the front of the room. “I have the ladies of marrying age all lined up. There are three of them, and I think any of them would make you a suitable bride.”
Conrad joined the other knights gathered around a table where the master of ceremonies had several lists with the competitors’ names written down.
“Gentlemen,” said the earl, holding his hand in the air. “I would like you to meet the ladies that will be married off to the winners of the competition. Their fathers have already spoken with me and agreed to the alliances of any of the knights, barons, and earls that I have invited here today. Actually, there will be three brides from which to choose.”
