Lord Liar Part 31

"I know not where your loyalty lies, after all, Aldyth. You are English.

Your brother has made no secret of the fact he despises all Normans, and" -- "And I have told him on every occasion that he is being foolish,"

Aldyth replied.

"Oh, what do I care which Norman--or paynim sultan, for that matter--sits on the throne? They may all kill one another or not, these three sons of the Conqueror, and I shall not care, Ranulf. But that you could think: I would betray you--yes, that I care about."

"I have hurt you," he said, coming forward with his hands extended to her.

"I never meant to, Aldyth.

"Tis just that I have been playing a role for so long--even my mother and father did not know the truth. I did not want to a.s.sume anything ...." She whirled away from him, putting the bed between them. She did not trust herself at that moment not to give in to the urge to let him comfort her.

And who knew where that might lead?

"All right, you did not take my trust for granted. I will say it now--I would not ever stoop so low as to betray you, Ranuif. Your confidence is safe with me."

"Thank you." He was about to say something more when below them a trio of short blasts upon a horn pierced the sudden quiet.

"There's the dinner horn, my lord. You should hurry and dress. The prince indicated you should not be late."

Aldyth, a.s.suming she was to help serve the supper again and hoping no surly pages such as Fat Louis lay in wait for her in the count's castle, followed Ranulf into the hall. She took a moment to study his appearance and took pride in her part in it.

He wore a long robe of smoke gray velvet with silver Englishwork at the neck, all embroidery she had done. The fabric emphasized his powerfully muscled shoulders as he moved. An enamel-link belt rode low on his lean hips. Black hose revealed a length of sinewy legs before disappearing into soft, leather slippers--without the curled points that were popular at Rufus's court, she noted approvingly. He was easily the handsomest man there--even more so than Henry, who was certainly well-favored.

Ranulf was ushered above the salt, past the knights and half a dozen beautiful, splendidly dressed ladies to the high table and to a carved wooden chair to the right of Prince Henry. The place next to that was empty, also.

Aldyth allowed herself a brief moment of longing, wis.h.i.+ng she could shed her disguise and sit at his side, gorgeously arrayed, as his lady. But that was not to be, she reminded herself. "Ah, Ranulf.

Now we can sup. But first, I must tell you I was devastated on your behalf when I learned you had so generously given up your mistress--Vivienne, wasn't that her name--to the joys of wedded bliss. I would not have you bereft at my court in this festive time of year, my Ranulf.

Therefore I have a little reward for your service in my cause. "

He snapped his fingers in the direction of a tapestry behind the dais.

What emerged from the alcove hidden behind the tapestry would have made Aldyth gasp if she hadn't practiced dissembling so much of late.

A woman lifted the heavy fabric and emerged from the shadows, gliding forward so smoothly that she seemed to float rather than walk to Ranulf's side.

"Lord Ranulf of Kingsclere, may I present the Lady Desiderata,"

intoned Prince Henry next to him.

"Desiderata-it means 'to be desired," of course. I'm certain you'll agree the name suits her admirably, hein? " The prince gave a low chuckle as he watched Ranulf stare at her. Lady Desiderata was blessed with a spectacularly pale countenance that set off her fiery red cloud of hair to perfection.

She parted full, lush lips in a seductive smile that revealed perfect, pearly teeth. Her eyes were topaz. Cat's eyes, Aldyth thought, even as her heart sank.

Ranulf would not be able to resist the invitation inherent in the woman's swaying hips. She was dressed in a bliaut of silver samite that might have been painted on her, so lovingly did it cling to every one of her considerable curves.

"Twas as if she had known that Ranulf would dress in gray and had chosen her silver gown to complement his choice.

"Lord Ranulf, I would welcome you to the Cotentin," she said. Her voice was low-pitched and throaty and cares seA his name as she said it.

"My lord has bid me see to your every need. I'm sure you'll be quite comfortable here."

Could Ranulf find nothing to say. 9 Aldyth found her hands clenched around the platter of meat she carried as, all around them, Henry's knights whistled and catcalled.

Ranulf continued to stare up at the woman standing before him, his lean face impa.s.sive.

"I--I'm sure I shall," he said, which set off new hoots from the lower tables. Lady Desiderata continued to stand next to him, smiling her untroubled, secret smile. "Well, don't just sit there, man! Have you been at my brother's court so long you've forgotten what to do? Invite the lady to sup with you?

It was as if Rannlf came out of a deep trance then and got to his feet.

"Certainly, my lord.

"Twas just that I could not believe my eyes. Lady Desiderata, would you honor me by your presence?" he asked, bowing and indicating the chair beside him. The woman inclined her head in gracious a.s.sent and slid into her seat.

A black curtain of misery dropped around Aldyth, numbing her fingers, and she dropped the platter full of roast capon.

It landed with a thunk on the rushes below. It was not a loud noise, but the resultant stampede of snarling, yapping hounds that rushed from their places beneath the table to partake of the unexpected bounty was a cacophony of noise that ensured that all eyes fell on her as she attempted to at least rescue the platter. She was so humiliated that she did not even look up to see if Ranulf noticed her faux pas or whether he was still entranced by the siren sitting next to him.

"Here, take these, you stupid boy," the seneschal hissed, having intercepted another platter of meat destined for the knights' table. "" Twill keep them busy for a time. " Those at the high table seemed unaware of her clumsiness.

Presenting the platter, she was in time to hear Prince Henry say,

"I.

chose well, did I not? I thought Desiderata would suit you. "

It was well that she did not have a flagon of wine, for she would have been hard-pressed to know whom to pour it on, the smug, self-satisfied prince or the sleek cat who sat gazing lazily at Ranulf as if he were the nt mouse she planned to devour--after playing with him for a suitable time, of course!

But if Ranulf was willing to play the mouse for such a cat, he deserved to be devoured, Aldyth thought sourly.

ChaPter Fifteen The next morning, Ranulf slipped from his bedchamber quietly in order not to awaken Aldyth on her pallet. He was to go hawking with Henry. He went down to the hall but did not find his liege lord there, nor, to his relief, did he see the flame-haired courtesan, Desiderata. Upon hearing that Henry had broken his fast early and had left for the mews to prepare his falcon, Ranulf took some bread and watered wine and went out to the bailey without delay.

He found his horse saddled and being held by a stable- boy, while Henry, already mounted, controlled his restive stallion expertly with one hand and held his falcon on his other wrist.

"Good morrow, Ranulfl How do you like my latest treasure?"

The "treasure" was a gyrfalcon of startling white plumage with black tips.

An ornate leather hood covered her head, while from her impressive talons thin leather jesses, trimmed with tiny golden bells, dangled.

"A handsome bird, is she not? I know I should not have her, as a mere count," Henry said, rolling his eyes drolly.

"A peregrine is supposed to be my due--but I could not resist her."

"I can see why," Ranulf answered.

"Yes, she's very beautiful." The privilege of watching such a prize falcon do what she had been trained for would more than make up for the lack of a bird on Ranulf's own arm.

The falcon twisted and turned her head and hated, flapping her wings in an agitated fas.h.i.+on at Ranulf's words.