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Guy sighed. "I used to command these people."

I grinned. "No, darling. You used to chase them."

"An important distinction."

"Very."

I took his hand and led him down the steps.

I slipped away about an hour after dark.

By then, the guests were enjoying themselves enough that nobody would miss me for a little while.

I left through the side door and followed the gravel path into my grandmother's garden.

The lavender had reached its full height.

Its fragrance filled the cool evening air, and the flowers brushed against my skirts as I passed.

We'd placed a new bench against the southern wall where the old one had rotted away.

Wat had insisted on its exact position.

Apparently, that was where my grandmother used to sit in the evenings.

I wished he'd told me sooner.

I sat down and looked toward the house.

Lanterns glowed in the windows of the rebuilt wing.

Laughter drifted over the roof.

Somewhere, a dog barked.

Then another.

And Little John was still singing about the miller's daughter.

I smiled and placed my hand against my stomach.

I'd been doing that all week whenever I thought nobody was watching.

"Well," I whispered, "I suppose we should get acquainted."

I looked toward the courtyard.

"That noisy lot is your family."

I smiled.

"The big one singing badly is Little John. He'll teach you every swear word he knows before you're old enough to understand what they mean."

I glanced toward the stables.

"Merry will teach you to ride. Alana will teach you to shoot. And Tuck will probably spoil you rotten."

I laughed softly.