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“My lord, don’t hurt me.” In the dim light, a man stood with upraised arms. “’Tis Sir Lyndon, come to plead my case.”

“Why did they let you out of the dungeon?” Hugh asked, and Edlyn shivered at the chill in his tone.

“They wanted to put me out of the castle.” Sir Lyndon took a few steps in, and Hugh moved between her and the knight. “But I hid and came to you here. Please, my lord, don’t turn me out. I’ve been with you for years, fighting at your side, and you wouldn’t scorn me for one slight misspoken word.”

“Slight? You slander my wife and you call it slight?”

Both men were silhouettes now, blocking the square of light from the doorway, shifting from foot to foot, showing by their stances who was the penitent and who the master.

“Nay, ’twas not what I meant.” Sir Lyndon stammered, and Edlyn would bet he had broken a sweat. “’Twas the heat of battle and the embarrassment of defeat combined to make me thoughtless in my discourse. I would never speak ill of the woman you have chosen to take as your own.”

Hugh didn’t answer.

Sir Lyndon tried to cajole him, to become the jolly companion. “We’ve had good times, Hugh.” Then, with a little more desperation, “I have saved your life more than once.”

“As I have saved yours. Are we not even?”

“It’s good to have someone to watch your back whom you can trust.”

Hugh seemed hard, immovable, without pity.

Edlyn couldn’t stand it. “Hugh,” she whispered. “Let him stay.”

She thought neither man heard her.

Then Hugh glanced back at Edlyn. “Will you take compassion from the hands of my lady?”

Sir Lyndon turned his head to the side, and she saw his silhouette as he licked his lips. Hugh had made it as difficult for him as he could, and that she hadn’t intended. She should have let Hugh handle this rather than interfere. Didn’t Hugh realize how much Sir Lyndon must resent her?

Slowly, as if each word hurt him to say, Sir Lyndon answered, “I will take your lady’s compassion.”

“Very well, then. You can go on with us to Roxford Castle, but Sir Philip is my lead knight now.”

Sir Lyndon leaped toward Hugh. “But you promised—”

“I know what I promised, but I promised it to a man I deemed worthy.” His hand fell on Sir Lyndon’s shoulder. “When you have proved yourself again, I will compensate you fairly.”

Sir Lyndon’s indrawn breath was audible, and Edlyn wondered how Hugh could be oblivious to his ire.

“How long will this trial take?” Sir Lyndon asked in a strangled voice.

“Not so long. As you said, you have been my faithful comrade for years.” He shook Sir Lyndon, then released him. “’Twill not be so long. You’ll see.”

“My thanks. I’ll not disappoint you again.” Sir Lyndon walked out of the room, and Edlyn thought that in the middle of his dark silhouette a fire glowed.

“That went well.” Hugh sounded cheerful as he slipped his dagger into its sheath beneath her pillow and climbed into bed.

“It did?”

“Aye. He’s back in the fold and knows he must defer to you as my lady.”

“I don’t want to be the cause of discord between you and one of your trusted knights.”

“You’re not that.” Hugh lifted her so she rested against him. His warmth assailed the chill of the rugs around her, and she tried to move closer still. “An unease about Sir Lyndon has been growing in my mind, and this insolence on his part has only strengthened it.”

“Have you been friends long?”

“Aye, for many years. We met on the tournament circuit and threw our lot in together, and we’ve traveled the roads together since. He was happier then, before it became obvious that—“