"She should have received your note by now. I suppose she will arrive shortly. It is not a long journey from the estate." She says softly and I am again amazed and the quiet gentility in her voice. "May we walk about for a while? It has been a while since I left the estate, excepting the last three nights."
"Of course," I reply and extend my arm to her. She reaches hesitantly before putting her hands together in front of her. "What's wrong?" I ask. I am curious. We have spent three evenings in each other's arms, and now she shies at contact? I wonder vaguely if I have got blood on my tunic, but I see nothing.
"Sire," she hesitates again and looks up at me. Is she confused? Concerned? I can't quite tell. "Should you be seen walking about with a maidservant? Aren't you to be married to a great lady soon? Even we of the scullery hear the rumors."
I let out my relieve in a laugh. I take her hand into my arm and we walk together, our steps falling into a natural rhythm. "The Lady Gianette will probably be cross when she hears, yes. But she has no claim to me, in my heart or on paper. She hopes and, I dare say, expects to be queen. But it will not happen. Since the day she was born, her parents have been pushing for our marriage. But it won't happen."
We fall into silence as we walk. I wonder at this girl beside me. How does a maidservant learn so much of the world that she can easily converse with a prince? How can she speak of wars and plagues and politics with her background? I do not even know her background.
...
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