“Tell you what I reckon.”

Voices lowered. “…bun in the oven…that’s what I heard…just as well he’s…keep him out of trouble…old married man…”

“…not the first…”

“Wouldn’t be his, if she is. More likely one of them traveling men that comes and goes by night. Who else’d look at her?”

I had heard of such things before. A roast swan; inside the swan you put a turkey, and inside that a chicken, and so until the smallest quail. A masterpiece of culinary skill. I would never eat food from that kitchen again, I would never put on this gown that smelled of it, I would never…

“Feeling any better?” It was Ben, a cup of water in one hand, a clean cloth in the other. “Got a pretty delicate stomach, haven’t you? Well-chosen moment, I thought. The wedding jokes were getting weaker by the moment. Come on, drink; your stomach has to have a little bit of something in it. There, that’s better. Now, I don’t suppose you’re keen to rejoin the festive party. How about an escort to bed? Maybe I should rephrase that. I’d be delighted to see madam to her door. Smile, Jenny. It’s not that bad.”

He was a kind boy, well meaning. And how could they know? I let him walk me to my room through the garden and we sat on the bench a while looking at the stars. I wondered why he did not leave, go back to the party. Not that I minded his company. Anything was better than thinking of that—that—

“I’ve been asked to give you a message.” Ben was suddenly serious. “He said—he said he hoped you’d do as he asked, and not have too many questions.”

What? What message?

“He said, be up early tomorrow. Really early, just before dawn. Put on a cloak and good boots, and be ready to ride out. And leave the dog indoors. That’s what he said.”

What? But tomorrow is—

“Don’t look so worried,” said Ben, a frown creasing his own brow. “He said, tell her it’ll be all right. And it’s safe to leave your—your work behind.”

So he was not sending me home. Was not sending me away. He would not send me away, on his wedding day, without my things?

“It’ll be all right,” said Ben as if trying to convince himself. “And now I’d better go. I’ll be missed. And I hear our friend of Northwoods has some sort of news for us. Just what, I’m not sure. But I’d better be there when he breaks it. Good night, Jenny. Don’t look so worried.”

One of the things the folk of Harrowfield liked and respected about Lord Hugh was how reliable he was. Reliable, stable, predictable. No surprises there. If he said he’d do something, he did it. If he made a promise, he kept it. Solid as an oak, was Lord Hugh. You did not have to live there for long to hear them say so. That was why my arrival had shocked them; for it was a break in the long, unchanging pattern. Well, one aberration was all right, folk said. They could tolerate one mistake. Once he was wed, things would settle down. Fine girl, Elaine of Northwoods. But it did happen again. It was astonishing, considering the sort of person he was, that he acted in the way he did. It could scarcely have been designed to have a more dramatic impact, to offend more people, to distress his family more greatly. Yet that was just how he planned it. And in the long run it seemed that even for this, he had his reasons.