They came early to get me, two big men in the colors of Northwoods. Nobody told me what the verdict had been, and I could not ask. The first sleeve was roughly finished, and held to the other pieces of the shirt by a stitch or two. The second was not even begun. Let it not be now, straightaway, I begged silently. Not now, not yet. Please.

They did not take me down to the hall, to hear my punishment read out before the assembled moot. Instead, I was led to a private chamber upstairs, and the only person there was Lord Richard of Northwoods. I was numb with fear, almost beyond further feeling, but my face must have registered surprise.

“Change of plan, I’m afraid,” he said smoothly. He stood by the window, an immaculate figure from his fair curls to his polished boots. Today he wore a tunic of soft green, with snowy linen beneath. I stood before him in the middle of the floor, hands by my sides. Obeying some unspoken order, the guards retreated outside the door. “Our learned friend was unexpectedly called away. Left just after supper last night, in fact. Seems somebody took a knife to the parish priest, across the hill at Elvington. So Father Dominic’s gone. Didn’t even have time to help me announce the verdict. No great loss, I must admit. Set in his ways. Hard man to convince. Not that he left without giving me his opinion.” He paused for a few moments. It was exquisitely timed.

“Of course, there was never any doubt of your guilt.” Richard said, and he was no longer playing, but deadly serious. “Guilty of passing secrets to the enemy. Guilty of cheating your husband and breaking your marriage vows. And guilty of sorcery. The weight of evidence against you was overwhelming. Come closer, Jenny.” His use of this name made my flesh crawl. “You won’t? Then I must come to you.” He strolled across to stand before me, eyes alight with anticipation. “You know the penalty for these crimes. No simple banishment; no sequestration in a convent where you can live out your days in comfort. Oh, no. You have done damage here. Serious damage.” He lowered his voice. “You have been a thorn in my flesh, and I take great delight in ripping out this thorn once and for all. Your penalty is death. You know the method already.” His finger came out to run up my neck, rather slowly. The last time he had tried that, Red had nearly broken his arm. But Red was not here.

“The nice thing is, we have all day to look forward to it,” he said softly. “So while I go out and see to the building of a very special fire, I’ll allow you to stay here, under guard of course. This room is warmer and more comfortable; and you’ll be able to watch me from that window there. We might even arrange a little food and drink; a last meal for the condemned. Well, goodbye, my dear. It’s been—interesting—knowing you. At dusk, we’ll meet again, all too briefly. I thought dusk would be best. More atmospheric, don’t you think? Give Folks a real show, something to tell their children about. Good-bye, my dear.”