“Well, as I’ve no idea when he rose and left, nor why, I’ve no idea when he will return. It seemed such a charming concept at first, to have a strong and able man-at-arms, capable of not only defending me from street ruffians but also serving as my valet and seeing to my other needs as well. But he has proven most unreliable at daily tasks. Look at this! I’ve had to snatch a passing page from the corridor and have him tell a kitchen boy to bring up my breakfast. And it isn’t what I would have chosen at all! I’m tempted to let Badgerlock go entirely, except that with my ankle as it is, it is no time for me to be without a sturdy servant. Well. Perhaps I shall have to accept his limitations and acquire a page or two to see to my daily tasks. Look at the layer of dust on that mantel! Shameful. I can scarcely invite visitors to my chambers with them looking like this. It is almost fortunate that the pain in my ankle makes me tend toward solitary occupations just now.”

I froze where I was. I longed to know to whom he was speaking and why that person sought me, but I could scarcely make an entrance if Lord Golden had already insisted I was not here.

“Very well. May I leave a message for your man then, Lord Golden?”

The voice was Laurel’s and the irritation level in it was unmasked. She had seen too much of us when she had accompanied us on our journey to be deceived by our charade. She would never again believe us to be merely master and man. We had bungled our roles too often. Yet I also understood why Lord Golden insisted on resuming the masquerade. To do otherwise would have eventually completely unraveled our deception of the court.

“Certainly. Or you would be welcome to return this evening, if you wish to take the chance that he may have recalled his duties and wandered home.”

If he had intended that to mollify her, it failed. “A message will suffice, I am sure. In passing through the stable, I noticed something about his horse that made me concerned for her. If he will meet me there at noon today, I will point it out to him.”

“And if he does not return by noon . . . by Sa, how I detest this! That I should have to act as a secretary to my own serving man!”

“Lord Golden.” Her quiet voice cut through his dramatics. “My concern is a grave one. See that he meets me then, or arranges to speak to me about my concern. Good day.”

She shut the door very firmly behind herself. I heard the thump, but even so I waited some minutes, to be completely certain that the Fool was alone. I eased the door open silently, but the Fool’s preternatural awareness served him well. “There you are,” he exclaimed with a sigh of relief as I entered. “I was beginning to worry about you.” Then he looked more closely at me and a smile lit up his face. “The Prince’s first lesson must have gone very well.”