As they passed beneath the inner wall, Blackmane took mental notes of the arrow loops on either side of them, the number of guards in the vicinity, and the weapons they carried.

‘Welcome,’ the man called to them. ‘I suppose I should not be surprised that you arrived here safely.’

Blackmane glanced sideways at Tatum to gauge his thoughts on the new earl. The set of his mouth confirmed their first impressions aligned.

Tatum stopped his horse and dismounted. ‘Lord Hodge, I presume.’ He handed the reins to the eager groom, then made his way over to their host.

‘You must be Commander Tatum,’ Hodge said, sizing him up. ‘I welcome you and your men to Hampstead Keep.’

Tatum bowed his head. ‘Thank you.’

A young boy jogged up to them, glancing nervously in the direction of the defenders as he caught his breath. ‘Apologies, my lord, but I have looked everywhere and cannot find her.’

Hodge gave a curt nod. ‘Keep looking. She cannot have gone far.’ Turning back to Tatum, he said, ‘I was hoping Lady Isabel would be here to welcome you also. She can be a difficult young lady to track down at times.’ He clapped his hands together. ‘However, you can meet the future Countess of Hereford at dinner this evening.’

Blackmane resisted the urge to look over his shoulder. It was unlikely that the future countess would be suspended atop a wall, but possible.

‘There will be four of us at dinner,’ Tatum said. ‘If you don’t mind.’

The earl looked past him to the three defenders who were now handing their horses over to the groom—sans weapons. ‘Very well. I shall have someone show you to your sleeping quarters.’ Turning on his heel, he strode off with his luxurious green cloak blowing in the breeze.

The men followed him to the castle, where a servant greeted them and then took them to their sleeping quarters on the ground level. They washed and rested until the same servant returned to escort them to the hall for dinner.

It was an intimate affair with only one table set for the occasion. Hodge was seated at the head of it.

‘Ah, there they are,’ he called out when they entered. ‘Our allies from the west.’ He rose from his seat, and the other guests did the same.

The woman to the left of the earl looked suspiciously like the one from the wall, though her rich honey hair had been tamed into a low bun, and her lips were painted a soft red. But the second their eyes met, he knew it was her.

Lord Hodge reached for her hand, gesturing to her with the other as though presenting a prized rooster. ‘Commander Tatum, allow me to introduce you to the future Countess of Hereford, Lady Isabel.’

Dimples appeared on both her cheeks. She had the kind of smile that men paid attention to—bright and warm.

‘Welcome to Hampstead Keep, Commander,’ she said. ‘Your arrival has caused much excitement around the castle.’