Then she had both of his hands and she was kissing him. It made her want to laugh.

A log popped in the fire, and Toby cleared his throat very softly.

“Gelfred, my lord,” he whispered. In one motion, he flipped the captain’s red cloak open and threw it over Blanche even as Ser Gabriel flowed to his feet.

Blanche lay smothered in red wool, her heart beating fast as the hooves of a galloping horse strummed the earth.

“Road’s clear all the way back to Second Bridge,” Ser Gelfred said. “We picked up a herald on the road, who claims he’s been sent to you from de Vrailly. I blindfolded him.”

“Nicely done. Send him to Lord Corcy in the morning, Gelfred. De Vrailly will want Du Corse.” He laughed. “Do you think they’re related? Du Corse, and Corcy?”

“Never gave it a thought,” Gelfred said. “I saw Alcaeus out by the gate. He’ll be wanting you, too.”

Blanche writhed inwardly. Her mind was spinning. Drink? How much had he drunk? He couldn’t really want her. He’d want the Queen—that’s how these things played out. Like with like. Aristo with aristo.

But it had been a spectacular kiss.

Gabriel was acutely conscious of the young woman under his cloak ten feet away in the flickering firelight. He gave Toby a look.

Toby walked off.

What was I thinking? She’s hardly a light o’ love.

Is that what I want? Or is it just what Tom wants for me?

There was the unmistakable sound of horse’s hooves. Gelfred put a hand on his long sword hilt.

Gabriel knew the man by his seat—shorter stirrups, the Morean style. “Alcaeus!” he called. “I haven’t seen you in two days and it’s like being blind.”

The Morean knight—dressed in a simple cote and long boots, like any messenger—threw a leg over his light saddle and dropped to the ground. His little mare simply dropped her head and started eating. She was clearly done in.

Toby appeared with Nell, who looked as mad as a viper. Between them they were carrying a ghost—no, it was a stack of linen sheets.

“Make me fucking work in the middle of the night—” She was spitting when she saw her captain and stopped.

“You weren’t exactly working,” Toby shot back.

Alcaeus seized the proffered wine cup and drained it. “Some prefer a company of infantry, and some love the sight of ships, and some love a troops of horse,” he said in Archaic. “But the thing I love is good intelligence.”

“I don’t think that’s quite what Sappho had in mind,” Gabriel said, and laughed.

“You ready?” Alcaeus said. “It’s all gone to hell.”

To the Morean knight’s right, Toby and Nell put up a folding frame and began to drape it with sheets.