Startled from her reverie, Joan turned to her cousin with a smile as they walked down the high street. It was Whit Monday, the day following Whitsun—or Pentecost—and one of the biggest celebration days of the year. Villeins would be free from service for the entire week and, as in most big towns, war or no war, Berwick was celebrating with a fair. The streets and markets were more crowded than she’d ever seen them. “I’m sorry, Alice, I was thinking. What is it that you asked?”

Alice’s scowls tended toward petulance and this one was no different. “You’ve been distracted all week. Whatever is the matter with you? I’m getting tired of repeating myself.”

As it was the truth, Joan could hardly argue.

Alice eyed her speculatively. “Perhaps Sir Hugh’s leaving has upset you more than you let on? I doubt a week’s absence will cause his eye to wander, although I suppose you are right to worry. He is a man.”

Alice’s experience with her husband’s affairs had obviously colored her view of men in general. Not for the first time since that night in the tower Joan wondered the same about herself. “Maybe it is you who have much to learn about honorable men.” Was Alex right? Had her view of all men been colored by her experience with a few? She didn’t want to think so. She’d met few honorable men and so many more who weren’t. It was hard not to become cynical.

But she wasn’t so cynical that she couldn’t acknowledge that she might have misjudged Alex. Her first impressions may have been right. Despite his judgmental reaction to her “behavior,” he seemed to truly believe some of the principles most men only parroted, such as honor, gallantry, and chivalry. Yet he’d turned his back on his friends and betrayed them.

She knew him well enough now to know that he must have had a reason—or thought he’d had a reason. Lachlan had been very closemouthed on the subject when he’d told her about it, except to say that “Sir Galahad” had never fit in, and he and Boyd had been a mismatch from the start. It just didn’t make sense.

Nothing about him made sense, least of all her reaction to him. A week later and she was still confused by what had happened. She’d kissed him back, not because she had to but because she wanted to. She’d done what she thought impossible and welcomed a man’s kiss.