Desire by Jayne A. Krentz

everyone along the way, from shepherd to laundress, witnessed the spectacle of the lady of Desire clutching the Hellhound's great sword.
    No, the Hellhound had shown her no great honor, she thought. It had all been a very calculated gesture on his part.
    "If you ask me, I do not believe he showed you any great honor, my lady," Dalian declared with passionate intensity. "On the contrary. He mocked you."
    Clare glanced at her new minstrel. He was a gaunt young man of barely sixteen years who was easily startled by unexpected sounds or a raised voice. If one chanced to come upon him unawares, he jumped or froze in the manner of a panic-stricken hare.
    The only time he seemed to find any inner calm was when he sang his ballads.
    His thin features had begun to fill out slightly since he had arrived on Desire. But Clare could still see too many traces of the anxious, hunted look that had been in his eyes that first day when he had appeared at the hall.
    Dalian had told her that he was seeking a position as a minstrel in the household. Clare had taken one look at him and had known that whatever lay in the young man's past was not pleasant. She had taken him in on the spot.
    Clare scowled as she considered Dalian's impassioned remark. "I do not think he was mocking me, precisely."
    "Well, I do," Dalian muttered. "He is likely a cruel and murderous man.
    They do not call him the Hellhound of Wyckmere for naught."
    Clare whirled around, exasperated. "We must not read too much into a silly nickname."
    "I don't think it's silly," William said with great relish. "Sir Ulrich says he got that name because of all the outlaws he's killed."
    Clare groaned. "I'm sure his exploits have been greatly exaggerated."
    "Do not alarm yourself, Clare," Joanna said. "I comprehend how uneasy you are at the prospect of this marriage. But I feel certain that Lord Thurston would not have sent you a candidate who did not meet the majority of your requirements."
    "I'm beginning to wonder about that," Clare said.
    She halted her pacing abruptly as a very large shadow fell across the graveled path directly in front of her.
    As if conjured up by a sorcerer, Gareth appeared. He had come soundlessly around the corner of the high hedge, giving no warning of his presence until he was directly in front of her.
    She glowered at him. It did not seem right that such a large man could move so quietly. "By Saint Hermione's little finger, sir, you gave me a start. You might have said something before you popped out from behind the bushes in such a sudden manner."
    "My apologies. I give you fair greeting, my lady," Gareth said calmly.
    "I was told I would find you here in your garden." He glanced at the small group still gathered beneath the apple tree. "I have already made the acquaintance of young William.
    Will you introduce me to the lady seated beside him and to the other members of your household?"
    "Of course," Clare said stiffly. She rattled off the introductions.
    Joanna studied Gareth with assessing interest. "Welcome to Desire, my lord."
    "Thank you, madam." Gareth inclined his head. "It is good to know that I am welcomed here by some. Rest assured that I shall endeavor to meet as many of my lady's requirements as possible."
    Clare flushed and motioned quickly to a reluctant-looking Dalian.
    "Welcome to Desire, sir," Dalian muttered. He looked mutinous but he wisely kept a civil tongue.
    Gareth raised one brow. "Thank you, master minstrel. I shall look forward to hearing your songs.
    I should tell you now that I have very specific preferences in music."
    "Have you, sir?" Dalian asked, tight-lipped.
    "Aye. I do not care for songs about ladies who are seduced by knights other than their wedded lords."
    Dalian bristled. "Lady Clare delights in songs that tell of the love affairs of ladies and their devoted knights, sir. She finds them very exciting."
    "Does she, indeed?" Gareth arched a brow.
    Clare felt herself grow warm. She knew that she was turning a bright shade