hold of Alice's hand and pulled her to the window. She motioned for her servant to sit down on the bench and then sat down next to her.
"Were you able to find out how he plans to persuade me to leave this sanctuary?" she asked.
Alice shook her head so vehemently that wisps of gray hair flew free from her braid. "We've all been guessing and guessing, milady, but not one of us has been able to come up with a single possibility. Baron
Royce holds his own counsel. Clarise has taken on the duty of eavesdropping on the two men, but neither has spoken of this trickery, milady. You would think Baron Hugh would be interested in knowing just how Baron Royce plans to snatch you away from here."
"Clarise is being careful, isn't she? I wouldn't want her to get into trouble because of me."
Alice giggled again. "Clarise is just as loyal to you as the rest of your staff. Why, she'd give her life to keep you safe."
Nicholaa shook her head. "I don't want her to give her life for me. Nor you either, Alice. You take too many chances coming here, though, God's truth, I do look forward to hearing the news from home."
"'Tis called Rosewood now," Alice whispered.
She nodded when Nicholaa looked so surprised. "They've named my home?"
"It was Hugh who gave it the name. Your Baron Royce didn't seem to mind. Then afore you knew it, even the staff was calling the place Rosewood. It's got a nice sound to it, doesn't it, milady?"
Alice didn't give her mistress time to answer. "I've got to speak the truth, milady. The two barons are acting as though the place belongs to them now."
"What other changes have they made?" Nicholaa asked.
"They found one of the passageways to the outside through the north wall and sealed it up real tight. It's the only one they've spotted so far, though."
Nicholaa realized she was wringing her hands. She forced herself to stop the nervous action. "And my chamber, Alice?" she asked. "Which one of the infidels has taken over my room?"
"Neither," Alice replied. "Baron Royce has had the door barred and won't let anyone inside. When Hugh took ill, he was given your room, but when he returned to Rosewood, he was given the larger chamber. Clarise and Ruth were given the unholy chore of cleaning the room for the Norman. Are you wanting to hear the rest of this, milady?"
"Yes, of course," Nicholaa said. "You mustn't try to shield me."
"It's becoming very difficult for us to hate Baron Royce," Alice confessed with yet another inappropriate giggle.
"It's a sin to hate, and for that reason alone, we must not hate the Normans," Nicholaa said. "We can, however, thoroughly dislike them, Alice."
The servant nodded. "But even that's difficult to do," she wailed in a voice as bleak as the howling wind outside. "He called all of us together before him. We hid Hacon in the back, thinking the sight of him would remind the baron that he'd boldly lied to him about you being a twin and all. And do you know what happened, milady? Baron Royce called the meeting to praise Hacon for defending his mistress. The baron asked him to kneel and give his pledge of loyalty. He didn't demand it. He asked!"
Several loud giggles followed that explanation. Alice put her hand to her breast and took a deep breath. "The baron even helped Hacon to his feet after he'd given his oath. Well, now, we were all put right in a muddle over that kindness. We all thought the Norman would want Hacon's head, not his loyalty."
"Who can know what the barbarian wants?" Nicholaa said.
"The baron never raises his voice to anyone, either. Clarise says it's because he's older, though certainly not as old as his friend, Baron Hugh. Myrtle spilled a full draft of ale right on Baron Royce's trencher of food, and do you know he didn't raise his hand against her? Nay, he just moved to another spot at the table and went right on having a conversation with his friend."
Nicholaa didn't want to hear any more about Royce. "How is Baron Hugh?" she asked.
"Singing your praises,
"Were you able to find out how he plans to persuade me to leave this sanctuary?" she asked.
Alice shook her head so vehemently that wisps of gray hair flew free from her braid. "We've all been guessing and guessing, milady, but not one of us has been able to come up with a single possibility. Baron
Royce holds his own counsel. Clarise has taken on the duty of eavesdropping on the two men, but neither has spoken of this trickery, milady. You would think Baron Hugh would be interested in knowing just how Baron Royce plans to snatch you away from here."
"Clarise is being careful, isn't she? I wouldn't want her to get into trouble because of me."
Alice giggled again. "Clarise is just as loyal to you as the rest of your staff. Why, she'd give her life to keep you safe."
Nicholaa shook her head. "I don't want her to give her life for me. Nor you either, Alice. You take too many chances coming here, though, God's truth, I do look forward to hearing the news from home."
"'Tis called Rosewood now," Alice whispered.
She nodded when Nicholaa looked so surprised. "They've named my home?"
"It was Hugh who gave it the name. Your Baron Royce didn't seem to mind. Then afore you knew it, even the staff was calling the place Rosewood. It's got a nice sound to it, doesn't it, milady?"
Alice didn't give her mistress time to answer. "I've got to speak the truth, milady. The two barons are acting as though the place belongs to them now."
"What other changes have they made?" Nicholaa asked.
"They found one of the passageways to the outside through the north wall and sealed it up real tight. It's the only one they've spotted so far, though."
Nicholaa realized she was wringing her hands. She forced herself to stop the nervous action. "And my chamber, Alice?" she asked. "Which one of the infidels has taken over my room?"
"Neither," Alice replied. "Baron Royce has had the door barred and won't let anyone inside. When Hugh took ill, he was given your room, but when he returned to Rosewood, he was given the larger chamber. Clarise and Ruth were given the unholy chore of cleaning the room for the Norman. Are you wanting to hear the rest of this, milady?"
"Yes, of course," Nicholaa said. "You mustn't try to shield me."
"It's becoming very difficult for us to hate Baron Royce," Alice confessed with yet another inappropriate giggle.
"It's a sin to hate, and for that reason alone, we must not hate the Normans," Nicholaa said. "We can, however, thoroughly dislike them, Alice."
The servant nodded. "But even that's difficult to do," she wailed in a voice as bleak as the howling wind outside. "He called all of us together before him. We hid Hacon in the back, thinking the sight of him would remind the baron that he'd boldly lied to him about you being a twin and all. And do you know what happened, milady? Baron Royce called the meeting to praise Hacon for defending his mistress. The baron asked him to kneel and give his pledge of loyalty. He didn't demand it. He asked!"
Several loud giggles followed that explanation. Alice put her hand to her breast and took a deep breath. "The baron even helped Hacon to his feet after he'd given his oath. Well, now, we were all put right in a muddle over that kindness. We all thought the Norman would want Hacon's head, not his loyalty."
"Who can know what the barbarian wants?" Nicholaa said.
"The baron never raises his voice to anyone, either. Clarise says it's because he's older, though certainly not as old as his friend, Baron Hugh. Myrtle spilled a full draft of ale right on Baron Royce's trencher of food, and do you know he didn't raise his hand against her? Nay, he just moved to another spot at the table and went right on having a conversation with his friend."
Nicholaa didn't want to hear any more about Royce. "How is Baron Hugh?" she asked.
"Singing your praises,
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