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Lord LiarbyunknownPrologue.Kingsclere, 1077It had been quite an innocent action, in truth,the attempt of one child to comfort another, for her heartbroken sobs at theloss of her treasure quite unsettled his composure. What began as a childishchallenge-- "I dare you to walk out on that log that sticks out into themiddle of the brook, for I vow you are too affrighted to try, being but adamsel, after all" --had ended in her falling into the cold water, though notbefore she had reached the end successfully and was turning to walk back. Hehad had to rescue her because her kirtle snagged on a submerged branch, soboth had ended up drenched and shivering in the cool April wind. Muddy, andleaving a dripping trail, they had sought refuge in a small room off thefront of the barn where extra tack and blankets were kept for the mighty destriers and sleek palfreys of Kingsclere. They were making use of those sameblankets to dry their chilled bodies when Aldyth discovered the loss of herbeloved green hair ribbon and set up a wail.Of course, Aldyth had many adornments for her chestnut tresses, but the onelost was the selfsame one that Ranulf had brought her from his trip toLondon, saying that he had been compelled to purchase it because it matchedthe jade green hue of her eyes. Now it was swept away by the spring- swollenforce of the brook, and she was quite devastatedly sure she would never haveanything as lovely again. In addition, her mother would probably beat herfor muddying her new forest green gunna and kirtle. The hem of the outergarment also had a long, jagged rent.All these upsetting thoughts added to her distress until Ranuff simply hadhad to pull her close and soothe her. Her cool, clammy skin touched his, forthey had stripped, the better to huddle up in the blankets and warmthemselves before facing her mother's wrath.Completely unaware in the carnal sense of the feel of her childish breastsagainst his bare boyish chest, the boy shut his eyes and murmured endearmentsto her, some in Norman French, some in English. The clean fragrant scent ofher hair blended in his nose with the stable aromas of horse, hay andleather--not an unpleasing mixture for a lad of seven, about to leave home tobe fostered in the household of the Conqueror himself.Aldyth had quieted under Ranulf's ministrations, having heard him pledge hermore such ribbons of the same color, but then piped up,"But, Ranulf, the next time you will be in London is when you leave to jointhe court of the king!And then you'll not return until you are a man! " She began to sob afresh."Aldyth," he began, sighing into her ear,"Ifil be permitted visits occasionally--it's not banishment, you know.And if the gift is more important than the giver," he added, holding her awaya little so that she could see he was teasing, " I could always pay a courierto bring it. " " Ranulf! " she squealed, embarrassed that she had soundedlike a greedy brat in front of the friend that she adored."I'll show you which is more important!" She flung herself fervently againsthim, press' rag her mouth to his, just as she had seen the dairy maid do tothe shepherd. Aldyth's body had not yet begun to hear the far-off echoes ofadolescence and the passionate nature that would be hers, but she did feel aprecocious delight in the strength of his sturdy hairless chest against herand the enthusiasm with which he returned her kiss as he pulled her slightform closer."Oh, Ranulf, I will miss you so much...""And you, too, Aldyth... I didn't know how much until this moment.Wait for me, Aldyth. "Then suddenly, as childish promises were being exchanged, they were blindedas the door from the barn was opened, tentatively at first and then slammedagainst the adjoining wall to the extent its rusty hinges would allow as thetwo were seen. Ranulf found himself se'tzed by the shoulder and pulled outinto the sunshine near the barn's entrance by Lord ltienne himself, whopaused as he recognized the shivering, blinking girl as the daughter of histrusted castellan, Nyle of Sherborne.With a roar he boxed his son's ears, shouting,"Foolish puppy! Is this how you think to prepare for knighthood? Bydishonoring the daughter of my vassal?""Nay, my lord," spoke up the boy, praying that his voice wouldn't quaver andthe tears that threatened would not spill over. Rarely had he had reason tofear his sire, for the Earl of Kingsclere ruled his children with a firm butloving hand. He saw that Lord gtienne had misread the situation and hastenedto add,"I was but comforting Aldyth. We fell into the brook and got wet, and shelost her ribbon" -- "And that required stripping down until you were as Godmade you?" Lord ltienne gave a mirthless laugh."God's blood, I am not so gullible as that! I tumbled many a wench, lad,until I met your mother..." At the mention of Lady Nichola his voicesoftened."But I suggest you wait a few seasons and let one of the many willing servingwenches about the court initiate youl The daughter of Sir Nyle is not foryour pawing, hear me, cockerel?"Then, remembering Aldyth's presence just inside the tack room door, he calledsoftly to her,"We are going. Put your clothes back on and go to your chamber for drygarments."Swathed in the blanket, she came to the door, where she could face him."But, Lord tienne, Ranulf has given you the right of it--he meant no harm.Please don't punish him or tell my mother and father!"The earl stood firm."Don't worry, Aldyth. You will not be blamed.The fault is with my son, who needs to learn the meaning of treating a maidwith honor. Go now," he said, gesturing in dismissal, and she shut the dooras Ranulf was dragged off to a more stringent penance."I had hoped to keep him by us until Michaelmas," said Lady Nichola thatnight as Lord lh. tienne held her close in their great bed. She had everymother's reluctance to release her firstborn son to the joys andresponsibilities of manhood, though she knew it was inevitable. That was theway of noble houses. They did not rear their own sons, lest the sons growtoo soft under their mothers' watchful eyes. Once Ranulf left the keep atKingsclere to join William's court, he would set his foot on the road tomanhood, leaving, she feared, his need for the love of a mother forever.But not for the world would she have turned him aside from that road, for aboy kept at home was forever an object of derision and not worthy ofknighthood."Yes, I know, mamie," answered Lord ltienne. He was sensitive to herfeelings and knew of the struggle within her to let go of her son and did notdisparage her fears."But you must see he is ready--today's event has proved that, if nothingelse."Lady Nichola could not repress a chuckle."I'm afraid Sir Nyle would have been ready to come after your heir if he hadbeen told. He idolizes his daughter, you know, as if he cannot believe thathe and Mercia between them could have made such a lovely creature."Lord ltienne smiled in the half-light shed by the embers in the brazier,picturing Sir Nyle's and Mercia's sturdy Saxon faces and the chestnut-hairedbeauty who had been born two years after Ranulf. The castellan and hisfamily were visiting now from Sherborne, as Sir Nyle needed to consult withhis lord about that keep's need for more adequate defenses.He reached to pull the hangings of the bed closed around them."I'll warrant Mercia did not hold the wench blameless when she saw the muddydress, though to her sire, Aldyth can do no wrong. She's probably no moreable to sit down than our Ranulf." Then, feeling they had discussed thechildren enough, he reached for his wife.Two mornings later, Ranulf, accompanied by his father, mounted his palfreymanfully and set out for London, unaware that from the tower window Aldythwatched with tears coursing down her wan cheeks.Chapter One Sherborne, 1088 The earl's son is back, I hear," Helwise thecook informed Goda the laundress as both drew water from the well in thebailey of Sherborne Castle."Young Ranulf back at Kingsclere? Has he left the court, then?""Nay. O' course not," the cook scoffed."He's just here for a visit.And it's Lord Ranulf now," she added importanfly."Knighted by King William himself, he was. The fkst William, that is, notthe new one--and the new one's gifted him with his own manor near Winchester."But Goda was not interested in who reigned in far-off Winchester and London.They were all Norman, so what made the difference? She started to walk away,but Helwise was not about to lose her audience so easily."I just happened to be in the hall when Sir Nyle and his daughter werebreaking their fasts, and Kingsclere's steward arrived with the letter. SirNyle had it read aloud-- though you could have guessed the message if ye weredeaf from Lady Aldyth's face," Helwise concluded with a snort. "What dyemean?"The remarks carried on the clear morning air to the stable door, where Aldythwas about to step back out into the sunlight after paying a visit to Robin,her palfrey. Hearing her name, she moved into the shadows, curious as towhat Helwise would say."You'd have thought Saint Michael ire self was coming for a fortnight,"Helwise said."Humph," the other sniffed."If you ask me, that wench has been allowed to run wild a little too long.""Indeed!" Helwise agreed, warming to her subject."Just imagine, a young woman of eighteen and not married yet!She should be a wife with a babe or two by now if he... 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