She actually felt a bit adventuresome as their partyentered the Nightly lit building, the men forging a path for her and Maude tothe middle of the hall where they all sat down, Roger on her right and one ofhis knights on her left.
And why shouldn't she feel lighter of heart when it wasonly a matter of weeks before she would be on her way home?
Leila was amazed at how quickly the hundreds of richlydressed lords and ladies, court officials, clergy, and what looked to bewealthy merchants and their wives took their places on crude benches among therows upon rows of white-clothed tables. Everyone was clearly eager for thefeast to begin; the din of animated voices and laughter was deafening. And nowthat people were seated, except for a few stragglers and the scores ofscrub-faced servants lining the walls, she had a good view of the raised daisat one end of the cavernous hall
"Guy . . ." She nearly choked as she spiedhim seated almost at the center of the head table, and her giddy excitementevaporated.
How strange and surreal everything suddenly became.Here she was sitting beside the man Guy had taken great pains to warn her aboutwhile he was up there engrossed in conversation with one of the most beautifulwomen she had ever seen.
"Who . . . who is that lady?" she asked,seized by sickening jealousy. It was an emotion she had never experiencedbefore arid, oh, she didn't like it. It was wretched, horrible, and miserablyoverwhelming. She hadn't felt like this aboutRefaiyeh.Why now?
"Eleanor of Castile, wife to Edward," Rogeranswered. "On the morrow, she will be queen."
Leila felt her cheeks burn from embarrassment. Ofcourse, the queen. How silly of her not to have known, and why should she careanyway? Yet, her mind intoned, thank God . . . thank God.
"That is Lord Edward beside her. The man on LadyEleanor's right you already know, though I would that it had been any otherknight who escorted you to England."
Leila heard the venom in Roger's voice and glanced athim, but he was staring at Guy, a tic working in hisstubbledcheek.
She saw it then, the cold hatred reflected in herbrother's hard gray-blue eyes; she had seen the same in Guy's gaze whenever hespoke of Roger. She sensed at once that there was probably much truth in whatGuy had told her, and her sense of unease returned. But she shoved it awaydefiantly. Their mutual enmity had nothing to do with her!
"I suppose I should be thankful the bastardmanaged to bring you here at all," Roger muttered more to himself than toLeila.
"My lord?" she asked, puzzled by his comment,but she received no answer as they were suddenly interrupted by a manservantwho stepped between them with a basin of water and clean linen towels slungover his arm. She washed her hands, then Roger did, followed by the silent,swarthy knight seated on her left, to whom she had not yet been introduced.
"Forgive me,d'Eyvill,"Roger said to the bearded older man, as if reading her mind and realizing hisoversight. "Leila, I'd like you to meet Sir Baldwind'Eyvill,one of my most trusted knights."
For a moment she was so stunned she could give noreply. Baldwind'Eyvill! He had been Christine'slover. Guy's poor, unhappy wife had killed herself over this very man. Shestared at him, thinking he was attractive in a very dark, rough-hewn way, buthardly the romantic figure she had envisioned as the impetus behind such a sadand drastic act.
"Lady Leila," Baldwin said in a voice markedby deep gruffness. "I am most honored."
"Sirknight." Shefelt a flush crawl over her cheeks at his direct gaze, and something told herhe sensed she knew all about his past indiscretion.
"D'Eyvilljust returnedfrom the Holy Land," Roger added. "A half dozen of my men went in myplace to represent our family name. I had pressing matters to attend to inWales which prevented me from joining the crusade."
Funny, Guy had never mentioned to her that any of Roger'sknights had been on crusade with Lord Edward. Surely he must have known. Thenshe shrugged. It mattered naught to her. Offering no comment to Roger'sexplanation, she looked away, growing uncomfortable under Baldwin's closescrutiny.
Leila kept her hands folded in her lap as thicktrenchers of day-old bread were placed before each guest to serve as plates, astrange custom she still found revolting, especially after the stale sliceswere soiled by various glutinous gravies. She supposed the practice had itsvalue, however, as she had learned from Guy that the trenchers were served tothe poor after meals.
Her gaze flew back to the dais, only to find Guy still deepin conversation with Eleanor. What could they possibly be talking about for solong? But all discourse ceased, the great hall becoming hushed and amazinglysilent, when a rotund bishop attired in amitreandcrimson robes stood at the head table to give the grace.
Leila bowed her head, not so much in prayer but toavoid meeting Guy's eyes. She had no idea if he had seen her, but she didn'twant to take any chances. As far as she was concerned, their association wasfinished, and she wanted nothing more to do with him.
Tell that to your heart,Leila,camea gnawing inner voice.
Disturbed by the unbidden thought, she squeezed hereyes shut and forced herself to concentrate on the bishop's stentorian tones ashe recited a lengthy prayer. After a resounding "Amen" which wasrepeated by a thousand voices, the boisterous din began anew until it seemed toring from the huge rafters overhead.
Leila made a point not to look again at the dais as thefeast commenced with a vengeance. Cups andmazerswere filled to overflowing with wine and beer,thenthe first course was carried forth proudly from the palace kitchens, an arrayof dishes that left her bewildered. She ceased counting the varieties ofroasted and heavily sauced meats that passed in front of her—beef; mutton;pork, which she had never tasted until arriving in France, since it wasforbidden in Moslem households; a dressed swan, which made her sad; chicken;rabbit; and more.
"Would you like a bit of this dish, Leila?"Roger asked solicitously as a platter of spiced veal swimming in cream gravywas lowered to her eye level by a grinning servant.
"No, thank you, I've plenty already," shesaid, practically losing her appetite at the sight of so much food. Shebreathed a sigh of relief as the unappetizing platter was withdrawn.
To think there were going to be four such courses, orso Maude had told her on the way to the hall. And more elaborate banquets inthe days to come. It was insane.
She had always counseled her patients in Damascus toeat moderately, one of the basic tenets of her medical training. She could justimagine the belching and breaking of digestive wind that would reverberate fromthe palace grounds later that night. If she'd had her medicines with her, shecould have made a fortune providing simple antidotes for indigestion.
Soon, Leila, soon, she assured herself, herthoughts jumping ahead to when she would be treating her patients again at theHospital ofNureddineand in wealthy harems. She wasso engrossed in her daydream, staring blindly at the food heaped high on hertrencher, thatshe scarcely noticed when Roger and Baldwinsuddenly rose from the table.
