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As big as she was, she could probably do it. Jordan cringed, although she was actually quite amused to see Deinwald so ruffled.

“Try it, wench, and you’ll be sorry,” Deinwald’s eyes narrowed in a challenge.

“Deinwald,” Jordan stepped in. “Dunna call Lady Aloria wench, ever. I dunna like that term. And please do as she says.”

He looked at Jordan uncertainly, not wanting to leave her with a strange woman knowing how protective William was for his wife.

“Aye, my lady,” he agreed reluctantly, but not before shooting Aloria a deadly glare.

Jordan closed the door behind him and smiled sheepishly at Aloria. “The knights are very protective of me,” she explained. “But I do apologize for his rudeness. He can be rather surly.”

“I understand, my lady,” Aloria said. “But from now on, you must conduct yourself properly and if it offends the knights who have grown accustomed to being your escorts, then so be it.”

Jordan realized that this woman meant all of the knights. “But…Sir William is my fiancé’s captain. In fact, the earl has entrusted him with my safety always and he has had free access to me since before my arrival. What of him?”

Aloria cocked an eyebrow. “I will have a talk with Sir William, my lady, have no doubt.”

Jordan almost laughed; she would like to be a fly on the wall when that conversation took place.

“Well,” Aloria said briskly after a moment. “Since I have already settled myself, I will help you prepare for the feast this evening.”

There wasn’t much to prepare for, simply a bath and to be dressed, and all of that could be accomplished in a couple of hours. There was plenty of time for Jordan to find out everything she could about her new lady-in-waiting.

“There is time for that later,” Jordan told her, moving for the high-back chair. “Tell me of yerself, Lady Aloria.”

Aloria’s brisk manner faltered a bit. “There is not much to tell, my lady. My father is the Earl of Devon and I have two older brothers. I have served our gracious queen for four years, since I was eighteen.”

“Did she order ye to serve me?” Jordan asked.

“Aye, but I consider it an honor, my lady,” she replied correctly.

Jordan looked at her a moment. “But ye are displeased at leaving court.”

Aloria met her gaze for the first time and cleared her throat before answering. “I like Windsor, my lady.”

Jordan cocked her eyebrow. “And now ye find yerself in the wilds of northern England, far away from court life.” She shook her head apologetically. “I am sorry if ye dinna want to come, Lady Aloria. Having one of the queen’s women here was not my idea.”

For the first time, Aloria looked less than the proper English court lady. Her eyes took on a sort of soft, sad reflection. Jordan immediately was alerted to the change in mood and was aware of the most human side of the stiff woman.

“Yet I have come, my lady,” she said softly. “And I will serve you well, I vow it.”

“Of that I have no doubt,” Jordan looked intensely at the woman. “Why would I think otherwise?”

Aloria swallowed and squared her shoulders, the stiffness returning. “I thank you for the opportunity, my lady.”

She deliberately avoided answering the question and Jordan could see that it was because she didn’t want to, but in that brief second that she had let her guard down there had been something there, something painful. Jordan felt there was a reason why she was here at Northwood other than the fact that the queen had ordered it.

But she would not pursue that now. She shifted the subject as she rose from her seat. “I wish to take a walk now,” she said. “Will you accompany me, Lady Aloria? ’Twould be a chance to get a look at Northwood.”

Aloria nodded shortly. “Of course. I am your lady and I will go where you go.”

Jordan moved for the door and yanked it open, jumping back in surprise to find Deinwald, Michael, and Marc standing in the doorway. They were as surprised as she was and she saw immediately that they had been listening at the door.

Aloria suddenly jammed herself forward, putting herself between Jordan and the knights.

“There will be no more of this!” she boomed. “Lady Jordan is not a young maiden to be gaped and leered at, and you will cease this moment. If I find any of you loitering at her door again, then your punishment will be swift.”

The three knights looked taken aback, if not irritated. Deinwald rolled his eyes and muttered a quiet curse. Michael cleared his throat.