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are upset by the thought of having to obey a man who is almost a complete stranger to you, but it was your father’s wish.’
    She clenched her fists. ‘It was wrong of Father to make arrangements for my future without discussing it with me. Why could he not treat me as he would have Jonathan?’
    ‘I am sure you know the answer to that,’ said Gawain, pouring wine from a barrel into a pitcher. ‘You are not stupid.’
    ‘Aye, because I am a daughter and not a son,’ she said bitterly.
    ‘Perhaps he also knew you well enough to know that you would argue with him if he told you the truth.’
    She jerked up her head and glared at him. ‘As I will argue with you. Do not think I will fall in with your desire to get me out of the way. I will not marry andbecome some man’s possession, having no say in my own business.’
    He said calmly, ‘We do not need to discuss this now. Will you take a cup of wine, Mistress Llewellyn, and some bread and cheese? It is all I can offer you at the moment.’
    The calmness of his manner frustrated her because she so wanted to vent her hurt and anger on someone. ‘You said earlier that you came to the notice of the king. Why do you not eat at Henry’s table?’ she muttered.
    ‘If you must know, I’ve had a surfeit of rich food since I’ve been here. Besides, those who fawn around the king these days are not to my liking. When I was at court it was because I had trained as one of the king’s Gentlemen of the Spears, his élite mounted bodyguard.’
    ‘Then what were you doing wrestling half-naked if you held such a position?’ she asked.
    ‘I used to wrestle with Henry but now I cannot.’ He glowered at her.
    ‘Why not? Because you would defeat him and the king is not a man to suffer defeat lightly?’ she surprised him by saying.
    Gawain shrugged. ‘I wouldn’t admit that, but the truth is that whilst fighting here in France a few years ago, my shoulder was dislocated. Now the joint has a habit of coming out of its socket when put unduly under stress and the pain can be debilitating. It does not happen often, but enough to embarrass me in front of my king and peers. Besides, I could no longer be relied on to defend the king if he were in danger, so I had to beg leave to resign from my position.’
    ‘That must have been very upsetting for you,’ said Beth, struggling with conflicting emotions. ‘You must miss the life of a warrior.’
    ‘Hardly that of a real warrior,’ he said stiffly. ‘Although life at court could be amusing, as well as exciting. As it is, Henry summons me to play board games or dice with him. He is an inveterate gambler and I have some skill.’
    ‘That is why are you here now? He invited you to play with him?’
    Gawain nodded. ‘And there is no need for you to tell me that I should not be performing at the lists or wrestling with my disability. I have a wife to tell me that,’ he added harshly.
    ‘Is that the real reason why she is not here?’ asked Beth. ‘Because of your male pride being hurt? That is foolish.’
    He handed a cup of wine to her. ‘How well you understand me, Mistress Llewellyn,’ he said sardonically.
    ‘By St George, you took a risk,’ she said, taking a sip of wine.
    Their eyes met. ‘You would say that pride comes before a fall, but I say a man needs his pride,’ said Gawain.
    ‘He could have flattened you,’ said Beth. ‘But I admit I found it admirable that you were able to throw that Breton wrestler.’
    He shrugged and winced, determined not to show the pleasure her remark gave him. ‘Shall we change the subject?’
    She nodded, curious to know more about him. ‘Tell me about your wife. Have you children?’
    Gawain gazed into her attractive little face that was alight with interest. He imagined how her expression would change if he told the truth—that Mary had deserted him, taking their daughters with her. It would perhaps give Beth more reason to be against marriage. Of course, he could have told her