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court. Reassured, Mahelt smiled a reply before looking down again in modest decorum.

    From Caversham's chapel, the company repaired to the hall and a feast to honour the betrothal. Hugh's mother enveloped Mahelt in a sweet-scented embrace and welcomed her to the family. Hugh's father was expansive with satisfaction and reminded her of a cockerel with fluffed-up feathers. As usual he wore a magnificent hat, red today and adorned with curling plumes.
    Hugh was also more relaxed in the aftermath of the formalities, but his behaviour towards her remained courtly and polite, and he showed no inclination to play as he had done at Christmas. Mahelt kept her eyes downcast as befitted a future bride, although under the table she was swinging her legs. Had it been feasible, she would have kilted up her gown and run and run, just to be rid of her surplus tension and energy.

    Hugh placed the choicest morsels before her, but she wasn't hungry. Lent might be over and dainties once more allowed in the diet, but she was too tense to enjoy the succulent young duck and fragrant barley grains perfumed with cardamom.

    'When we are married, I will take you riding and show you around our estates,' he said. 'Would you like that?'

    Mahelt nodded. 'I have a new palfrey,' she volunteered. 'She's called Amber.'

    His eyelids tightened and she thought she had said or done something wrong, but then his expression smoothed out and he smiled. 'Indeed, and very fine too. I watched you arrive on her and thought what a good rider you were.'

    She felt a glow of pride at his praise. 'Do you still have that white mare I saw you riding at Christmas?'

    The dark look returned to his face. 'No,' he said, 'I don't, but I'm going to Normandy soon to bring our stud herd to England, and I'll choose a new horse then.'

    Mahelt swung her legs harder and toyed with a piece of bread. She decided not to ask what had happened to the mare because she could tell from Hugh's expression that he didn't want to speak about it.

    Towards the end of the meal an armourer arrived with some sword blades that Mahelt's father had been expecting and the men went to try them out, leaving the women to their talk.

    Mahelt's second cousin Ela took the opportunity to admire the betrothal ring. 'It's beautiful,' she said, a smile in her hazel-grey eyes. Ela had been married to Hugh's half-brother William Longespee since she was nine years old. She was sixteen now, and a modest but confident young woman. Her husband was serving the King at court, but Ela had been glad to attend the betrothal.

    Studying the ring, Mahelt tried to imagine being a wife, but it was like putting on a new dress that was too big for her, and people saying she would grow into it.

    'Do you know when the marriage will be?' Ela asked.

    Mahelt shook her head. 'Not for a few years.'

    'Countess Ida is lovely,' Ela reassured her. She cast a fond look in the direction of her mother-in-law. 'She has taught me so much.'

    'I like her,' Mahelt agreed, knowing that no one would ever match up to her own mother.

    'What about Hugh, do you like him?' An impish sparkle lit in Ela's eyes.
    'He's handsome, isn't he?'

    Mahelt felt her cheeks redden as she nodded.

    'And kind too,' Ela added. 'You cannot set too high a price upon kindness in a match - and respect. My husband is good to me and I love him dearly. I only wish that he and Hugh were fonder of each other. I am sorry for it because they are both fine men in their individual ways, and they come from the same womb.'

    'Why aren't they fond?' Mahelt asked, her curiosity thoroughly aroused.

    Ela's brow furrowed. 'My Will refuses to talk about it; he becomes irritated with me if I broach the subject, and pretends it is of no consequence, but I believe it has to do with matters of family and belonging.'

    Mahelt's brow furrowed as she tried to puzzle out what Ela was saying. She supposed Longespee might feel awkward among the Bigods owing to his bastardy, although from what