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had her hand over her chest and she was trying to catch her breath. “There is nothing here. No races. See? I told you we were going the wrong way.”
    “Stay here.” Sofia hopped up on a fieldstone wall as if she were a stable lad instead of a noblewoman. There she stood, wobbling at first, so she stuck out her arms from her sides to keep her balance.
    “What are you about? Get down from there! ’Tis not safe.” Edith walked along with her, peering up with an expression of concern.
    A few stones cracked under Sofia’s feet and she heard Edith take a sharp breath.
    “I am fine.” Sofia moved along the wall with all the bravado of the rope walkers who performed at the May fairs. “Look! See?” She took a couple of quick steps just to prove to Edith that she was in complete control.
    But Edith did not see because she had her hands over her eyes and she was hunched over as if Sofia had actually fallen.
    No confidence there, Sofia thought, then eyed the way of the wall; it grew high, then even higher still to the north. Now if she could just move up to the highest part, where the wall met an archway that opened onto the lists, then she could see almost as well as from the castle walls.
    She moved more carefully toward the highest section of the wall, taking smaller steps because the wall was steep and old, there from a century before and not puttied together as well as the newer castle walls. In fact, it was so old that it was made only of flat stones layered with a little mud and stacked atop each other.
    “You have been lying to me.” Edith was looking at her with a scowl.
    Sofia looked back to the wall before her and took the steady steps of a rope walker, her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, her arms out and stiff as she concentrated on her balance. “Just what is it I have been lying to you about?”
    “Only a fool would believe you are not searching for someone. I should leave you. Right this moment. ’Twould serve you right.”
    Sofia caught the hurt in her friend’s voice and she stopped and looked down. “Fine then. I shall tell you in a moment. I need to go a wee bit farther . . . ”
    “Tell me what?”
    “Not yet. I’ve no wish to break my neck.” Sofia had only two more easy steps, and if she concentrated she could reach the top, where the stones looked flat enough to hold her without crumbling. Once more she looked across the crowd; she almost lost her balance.
    “Watch yourself, Sofia. Those stones are loose. Nothing could be important enough to risk falling. Please. Come down.”
    “But it is important!” Sofia lowered her voice and whispered, “I am looking for a man.”
    Edith’s eyes grew big as beef platters. “I knew it was something!” Edith tried to snap her fingers but they were sticky from the honeyed figs. She frowned down at them, then looked up. “Who is he?”
    “I do not know him. Perhaps you will. Help me search for him.”
    “How can I search for him? I do not even know what he looks like.”
    “He is tall and wearing blue. Sky blue. He has black hair, the color of a raven, and a face so angular and beautiful that just looking at it, Edith, can make you forget to breathe.” She placed her hands on the higher section of wall and put her foot on a small ledge, ready to lift herself up. “If I can only stand a little higher, then surely I shall be able to see if he is nearby . . . ” Still gripping the stone, she cast a quick glance down.
    Behind Edith, and looking squarely at her, stood that wonderfully handsome knight.
     

Chapter 3
    Close up, he was even sweeter on the eyes, this man of her dreams whose intense looks made her blood boil and her head light.
    He was looking at her now, even though he spoke to Edith. “Lady Edith. Your friend seems to have lost something.”
    Aye, I’ve lost my heart.
    “She has not lost something , but someone.” Edith pulled a fig from her bag and added casually, “She is looking for a man.” Edith bit into the