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alarm, wondering how much Lady Murie remembered. Did she recall waking to find him seemingly groping her breasts in the dark?

"Aye, and it was all 'heated embraces, flames of passion, and burning kisses.'"

Balan stared, aghast, wondering if those herbs Lauda had given Murie had somehow distorted the actual event, combining the fire and his kisses in her mind. Not that it hadn't been hot and passionate for him, too, but there seemed to be a lot of references to fire in the descriptions Osgoode was giving. Perhaps the herbs or the gamy meat had made her feverish.

"Well..." Emilie sat back in her seat and fanned her face with one hand. "It sounds as though it was .. well. . ."

"Aye." Murie sighed. "It was."

Emilie eyed her for a moment, then said, "The St Agnes Eve nonsense aside, Lord Gaynor is a fine man. I know Reginald thinks highly of him. And the king."

"That is a good sign. I respect your husband's opinion, and if the king thinks highly of him, too, surely he would not protest our marriage."

"Aye," Emilie nodded and added, "he served the king in battle at both Crecy and Calais, and is said to be a fierce warrior." Murie smiled, pleased at this news. A strong sword arm to defend the home was important.

"I have never heard whispers about ill treatment from him toward man, woman, child or animal. It seems he is fair and honorable in all his dealings."

"That is promising as well," Murie said happily. Emilie smiled, but then cautioned, "There are some murmurs that Castle Gaynor suffered heavily from the plague. I know his father was among those who died, and Balan returned to find he'd inherited many troubles."

"Balan?" Murie said with confusion.

"That is his name," Emilie explained.

"Oh ... Ba-lan," she murmured, trying the name out. It was lovely to her ear. Balan and Murie.

Emilie bit her lip on a smile and then said, "Anyway,I understand he is in some financial difficulty at the moment because of it. I am sure it is only temporary, however - "

"My parents left me well off. Financial difficulties are of little consequence." Murie waved the concern away easily, her mind immediately going back to his name. Balan, Lord Gaynor. Balan and Murie. Lady Gaynor, she thought, and wondered what Gaynor Castle was like. She hoped it was by water and not too far inland. Murie loved the water. "Where is Gaynor?"

"In the north. I believe it is on the seashore, but am not sure. I know there is a river nearby," Emilie answered. "The best part of all this is that 'tis far enough away that you would not be expected to return to court very often."

"That is definitely good news," Murie admitted. She'd come to loathe court life. The debauchery, the intrigue, the cruelty ...

"Hmmm," Emilie said thoughtfully, her gaze moving over Balan, Lord Gaynor. "I suppose the only question that remains is whether the two of you would suit."

Murie nodded, trying to act halfway intelligent and sensible, rather than flighty and eager. Her gaze slid back to the man who might be fated to be her husband. Balan seemed deep in conversation with the man seated beside him, who was also attractive, but in her opinion could not hold a candle to Balan. He was paler in coloring and not quite as broad-shouldered or strong-looking. "Who is the man beside him?"

"His cousin, Osgoode. He went off to battle with Balan in France. It was the reason they were not here when the plague struck. Reginald thinks much of Osgoode, too."

"That is nice," Murie said. "Does he live at Gaynor?" Emilie nodded. "His mother died giving birth to him, and so he was raised at Gaynor after his own father died. He and Balan are as close as brothers."

Murie nodded. "Is there any other family?"

"I believe Balan has a younger sister. The mother died in labor with her, and now that their father is dead, she is orphaned."

"Like me," Murie murmured, her heart aching for the unknown girl. Though, the child was fortunate to have her brother to look after her; Murie had had no one once her parents died. Well, the king and queen had taken her in, of course, and she'd been fortunate in at least earning her godfather's affections. But it had been the queen's affections she'd truly desired. She'd wanted a mother's love and approval, something no amount of doting by the king could make up for. Perhaps she could give Balan's