Stepping into the courtyard I saw a familiar face. “Dorian!” I called out to a stalwart looking man crossing over to us. Dorian Thornbear was actually the same age as Marc and I. He was not quite as tall as me, standing about five foot ten inches, but he had quite a bit more muscle than either of us. He was the son of the Duke’s seneschal and because of his martial prowess he had already been accepted into the lord’s service as a man at arms. The stiff leathers he wore along with the spear in his hands were visible evidence of this.
“Ho! Master Marcus! Who let this ragamuffin in here?” Dorian said this with a light tone; we had all been friends since I had begun visiting the keep as a child.
Marc spoke, “I’ve invited Mort to spend the week.”
“You going to bunk with me again Mort?” Usually in the past I’d stay with Dorian’s family if I was sleeping at the keep. Technically his family was minor gentry, but they were a lot less intimidating than the Duke’s family. Plus our fathers were close friends.
I started to reply with a yes but Marc interrupted me with a hand on my shoulder, “Not this time Dorian, I’ve convinced him to let me put him up in one of the guest rooms.”
Dorian frowned, “Will there be enough room with all the visiting peers this week?”
“Certainly,” Marc replied.
“But…” I started to object.
“Shhh! Don’t argue, besides you need to be in the main keep if we’re to visit the library at night without creating a lot of questions among the castle guard,” Marc glanced at Dorian who’s eyebrows had gone up at this. “We’re on a secret mission!” he whispered in a conspiratorial tone.
“Really?” Dorian Thornbear was one of the bravest and most loyal friends I had ever known, but he had a certain lack of guile built into him. He was honest to a fault, perhaps that’s what made him a bit gullible. Not that the young lord of Lancaster was trying to fool him, it was just that Dorian tended to take such things over-seriously. We wound up standing in a sort of huddle near the back of the coach as Marc and I filled Dorian in on the events of the past few days. The three of us had always been as thick as thieves, but I had some concern that Dorian might give away my secret. Deception had never been his strong suit.
“Now what would you lads be conspiring at!?” The loud voice of Marc’s father, Lord James, the Duke of Lancaster came booming from behind us. He was a man of moderate build, with sandy brown hair and blue eyes. He laughed as Dorian whirled to look back at him.
“Nothing your grace!” Dorian ducked his head as he replied.
“You look well your grace. Thank you for the invitation.” I gave a formal bow; I have always had a knack for keeping a cool head.
“You are welcome, young Eldridge. Please give your father my best wishes when you see him again. I trust you will enjoy your stay with us.” The Duke was unusual among most of the peerage in that he treated all his vassals and even yeomen with courtesy and respect, though he had no requirement to do so. It was a fact that had made him extremely well liked among the people of Lancaster.
“Father! Why do you insist on scaring my friends?” Marc was a bit annoyed with the Duke.
“Hah!” The duke exclaimed, “It’s every man’s right to embarrass his son. Would you deny me the simple pleasures of life in my dotage?”
James Lancaster was still in his late thirties, and still quite hale, which his son was quick to point out, “When you’ve actually gone senile Father you’ll know it because we’ll have you put out to pasture.” They spoke for a bit more before the duke finally relented and left us to our own devices. Dorian had to report for duty, something he remembered rather quickly after the duke had surprised us, so he excused himself and we were on our own again.
“Let me show you the room I’ve got picked out. You’ll love it.” Marc led the way through the keep and up the stairs. I followed, curious despite myself, although I had visited many times over the years I had never been given a room inside the keep itself. When we finally came to a stop outside the door I realized we were extremely close to the Lancaster family quarter.
“Are you sure this is right? Isn’t this near your family’s rooms?” I asked.
“Indeed, my door is right over there,” Marc pointed across the hall. He opened the door and shoved me in before I could start objecting. The room itself was ostentatious, at least by my standards. It held a large four poster bed, dressing table, chair, a desk and some sort of odd couch-like piece. I had no idea what it was, but I discovered later it was called a ‘divan’.
“There’s no way you can put me in this room,” I said, looking over at my friend. “You’ve got nobility from all over the realm coming tomorrow and every one of them rates higher than me. If someone finds out you’ve put the smith’s son in this sort of room it’ll create all sorts of hell.”
“Bah, you’re right of course, but we have to place them in rooms according to their rank and status. Do you know who our most distinguished guest is going to be?”
“Not a clue, I’m common remember?”
“No you’re not, but the world hasn’t realized it yet. His lordship Devon Tremont, son and heir of the Duke of Tremont will be our most privileged guest. Protocol would dictate that he should have the best room we have to offer.”
“So let me stay with the Thornbears like I usually do.”
“Not possible,” he remarked, “Gregory Pern, son of Admiral Pern will be staying with them.”
“I’ll be fine in a broom closet then.” I was being sarcastic, but I actually meant what I said.
Marcus looked at me seriously, “Listen, Devon Tremont is the biggest prat I’ve ever met. I absolutely refuse to have that asshole sleeping across the hall from me. You on the other hand are my best friend, and infinitely more worthy, in my humble opinion.”
“You wouldn’t know humble if it walked up and kicked you in the shins. But thanks for the compliment. You still can’t put me in here, it’ll cause an incident.” I knew I was right, and surely he realized it as well.
“You’re right. It would. If anyone knew you were a complete nobody. As it stands you are unknown gentry, who happened to be staying here prior to their arrival. Your rank and status are unknown and you were already in residence when they arrived. It would be rude to relocate you unless you were some common lout with no standing.” He was smirking at me now.
“I am a common lout with no standing.”
“I know that, and you know that, but no one else does,” he answered.
“Most everyone living in this castle knows me!”
“I talked to Mother last night. She’s agreed that for this week you are Master Eldridge, a scholar and distant cousin. No one needs to know more than that, and she’ll make sure everyone plays along.”
“What about the servants?” I said.
“People of breeding do not talk to the servants,” he said this with an aristocratic tone and tilted his head back slightly. “Besides I already let them know as well, just to be sure.” He winked at me.
After that I gave up. I had known Marc long enough to realize there was no dissuading him from his wild schemes once he had made up his mind. I only hoped it didn’t turn out badly. We talked for a while longer and made plans to start searching the library that night after dinner. Once we had talked it all out he left and I had the room to myself, so I promptly lay down and took a nap. I had to admit, it was the most comfortable bed I’d ever slept upon.
Sometime later I woke; someone was standing at the bedside. I was slightly confused and it took me a moment to remember where I was. Looking around I realized there was a young woman looking at me with a slightly embarrassed expression. “Sir if you wouldn’t mind getting up, dinner will be served in half an hour.”
Still groggy I sat up and collected my wits as best I could. I glanced at the maid again. She was beautiful in a healthy and unpretentious way that few possess. Soft brown curls creeping down her slender neck framed a delicate face with faintly rosy cheeks. Then I felt stupid, I knew her! “Penny! What are you doing here?” Penelope was her name but in town we all knew her as Penny. She was the cooper’s daughter and one of the most sought after girls in Lancaster. Not that any of the boys had caught her eye yet; she was as discerning as she was beautiful.
“Pardon me sir; I just took service with the Duke’s household this past winter.” She lowered her eyes meekly. The Penny I knew was anything but meek, amiable yes, sweet-spirited certainly, kind usually but not always.
“That’s two ‘sirs’ now Penny, one more and I’ll tell the Lady Genevieve who was stealing her roses a few years back.” When we were eleven or so she and I had been playing in the garden behind the keep. Her grace, the
