To Alice's rage and disgust, Fulbert had given her father's manor to Ralf. Ralf had, in turn, given the lands to his eldest son, Lloyd.

Alice and Benedict had been obliged to move to Lingwood shortly thereafter. Once safely in possession of the fief, Lloyd had married the daughter of a neighboring knight. Six months ago they had had a son.

Alice was practical-minded enough to realize that no matter how well she argued her brother's claims in the courts, she would likely never regain possession of Benedict's inheritance. The knowledge that she had failed to fulfill her responsibility to Benedict was a source of deep pain for her. She rarely failed at a task, especially not one as important as this had been.

Determined to make up for the disaster in the only way possible, Alice had set out to give Benedict the best possible chance for advancement in the world. She had determined to send him to the great centers of learning in Paris and Bologna, where he would be trained in the law.

Nothing could make up for his lost lands, but Alice intended to do her best. When she was satisfied that Benedict was safely on his way in life, she would fulfill her own dreams. She would enter a convent, one that possessed a fine library. There she would devote herself to the study of natural philosophy.

Only a few days ago both of her objectives had seemed out of reach. But the arrival of Hugh the Relentless had opened a new door. Alice was determined to seize the opportunity.

"Do not alarm yourself, Benedict," she said briskly. "I have every confidence that Sir Hugh will prove to be a reasonable man."

"Reasonable?" Benedict waved his free hand wildly. "Alice, he's a legend. Legends are never reasonable."

"Come now, you cannot know that. He seemed perfectly amenable to rational discourse last night."

"Last night he toyed with you. Alice, listen to me, Erasmus of Thornewood is Sir Hugh's liege lord. Do you know what that means?"

Alice picked up her quill and tapped the tip thoughtfully against her pursed lips. "I have heard of Erasmus. He is reputed to be quite powerful."

"Aye, and that makes his man, Sir Hugh, powerful, too. You must be careful. Do not think that you can bargain with Sir Hugh as though you were a peddler in the village market. That way lies madness."

"Nonsense." Alice smiled reassuringly. "You worry overmuch, Benedict. 'Tis a fault I have begun to notice in you of late."

"I worry for good cause."

"Nay, you do not. Mark my words, Sir Hugh and I shall get on very well together."

A large figure loomed in the doorway, casting a wide, dark shadow across the carpet. It seemed to Alice that there was a sudden chill in the room. She looked toward the opening. Hugh stood there.

"You echo my own thoughts, Lady Alice," he said. "I am pleased to see that we are of similar minds on the matter."

Awareness prickled along the surface of Alice's skin as his deep, resonant voice filled the study chamber. He spoke very softly yet his words seemed to still even the smallest of competing sounds. The bird on the window ledge fell silent. The echoes of horses' hooves down in the bailey faded.

Alice felt her insides tighten in anticipation. She could not stop herself from staring at Hugh for a moment. This was the first time she had seen him since last night's confrontation in the flame-lit hall. She was eager to discover if his presence had the same odd effect on her this morning that it had had on the first occasion.

It did.

Against all reason and the evidence of her own eyes, she found Hugh the Relentless to be the most compelling man she had ever met. He was no more handsome in the morning light than he had been last night yet something about him drew her.

It was almost as if she had developed an extraordinary additional sense, she thought, and that she now employed a level of sensation that went beyond hearing, vision, touch, taste, and smell. All in all, a most intriguing problem in natural philosophy, she decided.

Benedict jerked around to face Hugh. His staff struck Alice's desk. "My lord." His jaw tightened. "My sister and I were having a private conversation. We did not see you standing there."

"I have been told that I am rather difficult to overlook," Hugh said. "You are Benedict?"

"Aye, my lord." Benedict straightened his shoulders. "I am Alice's brother and I do not think that you should meet alone with her. 'Tis not proper."

Alice raised her eyes toward the ceiling. "Benedict, please, this is ridiculous. I am no young maid whose reputation must be protected. Sir Hugh and I merely intend to converse on matters of business."

" 'Tis not right," Benedict insisted.

Hugh leaned one broad shoulder against the door-jamb and crossed his arms over his chest. "What do you think I am going to do to her?"

"I don't know," Benedict muttered. "But I won't allow it."

Alice lost her patience. "Benedict, that is enough. Leave us now. Sir Hugh and I must be about our business."

"But, Alice—"

"I will speak with you later, Benedict."

Benedict flushed darkly. He glowered at Hugh, who merely shrugged, straightened, and got out of the doorway to make room for him to pass.

"Fear not," Hugh said to him quietly. "You have my word that I'll not ravish your sister during the course of this bargain she wishes to strike."

Benedict turned an even darker hue of red. With one last, angry glance at Alice, he stalked awkwardly past Hugh and disappeared down the hall.

Hugh waited until he was out of earshot. Then he met Alice's eyes. "A young man's pride is a tricky thing. It should be handled with some delicacy."

"Do not concern yourself with my brother, sir. He is my responsibility." Alice indicated a wooden stool with a wave of her hand. "Please be seated. We have much to discuss."

"Aye." Hugh glanced at the stool but he did not sit down on it. Instead he walked to the brazier and held his hands out to the warmth of the glowing coals. "That we do. What is this bargain you would make with me, lady?"

Alice watched him with an eagerness she could not conceal. He seemed quite amenable, she thought. There was no sign that he meant to be difficult. A sensible, reasonable man, just as she had concluded.

"My lord, I shall be blunt."

"By all means. I much prefer directness. It saves a great deal of time, does it not?"

"Aye." Alice clasped her hands together on her desk. "I am prepared to tell you precisely where I believe the thief took my green crystal."

"It is my crystal, Lady Alice. You seem to have a habit of forgetting that fact."

"We can argue the fine points of the matter at another time, my lord."

Hugh looked faintly amused. "There will be no argument."

"Excellent. I am delighted to see that you are a man of reason, sir."

"I make every effort."

Alice smiled approvingly. "Now, then, as I said, I will tell you where I believe the crystal to be at this moment. In addition, I will even agree to accompany you to its present location and point out the thief."

Hugh considered that. "Very helpful."

"I am glad you appreciate it, my lord. But there is even more to my part of this bargain."

"I cannot wait to hear the rest," Hugh said.

"Not only will I help you find the crystal, sir, I will go one step further." Alice leaned forward to emphasize her next words. "I shall agree to relinquish my claim to it."

"A claim that I do not accept."

Alice started to frown. "My lord—"

"And in exchange for this magnanimous offer?" he interrupted calmly. "What is it you would ask of me, Lady Alice?"

Alice braced herself. "In exchange, my lord, I ask two things. The first is that, two years from now, when my brother is old enough, you will arrange for him to go to Paris and, mayhap, Bologna, so that he may attend the lectures given there. I would have him become proficient in the liberal arts and particularly in the law so that he may eventually obtain a position of high rank at court or in the household of some wealthy prince or noble."

"Your brother wishes to pursue a career as a secretary or clerk?"

"It's not as though he has a great deal of choice in the matter, my lord." Alice tightened her fingers. "I was not able to protect his rightful inheritance from our uncle. Therefore, I must do the next best thing for Benedict."

Hugh studied her speculatively. "Very well, that is your affair, I suppose. I am prepared to finance his studies in exchange for getting my hands on the crystal."

Alice relaxed. The worst was over. "Thank you, my lord. I am pleased to hear that."

"What was the second thing you would have of me?"

"A very minor request, my lord, of no real consequence to one in your position," she said smoothly. "Indeed, I daresay you will barely take notice of it."

"What, precisely, is it, lady?"

"I ask that you provide me with a dowry."

Hugh gazed into the brazier coals as though he saw something of great interest there. "A dowry? You wish to be wed?"

Alice chuckled. "By the Saints, whatever gave you that notion, my lord? Of course I do not wish to wed. Why on earth would I want a husband? My goal is to enter a convent."

Hugh turned slowly toward her. His amber eyes gleamed intently. "May I ask why?"

"So that I may continue my studies in natural philosophy, of course. To do so, I shall need a large library, which only a rich convent can provide." Alice cleared her throat delicately. "And to get into a fine religious house, I shall naturally need a respectably large dowry."