"Sir, that crystal is very important to my investigations. I am presently studying various stones and their properties and I find the green crystal most interesting."
"I believe you described it as ugly."
"Aye, my lord. But it has been my experience that objects that lack superficial charm and attraction often conceal secrets of great intellectual interest."
"Does your theory apply to people as well?"
She was confused. "My lord?"
"Few would call me charming or attractive, madam. I merely wondered if you found me interesting."
"Oh."
"In an intellectual sense, that is."
Alice touched the tip of her tongue to her lips. "Ah, well, as to that, aye, my lord, one could certainly describe you as interesting. Most assuredly." Fascinating would be a more accurate description, she thought.
"I'm flattered. You will no doubt be even more interested to know that I did not come by my name by accident. I am called Relentless because of my habit of always pursuing a quest until I am successful."
"I do not doubt that for a moment, sir, but I really cannot allow you to claim my green stone." Alice smiled brightly. "Mayhap in the future I could loan it to you."
"Go and fetch the stone," Hugh said in a terrifyingly calm voice. "Now."
"My lord, you do not comprehend."
"Nay, lady, 'tis you who do not comprehend. I am done with this game you seem to delight in playing. Bring the stone to me now or suffer the consequences."
"Alice," Ralf shrieked. "Do something."
"Aye," Hugh said. "Do something, Lady Alice. Bring the green crystal to me at once."
Alice drew herself up and prepared to deliver the bad news. "I fear I cannot do that, my lord."
"Cannot or will not?" Hugh asked softly.
Alice shrugged. "Cannot. You see, I have recently suffered the same fate as yourself."
"What in the name of the devil are you talking about now?" Hugh asked.
"The green crystal was stolen from me only a few days ago, my lord."
"God's teeth," Hugh whispered. "If you seek to provoke me to anger with a maze of falsehoods and misleading words, you are close to success, madam. I warn you, however, that you may not care for the result."
"Nay, my lord," Alice said hastily. "I speak the plain truth. The stone disappeared from my workroom less than a sennight past."
Hugh shot a cold, questioning glance at Ralf, who nodded morosely. Hugh switched his disturbing gaze back to Alice, pinning her ruthlessly with it.
"If this is a true fact," he said icily, "why was I not informed of it at once when I arrived here this evening?"
Alice cleared her throat again. "It was my uncle's opinion that, as the stone is my property, I should be the one to tell you of its loss."
"And present your claim to it at the same time?" Hugh's smile bore a strong resemblance to the edge of a finely crafted sword blade.
There was no point in denying the obvious. "Aye, my lord."
"I'll wager that it was your decision to delay informing me of the loss of the stone until after I had dined well," Hugh murmured.
"Aye, my lord. My mother always claimed men were more reasonable after a good meal. Now, then, I am pleased to be able to tell you that I have a plan to recover the stone."
Hugh did not appear to have heard her. Instead he seemed lost in some private musings. "I do not believe I have ever encountered a woman such as yourself, Lady Alice."
She was momentarily distracted. A glow of unexpected pleasure warmed her insides. "Do you find me interesting, my lord?" She hardly dared add the rest. "In an intellectual sense?"
"Aye, madam. Most interesting."
Alice blushed. She had never had a man pay her such a compliment. She had never had a man pay her any compliment. It gave her a thrilling feeling of excitement. The fact that Hugh found her as interesting as she found him was almost overwhelming. She forced herself to set the unfamiliar sensation aside and return to practical matters.
"Thank you, my lord," she said with what she felt was commendable composure under the circumstances. "Now, as I was saying, when I learned that you were to pay us a visit, I conceived a scheme whereby we might recover the crystal together."
Ralf stared at her. "Alice, what are you talking about?"
"I shall explain everything soon enough, Uncle." Alice beamed at Hugh. "I'm sure you'll be interested to hear the details, my lord."
"A few, very few, men have, at various times in the past, attempted to deceive me," Hugh said.
Alice frowned. "Deceive you, my lord? No one here attempted to deceive you."
"Those men are now dead."
"Sir, I believe we should return to the subject at hand," Alice said crisply. "Now, as we both have an interest in the green stone, the logical thing to do is to join forces."
"There have also, I regret to say, been one or two women who played dangerous games with me." Hugh paused. "But I doubt that you would wish to learn of their fates."
"My lord, we digress from the topic."
Hugh stroked the stem of his wine goblet. "But now that I think back on those few females who tried my patience with silly games, I believe I can say with some certainty that they were not at all similar to yourself."
"Of course not." Alice began to grow annoyed again. "I am not playing a game with you, sir. Just the opposite. It is to our mutual advantage to combine my wits with your knightly skills so that we may recover the stone together."
"That would be difficult to do, Lady Alice, given that I have seen no evidence that you possess any wits." Hugh turned the goblet between his fingers. "At least none that have not been addled."
Alice was incensed. "My lord, you insult me most grievously."
"Alice, you will be the death of us all," Ralf whispered in despair.
Hugh paid his host no heed. He continued to study Alice. "I do not insult you, lady, I merely point out an indisputable fact. Your wits must have flown if you believe that you can toy with me in this manner. A truly clever woman would have realized long ago that she trod on very thin ice."
"My lord, I have had enough of this nonsense," Alice said.
"So have I."
"Do you wish to be reasonable and listen to my plan or not?"
"Where is the green stone?"
Alice reached the end of her patience. "I told you, it was stolen," she said very loudly. "I believe I know the identity of the thief and I am willing to help you discover his whereabouts. In return, I wish to strike a bargain with you."
"A bargain? With me?" Hugh's eyes held infinite danger. "Surely you jest, lady."
"Nay, I am quite serious."
"I do not think you would like the terms of any bargain you might strike with me."
Alice considered him warily. "Why not? What would your terms involve?"
"Your very soul, most likely," Hugh said.
Chapter 2
"You have the look of an alchemist gazing into his crucible, my lord." Dunstan indulged in his old habit of spitting over the edge of the nearest obstacle. In this instance it was the old wall that surrounded the bailey of Lingwood Manor. "I like it not. In my experience the expression bodes ill for my aging bones."
"Your bones have survived worse than an unpleasant frown or two." Hugh rested his forearms on the top of the wall and gazed out over the dawn-lit landscape.
He had risen half an hour ago, prodded from sleep by a familiar restlessness. He knew the mood well. The storms that abided deep within him were stirring. They shifted and swirled in new patterns. It was always like this on those occasions when his life was about to take a new turn.
The first time Hugh had experienced the sensation had been when he was eight years old. That was the day he had been summoned to his grandfather's deathbed and told that he was to be sent to live in the keep of Erasmus of Thornewood.