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Roban； watching with frank curiosity； saw the woman go pale； even as the father； beside her； smiled…and then slowly stopped smiling as implications came home to him。 Lucianna Delonghi said nothing at all； her posure seemed shaken for the first time the chancellor could remember。 With a court…bred instinct Roban turned just then to look at Ariane； and saw how thin her mouth was as she watched。 A new twist here； he thought。 I wonder when that happened？
〃I begin to think；〃 murmured Bertran de Talair； speaking for the first time； 〃that we may have all found more than we bargained for in this man。 I may yet learn to fear him。 He has just taken his full revenge upon Bosiard d'Andoria。〃
It was true； Roban realized。 This was a very public rose of desire offered to a married woman whose husband had been banned from the fair for trying to have Blaise killed。 Everyone in the pavilions and most of the mons would now be certain they knew why。 No wonder Massena Delonghi was no longer smiling。 Turning back to the Portezzan pavilion； Roban was in time to see the Gorhautian speak one word to the woman； and the chancellor's line of vision was clear enough that he was very nearly certain that the word was farewell。 The revenge； he considered； might not be only upon the husband。
The herald was busily crying Lucianna d'Andoria's name as Blaise came back for the yellow rose。
He took it in both hands； as he had held the other two； and turned to the countess and the queen。 He looked from one to the other and then said； calmly in the stillness of the morning air； 〃This one； if you will allow； I shall keep for a time。 In my own country of Gorhaut we speak love privately before we declare it to the world。〃
And then； before either woman could reply； without any dramatics at all； he fainted。
And that； thought the chancellor of Arbonne sagely as he motioned urgently for the healers； is probably the first act of this entire morning that wasn't meant for an audience。
As it happened； he was wrong。
〃You might consider fainting if this goes on too long and you want to get out of here；〃 Rudel had murmured； not moving his lips； as Blaise had taken the first rose。 〃Gallant victor pushed to his very limits。 They'll like that。 〃
Towards the end； as he walked back from Lucianna's pavilion； Blaise had decided that it was； indeed； going on too long。 He hadn't； actually； expected to see real pain in her eyes。 Anger yes； and perhaps a scornful pride； but not that sudden pain。
Following upon everything else； it made him feel extremely strange。 He didn't want to actually collapse； so he took Rudel's advice and allowed himself to seem to do so； slipping to the grass and letting his eyes fall closed。 He heard voices of sharp concern about him； the countess calling for aid； Bertran's voice guiding the physician through the pavilion's seats to where he lay。 Rudel and Valery quickly contrived a litter to carry him upon； and he heard Hirnan's brisk； highland accent clearing a path as they bore him away； out of the too…bright sun and the scrutiny of so many people。 Part of the way back towards the castle Blaise did； in fact； lose consciousness； but not before the thought came to him； quite unexpectedly； along the momentarily undefended pathways of his mind； that Rosala's child； Cadar； was almost certainly his own son。
Most of the troubadours were loudly； even wildly expressive in their enthusiasm for what had just happened。 Even when En Blaise de Garsenc fell to the ground in a faint it did not check their exuberant spirit。 Remy； it seemed； had elected to forget about his swordspoint encounter with the man at Midsummer。 He would probably end up regarding it as an early bond of blood between the two of them。 Jourdain and Alain were already speaking of a hurried collaboration this afternoon； to have at least one song ready for the evening's banquet in Barbentain。
〃You don't look well。 What is it？〃 Aurelian； of course； the one who always noticed； even in the midst of pandemonium。
Lisseut managed a shaky smile for him。 〃I don't much like this kind of thing； I've just discovered。〃
〃Neither do I； and I learned that some time ago。 It is over now。 We can go。〃 He hesitated； looking down at her thoughtfully。 〃He will be all right； you know。 I saw the physician and a priestess ing over。〃
〃I did too。 I'm sure he's all right。〃 She was aware that there was an expression of knowledge on his part in what he had just said； and an admission in her brief reply。 She didn't care。 He had given out the white rose to his brother's wife； and the red to Lucianna Delonghi； who was as beautiful as Aurelian had said she was。 He had kept the yellow one。
Beside her； Aurelian was silent for a moment。 She saw some children running about on the grass now； play…acting battles。 People were beginning to leave their pavilion and all the others； joining the milling； feverish crowd。 The inns were about to bee extremely busy in Lussan。
〃And you； my dear？〃 Aurelian asked finally。 〃Will you be all right？〃
〃I don't know；〃 she answered； truthfully。
CHAPTER 14
The blue moon is full tonight； Ranald realizes belatedly； lending its strange luminosity to the trees and rocks of the mountain pass。 The creatures of the otherworld are rumoured to be able to move between their own land and this one on nights when Escoran is full。 The mountains； in the shepherds' tales； are the haunts of many of them： ethereal creatures the size of flowers； hairy； great…footed monsters who can seize and devour an unwary horse and rider and leave nothing but bones for the morning sun to find； or the spirits who steal babies from their cradles by the fire and take them away under barrow and hill forever。
Ranald tries； again； to decide exactly why he is so unhappy to be here。 He likes hunting； and night certainly holds no terrors for him； especially not in the pany of fifty of the king's best men。 In a sense this is simply a larger； more wide…ranging hunt。
In another sense； a more honest one； it is no such thing at all。
He looks over to his left and stares for a long moment at the grim profile of the only man who seems even less pleased than he to be here。 Fulk de Savaric had the misfortune to be paying one of his rare visits to Cortil when the message came of his sister's flight and the king decided that same evening to ride。 Ademar had made it clear that the dukes of Garsenc and Savaric were not merely being given the opportunity to join his pany。 They were expected to do so。 Loyalty； the message was explicit； was very much at issue on this ride。
For two days and a night； with a second night upon them now； they have been in the saddle； changing horses three times； eating at speed and usually at a gallop。 Ranald has never seen King Ademar like this； so intense； so focused in his rage。
This； he decides； is probably what is disturbing him most。 That the king is visibly so much more incensed than he himself by Rosala's flight with the child。 It is almost as if she fled from Ademar and not Ranald。 In some ways that might even be true。 Not that he harbours illusions about the strength of his relationship with his wife； but Ranald does wonder； almost wistfully； if she would have risked so much； including the life of the unborn child； just to leave Garsenc and his own pany if his father and the king had not also been part of the picture。 Large parts； both of them； with Galbert threatening to take the babe； and Ademar threatening 。。。 what？ A seduction of the wife of the most powerful duke in the country？ A ravishing of her if she proved unwilling？
It seems； on the evidence； that she has indeed proven unwilling； has chosen the astonishing； surely terrifying option of flight alone to another country rather than trust her husband to guard and shelter her from his father and their king。 And what； he wonders； whether one considers it by the light of day or the blue shining of this moon； do all these things say about the character and strength of Ranald； duke of Garsenc； who is even now riding； however unwillingly； in the wake of his king across the mountain pass towards a slaughter in Arbonne？
In the end it is precisely