"Ah, Hugh." Erasmus looked up from his chair near the fire. His smile of welcome was weak but it conveyed his pleasure. " 'Tis good to see you. Who is this with you?"

"This is Benedict, my lord." Hugh motioned for Benedict to step forward. "He is the brother of my betrothed."

"Welcome, young Benedict."

"Thank you, my lord." Benedict made a proper bow.

"Come here so that I may become acquainted with you," Erasmus said. "Tell me what you and Hugh did down at the docks this morning."

Hugh exchanged a glance with Erasmus's wife as Benedict obediently went toward the hearth. Eleanor was a fine-looking woman who was not much older than Hugh. She gave him a brave little smile as Erasmus spoke quietly with Benedict, but nothing could hide the shadows in her eyes. Hugh knew that Eleanor was very fond of her lord. The couple had two children, a boy and a girl.

"There has been no improvement?" Hugh asked her quietly.

"The attacks grow worse. I dismissed the doctors."

"Always a sound notion," Hugh muttered.

"Aye. I am convinced that they were doing him more harm than good with their vile instruments. I vow, they were going to bleed him dry. And those terrible purges." Eleanor shook her head in disgust. "They did no good at all. He has reached the point where all he wishes to do is die in peace."

Hugh looked at Erasmus. His liege lord had aged ten years in the last few months, he thought. The strong, compelling figure who had been the center of Hugh's life during his youth and the man to whom he had given his loyalty and sword as an adult was now pale and thin beyond belief.

"I cannot believe we are losing him," Hugh said softly. "He is only in his forty-second year and he has always enjoyed good health."

"He barely sleeps at all at night," Eleanor whispered. "And when he does manage to fall asleep he awakes with a terrible start. He rises, shaking, and paces until dawn. His greatest fear is not that he will die, but that he may be going mad."

"My betrothed sent these herbs and this letter of instructions." Hugh reached into his black leather pouch and took out the contents. "I do not know if they will be effective but it cannot hurt to try. She has a certain skill with medicines."

Eleanor frowned slightly. "I do not wish him to suffer any more from harsh remedies."

"My liege lord is a warrior at heart," Hugh said. "Whatever this sickness is, it will not have altered that fact. Let him fight one last battle before you abandon all hope."

"Aye, you are correct, Sir Hugh." Eleanor closed her hand very tightly around the herbs and the letter.

Erasmus raised a hand. "Hugh, come here. I would speak with you for a few minutes."

Hugh walked toward the fireside, his heart heavy with impending grief.

Alice surveyed the warm, bustling kitchen with a critical eye. Two massive iron caldrons, each packed with various stews, stuffed chickens, and savory puddings, simmered over the large cook fire. Sweat beaded the brows of the scullions who turned the handles of the roasting spits. Meat pies browned on a hot plate set at the edge of the flames.

"See that the caldrons are completely emptied, cleaned, and scoured every sennight, Elbert," Alice said briskly. "I do not favor the common practice of using them continuously for months on end without scrubbing them well."

"Aye, m'lady." Elbert's face was set in an earnest, intent frown.

In the five days that Hugh had been gone, Scarcliffe Keep had been cleaned from top to bottom. Every linen chest and wardrobe had been emptied, dusted, and fitted out with fresh herbal scent bags. Each chamber, from the one where Hugh slept to the smallest storeroom, had been opened and assessed. Elbert had been at her side during the entire process. He had made careful notes on his wax tablet as she rattled off an endless list of instructions.

Alice had saved the kitchens for last.

"Make certain that the scullions are given other tasks on a regular basis. I do not want any of them to spend too long near the fire. 'Tis hot, uncomfortable work."

"Other tasks." Elbert made another note with his stylus. "Aye, m'lady."

The sweat-streaked scullions grinned.

Alice walked through the busy kitchen, pausing at various points to observe certain things more closely. She smiled at the cooks, who were clearly awed and excited by her presence. Alice knew that they were also quite anxious. It was the first visit she had paid them. Their only other contact with her had been via Elbert, who had brought them the precise instructions and menus she had made up for her personal meals.

Alice studied a worktable where a cook was chopping onions. "I want the special green pottage that you make for me served once a day to Lord Hugh and everyone else in the keep."

"Special green pottage," Elbert repeated. "Served to everyone. Aye, m'lady."

" 'Tis very healthful," Alice explained. "Also, I want at least three vegetable dishes served at the midday meal."

"Three vegetable dishes. Aye, m'lady."

"Do not allow the cabbages to be boiled for too long."

Elbert made another note. "Aye, m'lady."

Alice peered down at the wheat and milk concoction cooking in an earthenware bowl. "Have the frumenty sweetened with honey. 'Tis rather plain without it."

"Honey in the frumenty." Elbert's stylus skimmed across the tablet.

"I shall provide you with a list of ingredients for a sauce made with cloves and cardamom and another made with ginger and saffron. Quite tasty. They should be used on dishes of boiled fish or on the roast meats."

"Aye, m'lady." Elbert glanced at her with sudden anxiety. "As to the spices, m'lady, how should we go about obtaining them?"

Alice looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean? Sir Hugh has a vast quantity of excellent spices stored in chests here in the keep."

Elbert cleared his throat cautiously. "His lordship keeps the keys to the storerooms. He has given strict instructions that I am to come to him whenever spices are needed in the kitchens. But on the two occasions that I went to him to request the spices the cooks wanted, he was most annoyed."

"Why?"

"He, uh, complained of the quantity that was requested," Elbert said unhappily. "He said that I had no notion of economy and that I was encouraging the cooks to be wasteful."

"I see." Alice chuckled. "Lord Hugh enjoys dining well, but he has never been obliged to actually prepare his own meals, let alone plan dishes for a household this size. These cooks must feed forty people daily. More on special occasions."

"Aye," Elbert said glumly.

"Sir Hugh may be very good at figuring his accounts, but he has no notion of proper quantities of ingredients for dishes."

"Nay, m'lady, he does not," Elbert agreed fervently.

"Do not concern yourself, Elbert. Sir Hugh gave me the keys to the storerooms before he departed. I shall keep them permanently in my possession after he returns. From now on, see to it that a list of the spices needed each day is given to me in the mornings. I will measure them out for the cooks."

Hope lit Elbert's eyes. "I will not have to go to Lord Hugh for the spices?"

"Nay. I will deal with it."

Elbert relaxed visibly. "My thanks, m'lady."

"Now, then, as to the menus. I shall prepare several. You may alternate among them as you choose." Alice smiled at two women who were stirring a pudding. "Be certain to bring me any suggestions that the cooks make. I'll no doubt find them useful for adding variety to the list of dishes."

The two women glowed.

Alice moved on toward a table laden with eggs. "Egg dishes are quite strengthening. I want at least one served at every midday meal."

"Aye, m'lady." Elbert studied the vast pile of eggs. "How do you wish them to be prepared?"