Jocelyn awoke with a start. The bed was moving. Then she saw the pale glow of firelight through a crack in the curtains. A large shadow moved into the light. With a squeal of alarm she rolled toward the far side of the bed, only to bump into the wall the bed stood against.

            "Don't be frightened, Jocelyn. 'Tis Alard." He moved onto the bed, carefully closing the bed curtain behind him so they were cocooned in complete darkness.

            She pressed against the headboard, clutching the covers to her chest. "Is this how you honor your word to my father?"

            "How have I broken faith with your father?"

            "He said the final choice would be mine."

            "And so it shall."

            "What choice will I have after you have defiled me?"

            "I'm here to talk, Jocelyn, only talk. Simon told me you were upset because I did not greet you today."

            "I wasn't upset, only surprised. 'Tis common courtesy to greet guests on their arrival, or at least, to give some reason why you do not."

            "I simply wish us to spend time together without the pressure of others watching our every move. Your brother is a stout fellow, but his jests can be cutting."

            "You fear Simon's humor?"

            "He witnessed your last refusal of my suit. Surely, you can understand why I hesitated to approach you under his watchful eyes."

            Guilt pricked at her. She supposed she had been a bit harsh to a man who had suffered as Alard had. "I rejected marriage, not you."

            "The look on your face as you gazed at me said otherwise."

            He sounded truly wounded. "Later, I realized you were suffering from the effects of your long imprisonment. I'm sure you look much differently now."

            "Some scars never heal," he said in a forlorn voice.

            "Oh!" Was he permanently disfigured? The poor man. What should she say to him now?

            He covered her embarrassment by continuing. "During the long night we spent in the dungeon, I felt a special harmony between us. Perhaps, if we have more time isolated and in the dark, something truly wonderful will develop between us."

            "Lud! Are you going to put me in the dungeon again?"

            "No, no," he hastily reassured her, "but we might make a more comfortable dungeon here. With the bed-hangings drawn, we are in darkness, and the castle's stone walls will block our voices from other's ears."

            He spoke as if proposing a walk in the gardens, but Jocelyn knew his was a seriously flawed proposition. "This is a bed. It's most improper for us to be here. In fact, we should not be together at all without chaperones."

            "We were un-chaperoned in the dungeon."

            "There was a wall between us."

            "Then we'll make a wall here. Give me your bolsters."

            "What?"

            "The pillows. We'll pile them between us to form a wall."

            "A wall that can be easily breached is no wall at all."

            "Milady," his tone was stern, "if I swear not to breach it, the wall will be as strong as if built of stone."

            "And will you so swear?"

            "I swear on my honor as a crusader."

            Jocelyn still had misgivings but she hesitated to question the oath of a crusader. Besides, he had to know a scream would bring others to her rescue. Hesitantly, she dragged the pillow from behind her and pushed it and others toward the middle of the bed. They were pulled from her control, and she sat in hunched indecision as the bed lurched and Alard pounded on pillows.

            Soon he said, "There it is, our mighty wall. Now we can lay back in comfort and talk at leisure.

            Before she stretched out, Jocelyn lightly felt in front of her to be sure the pillow barrier was in place. After a moment of silence, she said, "What shall we talk about?"

            "Perhaps we can pick up where we left off in the dungeon?"

            "As I recall we were discussing your imminent death."

            "Fortunately that's no longer pending."

            "Unless I tell my brother you came into my room and forced yourself on me."

            He gave an evil-sounding chuckle before saying, "You do and Simon will congratulate me for following his advice and summon the priest. You see, dear lady, everyone seems to think we should marry."

            "Everyone except me."