The Perilous Forest

Having come upon a decision, the servants soon fetch you for dinner. The Earl does not join you, and the steward sends his regrets, saying that your narrow escape from certain death at the hands of the outrageous bandits have motivated him to find out with his men and roust the roustabouts. Maid Maude however joins you, at your request that her and Fenwick be at your disposal. Fenwick waits outside the room, standing guard.

Your meal is fine, country hen (pheasant) in a mushroom gravy, and a platter of fresh fish poached in cream, all served with thick breads, candied mincemeats, and stewed summer vegetables.

"I thank you for your invitation, m'lords. M'lady is wont to dine late, and she has given me permission to attend on you."

"It is fortunate you could attend." Gregor says to Maid Maude. "Tell me," he continues,"how has your time as the castle been since we escorted you back here?"

After she replies, Gregor will also ask her, "Do you know anything more of The Abbott of Brown Cloister. Is there any connection there to Earl Parwick's wife?"

Sir Wolstan, having eaten heartily, wipes gravy and cream from his mouth and beard with a piece of table linen. "And what might this wife's name be?" he asks. "And what malfeasance has she committed to spur her husband to banish her so? Your mistress had a hand in this, perhaps, but what grounds does the Earl offer for his actions to his courtiers?"

"Have you only already met her in the flesh?" adds Sir Wilfred to Sir Wolstan's question, between two bites.

The plot thickens.

At the mention of rumors, Wolstan raises a hand to offer an easy way out of the conversation before the impropriety embarrasses them all... and causes the steward to question the woman's virtue further. "And nor would we expect you to be, Maude," the man says. "You have told us all we need to know about the situation with the Earl and the Countess. We knights will find the truth of it, and set right whatever has gone wrong here."

"That is about right." abounds Sir Wilfred. "I just have a few more questions if you don't mind, though, and that will be all. About this Abbott. What's his name? What does he look like? Do you know if your mistress knows him?"

She is uncomfortable with the rumourmongering"The Abbott of Brown Cloister is Father Dyddion. He is a thin man, almost impossibly so for someone so tall. Middle aged, bald with bushy beard." She gestures at the lower side of her jaw about the beard. "He wears a yellow robe, each time I've seen him, like a pauper."

To the last question, she adds, "Yes, they've supped together once, the Earl, her, and the Father, when he has visited."

"It think I speak in the name of everyone here when I say that your words have been most precious to us. Please take care of yourself in the coming days. And it would be of great help to us if you would keep having your eyes and ears open to all the things happening here." says Sir Wilfred in response. He proposes to accompany the maid back to the door to conclude the interview, except if any of his fellow knights would like to add anything.

Gregor adds, "Maid Maude, when we first met you and your man-at-arms, Fenwick, you had said in earnest that you wished we would have delivered you from the brigands further from the castle. I ask you. Is it safe here now for Fenwick and yourself? The Earl has granted us permission to have you accompany us, since you have some experience with and knowledge of the actions of the brigands—more than he does even," Gregor says the last comment sarcastically. "You and Fenwick may if you feel that would be prudent."

Gareth quietly makes his thoughts known after maid Maude takes her leave.

"The earl and his mistress have supped together with the Abbott, the keeper of the earl's wife? Is this not most unusual? It seems an odd trio of bedfellows to be dining together do you not think? Something feels rotten in this arrangement. Something more than just the lady losing a child."

"I agree with your assessment Sir Gareth. Perhaps you should visit the mistress before we leave here."

You all turn in for the night.

Later that night, in Gareth's chambers...

Sir Heath is asleep and he finds the scent of lilies wafting in his room. He awakes to find a woman on his bed. Gorgeous, dressed scantilly, and obviously in the mood for loveplay, she leans forward against him, and says in a husky whisper that buzzes every nerve in his male body like the first hit of alcohol, "The portents say that the Earl won't live long and then I'll need a new lover. Want me to show you what you have to look forward to?"

As Gareth fully wakes up, no stranger to female attention given his handsome countenance and flirtatious manner, Gareth realizes he may have an opportunity here, or two. Cuckholding the Earl would be politically disastrous and would undoubtedly lead to a duel with the man. What does he do?

Sir Wilfred goes to bed, spending a disturbed night full of horrible dreams about unbearable and unforgivable adultery...