He was as a son to me. His betrayal is as hard to bear."

"You wil be banishing him, then?" There was nary a hint of pleading in her eyes, just a sad awareness that this would be the obvious solution, the obvious conclusion.

"Nay."

Her head jerked back in surprise. "I am sorry? Do I hear you correctly?"

"You have heard correctly. I have need of him, for the continued prosperity and safety of Camelot. I cannot yet bring myself to forgive, but I do understand. Do not forget that I was also once where he is. I would have done anything for you."

"It cuts deeply that you speak in the past tense, although I realize that it is my own wrongdoing that has brought this on."

"I make this demand of him as wel as you, Guinevere. Complete discretion, for both your sakes. For if you are caught, I can no longer protect either of you. Is this clear?"

She laid a hand on his chest. "This promise I make you, in ful faith. We wil stop this ... thing between us. Lancelot loves you as much as I. We, neither of us, would ever want to bring shame or dishonor upon you."

His bark of laughter startled her. "I am afraid, sweet Gwen, that the bailey's gate is wide open and the steeds have long past left the castle."

"I'm sorry?"

"Too late."

CHAPTER TEN.

ISABEL couldn't sleep. The bed was more than comfortable, although she had a feeling PETA would not approve of the fur blanketing it. She'd flopped from one side to the other, from her back to her tummy, but no position seemed to al ow her mind to stop whirling and fal into slumber, peaceful or not. Oh, for some sleep meds right about now.

Her door opened silently, only the light from the hal way lanterns slicing across the room alerting her. She sat up, alarmed, but then recognized Mary, the young girl's arms fil ed with a couple of new logs for the fire.

"Oh, you startled me!"

Mary froze. "Countess, my apologies," she said with a smal curtsy. "I thought you would be deeply asleep by this hour."

"The question is, why aren't you?" Isabel asked. "You are way too young to be working such long hours."

As Mary careful y laid the logs on the dying embers and waved to flame the fire, she said, "'Tis my pleasure to serve you, Countess." She stood and turned, an impish smile on her face. "And truth be told, when you have no need of me, I slip in a nap or two during the day. I receive plenty of sleep."

"I'm glad to hear that, but answer me this, Mary. What do you real y do for pleasure?"

"M'lady? I'm not sure I understand your question."

"You and your friends. What do you do? Do you play games? Play sports?"

"There's not much time for such things."

"So many chores, so little time, eh?"

"Something like that, yes, mum."

"We'l see about that," Isabel murmured.

"Pardon?"

"Nothing, nothing, Mary." Isabel threw her covers aside and stood. "Listen, I just cannot sleep. Maybe a short walk would do me good. Is there a way to the south gardens without going down and through the great hal ?"

"Yes, there be, Countess, but the back staircase is for servants, not for the likes of royalty."

"Tonight, I am a servant, then. Please help me find my long cloak, and show me the way."

MARY led Isabel to the gardens she had shared with Arthur several hours earlier. Luckily, they encountered no one along the way. The castle seemed to be sound asleep.

Isabel thanked Mary profusely and tried to tip her with one of the hundreds of coins she'd discovered in a pouch in one of her trunks. Mary stared at it in horror and backed away. "No, Countess, I cannot. If this be found, I may be accused of theft."

"How, when I wil readily tel one and al that it was a gift from me for your excel ent service?"

"I am not permitted to accept such gifts."

Wow, tel that to the service personnel on cruise ships. They whistled in the air while holding their palms out at every opportunity. Isabel vowed to herself that she'd find a way to repay Mary for her help and kindness in ways that would not get the girl in trouble.

"Apparently another faux pas on my part. I apologize if I've offended you, Mary."

"Fo paw?"

"Never mind, another word apparently exclusive to my land. Please, go to bed, and thank you for helping me."

Mary curtsied, which was beginning to get on Isabel's nerves. But she bit her tongue and wished Mary a good night. "I wil find my way back, Mary. I have no need for help until the morning bath."

"Thank you, mum. And I do so hope you find the peace you are searching for."

Isabel wished for the same thing but was afraid peace eluded her at the moment.

"I see that neither of us are finding that peace tonight."

Isabel practical y jumped to the turrets. She twisted around to find the source of her torment leaning against an apricot tree. "Arthur, good gods, you just scared the living ... daylights out of me."

He bowed slightly. "My apologies, Isabel. 'Twas not my intention."

Her eyes narrowed. "Are you fol owing me?"

He pushed off from the tree with his shoulder then stepped forward, that catlike silence of his movements almost eerie. "I believe you have fol owed me, as I have been wandering the gardens for some time."

"I had no idea," she said, affronted. "I just could not find sleep." Then she thought of something. "This is not Mary's fault! I demanded that she help me find my way back here in a way that would not bring us through the great hal ."

"On my oath, I wil assure Mary is rewarded, not punished, for her actions. In truth, she has demonstrated more loyalty to her king than I have witnessed from many others in a very long time."

He stepped around that magical bench and took Isabel's hand. "Please join me and tel me why it is that you cannot sleep, Countess Isabel."

"I am afraid I don't know."

"Are the accommodations less than satisfactory? I wil have anything done to make you more comfortable."

More comfortable would mean having him sharing her bed. His warmth, his hard body, his scent. Which, come to think of it, was vastly different than earlier. He had obviously bathed and washed his hair. She couldn't identify the spicy scent, but it was delicious.

She sat down on the bench, acutely aware that she was wearing only a nightdress and a cloak. How she wished she'd found some jeans and T-shirts stuffed in those trunks.

He stood in front of her, not joining her, just shaking his head. "I told her, Isabel."

She stared into the troubled green eyes of her dream man, her heart aching. "Guinevere?"

"Yes."

"And you told her what? Your bowling score? Your credit rating? How to work a Clapper?"

Arthur grinned and sat down. "You have a way of making me smile, Countess, even during a sad time."

"Wel , that's dandy, but what are you talking about?"

"I told her that I was aware of this thing betwixt and between her and Sir Lancelot."

"Oh boy. Why?"

"Why? You advised me to talk to her."

Oh freaking boy. "I meant that as a sort of get-back-together type of thing. Or at least I thought I did."

Didn't I, Lady?

Did you, Isabel? 'Twould seem that only time will tell.

Breaking up their marriage was not my intent; I'll feel like shit if this is why I've been sent.

I sent you here to make happy both Arthur and Merlin. To satisfy them both is no such sin.

Once again Arthur began pacing in front of her, something she'd already noticed was a habit he had when he was deep in thought. Or possibly looking deeply into his own soul.

"From the moment I set eyes on Gwen, I have ne'er felt lust for another. Not even after I had learned the truth. Ne'er."

He stopped pacing and faced her directly. "And then our meeting in the forest. And I found myself suddenly wanting a woman who was not my wife."

"I'm so sorry."

He laughed once again. "You apologize for this? You are apologizing for being beautiful? For being ... you?"

"I have no desire to be part of the crash and burn of a marriage."

"Crash and burn? Has it not already crashed and burned?"

"You tel me, Arthur."

He had that come-and-get-me smile on his face. Isabel was certain he didn't realize that was what he was transmitting, but it was stil like a huge Jump Me sign to her. "You opened my eyes tonight, Countess. You are so lovely and blunt, and that mouth of yours spouts fierceness, and yet your actions show compassion."

Wel , that was as clear as quantum physics. "Thank you. I think. And how did this little chat with Guinevere go?"

His hands waved in the air. "She did not deny. She did not beg for mercy for herself, but for Lancelot. She hoped that his punishment would merely be banishment."

"I'm so sorry."

Once again his deep grass green eyes lifted to hers. "And your thoughts?"

Therapist, she decided, was not her forte. Especial y when she wanted this man. And she was so wanting to jog down that one path that led straight to her own selfish desires.

"Please tel me you are not going to out them."

"Out them?"

"Gwen and Lancelot. Hurt them. Have them punished?"

"Never. However, much is out of my hands. I can protect both only so far."

"So then let's protect them."

"My pardon, Isabel?"

"You love them both, yes?"

"Most assuredly. Not as afore, but stil , they mean much to me."

"You have decided, in your soul, that you do not want to punish them, correct?"

"I have."

"Then we need to come up with a plan. A battle plan, as it were."

His laughter was rich, and once again it reached down into her body. "You are a constant amazement, Countess."

"Hey, what the hel , let's get this done. We might al come out of this with what we want."

"What I want right now is to feel your lips."

"Keep your eye on the prize, Arthur."

"You have said this afore on our ride to Camelot. However, the prize, as you cal it, has changed."

"You want to keep Camelot and al of your people safe. That has never changed."