FORTY-THREE
Guinevere was true to her word, giving orders to the household for all the world like it was her own. At first, she'd seen nervous glances directed toward Lancelot, before some of his bolder servants had summoned the courage to whisper their questions in his ear, their eyes fixed fearfully on the woman they'd surely heard was the traitor queen.
Lancelot nodded gravely at their concerns, but after the third such report, he held up his hands. "Queen Guinevere honours me with her care for my household. Without a castellan, we might not have stores for the winter. Out of the kindness of her heart, while she remains with us, she has offered to act as chatelaine to my humble estate. She has commanded royal castles, the staff of kings, including, 'tis said, the kings themselves. I a
