***
“The food is quite good,” the countess remarked. “Even delicious.”
“You sound as if you expected to have to subsist on the same plain fare as soldiers do, milady,” he smiled.
“Do I? Well, perhaps I was expecting something of that sort.” She smiled her little half-smile at him across the round table. “Please give my compliments to your cook.”
“I will do so, milady,” he nodded. In fact, he had prepared the meal himself, but he wasn’t going to tell her that.
“But you must tell me something…” she took a sip of wine and settled back in her chair. They were alone in his quarters again. She had changed her warm traveling clothes for a close-fitting gown of pure white, unadorned by any decorations. The neckline dipped very low in front. The bodice of the gown laced up in front from navel
