The first prey to be weighed was the prince’s. Not only because it had been the first to arrive at the pack house, but also out of preference for the guest. Helena watched the numbers climb and smiled as she saw them surpass two hundred pounds. It was a magnificent catch.
“She’ll be hard to beat,” said Leofrik beside her. “But you still seem nervous, Hel. Is something wrong? Is there anything you’d like to tell me?”
Helena raised her gaze to meet the prince’s eyes.
“Nothing at all. It’s just that until we know we’ve won, I won’t feel at ease.”
Leofrik smiled.
“Just looking at the animal your husband and his men brought in, it’s clear that even with a rigged scale, we’ll win.”
Helena’s nerves tightened.
Did the prince know… or suspect…?
The second boar was placed on the scale. This
