I am called Summer Rainault. You need not fear for my safety, my lord, I’m quite safe, but I’ll gladly accept your escort all the same. I walk to my father’s house. May I know your name also?
“Summer, what a beautiful name for a lady. Yet stating you are safe in London at this hour… quite brave, are you not?” Humphrey said smiling, while dismounting his horse. His two guards behind him automatically followed.
“My name…” Humphrey hesitated.
(Is it possible that she would not recognise a prince? Hmmmmm….)“….you may just call me Arteys, my lady. Is it far we have the pleasure to escort you to? And what are you doing on the street at this late hour?”“I would not call myself brave, no, Lord Arteys. I’m only walking home from visiting my cousins; it is not so far.” Summer offered a quick curtsey.
“Well, walking home at this hour, alone in London you must be brave. See those three there?” Humphrey asked, pointing to three men standing behind a tree on the corner of the street where it led in a narrow walkway towards the peasants’ lodgings, the poorest part of the town.
“I know one of them. We had a quarrel a few days back for he tried to cut my purse while dining in The Red Bull. You shall have escort at this hour, my lady Summer.” He offered his arm to her, Hera’s reins in his other hand, his two squires behind. “Where are we going exactly, my lady?”
Summer’s mouth twitched. All three of the rough men there knew her, very well. One of them boasted a burn scar on his hand to show for it. But these were not things she told just anybody she might meet. Long and long tests of trust before she revealed some things.
She sternly suppressed her mirth and laid a careful hand to Arteys’ arm. “My father’s house is around the corner from the ruins of the Savoy. I thank you very kindly for your concern, my lord. Will you tell me what brings you to the city?”