Her expression was puzzled. “You don’t live here?” She swayed slightly, and put a hand against him to brace herself. “I’m sorry. I’m just so tired suddenly … “
“Not right in the castle — just beside it, in one of the nicer houses. I have a lot of my meals in the castle though, and you’re welcome to join me,” he requested, before his eyes widened and he wrapped his arm around her. “Come on — we’d better get you lying down. You’ve had a very long and stressful couple of days.”
“You promised not to leave me,” she mumbled, stifling a yawn. “I don’t want to be alone here.” She let him guide her back out, through the courtyard, briefly interrupted by a stableboy coming to hand Sir Isaac the saddlebags. Compared to the castle, his house seemed small, but it was still larger than the cottage she’d lived in — and much less crowded. “You live here by yourself?”