She is welcoming.

As the trio approached the castle walls, Christine could see the towering stonework glittering with a gold as the early afternoon sun warmed its walls. The streets narrowed in this old part of town, and it felt almost like the Verderer was leading them through a magical tunnel. He stopped in front of a townhouse with stone walls on the lower story and dark wooden beams and white plaster above. The building looked much like all the others on this street, although a rose bush that climbed from the corner of the building and the herbs that lined the upper story windows made it easy to remember. All in all, the modest house was nothing like her father's castle, but it was cozy in its own way. As the Verderer guided Christine towards the steps, the door swung open, and a buxom blonde woman appeared wiping her hands on the stained apron wrapped around her ample waist.

"You found her." The Verderer's goodwife pulled Christine up the last two steps and swept her up against her bosom. After all that had happened, Christine was too confused to protest and only a few moments later she found herself sitting at the great table with a cup of broth in her trembling hands.

A few feet away the Verderer and his wife were huddled together at the end of the table. No doubt the warden was filling in his wife about how he found her exposed and naked in the cellar of a whore house. Immediately she felt a wave of guilt, as she remembered her own beloved father and how he might be suffering in Prince Henry's grasp. Christine was suddenly aware of the curious stares of three more sets of young eyes. The oldest lad, a handsome young man who had his father's eyes, was openly curious about attractive woman dressed only in a scanty rag and Christine pulled the cloak self-conscious of the amount of skin she was showing. His brother only just aware of her presence when the youngest of the trio exclaimed in delight and threw himself into her arms.

"Crissy!" Christine almost didn't recognize her brother. Washed clean and wearing must have been one of the old lad's old tunics. "I had to tell the Verderer, I knew he'd have to help you."

"Your sister's all right, Franklin." The man in question interceded quickly sending his sons out before they heard too much. "Be off with you boys. Quickly now and tell no one else of our guests." The pair moved slowly towards the side door clearly not wanting to miss whatever it was that was happening. Holding Erik tightly, Christine whispered soothing words as Erik clung to and was starting to sniffle. In his efforts to find comfort the young boy pulled the Verderer's oversized cloak completely off Christine's shoulder exposing even more of the threadbare rag beneath.

The goodwife seemed to notice for the first time the state of her guest's undress and tucked her skirt into her belt and laid her spoon down on the table with a distinct 'click'.

"We need to get this young woman bathed and some decent clothes." The mistress of the house lifted Erik from her lap as easily as a shepherd lifting a newborn lamb from the green. on the three of them like a warm summer breeze. "How about another roll, Franklin?" The woman was almost as tall as her husband and maybe weighed as much as him too, but for all her size Christine sensed that this matron was as kind-hearted as her husband. "Did you want sugar and butter on it again like last time?" A silent nod to her husband sent him to the breadboard and Erik seemed content to turn his attention to refilling his belly.

"Put the kettle on, Werner. A hot bath will do this young lass better than anything we can say." The mistress turned to Christine and took her small hands firmly in hers. "I'll take Evelyn to our room where she can have some privacy."

'Thank the merciful Lord,' Christine whispered silently; she had been sorely afraid that she would be expected to wash up here in the kitchen in front of Werner and his wife. Remembering those clear blue eyes staring at her like he had in 'the hole' made her blush fiercely. She followed the Verderer's jovial wife silently up the steep stairway in the back of the hall. Erik, she noticed, did not seem to mind being separated from her, and she gave silent thanks for that as well.

It bothered her though to know the danger this family was in because of her presence. It was wrong for this good woman to take a risk like this without knowing what she was doing.