IN AN HOUR'S TIME, fourteen of our men stood about the courtyard, dressed as Baldwin's own brigade.

The rest kept from sight, concealed behind the dungeon door. Like Bette, three of Geoffrey's friends had helped lure soldiers into our trap.

Odo and I stood guard at the dungeon door, looking for a sign that the duke was conducting business. Across the courtyard, two guards stood with halberds on either side of the castle entrance. Others crossed back and forth at a crisp pace, wheeling weapons and armaments down to the ramparts.

From down the road, we could hear our own men massing at the city walls-shouting and taunting, just as I had ordered them.

Finally I spotted Geoffrey entering the courtyard. He scratched his head, then flashed me a purposeful nod.

It's time, I said, rapping at the dungeon door.

Odo slid it open. The balance of our party, some still in their own clothes, headed out. In the hubbub of people moving about, no one noticed. We made our way across the courtyard. We were joined by the rest of our ranks in Baldwin's uniforms, loitering about.

As we approached the castle guards, one of them lowered his halberd in our path. Only military personnel in the castle today.

These men have business before the duke, I said, indicating those not wearing guards' uniforms. They have come from the woods and know of the jester.

The guards hesitated. They eyed us up and down. My heart beat wildly. We've come from the wall, I said in a firmer voice. Do you have the time to conduct an investigation when there's important news to deliver to the duke? Finally, eyeing our uniforms, the guard retracted the halberd and let us by.

We were inside the castle. I boldly led the group through the main vestibule toward the great hall.

To my surprise, the halls were not as busy as I expected. Most of the duke's manpower was defending the walls. The times I had been here before, these same halls were crowded with petitioners and favor-seekers.

I led the way to the great hall. Two more guards stood at attention before the large doorway. The duke's voice bellowed inside. My stomach churned.

We are wanted within. I snapped a nod to the guards. I wore the purple and white. We'd made it this far. No one made a move to block us.

Our ranks sifted into the duke's large meeting room. It was just as I remembered when I............