The Ruins of Gorlan- Character Reaction

6

Arald handed the book to Rodney, who cleared his throat before he began to read.

Will stared at the words on the paper in utter confusion.

"What was there to be confused about?" Halt asked, puzzled.

Will gave him a long-suffering look. "Oh, I don't know, maybe the fact that I didn't know anything about Rangers, and Baron Arald's previous comment made me think it was a punishment?"

His first reaction was one of relief. He wasn't to be condemned to a lifetime of farmwork. And he wasn't to be punished for his actions in the Baron's study. Then that initial sense of relief gave way to a sudden, nagging doubt. He knew nothing about Rangers, beyond myth and superstition. He knew nothing about Halt—apart from the fact that the grim, gray-cloaked figure had made him feel nervous whenever he was around.

Halt snorted with injured dignity. Will pursed his lips, deciding it would be better to keep quiet.

Now, it seemed, he was being assigned to spend all his time with him. And he wasn't sure that he liked the idea at all.

Now Halt sat straight up, turning his deep-set gaze on Will. The young man squirmed underneath the scrunity. "I didn't know you," he mumbled. "And you didn't give me a good impression, either."

He looked up at the two men. The Baron, he could see, was smiling expectantly. Apparently, he felt that Will should greet his decision as good news. He couldn't see Halt's face clearly. The deep cowl of his cloak left his face in shadow.

The Baron's smile faded slightly. He appeared a little puzzled by Will's reaction to the news—or rather, his lack of any visible reaction.

"Well, what do you say, Will?" he asked, in an encouraging tone. Will drew a deep breath.

"Thank you, sir . . . my lord," he said uncertainly. What if the Baron's earlier joke about the note containing his punishment was more serious than he thought? Maybe being assigned to be Halt's apprentice was the worst punishment he could have chosen.

Again, Halt stared at Will with mock hurt. Will purposely ignored the look, though it wasn't easy to do so.

Pauline looked at Halt. "Dear," she said, her voice very even. Halt glanced at her, and, seeing the look on her face, decided to stop trying to guilt Will.

But the Baron certainly didn't look as if he thought so. He seemed to be very pleased with the idea, and Will knew he wasn't an unkind man. The Baron gave a little sigh of pleasure as he lowered himself into an armchair. He looked up at the Ranger and gestured toward the door.

"Perhaps you might give us a few moments alone, Halt? I'd like to have a word with Will in private," he said. The Ranger bowed gravely.

Crowley raised an eyebrow. "Did you give them privacy?" he asked his fellow Ranger. To him, it seemed highly unlikely. Halt only gave the sandy-haired Ranger a smug smile.

"Certainly, my lord," he said, the voice coming from deep inside the cowl. He moved, silently as ever, past Will and out through the door that led to the corridor outside. The door closed behind him with barely a sound, and Will shivered. The man was uncanny!

"Uncanny is right," Jenny whispered to Gilan. The tall and lanky Ranger smiled and squeezed her shoulders affectionately.

"Sit down, Will." The Baron gestured to one of the low armchairs facing his own. Will sat nervously on the edge of it, as if poised for flight. The Baron noted his body language and sighed.

"I think you were more nervous than George," Alyss remarked. Will looked to her.

"When you were that age, what did you think of Halt?" he asked her.