Lizzie looked up.

The slight shadow that had fallen across her page had alerted her of the presence of another person. She smiled up at the Judge, her young face full of anticipation at his thoughts regarding her efforts. Without a word, she handed the sheet of paper up to him. The jurist took it solemnly and scanned it.

"Verra nice, Lass," he told her seconds later. "Ye ha'e miss-added here, buit itherwise tis weel doone." Laying the page in front of her, he indicated with a forefinger where the miscalculation had occurred. Lizzie frowned for an instant in concentration and then her young face cleared.

"Och, aye, I see it a'noo," she nodded. She crossed out the prior attempt at summing and wrote the correct total below. The Judge nodded and smiled at her softly.

Lizzie loved the Judge. He was kind and gentle, never cross or angry. He always listened patiently and quietly when either of the twins approached him with a concern or thoughts they wanted to share with an adult. He heard them out, then commenting on his view, but never ever forcing his opinion upon them. That drew her to him, for in him she found a confidant. Of course, so too was her father, and she was beginning to trust her new mother as well, especially when it came to questions about being a girl or why boys were so 'bunctious and rude. But the Judge she respected as being a font of true wisdom. He seemed to know everything!

Seanie still was working on his calculations. While bright, he did not have the concentration that his sister did, and tended to get diverted into matters that interested him more. For instance, just now he was scrambling to complete his numbers, having spent a good deal of time drawing a ballista on one of the towers of his castle. The Judge waited patiently, then took the offered sheet and studied it.

"Aye," was all he said, but that one word conveyed the depth of his approval. "Ye micht think on it of hoo tae get rock for the ballista up the too'er, lad. If ye are gang ha'e the weapon, ye muist ha'e means tae supply it." She saw Sean begin to think how to meet this new requirement. However, before he could begin to draw a response, the Judge spoke again.

"I ha'e it in mind there is some fouwk here in the Inn tha' micht interest the pair of thee. If ye will please, accompany me." The jurist presented his hand to Lizzie to help her rise. Taught good manners from the cradle, she put a dainty hand in his and, once erect, she slid it under his waiting arm. Trailed by Seanie, who harrumphed his displeasure at having to follow, they went outward into the great room. As they went, she turned and winked at her brother, just to tell him that he need take no umbrage for being required to come last.