Page 7 (2/2)

"Methinks this blue for the undertunic," Tricky was saying as she eyed Madelyne and then the cloth, and back again

"You are well thought," nodded Peg, her jowls jiggling "With her hair of such dark color, and her eyes like a pale moon-aye, sheand thick as mine is And my own auntie, well, &039;twas her pride and joy this hair of our faue, she must had it cut and how she bewailed that fate for days!"

The tolances over their shoulders at Madelyne Tricky&039;s ar nodded and murmured, nodded and tsked, and expounded on her reactions with ra sentences of family anecdotes

Madelyne, a bit discoainst her, sank into the tub and attempted to block out the tomen and their chatter A faint, wry smile did curve her face as she succumbed to the realization that Tricky had found her mentor, and that she, Madelyne, would likely be the pawn in her learning game

The scent of roses filled her nose, for the first ti rose beads And, as if she was s it for the first ti the sweetness of the floral scent The stea water was heavenly, such that she paused for a moment-albeit a brief one-to thank God for her safe arrival, and to contemplate whether &039;twas a sin that she should enjoy such an earthly pleasure Baths, although available at the abbey, were only occasional and never this warm and sweet Most often they were a dip in the nearby strea soap scented with basil and rose it to clean under Madelyne&039;s fingernails and to wash the grime and sweat from all parts of her body Even the black rose-petal stains had faded when she was finished

The loosing of Madelyne&039;s braid after two days relieved the tightness of her skull, and the pleasure-pain of it had her sighing in soft delight Hoonderful it felt when Peg began to pour ater over her thick hair, and how muchfingers to e her scalp!

It was not until she stood in front of the fire, wrapped in a soft blanket, that Madelyne re She held out a hand to stop Tricky as she approached with the blue undergown

"Nay, Tricky, I cannot wear such fine clothing You of all know that I&039;ood conscience don fla, &039;tis not s to Lady Mal Verne"

The to per has been taken to be washed And, &039;tis the lord&039;s orders that you dress as befits your station, as the Lady of Tricourten Wherever that land owns as flaestured to the overtunic, which was pale blue, eold and silver threads "This is but a plain gown, ht that is hed, ses of the overtunic, her eyes taking on a far-away look "I remember that day when mine own baby Shirl went to care for one of the queen&039;s ladies, and how she pored over the patterns and cloths and threads to be certain that she should dress in her finest, and that all that she brought with her for her lady was the most beautiful to be had from Lockswood, and even there at court &039;twas as if she were naught but a country buhter worked to learn that new fashion, worked day and night, and" Her voice trailed off and a look of confusion passed over her face She glanced at the cloth she held in her hand, then at Madelyne, and the light of understanding came back into her eyes "Ah, well, aye, my lady You must be dressed ere supper is served, and this is all that you have to wear"

Madelyne&039;s gaze strayed to the fine cloth, but she resolutely turned froowns lay strewn across it "Thereelse thatShe paused at a pale yelloith little frippery "I shall wear this, for &039;tis more subdued and more suited to one of God&039;s wo a hand upon her ar her brows to rise at the forain with such ease, as if she had always addressed her as her better, "with all respect, you are not a nun, as yetand you are the Lady of Tricourten &039;Tis God&039;s will that you are here, and God&039;s will that you bear the mantle of your position"

She showed Madelyne the blue undergown, the color of a brilliant sapphire, with delicate gold eht sleeves "That yelloill cause you to look aught but ill and sallohilst this blue will cause your eyes to take on its sheen An&039; the cut of this is , as the sleeves will show the fine lines of your arht"

Annoyed by Tricky&039;s sudden fashion expertise, Madelyne pursed her lips and frowned "But-"

"Co the pale yellow cloth froh you are a bit taller than Lady Mal Verne, you are of a size Now, &039;tis not in our interest to anger Lord Mal Verne, either, so we shall fix you up rightly and send you down for supper anon"

With a sigh of capitulation, Madelyne acquiesced to the new-found fussiness of her maid and her mentor

Her hair was black

"Good evening, led to contain his shock at the transforarbed in clothing that he thought had belonged to Nicola, Lady Madelyne de Belgrunizableand looked not the least bit nunlike

"My lord" She gave a brief curtsey, bowing her head slightly, her thick, dark hair spilling over her shoulders and brushing the floor at his feet

So, he realized-had taken that thick, inky river, tauest&039;s templesand left the rest of it to fall unencumbered down Lady Madelyne&039;s back When she raised her face and reached to place her fingers on his arold chain that rested on her forehead and oven into the darkness of her braids

It was glorious hair

With a start, Gavin realized he&039;d frozen, and she noaited for him to lead her to the dais upon which they would sup "Coh table and forcing his attention topersons in the hall, he and Lady Madelyne were the only two seated at the high table He took the lord&039;s chair, the massive, walnut seat with a cushioned bench and without ar its folds over her legs, as she sat in Nicola&039;s regular seat

Gavin had just taken a sip from the excellent Bordeaux Mal Verne imported from Aquitaine when Lady Madelyne ruined hisat hi us this evening?"

He felt the faer and a bit of humiliation rise within his when Nicola sat to his left as Lady Madelyne now did The woman had been a viper in his world, and he&039;d not known it until it was too late "I do not speak of my wife," he said in the deathly chill voice he used whenever he "

Her eyes widened, innocent and lu at the chunk of fish he&039;d placed in her bread trencher "I did not mean to pry," she said steadily, but he noticed that there was the slightest treers as she reached for a crust of bread Then, with a boldness that surprised him, she firmed her lips and continued, "Whatever reason you do not choose to speak of your wife is of no matter to me, but there is no need to leap upon me over the most innocent of comments" She did not look at him, but instead took a dainty bite of bread

Gavin snapped his y he&039;d been about to make for his sharp, hasty words Had the wench shed her nunlikewith her habit and veil? He took another sip of wine to hide his chagrin as much as the admiration he felt at her te to look at him with a spark of fire in her cool eyes, "meant only to make polite conversation with you, my lord Thus, I shall leave it in your hands as to whether we have a silent meal or nay"

If he had not seen that her hand still treoblet, he ry at her continued audacity But that bit of treave her a slant-eyed look "But you have only tried one topic of conversation, ive up on me so easily?"

Mayhap it was the fact that he&039;d taain However, her next words brought no more palatable a topic than Nicola had been

"Then, my lord, perhaps you infor has suain, she did not look at hih uninterested in his reply

"If onlyin their ai topics of conversation that do not appeal to me!" He bit into a piece of cheese, chewed, and sed as he for that you are in my company As to the answers to your questions, I cannot say, but you will reuard"

This time Lady Madelyne looked at hi-intend to keep me prisoner here at Mal Verne? As I have seen no evidence of a writ fro my presence, I wonder if he is even aware of ain your hatever that may be?"

Annoyance flared within him and he looked at her sharply "That would be treason, my lady I do not tolerate such implications by anyone, be it uest in uest?" Lady Madelyne raised her fine eyebrows, adopting an innocent posture that grated on him "I was not under the iuest If that is the case, then I aed his gaze that had solare into her eyes "Lady Madelyne, if you were given the freedoive-you would last no ht without these castle walls Do not speak of such absurdity" He returned to de his meal, certain that that would be the end of it

But, still, she would not relent-and her tenacity was beginning to wear upon him "Such o, e left Tricourten with naught but the clothing on our backs and a few sioblet very deliberately on the table and turned to face her fully He would not allow this wisp of a wo his te the end of his tether "Lady Madelyne," he said tightly, "if it would end this discussion then, aye, I shall call you not a guest, but a hostage Aye, a hostage of the king And, lady, if you could read, I would show you the writ that ordersyou to his majesty"

"Very well, then, Lord Mal Verne A hostage I a not only French, but Latin and Greek, I should be pleased to peruse that writ of which you speak" She used her eating knife to spear a piece of turbot and raise it to her mouth

Gavin snapped his jaws shut so hard that his jaw hurt "Very well, my lady On the morrow you shall see your writ And methinks I should prefer a silent meal after all"