Page 28 (1/2)
"I suppose so" She frowned a little, thinking of wild highland Scotsmen with beards that covered their faces
"Lass" Mr Pynch had stretched out his arer "There won’t be anything to fear in Scotland But if there is, I’ll keep you safe"
And Sally could only stare duht of hi her belly
WHEN HE STILL hadn’t co for Vale Perhaps he’d siht, but she didn’t think so She hadn’t heard any voices froh sleep when he stayed up until all hours and then left the house before she rose was a curiosity Perhaps he didn’t need sleep at all
In any case, she was tired of waiting for him to come to her So she left her roo--and went out in the hall to search for Jasper He wasn’t in the library or any of the sitting rooms, and finally she was forced to inquire of Oaks if he knehere her husband was Then she hoped that her cheeks didn’t flaone out without a word to her
She felt like kicking so, she ain Why was he doing this? Asking her to accoht about a days-long carriage ride with her? Or would he spend the journey atop the carriage with the luggage? It was so strange First he would pursue her for days, and then he would suddenly disappear, just when she thought they were drawing closer
Melisande exhaled heavily as she came to her own bedrooht next to hers Really, the tereat She strode to her husband’s door and opened it The rooh Mr Pynch’s as obvious: Rows of shirts, waistcoats, and neck clothes were laid out on the bed in preparation for packing Melisande shut the door gently behind her
She wandered to the bed and touched a fingertip to the dark red coverlet He would sprawl here at night, his long limbs spread wide Did he sleep on his back, or on his belly, his tousled head half shoved beneath a pillow? Soh for all she knew, he had a drawerful of nightshirts It was such an inti with another person One’s shields were all thron in sleep, leaving one vulnerable, almost childlike She wished desperately that he would share her bed Stay the night and let hihed and turned from the bed On his dresser he had a framed ht in the bristles of his brush One was almost red She took her handkerchief from her sleeve and carefully folded the hairs inside before tucking it away again
She went to the bedside table and glanced at the book sitting there--a history of the English kings--then went to theand looked out His vieas nearly the salanced around the roo about--clothing, books, odd bits of string, a pinecone, broken pens, a penknife, and ink--but nothing that told her veryshe ht find out more about Jasper She shook her head at her own folly, and then her gaze fell on the dressing roo room would hardly hold more intimate stuff than what she’d seen, but she’d already come this far
Melisande turned the handle of the door Inside was another dresser, various racks for holding clothes, a narrow cot, and in the corner, against the wall, a thin pallet and blanket Melisande cocked her head Odd Why both a cot and a pallet? Mr Pynch needed only one, surely And why a pallet? Vale struck her as a generous employer Why such a mean bed for his faithful valet?
She stepped into the narrow roole candle stood nearby in a holder very much covered in old, burnt wax, and a book lay half under the carelessly tossed blanket She looked from the pallet t cm t veo the cot Actually, the cot didn’t look as if anyone slept there at all--the mattress was bare Melisande pulled the blanket back from the pallet to read the title of the book It was a book of poe what an odd choice of reading matter for a valet, when she noticed the hair on the pillow It was dark brown, almost red
Behind her, someone cleared his throat
Melisande whirled and saw Mr Pynch, his eyebrows raised "May I help you find so hands in her skirts, very glad that it wasn’t Vale who’d discovered her Although being caught by the valet ruh She tilted her chin and sailed to the door of the bedroom
But then she hesitated and looked back at the valet "You’ve served my husband for many years, haven’t you, Mr Pynch?"
"Aye, my lady"
"Has he always slept so little?"
The big bald man picked up one of the neck cloths from the bed and carefully refolded it "Aye, since I’ve known him, my lady"
"Do you knohy?"
"Some men don’t need as much sleep," the valet said
She only looked at him
He replaced the neck cloth and finally looked at her He sighed as if she’d pressed hiht Lord Valewell, he likes co the hours it’s dark"
"He’s afraid of the dark?"
He straightened and his froas quite ferocious "I received a ball to the leg in the war"
Melisande blinked, startled at the change of subject "I’m sorry"
The valet waved away her sy Only bothers ot it, that ball tookthere, with a Frenchie standing over me about to stickThere was a stand of Frenchies with rifles raised between him and me, but that didn’t stop him They fired on hirin the entire ti when he was done"