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Meghan gave a look of self-disgust. "Then I hid from you for naught."
Kristen chuckled, bringing Eda's attention to them. "What do you here, child?" the old
woman demanded.
"Talking," Meghan retorted defiantly.
Eda gave Kristen a stern look. "You have work to do, wench."
"And I am doing it."
"Can I help?" Meghan asked.
Hearing that, Eda shook her head and went back to her own tasks. Kristen did not know
what to say to Meghan, who was waiting for her reply, and looking hopeful. She glanced at
the group of women at the far end of the hall, then back at Meghan. She sighed.
"Should you be here, Meghan?"
Meghan looked toward the ladies, too, then said stubbornly, "I would rather be here than
over there."
Kristen repressed another smile. "Why do you dislike the Lady Corliss?"
Meghan looked back in surprise. "How did you know?"
"I saw what you did."
"Oh." The little girl blushed now, lowering her head, and then she said defensively, to explain
herself, "She did not really want me to come to her. She does and says things she does not
mean. She is full of sweet words now, but she was not before the betrothal."
"I see."
"Do you?" Meghan ventured hopefully. "You do not think I am wrong to not like her?"
"Your feelings are yours alone and cannot be commanded by another. But since your
brother likes her, mayhap you should try to."
"I did," Meghan admitted with a touch of rancor. "Until Royce took me with him to Raedwood
and she pinched me, so I would go away and leave her alone with him."
"What did he do?"
"He did not see."
Kristen frowned. "You should have told him."
"Nay, he would have been displeased."
And Meghan would never do anything to displease him. Kristen sighed to herself. The poor
child really should be made to see that her brother's anger was not such a terrible thing or,
at least, that it wouldn't be to her. Kristen had herself seen the way he treated Meghan with
such tender care. She had watched him one evening carry the child upstairs when she had
fallen asleep in the hall. How that had reminded her of her own father, and how Garrick used
to do the same for her. Royce loved this little girl dearly, yet Meghan was still frightened of
him.
Kristen shook her head at the thought. Meghan despaired, watching her. "You want me to
go?"
"What? Oh, nay, sweetling, stay if you like." Kristen realized that at the moment she was
probably the lesser of two evils in the girl's mind. "But are you sure you will not be scolded if
you remain here?"
Meghan quickly shook her head. "There are so many guests, no one will notice where I am."
"Then sit you down on that stool, and I will show you how to make my father's favorite nut
bread."
"He likes nuts in his bread?"
"Indeed." Kristen winked as she reached inside her outer gown, where she had made a
pouch with the help of her girdle, and pulled out a handful of nuts. "And I swiped these from
Eda before she could stuff them into her hens. We will make two special loaves, just for us.
Would you like that?"
"Oh, aye, Kristen!" Meghan's face lit up with childish delight. " 'Twill be our secret."
Meghan was incorrect in her prediction that no one would notice where she was. Royce
noticed as soon as he entered the hall, for as always his eyes sought out Kristen first. And
he could not help but see Meghan sitting next to her, for their heads were bent together, and
they were laughing over something, oblivious to everything else around them.
He paused for a moment, feeling a warm rush of pleasure, watching them his sister and
his woman. When everyone else was wary of Kristen, he would have thought Meghan, who
feared all strangers, would be even more so. Apparently not. It was obvious that they liked
each other, and he was pleased by that.
He would have moved toward them, if Darrelle had not called him. Then he saw Corliss, and
he stiffened. How could he have forgotten that she would be here? Lord Averill had come out
to the practice field where Alfred had challenged his nobles to some impromptu contests of
skill. And whenever Averill came to Wyndhurst, his daughters came too. It had been too
much to hope that this time would be different. It was not.
He gritted his teeth and walked forward to greet his betrothed.
Kristen watched Royce and Corliss all evening, where they sat together at the long table. [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

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