the hidey-hole, he shoved through the gap in the tree trunks. "Come back from there before the swans have at you or you drown," he cried, using the same stern tone he saved for his sister.
The person on the bank turned and pushed aside the branches. It was Helewise, not Johanna, who looked at him from the river's edge. Rob froze in horror, waiting for her to call the guard to come fetch him. Instead, she smiled at him.
"Why, thank you for your warning, Rob, but the swans nest a goodly distance downstream. They let us be up here." Her voice was alive with warm affection.
Rob's horror died into confusion. Helewise didn't look at all like herself. Her gowns were orange and gold, their fineness and color saying they must be her best attire. As if she were some wee lass, not Master Walter's exalted housekeeper, she'd pulled her skirts high over her knees so she could dandle her bare feet in the water without staining them. So too, had she discarded her veil and band, laying them atop her shoes and stockings. With her head bared, the setting sun found reddish lights in her dark hair.
She patted at the ground beside her on the river's bank. "Hey now, it's a fine June even, this one. Come sit with me whilst I savor it."
It was the sweetness of her invitation that pricked Rob into taking a step toward her. He caught himself. This was no friend, but Master Walter's housekeeper who hated him. Aye, so she was. Did that not mean she might only hate him all the more if he refused her? Choosing a dry spot not too close to her, he sat, drawing his legs up to his chest. "I am sitting," he said.
She tilted her head to one side and studied him for a long moment. "Why did you run?"
However gently asked, hers was a serious question demanding an honest answer. Rob turned his gaze toward his shoes. He could hardly tell her it was she who'd driven him to it by being unfair and unjust. He tried a dodge.
"I am now an outlaw. If I return to Master Walter's home, I'll be arrested as a vandal."
Helewise's laugh was soft and low. "A simple misunderstanding, that, already remedied. At no cost to you, I might mention."
Rob's head popped up from his knees. He stared at her. How did she know he was worried over the cost?
Helewise only raised her brows. "By the by, I am not distracted. Why did you run?"
There was no help for it; he had to answer. Perhaps if he didn't tell the whole truth, it wouldn't be so grave a sin. "I hate it here."
"You haven't been here long enough to know that,” Helewise replied, moving her feet in the water. Droplets spewed into the air, turning to pink and gold before they returned to the river's gleaming silver surface. "Perhaps once you get to know us better, you'll come to like it."
Rob pressed his forehead against his knees so she couldn't see his face. "What choice have I but to stay? Master Walter bought me from Papa for ten coins. Now, I owe even more because I must pay for my clothing and a ruined meal."
Once again, Helewise's warm laugh startled him. He looked up at her. The lilt of her mouth was so gay it was hard not to smile in return.
"Oh, but I think me the master is going to find you an interesting sort of lad." She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him nearer until they sat hip to hip. Although he didn't fight her, neither did he relax against her. "Buy your clothing, indeed. And, why would you think you must pay the master for a meal Tom spilled?"
He looked up at her, his confusion growing until words burst past his lips before he knew he meant to free them. "Why are you being so kind now, when you hate me?"
Her eyes opened wide in true surprise. "Hate you? Why ever do you think I hate you?"
Guilt again twisted in his stomach. He stared down at his shoes. "Because I lied for Johanna when her cat spilled the cheese."
Helewise laughed. She crooked a finger beneath his chin to raise his head, forcing him to meet her gaze. There was nothing in her face save amusement. "So, it has been guilt eating at
The person on the bank turned and pushed aside the branches. It was Helewise, not Johanna, who looked at him from the river's edge. Rob froze in horror, waiting for her to call the guard to come fetch him. Instead, she smiled at him.
"Why, thank you for your warning, Rob, but the swans nest a goodly distance downstream. They let us be up here." Her voice was alive with warm affection.
Rob's horror died into confusion. Helewise didn't look at all like herself. Her gowns were orange and gold, their fineness and color saying they must be her best attire. As if she were some wee lass, not Master Walter's exalted housekeeper, she'd pulled her skirts high over her knees so she could dandle her bare feet in the water without staining them. So too, had she discarded her veil and band, laying them atop her shoes and stockings. With her head bared, the setting sun found reddish lights in her dark hair.
She patted at the ground beside her on the river's bank. "Hey now, it's a fine June even, this one. Come sit with me whilst I savor it."
It was the sweetness of her invitation that pricked Rob into taking a step toward her. He caught himself. This was no friend, but Master Walter's housekeeper who hated him. Aye, so she was. Did that not mean she might only hate him all the more if he refused her? Choosing a dry spot not too close to her, he sat, drawing his legs up to his chest. "I am sitting," he said.
She tilted her head to one side and studied him for a long moment. "Why did you run?"
However gently asked, hers was a serious question demanding an honest answer. Rob turned his gaze toward his shoes. He could hardly tell her it was she who'd driven him to it by being unfair and unjust. He tried a dodge.
"I am now an outlaw. If I return to Master Walter's home, I'll be arrested as a vandal."
Helewise's laugh was soft and low. "A simple misunderstanding, that, already remedied. At no cost to you, I might mention."
Rob's head popped up from his knees. He stared at her. How did she know he was worried over the cost?
Helewise only raised her brows. "By the by, I am not distracted. Why did you run?"
There was no help for it; he had to answer. Perhaps if he didn't tell the whole truth, it wouldn't be so grave a sin. "I hate it here."
"You haven't been here long enough to know that,” Helewise replied, moving her feet in the water. Droplets spewed into the air, turning to pink and gold before they returned to the river's gleaming silver surface. "Perhaps once you get to know us better, you'll come to like it."
Rob pressed his forehead against his knees so she couldn't see his face. "What choice have I but to stay? Master Walter bought me from Papa for ten coins. Now, I owe even more because I must pay for my clothing and a ruined meal."
Once again, Helewise's warm laugh startled him. He looked up at her. The lilt of her mouth was so gay it was hard not to smile in return.
"Oh, but I think me the master is going to find you an interesting sort of lad." She grabbed him by the arm and dragged him nearer until they sat hip to hip. Although he didn't fight her, neither did he relax against her. "Buy your clothing, indeed. And, why would you think you must pay the master for a meal Tom spilled?"
He looked up at her, his confusion growing until words burst past his lips before he knew he meant to free them. "Why are you being so kind now, when you hate me?"
Her eyes opened wide in true surprise. "Hate you? Why ever do you think I hate you?"
Guilt again twisted in his stomach. He stared down at his shoes. "Because I lied for Johanna when her cat spilled the cheese."
Helewise laughed. She crooked a finger beneath his chin to raise his head, forcing him to meet her gaze. There was nothing in her face save amusement. "So, it has been guilt eating at
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