jumbled almost-memory into nightmare terror. Her eyes snapped open, and she took in deep gulps of warm, spring air to fight the threatening dizziness. The pain faded within seconds.
As it did she looked up into foe Lario's dark, worried gaze. "Was it you?"
"What?"
"That kis—" Libby turned away. She shook her head. She didn't want to know.
She didn't know what she didn't want to know, but she knew she didn't want to Sizemore, Susan - After the Storm
know it yet. She suddenly found herself in front of a doorway she didn't want to open. She was afraid there was something behind it she couldn't handle. It had to do with being kissed. "Why don't I go talk to Lady Sibelle," she said and walked hurriedly toward a meeting with her godmother to avoid thinking about a romantic entanglement she was terrified to consider.
It was worse inside the castle than she'd anticipated. At least twenty people stopped what they were doing to look at her when she walked into the inner bailey. She had no idea who all these strangers were. Nor did she care who they were when she caught sight of Marj standing firmly before the entrance of the main tower, blocking Lady Sibelle from going inside.
"Oh, dear." She hurried forward.
Lady Sibelle held out her hands to Libby as she approached. "My dear, you rushed off in such a hurry yesterday I was worried. Not that I blame you, of course." She shook her head sadly. "After Henry caused such a scene you did the only thing you could. I am so sorry for that boy's foolish words. So my lord and I decided that the loan of some of Passfair's serfs to you was the only possible way to make amends," she went on before Libby could get a word in. "As many as we could spare, to help rebuild and to get a garden started though it's late. Also a few maidservants for the hall and some fowls and sheep and people to look after them, of course. And a cook. You can't do without a cook, my dear."
"I can't?"
Lady Sibelle patted her hands. "Of course not. In truth, my dear," she went on while Libby gaped, "I've never approved of your father taking his serfs off to Wales and then leaving only a few guards to look after his castle. Look what came of it. I can't imagine outlaws looting the place if Sir Daffyd had been in residence."
Sizemore, Susan - After the Storm
It occurred to Libby that she was going to have to find out just what the local residents knew and surmised about the destruction of Lilydrake. First, however, she had to get her godmother to go away. "Yes, well—"
"I'd wager the guards invited the outlaws in and ran off to live in the forest with them, since no trace was found of the treacherous wretches." Lady Sibelle took her hand from Libby's long enough to waggle a finger under her nose. "You really should have brought more people with you."
"There's a war in Wales," Marj broke in to explain. "Lord Daffyd could spare no more men, and he trusted Lady Isabeau to find people to serve her at the summer fairs here."
Libby took a dazed look around the crowded courtyard. This was a disaster of monumental proportions. These locals did not belong here. How was she going to get out of this? She looked back at her godmother. "I'm overwhelmed by your kindness, Lady Sibelle. I'm sure you mean the best for me, dear godmother, but how can I accept such generosity? Surely, you need these workers for your own fields and household. I mean, with Henry and Matilda's wedding to prepare for and—"
"Ah, Matilda." Lady Sibelle waved forward the girl standing shyly in the background. "Matilda, of course, will stay here to attend you."
"Attend me?" Libby shot a panicked look at Marj. "Lady Marjorie and I—"
"Will teach the dear girl about running her own household as she helps you set your own in order." Sibelle patted Matilda on the head. "Won't you, my dear?"
"Yes, my lady," Matilda whispered. Libby was about to continue protesting, but then the girl gave her an imploring look from under tear-damp lashes. It struck her
As it did she looked up into foe Lario's dark, worried gaze. "Was it you?"
"What?"
"That kis—" Libby turned away. She shook her head. She didn't want to know.
She didn't know what she didn't want to know, but she knew she didn't want to Sizemore, Susan - After the Storm
know it yet. She suddenly found herself in front of a doorway she didn't want to open. She was afraid there was something behind it she couldn't handle. It had to do with being kissed. "Why don't I go talk to Lady Sibelle," she said and walked hurriedly toward a meeting with her godmother to avoid thinking about a romantic entanglement she was terrified to consider.
It was worse inside the castle than she'd anticipated. At least twenty people stopped what they were doing to look at her when she walked into the inner bailey. She had no idea who all these strangers were. Nor did she care who they were when she caught sight of Marj standing firmly before the entrance of the main tower, blocking Lady Sibelle from going inside.
"Oh, dear." She hurried forward.
Lady Sibelle held out her hands to Libby as she approached. "My dear, you rushed off in such a hurry yesterday I was worried. Not that I blame you, of course." She shook her head sadly. "After Henry caused such a scene you did the only thing you could. I am so sorry for that boy's foolish words. So my lord and I decided that the loan of some of Passfair's serfs to you was the only possible way to make amends," she went on before Libby could get a word in. "As many as we could spare, to help rebuild and to get a garden started though it's late. Also a few maidservants for the hall and some fowls and sheep and people to look after them, of course. And a cook. You can't do without a cook, my dear."
"I can't?"
Lady Sibelle patted her hands. "Of course not. In truth, my dear," she went on while Libby gaped, "I've never approved of your father taking his serfs off to Wales and then leaving only a few guards to look after his castle. Look what came of it. I can't imagine outlaws looting the place if Sir Daffyd had been in residence."
Sizemore, Susan - After the Storm
It occurred to Libby that she was going to have to find out just what the local residents knew and surmised about the destruction of Lilydrake. First, however, she had to get her godmother to go away. "Yes, well—"
"I'd wager the guards invited the outlaws in and ran off to live in the forest with them, since no trace was found of the treacherous wretches." Lady Sibelle took her hand from Libby's long enough to waggle a finger under her nose. "You really should have brought more people with you."
"There's a war in Wales," Marj broke in to explain. "Lord Daffyd could spare no more men, and he trusted Lady Isabeau to find people to serve her at the summer fairs here."
Libby took a dazed look around the crowded courtyard. This was a disaster of monumental proportions. These locals did not belong here. How was she going to get out of this? She looked back at her godmother. "I'm overwhelmed by your kindness, Lady Sibelle. I'm sure you mean the best for me, dear godmother, but how can I accept such generosity? Surely, you need these workers for your own fields and household. I mean, with Henry and Matilda's wedding to prepare for and—"
"Ah, Matilda." Lady Sibelle waved forward the girl standing shyly in the background. "Matilda, of course, will stay here to attend you."
"Attend me?" Libby shot a panicked look at Marj. "Lady Marjorie and I—"
"Will teach the dear girl about running her own household as she helps you set your own in order." Sibelle patted Matilda on the head. "Won't you, my dear?"
"Yes, my lady," Matilda whispered. Libby was about to continue protesting, but then the girl gave her an imploring look from under tear-damp lashes. It struck her
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