Catherine Coulter by The Valcourt Heiress

threat in it at all, and it was hard to look away from him, from his dark hair blowing off his forehead in the night breeze, to his eyes, so much lighter than hers, such a light blue to rival a summer sky.
    “Aye, wasteful, my lord. Aleric believes me useful as well. On the morrow, I will help Pali stuff mattresses. Mayhap one will be for you.” She frowned up at him. “You are very young.”
    “Not so young. You already know I am just turned twenty-four.”
    “How old was your brother?”
    “Arthur was my senior by six years, far too young to die. Do you agree with Tupper and Miggins? Do you believe someone poisoned him?”
    “How can I know?” Her face froze. Lie, but make it smooth and easy. “Actually, I wasn’t in the great hall when it happened. I was in the cooking shed, so I know only what they have told me, still—”
    “You are a very bad liar. You need lessons. No, no, don’t lie more. You told Miggins and Tupper to tell me, did you not?”
    “Well, of course. If it was poison, I did not want you to be ignorant of the danger to you. Do you have other brothers and sisters?”
    A dark eyebrow shot up, but he merely shook his head at her. “Thank you, I will be careful. There were three other sons and two daughters besides Arthur and me, but they died.”
    “Life is many times difficult,” she said, “particularly for babes.” And for everyone else as well , she thought.
    He stopped and they both looked toward the North Sea, the calm flat water glistening. Below them was the hidden postern gate leading down to the beach. She said, without thinking, “You are quite well made, my lord.”
    The dark eyebrow shot up again. “Young and well made?”
    “It’s the truth, as well you know.”
    “Do I? Are you trying to distract me?”
    “The truth is never a distraction. It wasn’t a compliment, merely an observation.”
    “Give me more of your observations.”
    “You smell good.”
    She saw a tug of a grin on his mouth, but then he only shrugged. “I have always disliked filth, particularly on myself. That is all you’ve got to offer up—I don’t stink?”
    “There is more, but if I tell you, your head will not fit through the doors into the great hall. Now, attend me. I have made a list of all that must be done within the keep. In my head. If Robert Burnell will give me a bit of parchment, I will write everything down and show it to you.”
    Garron looked at the low-hanging dark clouds rolling toward them over the sea, obscuring the moon. He turned back, studied her for a moment. “Even though your gown is too short, you are also young and well made.”
    She shook her head. She was well made?
    “You always wear your hair braided, yet you are a maid. I like the little braids you’ve stuck in the big ones. I have counted three of them.”
    She touched her fingers to her hair. “My father liked the little braids as well.”
    “Where did you sleep before the Black Demon came?”
    “In the small room assigned to my father.”
    He slashed his hand through the air. “By Saint Andrew’s rotted teeth, you are too smart. When will you tell me the truth? When will you tell me who you are? When you came here? How you came here and why you were not killed? What does it matter now?”

16
    S he wondered if he could hear her heart, it pounded so loudly. She had to say something. Her chin went up. She lightly laid her hand on his arm. “I swear to you, my lord, that I will bring you no trouble.” Please, God, please, God, make that the truth, make my promise hold . “I am of no importance at all, well, mayhap there are people who want me, mayhap they want me badly, but I do not want them. I never want to see them again.” But what if her mother found her? Or Sir Halric? Or Jason of Brennan? No, not here at Wareham, it would be all right. No one knew she was here, there was no reason for anyone to ever find out. But there was Sir Halric. Would he figure out where she was and tell his master, Jason