“But St. Valentine’s Day is the day of love, Father. It is the most important holiday of the year. I won’t miss it.”
“Most important? That is blasphemy,” snarled her father. “Think of what you are saying.”
“It’s also the celebration of a saint,” she added, hoping that bringing religion into this would help ease the situation.
“My lord, if I may?” Étienne stepped forward.
“What is it, de Beynac?” asked her father.
“I wanted to say that, perhaps, it would be a good idea for your daughter to hold the St. Valentine’s Day gathering. That way, when my brother arrives to marry her, he will be able to join in the festive celebration.”
“Marry me?” Pippa shook her head. “Nay. Father, I already told you that I will not marry the man.”
“We’ll see about that,” said the baron into his tankard as he raised it to his mouth.
“What is going on here?” she asked suspiciously. Again, the two men looked at each other quickly.
“I can escort Lady Philippa to town,” offered Étienne.
“Nay,” said Pippa. This was a horrible idea because then he would know that she was off to matchmake and he would tell her father.
“Splendid,” agreed her father.
“No need for your handmaid to have to venture out in the snow since I will be with you,” added Étienne.
“I will not be alone with you when I barely know you,” she spat. “Father, if he is going to escort me to town, I insist my handmaid go along as well.”
“So be it,” said the baron, spying Lady Martha and Wilbur entering the great hall. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have more important matters to attend to.”
“Shall we, my lady?” Étienne got off the bench, donned his cloak and held out his arm.
Pippa turned away from him in a huff and stormed across the room. “Come, Marie. We have important matters to attend to as well.”
Chapter 6
Étienne didn’t understand why Pippa was so adamant about getting her shoes when it was snowing and could have waited until the weather let up. That is, he didn’t understand until they arrived at the cordwainer’s shop.
“Allow me, my lady,” he said, holding out his hand to help Pippa off the horse. She begrudgingly reached out and put her arms on his shoulders. He gently placed his hands around her waist, liking the feel of her body, and placed her on the ground. “You’re shivering,” he said, noticing her body trembling.
She looked up at him with wide hazel eyes that looked so innocent and gentle that it made him want to run his hand down the soft, smooth skin of her cheek. A stray golden curl of hair fell across her eye and he couldn’t stop himself from brushing it back behind her ear. It felt soft and silky. Peeking up at him from under her hood, she looked nothing like the brash, outspoken woman who stuck her nose in others’ business and loved to have a good time.
“I’m not cold,” she told him in a small voice.
“Then why are you trembling?”
She batted her eyes and when she looked up at him again, a snowflake stuck to her lashes.
“Hold still,” he said, reaching out and using the tips of his fingers to tenderly brush the snowflake away.
Her eyes closed slightly and her lips turned up into a slight smile. He could smell the rosewater from her body filling his senses, making him want to pull her closer and press his lips upon her forehead. But he didn’t. It wouldn’t be proper. Especially since he was sent to be her escort to protect her. Not to mention she was to marry his brother.
Her eyes opened all the way.
“What are you staring at?” she asked, sounding sultry – or mayhap, it was just his imagination since he hadn’t been with a woman for six months now, having vowed to be chaste. What had he been thinking when he agreed to that?
“Que tu es belle, milady.” He told her in French that she was beautiful.
“What did you say?” she asked, her body stiffening. The nobles in England also spoke French so he was sure she really knew what he said. However, perhaps it was out of line.
“I . . . I think we should go in out of the cold,” he answered, biting his tongue to keep from making the mistake of saying something like that to her again. She was betrothed to his brother, not him. Besides, he was going to be a monk. He shouldn’t be talking this way.
“My lady,” said Marie, having dismounted her horse by herself. She now stood right next to them. “I am cold and wondered if I could meet you inside the shop.”
“Of course. I’ll come now as well,” she told the handmaid. “Lord Étienne, please take care of the horses and wait for us here. There is no need for you to come inside.” With that, she disappeared into the cordwainer’s shop, leaving Étienne standing in the street alone. He tended to the horses and decided he wouldn’t freeze his back end waiting for the woman to try on a pair of shoes. It had already been a good ten minutes and, still, they hadn’t returned.
Étienne pulled his cloak around him for warmth and headed into the shop. That’s when he realized that a pair of shoes wasn’t at all the reason that Pippa had come here with her maidservant. He quietly closed the door and watched and listened from the shadows from across the room.
“Auden,” Pippa called the shop owner by name. “I do think that you should attend the St. Valentine’s Day dance I’m planning and bring my maidservant, Marie with you.” She then gently pushed the shy Marie closer to the counter.
“Marie, all the time you’ve been coming into my shop, you have never said more than a few words to me,” Auden told her. “I didn’t know you liked to dance.”
“I – I haven’t danced since my husband passed away,” she admitted.
“Neither have I danced since my dear wife perished last year.”
There was a moment of silence but Pippa made sure the silence didn’t last. “You see, you both have so much in common,” said Pippa, pushing Marie yet closer to the counter with a hand at her back. “You two will have such fun together at the dance.”
“Well, I’m not sure,” said Auden.
“You don’t have to attend the dance with me. It’s all right.” Marie twisted her hands in front of her and dropped her gaze to the ground.
Étienne realized this was naught but Pippa’s attempt at pairing the two together. He stepped out of the shadows and cleared his throat.
Pippa spun around, surprised to find Étienne standing right behind them when she specifically told him to stay outside with the horses.
“What are you doing in here?” she snapped.
“Where are the shoes you supposedly came to pick up?” he asked in return. “It seems to me you are here for a different purpose altogether.”
“Hush,” she told him, taking his arm and pulling him to the side. Then she spoke in a low voice so the others wouldn’t hear her. “Marie is shy and now that you’re here, she might not talk to Auden at all.”
“Pippa, quit trying to matchmake the couple.”
“It is none of your concern,” she told him, glancing back at the couple that were talking softly amongst themselves.
“You said you came to pick up a pair of shoes.”
“I did.”
“Then where are they? We should be getting back to the castle before the snowstorm gets worse.”
“Not yet,” she said, speaking in a whisper. “I need to make sure he agrees to come to the St. Valentine’s Day dance with her first.”
“This is not the proper action of a lady.”
Her head snapped around and she scowled. “That’s an odd thing to say for a man who is supposed to be a monk.” Her eyes fell to the sword at his side. He supposed he shouldn’t have worn it, but he’d hoped to give the boy lessons today and that is why he strapped it on his waist before he headed to the great hall to talk to the baron.
“I told you, I’m not a monk yet.”
“You sound a lot like my father, worrying about how I act. Did he put you up to this?” Her eyes na
rrowed to slits.
“I am only here to escort you,” he answered, not wanting to roil her more.
“I don’t think it is proper of a monk in training to lie.”
“Pippa, please. Get your shoes and let’s be on our way.”
Pippa started to correct Étienne, to tell him to use her title and not to call her Pippa, but part of her couldn’t do it. She liked the way her name sounded resounding in his deep voice. As much as this man irritated her, something about him made her feel as if she had butterflies in her stomach whenever he touched her. When he had helped her from her horse, she saw him staring at her mouth as if he wanted to kiss her. Certainly men who were in training to be monks must become randy at times. But if he had those thoughts in his head then, mayhap, it was a mistake for him to be a monk at all.
“My lady, shall we go?” asked Marie, joining them and smiling from ear to ear.
“Did he agree to go to the dance with you?” Pippa asked her handmaid softly.
“I did,” called out Auden from the counter, having overheard them. He chuckled. “I believe Marie and I will have an enjoyable time at your gathering.”
Pippa smiled in satisfaction and turned to go.
“Aren’t you forgetting something?” asked Étienne.
“I don’t believe so,” she answered.
“What about the shoes?”
“The shoes?” Right now, shoes were the last thing on Pippa’s mind. She was already planning every detail of the dance in her head.
“Aye,” said Auden, grabbing a package and hurrying around the counter. “You have been coming into my shop now for weeks to try on the same pair of shoes and complaining that they are not right. I hope that, this time, they will be to your liking, my lady.”
“Oh, I am sure they’ll be just fine,” she said, swiping her hand through the air, not caring about shoes since she’d accomplished what she’d come for. “Lord Étienne, do retrieve my shoes and meet us outside.”
Étienne watched the sly smile turn up one side of Pippa’s mouth and the look of victory that lit up her hazel eyes. She held on to her handmaid’s arm and stood close as they giggled and talked to each other in low tones as they left the shop.
He sighed and turned around and headed to the counter to collect the package.
“Here you go,” said Auden, handing him the shoes wrapped up in brown parchment.
“You do realize that there was probably nothing ever wrong with these shoes to begin with,” said Étienne.
“I do.” Auden’s face lit up in a smile. “And I also know that Lady Pippa has been trying to matchmake me with Marie for weeks now.”
“You do? Then why didn’t you ask her handmaid to the dance long before now?”
“I liked seeing Marie, so I let them continue to come into my shop.”
“You didn’t tell them that you knew what they were trying to do, did you?”
“Nay, I’m not a fool.” He handed Étienne the shoes. “And neither did I tell Lady Philippa that I never altered the shoes at all. But that will be our secret, if you don’t mind.”
“I understand,” said Étienne taking the package, watching the man’s eyes drift over to the front window. He couldn’t take his eyes off of Marie.
Étienne turned around and headed for the door but stopped and turned back before he left. “Do you believe that Lady Philippa’s matchmaking is befitting of a noblewoman?”
“What are you asking, my lord?” Auden was careful to choose his words.
“Do you think she is acting in an inappropriate way? Don’t worry, you can speak freely. This conversation, I promise, will not go any further than between us.”
“Well, then let me say that, at first, the villagers thought her to be controlling and meddlesome.”
“Isn’t she?”
His eyes drifted back to the window where Marie and Pippa stood talking just outside his shop. “Nay, I don’t believe that at all, my lord. Every couple that Lady Philippa has matchmade is happily married and seems perfect for each other. She has a skill that shouldn’t be hidden. After all, it isn’t right to try to hide a flame under a bushel.”
“Are you saying you think that you and her handmaid will end up getting married as well?”
He nodded his head slowly. “I wouldn’t be surprised,” he told him. “I think, like Lady Philippa said, we are a good match for each other and have a lot in common. I am very much looking forward to the St. Valentine’s Day dance.”
“Well, don’t get your hopes up, because I know for a fact her father will no longer allow it.”
“What?” The man’s attention shot over to Étienne. “But the villagers are always invited to Lady Philippa’s gatherings. They look forward to it, and even plan their lives around attending the festivities.”
“They do?” asked Étienne in surprise.
“Aye. St. Valentine’s Day is the gathering that is so important that we all close down our shops for the day to go to the castle to celebrate.”
“You do?” Étienne could not understand this.
“Have you ever been to one of Lady Philippa’s dances?” asked the man.
“Nay, I can’t say that I have.”
“Then you don’t know what you are missing. She plans games and festivities that pair up potential lovers and often end up in betrothals by the end of the night.”
“You have got to be jesting!”
“Lord Étienne, please convince the baron not to cancel the dance.”
“It’s just a dance. What does it really matter?”
“It gives commoners like me something to look forward to.” A sudden wave of despair washed over his face. “Most of us have lived hard lives, working our fingers to the bone. We have also lost people we love to illness or pestilences that have covered the land. If naught else then for a reason to want to live, Lady Philippa’s gatherings give hope to the poor people of this village that, someday, they will be matchmade and end up happy like so many of their friends.”
“I didn’t know this,” he said, feeling bad about the deal he’d made with the baron. “Thank you, Auden, and I wish you good tidings.” With that, Étienne, feeling very confused, turned and headed out the door.
Chapter 7
It had been three days since Étienne had started training with Franklin, and Pippa had not seen much of either of them. She’d been busy taking Marie back and forth to town to visit with Auden. The two of them were getting along perfectly. She was sure there would be a wedding planned in the near future.
Between that, and trying to fulfill her “lady of the castle” duties such as sewing, weaving, and, by her father’s request, learning how to do the tallies from the steward, she hadn’t even had a spare moment to see how the training was going. Plus, she and Marie had been busy writing the invitations to the St. Valentine’s Day dance she was hosting soon.
“There,” she said, stamping her seal into the warm wax on the last of the missives and blowing on the wax to harden it. “Now, all the invitations are done and ready to be delivered. I will give them to the messenger today to take to the neighboring nobles. And I even have a missive that will be posted on the door of the cordwainer’s shop to invite all the villagers as well. I am glad Auden agreed to it.”
“Aye,” said Marie, opening the shutter for some air since the fire blazing in the hearth made the room very warm. “Auden and I are looking forward to your St. Valentine’s Day gathering.”
“You seemed to be getting along very well with him if I’m not mistaken.”
“We are.” A blush rose to Marie’s cheeks. “Thank you for playing matchmaker to us, Lady Philippa. I have been so lonely ever since my husband, George, died. Auden is a kind man and someone I can see spending the rest of my life with, too.”
“I am only doing what I do best and I am happy that I was able to help you. When the time comes for the wedding, I want you to know that I will pay the fee to the church for you.”
“Wedding?” Marie blushed ag
ain and looked to the ground. “I can only hope that he will want to marry me.”
“Don’t worry, I’ll see to it.” Pippa smiled and collected up the missives, stuffing them into a pouch. “Let’s give these to the messenger to deliver at once. The dance is in less than a week and I have so much to do yet to plan everything.”
The sound of men shouting and clashing swords came from outside. “What is that I hear?” Pippa closed up the pouch and looked over to the window.
“It is just the knights and your brother sparring in the practice yard, my lady.”
“My brother is sparring?” Her heart jumped into her throat. “With a sword?”
“Aye, my lady. That is what is used while sparring.”
“Nay! He’s not ready for that yet. He’s going to get hurt.” Pippa ran over to the window and stuck her head out to see that what Marie said was true. Sure enough, there was Franklin with a sword in his hand and sparring against Étienne – a full-grown man. “How dare he subject my brother to something like this!”
“I don’t understand, my lady.” Marie walked up behind her and peered out the window. “I thought your father agreed to let Étienne mentor your brother.”
“Aye, but not so much so soon!” She stood up straight and raised her chin. “It is cold, Marie. Close the shutter.”
“Aye, my lady.”
“Get my cloak, please. We need to leave immediately.”
Marie rushed across the room, coming back with Pippa’s cloak, helping her to don it. “Are we leaving to find the messenger to give him the missives to deliver?” she asked.
“That, and more.” Pippa picked up the pouch with the missives and handed it to Marie. “You will find the messenger and give him instructions to deliver the invitations anon.”
“Aye, my lady,” Marie answered with a bow. “But won’t you be coming with me?”
“I have another task to attend to first.” Pippa snatched the blanket off the bed and headed for the door.”
“Where are you going with that blanket, if I may ask?” Marie watched her with a confused look upon her face.
“I am taking it to my brother so he doesn’t catch his death from the cold.”
Heroes of Honor: Historical Romance Collection Page 6