“I also dream that people notice me when I walk into a room and that they don’t ignore me. People talk to me in my dreams and care about what I have to say. That’s never going to happen, is it?”
“Huh?” Willow stopped brushing her hair, looking over to the girl, not really paying attention. There were tears in Hazel’s eyes again. “Hazel, I don’t really know a lot about dreams.”
“Never mind. It’s silly. And like you said, it’ll never come true. People will never notice me the way they notice you, Willow.” She got up and ran over to the bed, throwing herself atop it, crying.
Willow felt terrible having said those things to Hazel, making the girl cry. But that was before she realized that all the girl had was dreams. Willow wasn’t good with situations like this. How she longed for Fia or even Morag to talk to. They would know what to say to Hazel to make her feel better. She let out a sigh and headed for the bed. She would have to make the best of this since it was partially her fault.
“Hazel,” she said, sitting on the bed next to her. Hazel cried and hid her face in the pillow. “Hazel, look at me.”
Slowly, the girl did so.
“If you want to be noticed, then you have to take control of the situation. It isn’t going to happen on its own.”
“What do you mean?”
“You poor dear. You really have no idea, do you?”
“Can you teach me to be like you, Willow?” The girl’s eyes lit up in hope. Willow had no idea how to help her. “Mayhap a man will kiss me someday the way my brother kissed you.”
“Oh.” Willow’s hand went to her chest, not expecting Hazel to say that. “That was a mistake. That’s why I slapped him.”
This conversation made Willow feel as if she were somehow being dishonorable by kissing the girl’s brother. She didn’t do anything wrong. Did she? Willow’s heart went out to her, remembering Conrad say that they had recently lost their mother. She was sure it couldn’t be easy. Perhaps, she needed to show Hazel a little compassion.
“I want to be like you, Willow.”
“Nay, you don’t.” Willow put her hand atop the girl’s hand.
“Yes, I do. I want to be able to talk to the men easily, the way you do.”
“It comes naturally for me, but I assure you it won’t come to you as easily. You see, it’s a talent that cannot be learned.” Willow wasn’t sure that was true, but she didn’t want to teach this girl things that would only make Conrad angry with her. Nay, she would have to teach Hazel things like sewing and needlework or helping prepare herbs in the kitchen instead. The domestic skills that ladies were supposed to know. The only problem was, Willow was not good at any of those things. She had spent years avoiding the proper things expected of her that didn’t make her happy. But Hazel was different. She was gentle, frail and weak. What was she going to do with her? And why did she have to be put in this position?
“Surely, there is some way you can help me.”
“Well, mayhap there is,” said Willow, deciding to do what she did best. “The first thing you need to do is let down your hair. Men don’t like hair that is wound so tight that it makes your eyes look like slits. They also don’t like when it’s hidden beneath a wimple. That is for widows and old women.”
“Show me,” said Hazel, wiping away a tear from her cheek.
“All right.” Willow reached out and unpinned Hazel’s braid. “Let’s brush out your hair and see how you look. I’m sure someone will notice the difference.”
“Do you really think so?”
“Sure, why not? I wear my hair loose and long most of the time.” She ran the brush through Hazel’s hair.
“My brother says loose hair means the woman is loose as well.”
She stopped brushing. “He does, does he? Well, he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.”
“He also says that girls shouldn’t approach a man and start talking to them, but rather wait to be approached by them first. It’s not ladylike.”
“Your brother has been teaching you falsities. None of that is true.”
“He also says –”
“How about we go for a ride?” Willow didn’t want to hear another word about whatever Conrad the Cur thought. She got up and took Hazel’s hand, dragging the young innocent along with her.
“Where are we going?” asked Hazel as they headed for the door.
“We are going for a ride with the wind blowing through our hair and no one is going to stop us.”
“Bid the devil, Squire, why did you let me sleep so late?” Conrad hurried down the corridor, fastening his weapon belt around his waist as he walked.
“My lord, I tried to wake you, but you know as well as I that you sleep so soundly that the castle walls could come crumbling down around you and you wouldn’t even know it.”
“Stop exaggerating.” Conrad headed toward Lady Willow’s chamber.
“Your father used to say all the time that you’d probably sleep through your own wedding . . . as well as the consummation.” Toby chuckled.
“That’s not funny, Squire. Now, I’ll hear no more. I might have times when I’m in a deep sleep, but I assure you I am still aware of everything that goes on around me.”
“Of course, my lord.”
“Now, there will be no word of this in front of Ladies Willow and Hazel.”
“I understand.”
“Willow. Hazel.” Conrad rapped his knuckles against the door. “Open up. We’re going to be late for the meal to break the fast.”
“My lord, you’ve already missed that,” Toby informed him. “The earl had the best quail eggs cooked in a buttery sauce and spicy herbs that were served over a thick slice of soft white bread.” Toby smacked his lips. “I had two servings as well as some of the cook’s special bilberry tarts.”
“Bilberry tarts?” Conrad’s head snapped up. He loved bilberry tarts. He used to take his mother berry picking. They’d eat half the berries before they returned to the castle. This made him miss his mother dearly.
“And after that, there were two courses of –”
“That’s enough,” snapped Conrad. “If I want a report on every morsel of food served, I’ll go down to the kitchen and ask the cook myself. Willow, open the door,” Conrad called out, knocking again. When no one answered, he entered the room to find it empty. “Damn,” he spat. “I’ve missed them. Were they in the great hall for the meal?”
“I’m not sure, but I don’t think so,” answered Toby. “Of course, when the servers came out with tray after tray of sweetmeats, cakes, fruit, cheese and even frumenty pudding, I have to admit I could focus on naught else.”
Conrad salivated at the mention of all the food he’d missed while he slept. His stomach growled. He was so hungry he felt as if he could eat a horse. It angered him almost as much as the fact that Willow had snuck out without him.
“Come on, we’ve got to get down to the courtyard and try to find them.”
After an hour of searching for the girls and not finding them anywhere, Conrad finally got his answer from a young man named Branton that happened to be Lord Beaufort’s page.
“I saddled horses for Lady Willow and Lady Hazel early this morning,” said the boy with a nod of his head. “They left well over an hour ago but have yet to return.”
“Left?” asked Conrad. “What do you mean, left? They can’t have left the castle walls. I informed every guard on duty not to let Lady Willow leave here.”
Branton smirked at hearing this.
“Why do you laugh?” asked Conrad, sternly.
“Because Lady Willow always leaves the castle unescorted.”
“Unescorted? The women were by themselves?” The thought was unsettling. It was so dangerous for women to be outside the castle walls without a man to protect them.
“Aye, said Branton. “I offered to go with them, but Lady Willow said they wanted to go for a ride with the wind blowing through their hair. She said I would only slow them down.”
“Wi
nd through their hair? Willow is exposing my innocent sister to the ways of a harlot, I swear. How could this have happened?” Conrad paced back and forth in the courtyard. “They can’t have gotten past the guards.”
“They took the horses out the old postern gate. That’s what Lady Willow and her cousins always do to avoid being seen exiting the castle.”
“Egads, this is awful. Toby, saddle our horses, we’ve got to go look for them, anon.”
“I wouldn’t worry. They’ll be back shortly,” said Branton.
“How do you know that? Did they tell you where they were going?” Conrad drilled the boy with questions.
“Well, nay, but I can guess. I’m sure they went to the secret garden. That’s always where they end up.”
“Secret garden? What secret garden and where is it?”
“It was the garden of an old woman named Imanie who died last year.”
“Why in heaven’s name would she go there? Especially since the old hag is dead.”
“I’m not supposed to say anything, but . . .” Branton looked around and then leaned forward and continued to speak in a whisper. “You know, Willow is one of the chosen ones by the late Queen Philippa.”
“Chosen? Chosen for what? What in God’s name are you talking about?” asked Conrad.
“She was their grandmother. The queen that is.”
“I know that. Tell me something I don’t know because you are trying my patience.”
“The queen started a secret society of women called the Followers of the Secret Heart.”
“Now I know you are making this up because it is the most outrageous story I’ve ever heard in my life. There is no such group and certainly not with women.” He reached out and gripped the boy by the front of his tunic. “I’ll teach you not to lie to me again.”
“Sir Conrad, do not hurt my page because he tells the truth.” The Earl of Rothbury walked across the courtyard to join them.
“I’m sorry, Lord Beaufort, but I find this whole idea of a secret group of women preposterous.”
“Shhh.” The earl leaned forward as well. “Not many of my men know about the garden and the secret organization. I’d like to keep it that way. After all, no man wants to hear how women are joining together to deceive us.”
“Oh, I don’t think they do it to deceive anyone, my lord,” said Branton.
“Then what would they be joining together for?” Conrad’s question was low and direct.
“We don’t really know the answer to that,” said the earl. “I don’t believe even King Edward knew what the group was all about.”
“If it is a true story then someone has to know about it,” Conrad told him.
“Sir Conrad. I would rather turn a blind eye than to tell the girls’ fathers that they are involved in such a group.”
“Lord Rook doesn’t know about this?” Conrad was surprised to hear that the earl kept it from Willow’s own father.
“Nay, and you won’t tell him,” said Lord Beaufort. “After all, he and his brothers are the Legendary Bastards of the Crown. No one wants to get on their bad sides. Once the triplets’ daughters are married and well cared for by noblemen, the happier they will be. That is one of the reasons I allowed Willow to put herself up as one of the brides for the competition. As she said, her father would feel confident if he knew she was married and had someone to look after her all the time.”
“This is just too hard to believe.” Conrad sheathed his blade.
“They have the queen’s crowns as well as the heart brooches to prove it,” said Branton excitedly.
Conrad shook his head in disgust. “Crowns and brooches or not, I promised Willow’s father I’d look after her and I’ll drag her back here by her hair if I have to. Where is this secret garden?”
“It’s at the edge of the earl’s lands,” Branton relayed the information. “It’s where the royal forest begins.”
“Let’s go,” said Conrad, turning on his heel. His squire was right behind him.
“Wait, I’ll come with you and show you how to get there.” Branton raced to get his horse and returned immediately. “It’s hidden in a cove and very hard to see. You’ll never find it on your own.”
“Believe me, I’d just have to follow the shine of Willow’s crown and other jewelry to find her,” grumbled Conrad. “I swear I’ll tie her to the bedpost if I have to, but she’ll not be taking my sister for unescorted rides in the woods ever again.”
Chapter 7
“This garden is beautiful,” exclaimed Hazel, slipping off her horse and heading toward the beds of overgrown flowers and weeds.
Willow wanted to share her secret place with Hazel so the girl would feel special. It was evident that she had a low self-image since she usually remained as quiet as a mouse and blended in with the wall. Even when she did talk, she kept her eyes focused on the ground.
At first, Willow wanted nothing to do with Hazel, but now she changed her mind. Undoubtedly, Hazel was pathetic, and that made her a challenge to work with. However, Willow liked challenges. She also secretly always wanted a sister. Being the only girl in the family made her feel lonely. She had her cousins, and they were close to her like sisters would be, but they weren’t here now. She fancied the idea of having another girl to talk with.
Being taken away from Naward Castle and her family at only the age of eight made her feel unwanted and invisible, just like Hazel. She knew what the girl was going through, and wanted to help her. Perhaps Willow’s skills with people as well as with words could be beneficial in this situation.
“This is the secret garden of Imanie,” Willow told her, tethering their horses and walking through the tall grass to join her.
“Imanie?” Hazel scanned the garden. “Is that her house?”
“Was,” Willow corrected her. “Imanie was a mentor to me as well as my cousins, Maira and Fia.”
“Where is Imanie now?”
“Right there.” Willow pointed to the grave.
“Oh, no.” Hazel held her hand over her mouth and made her way to the gravesite, falling to her knees. “It’s so overgrown, I can barely see her grave marker.” Hazel started pulling up weed after weed.
“Nay. What are you doing?” asked Willow, taking Hazel’s hand and dragging her to her feet.
“Doesn’t anyone care for the grounds now that’s she’s dead?” asked Hazel.
Willow surveyed the unkempt garden and shrugged. “Nay, I suppose not.”
“Why don’t you do it?”
“Me?” Willow laughed and brushed back a stray lock of hair. “Don’t be silly. Gardening is a chore for servants, not noblewomen.”
“I thought Imanie meant something to you.”
“She did.” Willow fingered Imanie’s bracelet around her wrist.
“Then why don’t you show her some respect by keeping up her garden now that she’s gone?” Once again, Hazel dropped to her knees and started pulling weeds.
“Hazel, you are a noblewoman and shouldn’t be doing this. Now get up.”
“I will not.” More tears flowed from her eyes as she pulled weeds faster and faster. “I lost my mother recently and wasn’t even allowed to mourn her death before my brother dragged me away.”
“I’m sure he did it for your own good.”
“Did he?” She stopped pulling weeds and looked up. Anger showed in her eyes. “He came to Rothbury to leave me with Lord Beaufort, but even the earl doesn’t want me. I’ll end up in a nunnery someday because no one wants me near them.”
“That’s not true, now stop talking that way.”
“Do you want me here?” asked Hazel, putting Willow on the spot. Willow hesitated, not sure how to answer.
“Mayhap I didn’t at first, but now I don’t mind the idea as much,” she admitted.
“You don’t want me, just say it.” The girl put her face in her hands, trying to hide away from the world.
“Willow? Hazel? Are you here?”
Willow turned to see Branto
n entering the garden on horseback with Conrad and Toby right behind him.
“Branton, why did you bring them here?” she spat. “You know this is a secret place.”
“Secret?” asked Conrad, dismounting. “Then why does half of Castle Rothbury know about it? Willow, why did you bring my sister here?”
“We wanted to go for a ride, that’s all.”
Conrad looked down at Willow, about to shake her for being so thoughtless. “You dare to take my sister outside the castle walls without an escort? Do you know how dangerous that is? What were you thinking?”
“Sir Conrad, I at least paid a little attention to your sister, when all you want to do is pawn her off on anyone who will take her,” retorted Willow.
“That’s not true.”
“That’s what Hazel said. Ask her yourself if you don’t believe me. She feels unwanted.”
“Hazel?” Conrad stepped around Willow and helped his sister to her feet. “You’re crying. What did Willow do to you? And where is your wimple? Your hair isn’t even in a braid.” Conrad’s blood boiled. What kind of a bad influence had Willow been on his dear, sweet, innocent sister?
“Willow said to do it, but I didn’t want to.” The girl sniffed and wiped away a tear.
“Now wait a minute, Hazel. That’s not exactly the truth,” said Willow.
“Why did you bring her here?” Conrad snapped at Willow. “This place is a tangled, twisted mass of weeds and overgrown plants. It is no place for a lady.”
“I agree.” Willow raised her chin and met him in challenge. “However, I wanted to show her a place that was at one time very special to me.”
“This?” Conrad raised a brow, pulling his sister closer. “I’d be surprised if a wild boar didn’t jump out trying to maul us.”
“Conrad, I want to go back to the castle,” said Hazel, sounding very upset. He put his arm around her and walked her to her horse.
“Let’s go,” he said, helping his sister mount. He looked up to see Willow settling herself on a wooden swing that was large enough for two. It hung from ropes between two shady trees. “I said, let’s go, Willow.”
Seductive Secrets (Secrets of the Heart Series Book 2) Page 6