?You can feel sorry for him, but you are not the recipient of his current enmity.
Do you ask me, he and his demons deserve each other.?
?Will you let your own tragedies turn you as hard and unforgiving as he??
?Now you contradict yourself to badger me, by admitting he is hard and
unforgiving. Leave go, Mildred. I said I would think about it.?
?Very well.?
Mildred sighed, but added tenaciously ?You do not feel just a little sorry for
him now??
?Not even a little,? Rowena said stubbornly and wished it were not a lie.
Chapter 26
?Welcome, Sheldon!? Warrick exclaimed and clasped his old friend in a bear hug.
?It has been too long since you came for a visit.?
?Likely because you crack my ribs each time I do,? Sheldon grunted.
?Liar,? Warrick shot back, but with a laugh, for Sheldon was not as wide as he
was, but was as talland in full armor.
Sheldon de Vere had been the eldest son of the household where Warrick had been
fostered, and Warrick had been his squire for four years. That there was only
some five years difference in their ages had made them friends as well. Sheldon
was merely thirty seven now, but his beard and straggly, long brown hair were
prematurely salted with gray, a trait common to the men of his family. It did
not detract from his handsomeness, but it did cause strange stares from folk
seeing him for the first time.
?Come, seat yourself and let your squire remove some of that heavy mail,?
Warrick continued as he led the way to the hearth. Then he called to a passing
servant.
?Emma, order refreshment for my guest.?
The girl turned to do as told, but after a moment Warrick called again.
?And fetch the new wench to serve it.?
Sheldon watched the lithesome girl delegate the first order to another, then
move toward the stairs to the women?s quarters.
?You still treat her like a servant?? he remarked after she had gone from sight.
?She is a servant.?
?She is also your daughter.?
Warrick frowned at that bald statement.
?That cannot be proven. God?s blood, I bedded her mother but once in my
fifteenth year, when you had given me leave to come home for a short visit. ?Tis
unlikely?
?Why do you make excuses for it not to be so,? Sheldon interrupted,
?when you have only to look at her to know she is your get? She is the only one
of your girls who actually does look like you.?
Warrick slumped down in his chair by the hearth, his frown darkening.
?I had no knowledge of the girl until she was nigh full grown. Her mother was so
afeared of me, she kept her hidden in the village during my infrequent stays
here, and my servants are so circumspect, none would mention her existence to me.
Even you have never mentioned her to me ere now.?
Sheldon flushed, for that was true enough.
?Did you acknowledge her as yours when you did finally notice her??
Warrick snorted.
?When I first noticed her, my friend, all I saw was a comely wench I might like
to sample in a few years and I told her so, whereby she promptly explained, with
a good deal of affronted heat, that I could not because she was my daughter.
Verily, I have never felt like such a fool, because I did not see it, because I
did not know it.?
Sheldon laughed.
?Embarrassment like that is not easy to forget.?
?Indeed, nor have 1.1 would as soon she continued to hide herself when I am home,
but now she does not.?
?But did you acknowledge her??
?Nay. I told you it cannot be proven she is mine, or do you forget that my
father yet lived when she was conceived? She could as easily be his get.?
?You believe that no more than I. Your father was much too devoted to your
mother to find any interest at all in the castle wenches.?
Warrick could not deny that, and his frown turned into a scowl.
?Mayhap I welcomed you too hastily, old friend. Why do you badger me about the
girl??
Sheldon sighed.
?I should have said so to begin with. My second son, Richard, would like to have
her to wife.?
Warrick stared at him for a long moment before he burst out laughing.
?His wife? What jest is this??
?No jest. I doubt you care to note it, but you have made yourself a power to
reckon with. An alliance with your house is coveted by more powerful lords than
I, or are you not barraged frequently with requests for your girls??
?Aye, too many for me to have the time to consider. But I have two legitimate
daughters, either of whom I would gladly give to Richard.?
Sheldon grimaced.
?No offense, Warrick, but Richard has threatened to move to France do I come
back with a betrothal to either of those two. He wants no other than Emma, and I
would be glad of the match myself.?
?But she is no more than a serf!? Warrick burst out.
?Not if you acknowledge her as yours.?
Warrick was back to scowling.
? ?Twould be a disservice to your family. She has not the deportment or manners
of a lady. She would shame?
?She can be taught all that needs knowing.?
?By who?? Warrick snorted.
?Did I ask Lady Roberta to include my bastard in her teachings, she would laugh
in my face, or more like leave affronted. Tis not done, Sheldon.?
His friend sighed again.
?She should have been taught long ago, but as you say, you knew not of her
existence. And I have no lady wife to take her in hand either. What, then, do I
tell my Richard, who has his heart set on her? Is she really so lacking in all
graces??
Warrick did not hear the question. Emma had returned to the hall, and right
behind her was Rowena. And the sight of the flaxen haired wench sent all
thoughts of Sheldon?s problem out of his mind. She did not look his way, but his
eyes followed her until she disappeared down the kitchen stairwell.
Memories of last eventide returned and caused him to stir uncomfortably in his
chair; then he realized that Sheldon was staring at him.
?What??
Sheldon raised a brow at the surly tone.
?I asked if you would object if I found a lady willing to instruct Emma.
Doubtless ?twill not be easy to find such a lady, yet would I need your
permission ere I make the effort.?
But Warrick was not looking at him, and all he said was ?What?? again, though
with less heat.
?Warrick, what the devil ails you, that you are so distracted??
Rowena had reentered the hall with a tray laden with refreshment. She ailed him,
that cursed wench. He could not look at her without being reminded of all she
had done to him, and he could not recall that without feeling the heat stir in
his loins. Fury and desire clashed and warred in him once again, and it was
getting harder for fury to win the battle.
?Do you require aught else, my lord??
She had set the tray on a table between the two chairs and now stood there with
her hands folded and her eyes demurely loweredto Warrick?s feet. He had dressed
her in servants? clothes, yet in no way had she ever appeared the serf. Even
standing there waiting to serve him, she hel
d herself with all the regal grace
of a queen. ?Twas more than annoying, those ladylike airs, but the thought
suddenly made him smile, for it occurred to him that he had someone right here
who could instruct Emma in all she would need to know, and he did not have to
ask her to do it, he need only order it done.
Just then, he ordered ?Go you and inform Mistress Blouet to prepare a chamber
for my guest.?
?I see I no longer need my last question answered,? Sheldon said as soon as she
left.
?Is she the lady you had locked in your dungeon??
Warrick was surprised.
?How did you come to know about that??
?I came to Fulkhurst a fortnight ago, expecting to meet your bride. Did no one
tell you??
?Nay, ?twas not mentioned. But how did you hear of Rowena??
?Considering the large escort that brought her and installed her in your dungeon/twas
all your people were talking about. Speculation was rife, as I recall, as to
whether she was indeed a lady or not. Is she??
?The question wouldst be better put, ?Was she??
She was. She is not now.?
?How so??
?Because she is my prisoner, without rights and without concessions. As I do not
care to hang her, or flay the skin from her back, or otherwise maim her, I have
instead punished her with the loss of her previous status. I have made her my
serf.?
?What did she do??
?I do not care to speak of her crime. Suffice it to say, she is lucky I did not
kill her.?
Sheldon said naught for several moments, possibly because Warrick?s tone had
turned too defensive.
?It must have been grievous indeed.?
But then he shrugged, not all that interested, since his own problem had yet to
be solved.
?About Emma??
?Do you leave the matter to me. As it happens, my new serf is capable of
teaching the girl, if she can be taught. Let us see if the iron can be wrought
into silver ere we speak more of it.?
Chapter 27
No sooner had Rowena returned to the weaving room than Celia showed up there,
sauntering in with a superior than thou expression and a tight little smile that
warned Rowena she was not going to like hearing what the girl had to say. Indeed,
she did not.
?Get you to the East tower, wench. A bath has been sent there for Sir Sheldon?s
use, and you are to assist him.?
Celia?s diction was much improved, Rowena noted, when she was not upset.
Gloating and delighted were what she was just now, while Rowena felt as if the
floor had fallen out beneath her feet.
?Did Mary send you with that order??
?Nay, Warrick did.?
Celia smirked.
?And best you hurry. Sir Sheldon has already been shown to the chamber. And mark
you, wench, he is not merely a guest, but a good friend of your lord. Warrick
would not like it were his friend not pleased with your service.?
A couple of the women snickered at that. Rowena merely got up and left the room.
She was angry at Warrick for this new humiliation he would force on her, but
even more angry at herself for beginning to think seriously about the
suggestions Mildred had made earlier. Any man who could send her to another man?s
bedand she did not mistake Celia?s taunting warning any more than the other
women hadwas not worth seducing, even if it might better her lot to try it.
She was surprised, too. When the girl Emma had summoned her, she had expected to
receive what she had missed that morn, utter shame over her behavior yestereve
in his bed. Yet when she had stood before him, Warrick still had not mentioned
last eventide, though it had been there in his eyes as he stared at her, full
memory of it. Instead he had as much as given her to another man with his
blessing.
Verily, this could be seen as another punishment, yet she could not think what
she had done to merit it. She had not even hesitated over calling him her lord.
She had not delayed in coming when summoned. Had Warrick reached a point, then,
where he did not need a reason to punish her, where good behavior would avail
her naught? If so, why should she bother to do as bidden? Because there are
worse punishments than attending a stranger at his bath.
Attending that stranger in his bed was out of the question, however, no matter
if it was Warrick?s wish that she do so, no matter what was done to her for
refusing. The stranger would have to rape her, and he was not likely to do that.
A knight might take a field wench without a thought, but he would not abuse his
host?s servant in that waynot without his host?s permission. But there was the
rub. Had Warrick told this Sir Sheldon that he could have her?
Mixed in with the anger was hurt that aught not to be there, but dread took over
both emotions the closer she got to the East tower chamber, until she was nigh
sick with it. Yet there was a core of stubbornness in her that would not let her
run and hide instead.
The door to the chamber was open. A young squire was just leaving the room with
Sir Sheldon?s heavy armor. Steam rose from the tub that had been set in the
center of the room. Buckets of cold water had been left to temper the hot. And
Sir Sheldon stood next to the tub, rubbing the back of his neck as if it pained
him. It took him a moment to notice her standing just inside the door. When he
did, his surprise became quickly evident.
?Yow are to assist me, lady?? Lady? So he knew. Warrick had told him about her
and then sent her here, making it all the worse for her. Damn that monster and
his diabolical methods of revenge.
She lowered her head and gritted out ?I am ordered here by Lord Warrick.?
?I would not have thought? he began, but ended with a slight flush.
?I am grateful.?
That single word put a new light on what she had to do and took the shame out of
it. Were she lady of this castle and married, she would not think twice about
assisting an honored guest. Her mother had frequently done so, and did the guest
require more than a bath, he would be sent a willing light skirt of whom every
castle had its share. Granted, virginal ladies were not expected to assist at a
bath, but Rowena was not exactly virginal any longer. Twould be best to treat
this as any other chore and see first if Sir Sheldon made any untoward advances
before she condemned him.
With that settled in her mind, Rowena moved forward to help the man out of his
tunic, which was already half unlaced. She was still slightly nervous, so
thought to make small conversation to distract herself.
?Did you travel far, Sir Sheldon??
?Nay, not overly.?
?I was told you are a good friend to Lord Warrick. You have known him long, then,
have you??
?Aye, he was my squire.?
?Yours??
He grinned down at her.
?Why does that surprise you? Thought you he came to knighthood without the
training??
She grinned back at his gentle teasing. She had barely noticed this man in the
hall, her attention so set on Warrick, but on closer inspection, Sheldon was not
nearly as old as he had seemed at first glance. V
erily, he seemed not much older
than Warrick.
?So you knew him ere he turned so? To call the man?s friend what she would like
to would not be very wise, so she settled for ?Hard?? But that word made Sheldon
burst into laughter.
?You do not know him very well, damosel, if all you can call him is hard. Most
women call him terrifying.?
Rowena flushed.
?I do not claim to know him at all, yet does he not frighten memuch.?
He laughed again, a deep, rich sound. She yanked hard on his chausses to show
him she did not appreciate it.
?What do you here, wench?? Rowena gasped at the sound of that voice and looked
toward the doorway whence it had come. Warrick filled the opening that she had
not thought to close and put the lie to her last words, for he looked terrifying
indeed in his present anger, of which she could not begin to guess the cause.
?You ordered me here, my lord,? she dared to remind him, but that just made him
look angrier.
?Nay, I did not, nor would I have. Your duties are exact, wench. Do they
increase or decrease, I will tell you so myself. Now get you to my solar and
await me there.?
She was hot cheeked with indignation, but she did not care to argue with him in
front of his friend. She left without another word to either man, but had gone
not even halfway down the stairs before Warrick caught up with her, roughly
yanking her about and shoving her up against the stone wall. The arrow slit that
gave light to the stairwell was blocked by his wide back, so she could not see
clearly just how angry he still was. His voice told her, however.
?Explain to me why I should not punish you for being where you do not belong!?
?I thought ?twas a punishment, my being sent to him. Now you tell me I am to be
punished for doing as I was bidden? If you dare?
He shook her once.
?You were not bidden to come here. If you speak that lie again, so help me, I
will not order you beaten, I will do it myself!?
Rowena swallowed the retort she would have made. The man was simply too angry,
and beginning to seriously frighten her with it.
She made her.tone soft and placating.
?I know not what to tell you but the truth. I was told I was to assist Sir
Sheldon at his bath, and that ?twas by your order.?
?Who told you??
?Celia.?
Lindsey, Johanna - Prisoner Of My Desire Page 19