Read Online A Lady's Charade (Medieval Romance Novel) by Eliza Knight - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Eliza Knight
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and left the cottage with a bucket he’d grabbed near the fire in the main room.
How long would she be able to put up with this deception? The sooner she got word to the Fergusson clan the better.
She gave her mount a pat on his flank and then went in search of Maude. The woman stirred liquid in the cast iron pot over the fire.
James walked through the door with the bucket and set it on the floor next to the trough. Chloe watched him out of the corner of her eye. He took no notice of the pack she had hidden behind the trough. She breathed a sigh of relief. What little she had was safe for now.
“Are ye hungry?” Maude asked.
Chloe nodded and smiled. Her stomach was in knots from the lack of food, as well as the stress of the day. Maude dished some of the stew from the pot into a bowl and set it on the table, motioning for Chloe to sit down.
Chloe followed her directions and looked down at her bowl. There was still leftover food crusted on its rim from a previous meal. Water and soap must be hard to come by, she thought. Too hungry to worry about it, she sat on one of the shaky wooden chairs and began to eat. The stew was mostly water, with some oats and bits of herbs, carrots, onions, and meager chunks of meat. She wasn’t sure what the meat was, but thought it must be rabbit. She gulped the cup of bitter watery ale James had given her to wash down the foul tasting meal.
From the corner of her eye, Chloe witnessed James watching her every move. She could feel his stare and tried not to look at him directly. She didn’t want to encourage anything further from the young man.
They were both of a marriageable age. Would he try to find a way to claim her? Back home, that had been the thoughts of many young men. Her father had refused them all. His only wish for her to marry his own man, Angus.
She hated to dash his hopes but marriage definitely wasn’t something she was looking to add to the pile of her new responsibilities. Yet, perhaps he stared at her with disgust and she would have nothing to worry about.
“What brings you to Hardwyck?” he asked between bites.
Chloe looked up at him and Maude, quickly forming her answer in her mind. The look on James’s face said he was truly interested, and not suspicious. Maude sat down at the table, her crusty bowl newly refreshed with the sparse stew, to listen.
“Lord Hardwyck.” She took a swig of the bitter ale to bolster nerves. What could she say? “He saved me from an assault by an outlaw. I am not from around here. My family abandoned me on the forest’s edge.”
“So they just left you, with nowhere to go and no one to see?” Maude asked, her brows furrowed together.
“Yes.” Chloe looked down at her bowl. An image of Nicola flashed behind her eyes. She closed them tight, took a deep breath, and then another bite of stew.
“So you have no one and no where?” James asked softly, his tone filled with sympathy.
She looked up, and didn’t like his expression of pity. She tried not to harden her voice at him when she replied. “No, I do not have anyone. I thank you kindly for allowing me to sit at your table.” She stared into his eyes as she said it, challenging him for his pity. He only gave her a sappy smile.
She turned her attention to her hostess. “Tell me about Lord Hardwyck. I have not heard of him,” she lied.
“Ah, the Lord of Hardwyck. He’s known for the knight he is. On the field of battle and in a tourney, he is exceptional, fierce and unrelenting. His tongue can blazon anyone who deserves a lashing.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke of her lord. It was obvious she had much respect for him. “They call him the Dragon, not only because of his family crest, but because he resembles one so much in spirit. He’s compassionate, though, to his people and others. As you know, I’m sure, since he saved ye. Although, it doesn’t always show. He’s not as mean-spirited as his father the old earl. But he shan’t to be trifled with.
How long would she be able to put up with this deception? The sooner she got word to the Fergusson clan the better.
She gave her mount a pat on his flank and then went in search of Maude. The woman stirred liquid in the cast iron pot over the fire.
James walked through the door with the bucket and set it on the floor next to the trough. Chloe watched him out of the corner of her eye. He took no notice of the pack she had hidden behind the trough. She breathed a sigh of relief. What little she had was safe for now.
“Are ye hungry?” Maude asked.
Chloe nodded and smiled. Her stomach was in knots from the lack of food, as well as the stress of the day. Maude dished some of the stew from the pot into a bowl and set it on the table, motioning for Chloe to sit down.
Chloe followed her directions and looked down at her bowl. There was still leftover food crusted on its rim from a previous meal. Water and soap must be hard to come by, she thought. Too hungry to worry about it, she sat on one of the shaky wooden chairs and began to eat. The stew was mostly water, with some oats and bits of herbs, carrots, onions, and meager chunks of meat. She wasn’t sure what the meat was, but thought it must be rabbit. She gulped the cup of bitter watery ale James had given her to wash down the foul tasting meal.
From the corner of her eye, Chloe witnessed James watching her every move. She could feel his stare and tried not to look at him directly. She didn’t want to encourage anything further from the young man.
They were both of a marriageable age. Would he try to find a way to claim her? Back home, that had been the thoughts of many young men. Her father had refused them all. His only wish for her to marry his own man, Angus.
She hated to dash his hopes but marriage definitely wasn’t something she was looking to add to the pile of her new responsibilities. Yet, perhaps he stared at her with disgust and she would have nothing to worry about.
“What brings you to Hardwyck?” he asked between bites.
Chloe looked up at him and Maude, quickly forming her answer in her mind. The look on James’s face said he was truly interested, and not suspicious. Maude sat down at the table, her crusty bowl newly refreshed with the sparse stew, to listen.
“Lord Hardwyck.” She took a swig of the bitter ale to bolster nerves. What could she say? “He saved me from an assault by an outlaw. I am not from around here. My family abandoned me on the forest’s edge.”
“So they just left you, with nowhere to go and no one to see?” Maude asked, her brows furrowed together.
“Yes.” Chloe looked down at her bowl. An image of Nicola flashed behind her eyes. She closed them tight, took a deep breath, and then another bite of stew.
“So you have no one and no where?” James asked softly, his tone filled with sympathy.
She looked up, and didn’t like his expression of pity. She tried not to harden her voice at him when she replied. “No, I do not have anyone. I thank you kindly for allowing me to sit at your table.” She stared into his eyes as she said it, challenging him for his pity. He only gave her a sappy smile.
She turned her attention to her hostess. “Tell me about Lord Hardwyck. I have not heard of him,” she lied.
“Ah, the Lord of Hardwyck. He’s known for the knight he is. On the field of battle and in a tourney, he is exceptional, fierce and unrelenting. His tongue can blazon anyone who deserves a lashing.” Her eyes lit up as she spoke of her lord. It was obvious she had much respect for him. “They call him the Dragon, not only because of his family crest, but because he resembles one so much in spirit. He’s compassionate, though, to his people and others. As you know, I’m sure, since he saved ye. Although, it doesn’t always show. He’s not as mean-spirited as his father the old earl. But he shan’t to be trifled with.
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