Read Online A Lady's Charade (Medieval Romance Novel) by Eliza Knight - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Eliza Knight
Ads: Link
People respect him and his rule. Are ye nervous?” Maude’s smile showed compassion as she leaned over and patted Chloe’s arm. “Don’t be nervous, he’s a good master.”
Chloe nodded, although inside she felt anything but. She was so filled with anger for their good master, she nearly choked on her breath. “Thank you, madam, for calming my nerves, and for your hospitality.”
Maude smiled at her and then looked at her horse. Chloe could see the woman calculating something in her mind. Her eyes flickered around the room. Chloe abhorred that she was at Maude’s mercy. The woman kept glancing at James and patting him on the hand.
“Chloe, we would be happy if ye wanted to stay with us. I’m sure yer horse here would pay yer way,” Maude said pointing at the horse.
James nodded emphatically and gave her a wide grin as his gaze perused her bosom. She suppressed a shudder.
She didn’t want to take Maude up on her offer, and instead preferred—however awful it would be—to see what Lord Hardwyck asked of her the next day. Hopefully, he’d let her work in the kitchens and she could lace his food with an herbal laxative… Or maybe something worse? No, she may loathe him to the core, but she wasn’t evil, and killing wasn’t something she could do.
“Thank you, Maude, but I think I will wait to speak with Lord Hardwyck. I would very much like to pay my own way. And I may need the horse,” she said.
“’Tis probably the best idea,” Maude answered trying to hide her disappointment.
The rest of their dinner was filled with talk of Maude and James and their life. James was an apprentice for the local blacksmith and spent most of his days working and training. His father had also been a blacksmith before he’d died a few years prior. They had once lived a richer life, but when George Smith died, James and his mother were forced to make do with what little they could, and James was not yet ready to be smithy himself.
Chloe tried to concentrate on the conversation but her mind kept turning back to Lord Hardwyck and how she might take subtle revenge and still keep her identity secret. She also needed to figure out how she could get word to her people without letting Lord Hardwyck find out. Lord, she didn’t want to get thrown in the dungeon.
“In two years time I’ll be done with my apprenticeship, and then I can buy into the guild to become a blacksmith myself,” James admonished to Chloe, pride showing on his face. Turning to his mother, he placed his hand on her arm, and then gave Chloe a meaningful look. “Then we’ll expand the house to three rooms with a sturdy wooden door. I’ll build a larger garden for ma’s vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Mayhap even be able to buy a pig, sheep and a cow.”
“That sounds wonderful, James. I’m sure your mother will be pleased.” She tried to smile but ended up yawning instead, hastily covering her mouth with her hand. “Pardon me, I am suddenly so exhausted.”
Her eyes felt heavy, and her shoulders slumped no matter how hard she forced them to stay straight. All she could think of was curling into her own feather mattress and falling into a peaceful sleep. She knew her prior life was now just a dream, but perhaps she could imagine she was home, as she lay on whatever grimy mattress Maude offered, if there were one to be had at all.
“Let me show ye where yer to sleep then,” Maude said getting up from the table. She must have seen the look of pure exhaustion on Chloe’s face.
“Again, thank you,” Chloe said, lifting her bowl from the table. She took a rag and wiped it down as Maude had done, and placed it on the shelf along with the other bowls.
She followed Maude into the little room that served as a sleeping chamber along with storage.
“You’ll sleep over there. It’s James’s bed, but he can sleep in the main room for tonight.” Maude pointed to a filthy mattress on the dirt floor.
“Oh, I couldn’t take his bed, I will sleep
Chloe nodded, although inside she felt anything but. She was so filled with anger for their good master, she nearly choked on her breath. “Thank you, madam, for calming my nerves, and for your hospitality.”
Maude smiled at her and then looked at her horse. Chloe could see the woman calculating something in her mind. Her eyes flickered around the room. Chloe abhorred that she was at Maude’s mercy. The woman kept glancing at James and patting him on the hand.
“Chloe, we would be happy if ye wanted to stay with us. I’m sure yer horse here would pay yer way,” Maude said pointing at the horse.
James nodded emphatically and gave her a wide grin as his gaze perused her bosom. She suppressed a shudder.
She didn’t want to take Maude up on her offer, and instead preferred—however awful it would be—to see what Lord Hardwyck asked of her the next day. Hopefully, he’d let her work in the kitchens and she could lace his food with an herbal laxative… Or maybe something worse? No, she may loathe him to the core, but she wasn’t evil, and killing wasn’t something she could do.
“Thank you, Maude, but I think I will wait to speak with Lord Hardwyck. I would very much like to pay my own way. And I may need the horse,” she said.
“’Tis probably the best idea,” Maude answered trying to hide her disappointment.
The rest of their dinner was filled with talk of Maude and James and their life. James was an apprentice for the local blacksmith and spent most of his days working and training. His father had also been a blacksmith before he’d died a few years prior. They had once lived a richer life, but when George Smith died, James and his mother were forced to make do with what little they could, and James was not yet ready to be smithy himself.
Chloe tried to concentrate on the conversation but her mind kept turning back to Lord Hardwyck and how she might take subtle revenge and still keep her identity secret. She also needed to figure out how she could get word to her people without letting Lord Hardwyck find out. Lord, she didn’t want to get thrown in the dungeon.
“In two years time I’ll be done with my apprenticeship, and then I can buy into the guild to become a blacksmith myself,” James admonished to Chloe, pride showing on his face. Turning to his mother, he placed his hand on her arm, and then gave Chloe a meaningful look. “Then we’ll expand the house to three rooms with a sturdy wooden door. I’ll build a larger garden for ma’s vegetables, herbs, and flowers. Mayhap even be able to buy a pig, sheep and a cow.”
“That sounds wonderful, James. I’m sure your mother will be pleased.” She tried to smile but ended up yawning instead, hastily covering her mouth with her hand. “Pardon me, I am suddenly so exhausted.”
Her eyes felt heavy, and her shoulders slumped no matter how hard she forced them to stay straight. All she could think of was curling into her own feather mattress and falling into a peaceful sleep. She knew her prior life was now just a dream, but perhaps she could imagine she was home, as she lay on whatever grimy mattress Maude offered, if there were one to be had at all.
“Let me show ye where yer to sleep then,” Maude said getting up from the table. She must have seen the look of pure exhaustion on Chloe’s face.
“Again, thank you,” Chloe said, lifting her bowl from the table. She took a rag and wiped it down as Maude had done, and placed it on the shelf along with the other bowls.
She followed Maude into the little room that served as a sleeping chamber along with storage.
“You’ll sleep over there. It’s James’s bed, but he can sleep in the main room for tonight.” Maude pointed to a filthy mattress on the dirt floor.
“Oh, I couldn’t take his bed, I will sleep
Similar Books
