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Authors: Tamara Gill
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the shelf in there?” she asked, picking up the container before putting it back in haste. Her eyes watered from the foul stench.
“Lady Madeline, you know urine is saved for dyeing of cloth.”
“You use urine to dye our clothes?”
“M’lady, you know of this way. You have used it yourself.” Her maid smiled.
“I would not put my hand into my own urine, let alone someone else’s.”
“I’m sure, once your memory returns, you will remember all of your life as it was before. Do not trouble yourself, m’lady, it may only lengthen the time before your memory does come back.”
Maddie nodded, not sure she wanted to remember her previous life, especially if it had her remembering working with urine to dye clothes. She looked down at the gown she wore, and wondered whose pee had been used on the fabric. She lifted her arm and smelt her sleeve, thankful the only smell that met her senses was one of clean, washed cloth.
She looked over at her maid, who seemed to be chuckling silently. Maddie laughed.
*
Two days later, Maddie sat comfortably—well, as comfortably as one could in a medieval carriage with no glass windows or suspension. She bit back a smile and refused to gloat over her triumph. Her husband had in fact met her at the carriage this morning, and alone at that. She couldn’t help but think she had won a battle against His Lordship this day.
They travelled for most of the day and were due to arrive at Aimecourt within the hour. Or so her bad tempered spouse had uttered while glowering across at her. Other than those few words, William hadn’t spoken at all. Not that she minded. It saved her from having to argue with the ancient he-man.
She’d enjoyed the day immensely even with the shocking conveyance and her “delightful” travelling companion. They had stopped for lunch and had partaken of an impromptu picnic. Sir Alex was a welcome friend after being stuck with William. They had companionably eaten bread, cheese, and a tart wine. She had almost dozed as she listened to him speak of his own home south of London and the woman he hoped to make his own.
Sir Alex spoke with such love and wistfulness over his betrothed that Maddie could almost be jealous of the lucky woman who would marry him. William had sat away from them, brooding and quiet while they talked. His eyes had burned a path across to them, until, unable to stand it any longer, she had looked away. Maddie wondered if William was a little jealous. It would serve him right if he was.
“Aimecourt is just ahead, Lady Madeline.”
Pulled from her musings, she looked out the carriage window as they reached the peak of a hill, allowing her apparent ancestral home to come into view. The foundations sat on the edge of the valley before them; the castle itself sat above a monstrous amount of stone. The fortress was magnificent. Bordered on three sides by ocean, it looked to sit on an island. The gatehouse, situated over an ocean moat that filled with seawater, its only entrance.
An impossible building to take during battle; no wonder Lord William wouldn’t grant an annulment. Who in their right mind would give up ownership of such a place? It reminded her of Tintagel Castle which she had once toured while in Cornwall.
“You are looking at your home, Lady Madeline, like you have never seen it before. Have you missed it so much that you cannot keep from gazing upon its grandeur?”
She ignored his sarcastic tone and looked back toward the castle.
“I’d be lying if I said I am not looking forward to being home. Do you not miss your own when away, my lord?” she asked, a double entendre to her question. She had not been thinking of Aimecourt or Kingston Castle at all, but her own home in Greenwich, which seemed a million life times away at present.
“It is only a stone building. I travel a great deal, Lady Madeline; it is easy to forget where home is,” he said, before looking away.
Maddie kept her eyes on his and watched as he
“Lady Madeline, you know urine is saved for dyeing of cloth.”
“You use urine to dye our clothes?”
“M’lady, you know of this way. You have used it yourself.” Her maid smiled.
“I would not put my hand into my own urine, let alone someone else’s.”
“I’m sure, once your memory returns, you will remember all of your life as it was before. Do not trouble yourself, m’lady, it may only lengthen the time before your memory does come back.”
Maddie nodded, not sure she wanted to remember her previous life, especially if it had her remembering working with urine to dye clothes. She looked down at the gown she wore, and wondered whose pee had been used on the fabric. She lifted her arm and smelt her sleeve, thankful the only smell that met her senses was one of clean, washed cloth.
She looked over at her maid, who seemed to be chuckling silently. Maddie laughed.
*
Two days later, Maddie sat comfortably—well, as comfortably as one could in a medieval carriage with no glass windows or suspension. She bit back a smile and refused to gloat over her triumph. Her husband had in fact met her at the carriage this morning, and alone at that. She couldn’t help but think she had won a battle against His Lordship this day.
They travelled for most of the day and were due to arrive at Aimecourt within the hour. Or so her bad tempered spouse had uttered while glowering across at her. Other than those few words, William hadn’t spoken at all. Not that she minded. It saved her from having to argue with the ancient he-man.
She’d enjoyed the day immensely even with the shocking conveyance and her “delightful” travelling companion. They had stopped for lunch and had partaken of an impromptu picnic. Sir Alex was a welcome friend after being stuck with William. They had companionably eaten bread, cheese, and a tart wine. She had almost dozed as she listened to him speak of his own home south of London and the woman he hoped to make his own.
Sir Alex spoke with such love and wistfulness over his betrothed that Maddie could almost be jealous of the lucky woman who would marry him. William had sat away from them, brooding and quiet while they talked. His eyes had burned a path across to them, until, unable to stand it any longer, she had looked away. Maddie wondered if William was a little jealous. It would serve him right if he was.
“Aimecourt is just ahead, Lady Madeline.”
Pulled from her musings, she looked out the carriage window as they reached the peak of a hill, allowing her apparent ancestral home to come into view. The foundations sat on the edge of the valley before them; the castle itself sat above a monstrous amount of stone. The fortress was magnificent. Bordered on three sides by ocean, it looked to sit on an island. The gatehouse, situated over an ocean moat that filled with seawater, its only entrance.
An impossible building to take during battle; no wonder Lord William wouldn’t grant an annulment. Who in their right mind would give up ownership of such a place? It reminded her of Tintagel Castle which she had once toured while in Cornwall.
“You are looking at your home, Lady Madeline, like you have never seen it before. Have you missed it so much that you cannot keep from gazing upon its grandeur?”
She ignored his sarcastic tone and looked back toward the castle.
“I’d be lying if I said I am not looking forward to being home. Do you not miss your own when away, my lord?” she asked, a double entendre to her question. She had not been thinking of Aimecourt or Kingston Castle at all, but her own home in Greenwich, which seemed a million life times away at present.
“It is only a stone building. I travel a great deal, Lady Madeline; it is easy to forget where home is,” he said, before looking away.
Maddie kept her eyes on his and watched as he
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