Read Online shadow and lace by Teresa Medeiros - Free Book Online
Authors: Teresa Medeiros
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heated water was poured into the splintery vessel. As Dunnla stripped her and cheerfully tossed her clothes in the fire, Rowena prayed Gareth would not wander in for his supper. A puff of black smoke and her garments were gone up the chimney like her life at Revelwood.
She sank into the steaming water up to her chin and her hair floated to the surface in a tangled skein. The warm water loosened the lump in her throat. If Gareth had truly intended to use her for his pleasure this long year, why had he left her untouched last night? He had even gone so far as to give her his dagger to protect herself. Had it been only her supposed dirtiness he feared? Now he wanted her clean. And in his chambers. As Dunnla scrubbed her face with a melting ball of soap, the hot, greedy feel of Sir Blaine's lips on hers seared her memory. Marlys's accusation darted in a vicious circle between her ears.
When Dunnla raised the bucket to rinse her hair and screeched, "More?," Rowena thought she said "whore" and burst into tears. The night blurred as Dunnla extracted her from the tub with a sympathetic cluck, dried her, and dropped a clean white bliaut over her head. The tunic was long and shapeless, with no waist to speak of. Its fine linen brushed like feathers against her skin.
Before she realized what was happening, Rowena was standing barefoot outside a massive oak door banded with iron. Her damp hair fell around her shoulders. As Dunnla waddled away, Rowena touched the door, then drew her hand back. She could run now, but where would she run to? The castle with its dark mazes held as many terrors as the encroaching forest.
A low voice shot out of the darkness, giving Rowena no less of a start than if Marlys had jumped on her fully armored from the rafters. "Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid?"
She peered into the shadows. Marlys sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn up in a casual sprawl.
An uncharacteristic streak of stubbornness prompted Rowena to reply, "Nay. I am not."
Marlys took a long swig from a grubby wineskin before drawing the back of her hand across her mouth. "He gobbles up little country girls like you just to whet his appetite." Rowena smoothed the unfamiliar skirt to hide the trembling of her hands. Marlys corked the wineskin and laid it aside. "He has not touched you, has he?"
Rowena searched her memory. "He threw me up against a tree because I sang a song that displeased him."
Marlys rose and swaggered toward her. Before she could even gasp, Rowena found herself pushed against the door. Bullying must be a family trait, she thought dryly.
"What was the song? Tell me the words," Marlys rasped.
Struggling not to shiver, Rowena repeated the words she could remember. Marlys's mouth tightened in a grim smile.
She pushed her face closer to Rowena's "Go to him. Hide your fear well. He hasn't murdered any of his women—not lately, anyway." She threw back her head in a burst of wild laughter, reached past Rowena, and threw open the door. Rowena was thrust backward into the chamber. The door slammed in her face.
For a long moment she stood with her forehead pressed to the hard wood, afraid to move. Exhaling a deep breath, she finally turned. At first glance, the chamber appeared empty. A cheerful fire crackled on the long hearth, easing the dampness of the rain pounding against the shutters. Candles flickered in iron sconces, dripping wax down the stone walls in melting cascades. A bed frame sat against one wall, devoid of ornamentation, yet, ostentatious with its fine mahogany canopy and massive size. Rowena tiptoed toward the bed.
Gareth lay on his back, one leg thrown outward in surrender to exhaustion. His dark lashes rested on his cheeks. Rowena crept forward, biting her lower lip without realizing it.
Sleep did nothing to diminish his size and strength.
The hand flung out beside his bearded cheek could have crushed her as if she were no more than a gnat. His mouth was closed as if even in sleep
She sank into the steaming water up to her chin and her hair floated to the surface in a tangled skein. The warm water loosened the lump in her throat. If Gareth had truly intended to use her for his pleasure this long year, why had he left her untouched last night? He had even gone so far as to give her his dagger to protect herself. Had it been only her supposed dirtiness he feared? Now he wanted her clean. And in his chambers. As Dunnla scrubbed her face with a melting ball of soap, the hot, greedy feel of Sir Blaine's lips on hers seared her memory. Marlys's accusation darted in a vicious circle between her ears.
When Dunnla raised the bucket to rinse her hair and screeched, "More?," Rowena thought she said "whore" and burst into tears. The night blurred as Dunnla extracted her from the tub with a sympathetic cluck, dried her, and dropped a clean white bliaut over her head. The tunic was long and shapeless, with no waist to speak of. Its fine linen brushed like feathers against her skin.
Before she realized what was happening, Rowena was standing barefoot outside a massive oak door banded with iron. Her damp hair fell around her shoulders. As Dunnla waddled away, Rowena touched the door, then drew her hand back. She could run now, but where would she run to? The castle with its dark mazes held as many terrors as the encroaching forest.
A low voice shot out of the darkness, giving Rowena no less of a start than if Marlys had jumped on her fully armored from the rafters. "Why do you hesitate? Are you afraid?"
She peered into the shadows. Marlys sat with her back against the wall, her knees drawn up in a casual sprawl.
An uncharacteristic streak of stubbornness prompted Rowena to reply, "Nay. I am not."
Marlys took a long swig from a grubby wineskin before drawing the back of her hand across her mouth. "He gobbles up little country girls like you just to whet his appetite." Rowena smoothed the unfamiliar skirt to hide the trembling of her hands. Marlys corked the wineskin and laid it aside. "He has not touched you, has he?"
Rowena searched her memory. "He threw me up against a tree because I sang a song that displeased him."
Marlys rose and swaggered toward her. Before she could even gasp, Rowena found herself pushed against the door. Bullying must be a family trait, she thought dryly.
"What was the song? Tell me the words," Marlys rasped.
Struggling not to shiver, Rowena repeated the words she could remember. Marlys's mouth tightened in a grim smile.
She pushed her face closer to Rowena's "Go to him. Hide your fear well. He hasn't murdered any of his women—not lately, anyway." She threw back her head in a burst of wild laughter, reached past Rowena, and threw open the door. Rowena was thrust backward into the chamber. The door slammed in her face.
For a long moment she stood with her forehead pressed to the hard wood, afraid to move. Exhaling a deep breath, she finally turned. At first glance, the chamber appeared empty. A cheerful fire crackled on the long hearth, easing the dampness of the rain pounding against the shutters. Candles flickered in iron sconces, dripping wax down the stone walls in melting cascades. A bed frame sat against one wall, devoid of ornamentation, yet, ostentatious with its fine mahogany canopy and massive size. Rowena tiptoed toward the bed.
Gareth lay on his back, one leg thrown outward in surrender to exhaustion. His dark lashes rested on his cheeks. Rowena crept forward, biting her lower lip without realizing it.
Sleep did nothing to diminish his size and strength.
The hand flung out beside his bearded cheek could have crushed her as if she were no more than a gnat. His mouth was closed as if even in sleep
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