Read Online The Faithful Heart by Merry Farmer - Free Book Online Page B

spreading through her chest. “Aren’t you
supposed to be in Coventry in some stuffy old convent?”
    She laughed and raised her hands to her
mouth, rocking back to stand on her own. “I ran away!” Her eyes
shimmered with mischief and tears of joy. Any thought of going back
or going home vanished.
    “Never!” His gray eyes flashed in approval.
“When’d’ja do that?”
    “A fortnight ago. I came straight here.”
    He crushed her in his embrace again. “I told
you that you were never a nun.” He set her back again and reached
out to touch one of the bright gems in her cropped hair. “I love
the hair! It’s all sparkly ‘n all.”
    “Joanna did it.” She patted the arrangement,
a tear dripping onto her cheek.
    “Oy! None of that, MP,” he scolded, her,
brushing the drop away with his thumb. His hand cradled her jaw and
he stared into her eyes far, far longer than was appropriate in
such a public gathering. “You have no idea how much I’ve missed
you,” he whispered, voice choking. He moved to hug her again.
    “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your
friend, Lord John?” the deep, silky voice of the beautiful woman
stopped him.
    Madeline’s back snapped straight and she
stepped away, eyes wide and jaw tense. She blinked when the woman’s
words registered. “Lord John?”
    “Yeah.” Jack puffed out his chest and stroked
his goatee. “I’m a nob now! Can you believe that? Prince John done
it back at New Year’s when he was visiting. Gave me the village of
Kedleridge, he did. And oy! MP, it’s the most beautiful place you
ever seen! The orchard is a slice of heaven.”
    “Oh Jack, that’s wonderful! I never would
have imagined-”
    The woman cleared her throat. “Who is this,
my lord?” She took a step closer and grabbed Jack’s arm with both
hands.
    Jack pulled his eyes away from Madeline’s as
if startled anyone else could exist. He shook himself, flushing,
and said, “Sorry, Lydia.” He cleared his throat. “Madeline, this is
Lydia. She’s from Kedleridge, or at least used to be. Found her in
the forest this mornin’. She’d been robbed by Ethan and his lot,”
he told Aubrey. “Lydia, this is … this is Madeline.” He spoke with
so much pride no other words were necessary.
    “She was robbed … by Ethan?” Madeline frowned
and studied the woman. She didn’t look like she had just endured a
harrowing robbery in the forest.
    “Yeah,” Jack brushed on, all smiles. “Oy,
there’s so much I have to tell you!” He tried to drop Lydia’s arm.
Her fingers dug in.
    “He was so gallant,” she interrupted,
lowering her eyes and leaning on him. “After the terrible attack my
horse was lame. Lord John offered to bring me here to the
castle.”
    A thousand different warning bells went off
in Madeline’s mind. She stared past Lydia’s beautiful dress and
soft, flowing hair to her too low neckline and too red lips. She
needed to say something, to call her out for what she suspected the
woman was, but she had no idea where to start. She glanced to
Aubrey, but her friend swept past them as Crispin reached the top
of the stairs.
    “Let’s get this over with,” he growled before
moving on to the front of the balcony and booming, “My lords and
ladies, please take your seats. The feast will be served.”
    Crispin marched away from the balcony as
Aubrey gave him a sympathetic, “Good job.” She took his arm as they
walked down to the tables lining the Great Hall. A band of
minstrels began to play as servants appeared in the door from the
kitchen laden with trays of food.
    “Brilliant!” Jack heaved a sigh of relief.
“I’m starving, mate.” He offered his arm to Madeline, forgetting
that Lydia still held his other arm fast.
    Madeline caught a scathing glance from Lydia
as she took the offered arm. A quiver of anxiety shot down her
spine and she had to fight to keep from stumbling as Jack shrugged
and escorted both of them down the stairs to the table at the head
of the