peering at the spot, then looked again at the vial.
"Sir Deryll is no fool," the old woman said. "He knows the way of things, but this will keep the servants and men from talking."
Airin stared at her. "What is this?" She thrust the vial at Cerdwin.
"Dinna' fash yourself. I sneaked the blood from the hen slaughtered for the evening meal."
74
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
"Chicken blood?"
Cerdwin frowned. "You didna' expect pig's blood?"
Airin's cheeks flamed. "You mistake me. 'Tis unnecessary."
"Stop your blustering. You need not pretend with me. A woman of twenty years is not expected to come to the marriage bed a maiden. Put the vial under the pillow." She glanced at the door. "Sir Deryll may return any moment."
Airin didn't move.
"Go on," the maid urged.
Airin slid the vial beneath her pillow. Her finger came in contact with another small, smooth surface. She paused.
"Is something amiss?" Cerdwin demanded.
Airin ran a finger along the item. Another vial. She shook her head.
The maid headed for the door. Airin started to pull the other vial out, then froze when Cerdwin turned. Tears moistened her eyes. "You are a grown woman. Soon you will have babes of your own. I had begun to despair of seeing this day."
Before Airin could respond, she turned and was out the door. Airin slid the two vials out from beneath the pillow. The second vial was clay.
Cook had slaughtered chickens for dinner.
75
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
CHAPTER EIGHT
Airin slid the vials beneath the feather mattress and frame, then grasped the chain around her neck and pulled out the brooch. She turned it over and stared at the back. Her vision clouded. She should not have drunk so much wine. She ran a finger over the barely visible scratch. Deryll's surprise when he saw the brooch earlier still puzzled her. He had not filed the scratch as she had thought. He must be lying. But why?
Her mind wandered back to the great hall when Deryll was filling her cup and watching her.
Drowsiness crept through her. She lowered her hands onto her belly. She closed her eyes, surprised at her calm, how little she feared what lay ahead. After Madeline married, Airin had quizzed her about the marriage bed. Her sister told how a man grew in size before coupling, but this she knew from watching livestock.
Airin flushed at the memory of a coupling she and Madeline observed between a mare and stallion. Women, especially she and Madeline, were not allowed to watch, but the command to stay away only fueled their curiosity. They hid in an empty stall across and down from the largest breeding stall. When the men assembled, the stallion was led into the stall, then the mare. She and Madeline watched through the open door as the stallion neighed in a voice that seemed more a scream, then grabbed the mare's mane between his teeth and mounted her.
76
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
Airin had clamped a hand over Madeline's mouth with one hand, and her own with the other, when the mare gave a piercing cry of pleasure. They had stared, unable to move, as he drove himself into her over and over. In a way, Cerdwin had been right. Airin had not shared her body with a man, but she was no innocent.
The door opened, and Airin's eyes snapped open. Deryll stood in the doorway.
He gave her a curious look as he softly closed the door.
"How is your head?"
"My head?"
"You drank much wine," he reminded her.
"I am fine." Though, in truth, she wasn't. While in quiet contemplation she was relaxed, now, her head throbbed and a loud rushing in her ears pulsated with each heartbeat.
"Then I need not offer you more wine."
She grimaced. "Nay."
A corner of his mouth twitched. Airin slipped the brooch beneath her shift as he walked to the fire and squatted in front of it. He picked up the poker leaning against the hearth and began stirring the embers. She frowned. What was he doing? He had insisted that no time could be lost in authenticating the marriage, yet, now he dallied with
"Sir Deryll is no fool," the old woman said. "He knows the way of things, but this will keep the servants and men from talking."
Airin stared at her. "What is this?" She thrust the vial at Cerdwin.
"Dinna' fash yourself. I sneaked the blood from the hen slaughtered for the evening meal."
74
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
"Chicken blood?"
Cerdwin frowned. "You didna' expect pig's blood?"
Airin's cheeks flamed. "You mistake me. 'Tis unnecessary."
"Stop your blustering. You need not pretend with me. A woman of twenty years is not expected to come to the marriage bed a maiden. Put the vial under the pillow." She glanced at the door. "Sir Deryll may return any moment."
Airin didn't move.
"Go on," the maid urged.
Airin slid the vial beneath her pillow. Her finger came in contact with another small, smooth surface. She paused.
"Is something amiss?" Cerdwin demanded.
Airin ran a finger along the item. Another vial. She shook her head.
The maid headed for the door. Airin started to pull the other vial out, then froze when Cerdwin turned. Tears moistened her eyes. "You are a grown woman. Soon you will have babes of your own. I had begun to despair of seeing this day."
Before Airin could respond, she turned and was out the door. Airin slid the two vials out from beneath the pillow. The second vial was clay.
Cook had slaughtered chickens for dinner.
75
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
CHAPTER EIGHT
Airin slid the vials beneath the feather mattress and frame, then grasped the chain around her neck and pulled out the brooch. She turned it over and stared at the back. Her vision clouded. She should not have drunk so much wine. She ran a finger over the barely visible scratch. Deryll's surprise when he saw the brooch earlier still puzzled her. He had not filed the scratch as she had thought. He must be lying. But why?
Her mind wandered back to the great hall when Deryll was filling her cup and watching her.
Drowsiness crept through her. She lowered her hands onto her belly. She closed her eyes, surprised at her calm, how little she feared what lay ahead. After Madeline married, Airin had quizzed her about the marriage bed. Her sister told how a man grew in size before coupling, but this she knew from watching livestock.
Airin flushed at the memory of a coupling she and Madeline observed between a mare and stallion. Women, especially she and Madeline, were not allowed to watch, but the command to stay away only fueled their curiosity. They hid in an empty stall across and down from the largest breeding stall. When the men assembled, the stallion was led into the stall, then the mare. She and Madeline watched through the open door as the stallion neighed in a voice that seemed more a scream, then grabbed the mare's mane between his teeth and mounted her.
76
The Pendulum
by Tarah Scott
Airin had clamped a hand over Madeline's mouth with one hand, and her own with the other, when the mare gave a piercing cry of pleasure. They had stared, unable to move, as he drove himself into her over and over. In a way, Cerdwin had been right. Airin had not shared her body with a man, but she was no innocent.
The door opened, and Airin's eyes snapped open. Deryll stood in the doorway.
He gave her a curious look as he softly closed the door.
"How is your head?"
"My head?"
"You drank much wine," he reminded her.
"I am fine." Though, in truth, she wasn't. While in quiet contemplation she was relaxed, now, her head throbbed and a loud rushing in her ears pulsated with each heartbeat.
"Then I need not offer you more wine."
She grimaced. "Nay."
A corner of his mouth twitched. Airin slipped the brooch beneath her shift as he walked to the fire and squatted in front of it. He picked up the poker leaning against the hearth and began stirring the embers. She frowned. What was he doing? He had insisted that no time could be lost in authenticating the marriage, yet, now he dallied with
Similar Books
