Read Online The Rogue's Princess by Eve Edwards - Free Book Online Page B

had unwittingly encouraged it with her jest. Friendship with men was all she aspired to now. She had shed tears and sighed enough over the perfidy of lovers. No longer at ease with him, she moved to win through to a new road, one she could walk alone and gather her thoughts.
    ‘Well then. Good day, sir.’
    ‘Good day, Mistress Isham.’
    Weaving quickly through the crowds, Rose hurried to put a distance between herself and the distracting master swordsman. She didn’t need to look: her instincts told her that he was watching her swim away.
    ‘Aunt Rose, you need not have bothered to come fetch me!’ exclaimed Mercy on seeing her outside Belknap’s house.
    Rose waved up to her niece who was hanging out of the upper casement, wild curly hair falling around her face betraying that she had still been abed at nine with half the day already over. ‘Get within, sluggard. Make yourself decent so we can go home. I’m sure Mistress Belknap wants her house back to herself.’
    The mistress in question was standing at the door. ‘Nay, Mistress Isham, Mercy is always welcome here. I think of her as an honorary daughter.’
    Rose accepted the invitation to step inside for a moment. ‘How was yester eve?’
    Mistress Belknap beamed. ‘A wondrous success thanks to your niece and another guest. They entertained us most charmingly with madrigals after supper.’
    ‘ Mercy did that?’ marvelled Rose.
    Mistress Belknap took alarm at her scandalized tone, knowing how strict the Harts were about such matters. ‘I pray your pardon if you think it wrong of us to encourage her.’
    ‘Nay, you mistake me. I’m pleased she’s not hiding her light under a bushel as she does at home. I am just surprised you persuaded her to do so.’
    ‘I think we have our other guest to thank for that.’
    Mercy clattered down the stairs to hug her aunt. ‘Good morrow!’
    Rose squeezed her in return, wondering what had prompted this gush of high spirits. Mercy was like the gargoyles on Westminster Abbey after a downpour. ‘Good morrow to you. But have you not forgotten something?’ She tapped her niece’s head.
    ‘Oops, my coif. Back in a minute.’ Mercy bounded back up the staircase taking the steps an indecorous two at a time. She reappeared with her corkscrew curls now decently hidden. ‘I’m ready to go.’
    ‘Bag?’
    Mercy huffed a sigh at her own forgetfulness. ‘ Almost ready to go.’
    Before she could return upstairs, Ann appeared at the stair door and threw the bag to her. ‘Here it is, Mistress Leave-her-own-head-if-it-wasn’t-attached-to-her-shoulders.’
    ‘I’m a hopeless case,’ Mercy admitted, rubbing her eyes.
    Rose looked between the yawning Ann and Mercy suspiciously. ‘When exactly did you two go to sleep?’
    ‘They were gossiping until the small hours, I’m afraid.’ Mistress Belknap gave her daughter an indulgent smile. ‘They had lots to discuss. We’ll see you soon, I hope, love?’ She kissed Mercy on the top of her head.
    ‘Aye, mistress, and thank you for having me to stay.’
    ‘You are welcome under this roof at any time – particularly when we have guests we want to impress!’ Mistress Belknap called after her as they stepped out into Goldsmith’s Row.
    Waving farewell, Rose linked her arm with her niece. ‘I hear you were a success.’
    Mercy looked abashed. ‘Do you mind?’
    ‘Mind that you played the lute? Of course not. I love to hear you.’ Rose shook her head at her niece’s ability to put so many barriers up between herself and honest enjoyment of life’s few pleasures. There was enough suffering in the world without subtracting the things that made it bearable.
    They walked on in silence a while until Mercy spoke. ‘I was wondering, Aunt: would it be possible to go with you to the Theatre when you next attend a play?’
    Rose would not have been more surprised if Queen Elizabeth had popped out from Watling Street and knighted them both on the spot. ‘Did I hear you right? You