“My absence will not alter your lovely music, Sir Thomas. I pray you continue to play, and I bid you all good-night.” Her smile encompassed the entire group, and Kenton was not the only man who looked more than a little smitten.
She started to leave the room, heading toward the stairs to her chambers, but before she could reach the door, Thomas was beside her. He bent toward her and whispered, “Rank has its privileges, Rose. I’ll escort you to your mistress’s chambers myself.”
She noted that he had used her Christian name. Or what he thought was her name.
“’Tis my name,” she said defensively, then her hand flew to her mouth as she realized she’d spoken aloud.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Ah…you called me Rose.”
They’d begun to ascend the narrow stone stairway. He placed a hand at her waist to steady her. “Aye, was it too forward of me?”
“I’m afraid I’m not familiar with the proper conventions, Sir Thomas.”
“I’m delighted to hear it,” he said with a wicked grin. “They’re usually nothing more than a bother, so we’ll dispense with them. And you will call me Thomas.” His hand slipped a little more firmly around her waist.
The knight’s teasing voice and the feel of his body close to hers were creating an unfamiliar melting sensation inside her stomach. She was perplexed to realize that the feeling was not entirely unpleasant.
She tried to move away, but her shoulder scraped the rounded wall of the stairwell. Thomas pulled her toward him once again. “Let me assist you. A fine escort I’d make if I let you fall down the stairs.”
“There will be light on the floor above,” she said, and, as they rounded the last turn of the stairs, they could see it reflecting dimly down to them.
Thomas halted and pulled her to a stop on the step beside him. “Too bad,” he murmured. “For I’d begun to enjoy holding you close to me in the dark.”
While it was true that Alyce knew little of court manners, she was virtually certain that it was improper for a gentleman to make such suggestive statements to a lady upon a single day’s acquaintance. Still, perversely, his husky words made the blood rush in her head.
Of course, she reminded herself, Sir Thomas did not know that she was a lady. Undoubtedly it was not as great a transgression to talk this way to a mere lady’s maid.
She tried to keep her voice light as she quipped, “Then ’tis fortunate for me that Lady Alyce keeps her castle well illuminated.”
Thomas laughed and relaxed his hold slightly, but still did not let her continue up the remaining few stairs. “Your fortune is my ill fortune. Strange, but last night we stumbled about like blindmen. Where was your ladyship’s illumination then?”
“She was ill, remember?”
“Aye. And what about you, Rose? Didn’t you taste the disastrous dish?”
“Nay, I…” She paused. “I ate day-old capon. I was trying to be proper and leave the stew for the visitors.”
“Are you always proper, Rose?” he whispered close to her ear.
“Aye,” she whispered back, licking suddenly dry lips.
“Now there’s another pity.”
In the dim light she could see that his features had altered. His eyes had narrowed and his expression had changed from the teasing charmer to something more predatory. She tried to turn away from his detaining arm, but the movement only backed her up against the wall. He pressed closer and she could feel the warmth of his body from her knees to her chest.
“I must go—” she began as he lowered his head and kissed her.
The kiss was brief, but the feel of it tingled on her lips long after he pulled away.
Neither spoke for several moments, then he gave a rueful smile and said, “You can slap me if you like, mistress, but ’twould be worth it. I’ve tasted nothing that sweet on the long road to Damascus and back.”
Alyce sagged back against the wall, uncertain her knees would hold her. “I suppose one should make allowances for a soldier returning from the wars. You’ve no doubt seen few women on your journey, and any woman would tempt you.”
“Nay, not just any woman, Rose. I daresay I’ve resisted temptation more times than you might imagine. But ’twas your loveliness that I could not resist. Do you forgive me?”
His tone was more teasing than contrite. She suspected that Thomas Havilland was confident his kiss would not be considered an insult, particularly not by a humble waiting woman in a small country castle. Yet in spite of the man’s arrogance, she found herself smiling back at him. “Let’s just say I shan’t mention it to the lady Alyce. That is, if you’ll release me now and let me go about my duties.”
He stepped to the opposite side of the stair and gestured toward the floor above. “Off with you, then, fairest Rose. The brief sample was enough to add delicious flavor to my dreams this night. Perhaps tomorrow I might persuade you to let me taste more deeply of Sherborne’s fare. And I do not refer to your stews,” he added with a rueful chuckle.
Alyce felt the heat rise to her face once again. She was shocked to realize that she found the knight’s bold words stimulating. By the saints, what was she thinking? She was acting like the servant of her masquerade rather than the proud lady of Sherborne. She pulled herself straight and met his eyes. “I was remiss in leaving the lady Alyce this evening, but I intend to spend the day at her side tomorrow.”
“Then I shall join you,” Thomas said, undaunted. “I have some things to say to your mistress about this matter of her matrimony. Richard is still king of England. His brother has no right to impose his authority on her.”
“That may be, but how do you suggest she defend herself when Prince John controls England and every nobleman in it?”
“Not every nobleman,” Thomas said under his breath. Then he added in a lighter tone, “Lady Sherborne and I could at least discuss the matter. Come, don’t argue. Tell your mistress that I’ll attend her in her chambers at midmorning. Then, after our talk, I’ll convince her to give you the rest of the day free to show me around Sherborne.”
Alyce gave an inner groan. “Your men are recovered. I thought you’d be anxious to be on your way.”
“Our business can wait another couple of days. I’m not ready to ride away from here just yet.”
As unskilled as she was in this matter of courtship, his grin left no doubt about why he was not ready to leave Sherborne. And in truth, she was not anxious for him to leave. It was absurd, but she suddenly realized that she not only wouldn’t object to another of Thomas Havilland’s kisses, she was actually hoping for one.
Speaking slowly, she answered, “I don’t think my mistress will want to receive you when she’s not feeling her best, Sir Thomas, but I know she regrets not being a better hostess. I’ll ask her to permit me to show you around the estate.”
His face brightened. “Excellent. Shall we meet at midmorning, then?”
She nodded, then before she could regret her hasty decision, turned and rushed up the stairs.
All the way down the long hall to her room, she invented justifications for her behavior. After what he had said, her agreement to see him as much as invited him to kiss her again. She would never have entertained such a notion for a moment when her father was alive.
But she was a grown woman now, and though Thomas hadn’t come for that purpose, Baron Dunstan’s real emissaries would be here