Upon entering the large chamber, she immediately saw Ranulf standing on the dais with his back to her.
A woman was facing him, giving him the kiss of greeting.
A beautiful woman, tall and dark and slender as a reed, with almond-shaped brown eyes below arching brows. Her cheeks were round and had the merest hint of color, like the blush on an apple. She wore a cloak with an ermine collar and jewels sparkled at her shell-like ears, as well as at her neck.
She was looking at Ranulf as if she’d like to swallow him whole, while he stood with his back as straight as a mill’s spindle, his shoulders tense, his feet planted.
Beatrice started to tremble, a sudden sick feeling of dread in her stomach. It wasn’t just that the woman was beautiful. It was the way she looked at Ranulf and the way he stood, as if he’d been knocked off balance and only just recovered.
He knew this woman, knew her well. And she knew him.
Just as suddenly, Beatrice realized who she must be. This was the woman who’d broken Ranulf’s heart.
CHAPTER TEN
THE STRANGER NOTICEDBeatrice. Her brown eyes widened and glittered like wet mud in the tidal flats, although she continued to smile sweetly at Ranulf.
“I had heard you have a guest, Ranulf,” she said loudly enough for Beatrice to hear. “This must be the ward of the lord of Tregellas.”
Ranulf’s expression was frustratingly bland as he turned to look at Beatrice. Unfortunately, she’d missed that first, important moment of reunion, when his reactions might have told her more about his feelings. “Lady Beatrice, may I present Lady Celeste de Fontenbleu, an acquaintance from my youth.”
Acquaintance? That seemed a very casual word if they had once been in love, Beatrice thought, her happiness reviving as she approached and bowed her head in greeting.
An annoyed look flashed in Lady Celeste’s eyes. “I thought we were much more than mere acquaintances,” she said to Ranulf.
“Say friends, then,” he replied.
Lady Celeste still didn’t look pleased, but her peeved expression disappeared as she spoke to Beatrice, replaced with a kindly smile. “What a pretty little creature you are,” she remarked, her voice oozing condescension. “You certainly can’t tell by looking at you that you’re a traitor’s daughter, my dear.”
Beatrice struggled to hide her rising anger. As upset as she was, and even though what Lady Celeste said was true, she wouldn’t show her real feelings to this woman. She wouldn’tgive Lady Celeste the satisfaction of knowing her words had any effect on her at all.
“Whatever her father’s crime,” Ranulf said before Beatrice felt calm enough to reply, “Lady Beatrice is the ward of my overlord, and a guest here.”
Although his words were placidly uttered, Beatrice took some comfort in his implied criticism before he called to Tecca. “Bring wine for the ladies, and have a chamber prepared for Lady Celeste and her maidservant, and pallets found for the men of her escort.”
This Lady Celeste was going tostay?
With a look of smug satisfaction, the woman moved her skirts aside with a graceful gesture before she sat. Beatrice, meanwhile, perched upon the edge of another chair and tried not to frown.
“One would think you have been in command of this castle for years,” Lady Celeste said approvingly to Ranulf. “Your guards and servants are very well trained.”
Beatrice glanced at Ranulf, wondering if he was going to acknowledge that if his servants, at least, were well trained,shehad something to do with it.
He didn’t. “I’ve learned many things about leading soldiers since we last met.”
“And done rather well for yourself, too. I heard all about your recent triumph at Ecclesford.”
“That was Sir Henry’s doing more than mine. I merely assisted.”
“I was told that after Sir Henry was wounded, it could have gone very badly for him and his men if you hadn’t been there to take command.”
“I did no more than any other would have in my place,” Ranulf replied.
“You always were a modest fellow, Ranulf,” the lady said with an admiring smile.
Never in all her life had Beatrice felt so invisible. It was as if she wasn’t even there—or they wished she wasn’t.
They were about to discover it wasn’t easy to ignore Beatrice.
