Rafe looked chastened. “I did not mean to be impertinent.” His smile returned. “Well, I did a little. It’s been said that I’m incorrigible.”
“Have no fear, Sir Rafe,” she said. “You will not break my heart.”
“I would not dare,” he returned. “And anyway, what chance would I have with a woman about to take the veil? You must be ready to leave all such worldly things behind.” His tone was light, but there was skepticism in his eyes.
“I hope to find peace at Basingwerke,” she said. She couldn’t outright lie about her situation, but she could dissemble.Think of Henry. Think of seeing him again.
“Do you not have peace now?” he asked.
Angelet saw Ernald staring at her hungrily from where he sat. She turned back to Rafe. “No. It is difficult to explain. Please do not ask me anything further.”
He relented immediately. “Then I will ask you if you’d like a little more wine.”
“Very kind. Thank you.”
Following the course of sweets and nuts, during which even more wine was poured, the hall grew noisier, filled with the contented babbling of dozens of people, full and drunk and happy.
Just as Angelet was about to excuse herself, Otto stood up once again. “Attention!” he called. “Attention!”
“Saints help me, now what?” she muttered, fearing a worse announcement than before.
The room fell quiet. Otto gestured for two servants to bring something toward the center of the hall, just in front of the high table. They rolled in a small cart on which was set a heavy wooden chest, the lid on but not secured. Next to it on the cart was a coil of heavy chain and a great iron lock. The contents must have been heavy, to judge by the grunts of one servant.
Everyone strained for a better look. Those in front leaned in over the tables. Those in back rose to their feet to see.
Otto chuckled as he walked around to where the chest sat. He made another impatient gesture. “Candles! Bring some here to better show the spectacle!”
Rafe leaned over to Angelet, whispering, “What manner of magic trick is this? Will some bird fly out of the box?”
“I know not,” Angelet replied, equally perplexed. “Otto is not above a little showmanship, but I have no idea what he has planned tonight.”
The candles were brought, and soon a pool of bright light shone on the chest and on Otto’s face. His expression was almost smug.
“I announced earlier that the lady Angelet was traveling forth on a journey to take the veil. Well, a nun’s place at Basingwerke Abbey does not come without cost. A bride of Christ must still bring a dowry with her.”
He seized the lid and swung it upward. The squeak of the hinges was a little comic, but that meant nothing in light of the revelation of the contents.
Gold.Gold and silver coins glittered and gleamed in the candlelight, drawing shouts and excited gasps from the viewers. Angelet herself was stunned. She didn't think she’d ever seen so much wealth in one place before. That was her dowry?
She glanced over at Rafe, expecting to see him also agog over the display. Instead, he leaned back a little, his eyes narrowed as he studied not the gold, but Lord Otto.
Otto himself was still basking in the attention of the whole crowd. His long fingers curled around the lid, and then snapped it shut. “There, there. You’ve all seen the dower gift, and you’ll be the last people to see it, until the abbot himself receives the chest.” Otto picked up the coiled chain and began to wind it around the chest, looping it several times, tightly enough to make the chest impossible to open without removing the chain first.
And that would also be hard to do, because Otto’s final touch was to loop the end links of the chain into the heavy wrought-iron lock. He snapped the lock shut. “Safe and secure,” he declared, holding aloft an iron key. “May this gift bring favor from heaven, and may Angelet’s holy service bring equal favor.” He turned to her. “You will say prayers for the Yarboroughs, Angelet. Every day.”
Angelet nodded wordlessly. So Otto found a use for her after all.
Chapter 5
From the moment he sawthe lady Angelet earlier that day, Rafe knew he was in trouble. She’d been high above him, watching from her room, and the wind had picked up that pale blonde hair and waved it like a banner in the sun.
How was he supposed to ignore that?
He had no reason to think that he’d see her again, but then she appeared in the great hall, looking even more beautiful at close range. Nothing like his usual fare, but striking. Slim and pale, with long hair so light blonde it was nearly silver, and she possessed wide-set, light green eyes that he wanted to swim in.
Before dinner, when Rafe still didn’t even know the name of the woman, he already wanted to throttle the stupid lordling who was mocking her. That the man should turn into such a sniveling coward the second Rafe confronted him only added to his fury. The lady had been so dignified, even when she was being assailed with harsh words. She was obviously hurt, but she didn’t snap back or let the man’s behavior drag her own down. Maybe that was why Rafe jumped in. Someone had to defend her, and it looked like no one in this whole hall of people was willing to take the task on.
Granted, Rafe hadn’t realized he was challenging the lord’sheiruntil he’d committed. But it wasn’t as if Ernald had many supporters leaping to back him up either. Only a few sycophants lingered behind the young lord. None of them looked like a threat.
