Page 52 of The Noble Servant

“You aren’t doing very well at not drawing attention to yourself.”

He did that thing again where he quirked one eyebrow up. Even beaten and bloody, he was handsome, with intelligent eyes emphasized by distinct black eyebrows.

“All the servant girls will be in love with you before the day is out, as Katrin will tell them all about your noble and chivalrous deed.”

He pushed himself up on one elbow. “I need to spit.”

She nearly laughed. His statement finally broke the taut feeling in the air. Magdalen turned away to get a cup and the slop bucket she had spied by the door.

She held the bucket for him while he spit. Then she filled the cup with fresh water from the pitcher and handed it to him.

He swished some water around in his mouth, then spit it inthe slop bucket. He repeated the action, then drank the rest of the water in the cup.

She took the cup and then remembered the breakfast she had snatched for him—a bread roll and a piece of cheese. She removed it from her pocket and handed it to him.

He unfolded the cloth and bit into the bread, still half sitting up. Magdalen retrieved pillows from two other beds and placed them behind his back.

“Thank you.”

Her cheeks were beginning to burn again. “I think I should go now.”

He swallowed his bite. “Finished doctoring my wounds already?”

“If I could do any more for you I would. God will do the rest of the healing, no doubt.”

His brown hair was tousled and lying across his forehead in a wavy swath, a healthy color back in his cheeks as he ate his roll and cheese, and his intense brown eyes were staring back at her. If it weren’t for his enormously swollen lip, she might be tempted to do something very improper, like bend down and kiss him.

She took a step back. How foolish her thoughts were! She was no immature girl fancying herself in love with every young man she met. Then she remembered that she was angry with him for not sending her letters.

What she should be thinking about was how to get their identities back.

“I can go and see if Lord Hazen is in his rooms, and if he isn’t I can—”

“No.”

He leaned forward and grabbed her wrist, holding it loosely.“I don’t want you getting in trouble with him. He is a dangerous man.”

“But it makes more sense for me to look for the portrait. He thinks I am only a house servant. He would not be so alarmed if he saw me—”

“If he thought you were trying to steal from him, he would. He would suspect I was still alive and that I had sent you. He would torture you and use you to get to me. It is entirely too dangerous. I forbid it.”

Magdalen pulled her arm free from his grasp. She was not used to anyone touching her without her permission or talking to her this way—at least, no one except her mother. If Steffan treated her like her mother, it was a good thing he didn’t want to marry her. She’d rather die than be married to someone for the rest of her life who treated her as if she didn’t matter, as if she didn’t deserve respect.

“You have no right to forbid me from doing anything,” she said, her voice low as she fought off the anger that had stolen her breath. “I have a stake in this too.”

He sighed. “Forgive me. I am in no position ... You are right.”

His contrite tone made her breath return and her heart stop pounding.

“I am used to being in control,” he went on, “and I wanted to feel as if I could get myself out of this situation. Perhaps you are in a better position to look for the portrait. But even if one of us finds it, we should probably leave it where it is for now, as we have nowhere to hide it. We will need someone powerful to help us fight Lord Hazen and get our places back, so the portrait is only the first task.”

He was staring her in the eye now. “I want you to be cautious.There is no need to feel any urgency about the portrait just yet. Take your time, and if you are absolutely certain Lord Hazen is not in his chamber and will not be returning soon, I suppose it will be acceptable if you take a quick look.”

“I will be careful.”

“And make sure his guard and personal servant are not nearby. They may be greater impediments than Lord Hazen himself.”

“Of course. I shall be cautious of them as well.”