Page 24 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 7

Kit and the servants all attended an early Mass the next morning since it was Christmas Day. Because of Raven, they’d actually been allowed to go to the service, but were instructed to return directly to the kitchen afterward. The meal yesterday had been hectic. She’d been lucky enough to manage to complete all the fruit tarts in time. But since she’d gone to the joust, she was short on time and had to give up eating her meal in order to complete things. She’d been so busy that she never got out to the great hall at all.

However, the word around the kitchen was that Tolin lost the joust and ended up facedown in the mud. Mayhap she should have stayed to watch, after all. From what she’d heard, Tolin never lost. Then again, she was glad he lost. Mayhap his self-importance would go down a notch. After all, the man had too much pride.

“Mother, I see King. Can I go pet him?” Parker tugged on her arm.

“What?” She looked up to see Lord Tolin atop his horse, watching as the servants exited St. Basil’s Cathedral. Her heart sped up. What was he doing here? The sun had just risen and she’d heard the man liked to sleep late. Besides, the nobles wouldn’t go to Mass until a little later.

“I’ll bring him over there,” offered her sister’s husband, Oliver, taking the boy and heading right to Lord Tolin.

“Aren’t you going too?” asked Brenna from behind her.

“Nay,” said Kit, her gaze dropping to the ground. She didn’t want to talk to Tolin. He would probably only reprimand her for having left the kitchen to come to the joust. “Oliver will bring Parker back to the castle. Let’s keep walking.”

She headed in the opposite direction with Brenna at her side. Kit felt the need to sprint, but her sister moved slowly and she wouldn’t leave her behind.

“Kit, I thought you liked Lord Tolin. So, why are you trying so hard to avoid him?”

Kit slowed down to talk with her sister.

“I don’t know. He makes me...nervous when I’m around him. He didn’t at first, but now whenever he is near, I feel flooded with anxiety and my whole body shakes.”

“Oh, I understand. You mean, ever since he kissed you.”

Kit supposed that was right. It made sense in a way. She had felt bold and stood up to the man when she’d first met him. Now when he was near, her hands and knees started shaking.

“Mayhap that’s it,” she said softly under her breath.

The clip-clop of a horse’s hooves from behind her led her to believe that it was Lord Tolin and that he was following her for some reason. This only caused her to become anxious once again.

“Baker,” he called out, making her stop in her tracks.

“I think he’s talking to you,” her sister whispered.

“Yes, I believe so.” There was no way she could avoid him now. To do so would be defying a noble. She was trying her hardest to help work off Parker’s punishment, and she didn’t need him adding more time to the sentence. She had no choice but to heed his call.

“I would have a word with you. Alone.” His deep and sexy voice sounded so demanding.

“I’ll leave,” offered Brenna.

Kit looked over to her sister and shook her head. “Nay,” she whispered. “Don’t leave me, Brenna. Please.”

“He said he wants to speak to you alone. I cannot ignore his wishes. He’s a noble.” Her sister grabbed her hand and squeezed it. “Everything will be fine, I promise. Just be yourself. I will join Oliver and Parker until you are finished.” Brenna left, leaving Kit standing there alone with Lord Tolin.

“My lord,” she said, forcing a smile and curtseying to him. He sat high atop his horse, towering over her and making her feel inferior. He did this on purpose she was sure.

“So, did you enjoy the joust yesterday?” he asked. She couldn’t be sure if he was being sincere or just facetious.

“Yes, my lord, I did.” By the look on his face she realized she’d said the wrong thing. Mayhap he thought she was saying that she’d enjoyed the fact he’d lost. “I mean, no, I didn’t. I mean, I’m sorry to hear you lost and ended up facedown in the mud. My lord.” She squeezed her eyes shut thinking how silly she must sound. Damn her nerves. Kit already regretted mentioning his failure and the mud in the same sentence. She probably should have left that part out altogether.

“You do realize that I chose your favor over all the others,” he continued. “Yet, it was brought to my attention that you didn’t bother to stick around for the joust afterwards.” He dangled her hair ribbon from his fingers. It was caked with mud. Her eyes settled on it and her heart skipped a beat. So he’d kept it. It made her wonder why. Especially after he’d lost the joust.

“I’m sorry, but I had work to do in the kitchen. I shouldn’t have gone to the lists at all.” She tried to retrieve the ribbon from him but he snatched it up in his hand just out of her reach. Her eyes raised to his face as she slowly dropped her hand to her side.

“Nay, you never should have been there to begin with, that is right. I should have made you return to the castle at once instead of rewarding you by choosing your favor over all the others. I never should have taken a favor from a commoner to begin with. It only brought me ill luck.” He dangled the ribbon from his fingers again. This time she didn’t bother to try to get it. He was toying with her like a cat and mouse and she didn’t like that. Nay, she decided, she wouldn’t play his game anymore.

“Are you here now to punish me, my lord?” she asked, being bold enough to stand up to him again. “Or are you here perhaps to tell me that it was my fault that you lost the joust? After all, you always win is what I’ve heard. Surely, I must be nothing to you but bad luck.” She was too angry right now to feel nervous. Perhaps what she’d felt when he’d kissed her was not affection or attraction to him like she’d initially thought. Mayhap it was nothing more than the longing to have a man in her life once again.