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“Aye, but she’s frightened. As am I.”
To Hastings’s surprise, Severin went down onto his knees. He lightly touched Eloise’s shoulder. The child slowly turned to face him. “I am sorry, Eloise. Had I believed she was as mad as my own mother surely is, I would not have left you alone. I promised you that no one would ever hurt you again. Because I was careless, someone did. Forgive me.”
The child just stared at him, frozen in fear. Then, slowly, she stretched out her arm and lightly touched her fingertips to Severin’s cheek.
“You saved me,” she whispered, choking down tears as she spoke. “I forgive you.”
Severin said nothing, just smiled at her. He didn’t move until finally she dropped her arm. “Will you let me carry you back to your bedchamber? Nay, I have a better idea. You will sleep with me and Hastings. I have found that it is not good to be alone after a nightmare, and this was surely a nightmare.”
And thus it was that Hastings spent her third married night in her husband?
??s bed, Eloise, daughter of Richard de Luci, between them, Trist on Severin’s pillow, his tail fluffing against Eloise’s cheek.
9
“NOW, ELOISE, ALLIUM IS ALSO CALLED LILY LEEK. IT’S said that it kept Ulysses from being turned into a pig during his travels.”
“Who is Ulysses?”
“He was a man who took many years to return to his home. He lived many hundreds of years ago and had more adventures than many men ever have in three lifetimes.”
“Was he a sinner?”
Had this been the only point in the child’s life? “Well, actually, he lived long before people worshipped our God.”
Eloise didn’t understand that at all. Hastings was smart enough to keep her mouth shut. She gently clipped off columbine, saying, “If you ever have a sore throat, I will grind this up and mix it with just a bit of hot water. You will be shouting about within a day.”
“You know so much,” Eloise said. “I do not know anything. I’m glad Beale is gone. But I’m afraid too, Hastings.”
“She will not be allowed into the bailey if she returns. Alart knows her and he will keep her out. Besides, how could she return here?”
“God would fly her here on clouds.”
“I don’t believe God thinks too highly of Beale, Eloise. Now, here’s Dame Agnes. She told me that today you would learn about making bread from MacDear. What do you think of that?”
“MacDear is very big.”
“Aye, but you are not to fear him. He likes children. You will see. Go now and I will see you later.”
Hastings watched the child walk away with Dame Agnes. She’d been here four days now, and it seemed to Hastings that her step lagged a bit less, that she took a person’s hand more quickly than before. She still did not eat enough, but she was improving, so Hastings held her peace.
Tonight, she thought. All thoughts of Eloise fell from her mind. Tonight Severin would come to her. She wasn’t afraid, but she did wonder what would happen, if it would hurt as badly as it had the first time. Severin had looked at her some hours before as she sat at the trestle table breaking her fast. He’d said, “I have not forgotten, Hastings, and neither have you. I can see it in your eyes.”
“Do you believe my eyes are as ordinary as the rest of me?”
“Do not test my temper. I have told you that you are less ordinary than many ladies, particularly heiresses. Nay, your eyes are a nice green, at least when you are smiling. When you are mocking me, they turn quite dark and ugly.”
Could that possibly be true?
“Your eyes, Severin, they become darker than the inside of one of MacDear’s cooking pots, as dark as a moonless night, regardless of your temper or mood.”
“That is enough, Hastings. My eyes are a simple blue, not a Moorish black. I wish a good meal to sustain me. Then I will see to my duty.”
A duty. She was naught but a duty. It was disheartening. She had watched him stride from the great hall, drawing on his gauntlets as he walked. Trist was nowhere to be seen.
Well, he would get an excellent meal. Hastings rose and wiped the dirt off her hands. She went to the kitchen to see MacDear. It was a large chamber attached to the keep. It was always hot, what with the fireplace and the three ovens billowing out their heat into the room. Allen, one of MacDear’s helpers, was taking fruit pies out of the oven. Nan was chopping herbs from the garden to make sauces for the beef and pheasant. A joint of beef was on a spit, turned by Hugh to cook evenly. MacDear was bellowing and sweating, as always, no matter the season, no matter how hot or cold it was outside.
She heard MacDear suddenly laugh his big, booming laugh and saw that Eloise was smiling. Excellent.
