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Chapter 14
“It is amazing how calm Hazel gets working in the garden.” Conrad took a swig of ale from the goatskin, watching his sister from the porch of Imanie’s cottage. Willow was next to him, having been working in the garden for the last hour. Hazel seemed to be taking extra care of weeding and turning the soil atop Imanie’s grave. The last few times they were here, Hazel spent a lot of time at the gravesite. Even Conrad had helped by digging up roots. Toby watered and took care of the horses. Willow was starting to enjoy working with the earth. The garden was regaining its beauty, just the way it looked when Imanie once cared for it. Willow could see now why it calmed Hazel’s nerves and made her stop shaking. It was very relaxing.
“I don’t understand what is wrong with your sister. Why does she act so . . . so . . .”
“Addled?” Conrad handed her the ale. She took a drink as well. The day was proving to be a hot one. Willow felt sticky and uncomfortable. What she really wanted was to go back to the castle and continue her mission to find the thief.
“Has she always been that way?” asked Willow.
“She’s getting worse.” Conrad sat down on a wooden bench and Willow settled herself next to him. “It all started when my father died. Then, my mother became sick, and she and Hazel never talked or spent time together anymore. They became distant as time went on. Hazel turned into a recluse. My sister is a shy girl and also afraid of everything. I feel she needs to be mentored by another woman. I can’t help her, Willow. I don’t know how. I came to Rothbury hoping the earl would take her as his ward, but he refused. I am thankful your father is going to do it.”
“I wonder why the earl refused?”
“I think he has his hands full with all the wards he has already. Some of them can prove to be quite challenging.” Conrad lifted an eyebrow, nodding at her.
“Do you mean me?” Her hand flew to her chest. “I’m not the challenging one, I assure you. My cousin, Morag, is the troublesome one who is a handful. I have never caused the earl any trouble at all.”
“Does Morag act like you do around the men?”
“Stop it, Conrad.” Her heart dropped to hear him ask this. “When you talk like that it makes me think that you don’t believe I act like a lady.”
“Do you?” he challenged her, making her angry.
“I have a skill with people. I can’t help it. It is just a natural thing that the men are drawn to me.”
“Face it, you use your beauty to manipulate others. If you were ugly or dressed in a plain gown and hidden under a wimple, do you think you’d have the same results with others?”
“Of course, I would.” She stood up and put her hands on her hips. “Sir Conrad Lochwood, you don’t know me if you think that everything I do is based on my looks.”
He raised the goatskin to his mouth, looking out at the garden as he replied.
“Prove it.” He took a drink and swallowed.
“What did you say?” she asked, hoping she’d heard him wrong.
“I said, prove it.”
Her heartbeat pounded in her ears. Never before had anyone thrown down the gauntlet like this. She didn’t want anything to do with it. “I have no idea what you mean.” She reached up and pulled back her hair, trying to cool her neck.
“If you want to prove to me that your beauty isn’t just skin deep and that you don’t use it for your own benefit, then do something about it. Get rid of the jewelry, the fancy clothes, and the face paint. Wear a plain gown and bind your hair under a wimple the way a true lady dresses. And for God’s sake, wear a shift and hose and stop showing so much skin.”
“Humph,” she said with an aggravated release of breath from her mouth. “I don’t have to prove myself to anyone, and certainly not you. Now, I’m going back to the castle with or without you, and you can’t stop me.” She stormed away but heard Conrad’s reply from behind her.
“I didn’t think you could do it, Willow, although I had hoped so.”
* * *
As soon asthey returned to the castle, Willow hurried up to her room to clean up. Conrad was right on her tail.
“Willow, slow down. I want to talk to you.”
“I have nothing to say.”
“The competition resumes in an hour. I have to get out to the field and don’t want to leave you this way.”
“I’ll be fine, Conrad.” She stopped at her door. “Don’t worry about what I do.”
“You’ll be at the archery even as well as the joust, won’t you? You said you’d watch over Hazel, so I’m hoping you will bring her with you.”
