AllFreeNovel
Share Us
These shanty towns moved with the building work, hastily erected, hastily torn down, but it was secure enough for Nicolo’s purposes. The overseer clearly cared for his privacy as much as did Nicolo, as exemplified by the lock which was an over large, heavy thing that looked better made than the door it sealed. By the far wall was a ramshackle bed, a blanket covering it, neatly tucked in at the sides. A scratch-built couch stood by the wall. The overseer had taken any personal touches with him when he’d vacated the place.
“You take the bed,” instructed Nicolo. It was hard to say if his gruff tone was due to the abrupt end to the day’s chase or masking something else.
“I couldn’t, Master. The settee appears…”
“Oh, in the name of the Great God,” Nicolo snapped, “will you just follow one instruction without arguing, Charlotte!”
I backed down and was grateful to see the anger drain from Nicolo’s face.
“It’s been a long and unsatisfying day,” he said as he exhaled and shook his head. “I’d like to think I’ve treated you no differently from a male squire, but we both know that to be horse shit.”
“Horse shit, Master?”
He turned to glare at me. “I’ve made multiple concessions where you’re concerned, partly because, despite the whispers behind my back, I am a gentleman, and I believe a woman is to be treated in a certain fashion, whether she’s a duchess or a whore.” Apparently realizing he might have just called me a whore, he cleared his throat and gave me an apologetic smile. “I’m not calling you a whore, by the way.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Regardless,” he continued, frowning at me in a way that made it seem I’d done something to upset him, though I wasn’t sure what. “I’m happy enough to get either a duchess or a whore on her back, but I’m always polite about it.” I wasn’t sure what he was going on about, nor what his point was but I simply nodded and said, “Very good.”
He sighed and then frowned at me again. “The main reason I’ve treated you differently is because… quite simply, I bloody well… like you.”
I met his gaze, and for a split second it seemed as if I saw past the mask of Master Nicolo, to the man behind that mask. I wondered how many had been afforded such a glimpse since he’d been separated from his mother as a child.
“Thank you, sir.”
“There are precious few people I would say the same about,” Nicolo went on, nodding on a sigh as he ran a hand down the back of his neck and appeared to all the world as if he were extremely put out. “Yes, you are still nothing more than my squire and, thus, quite beneath me, but I do enjoy your company.”
“While I am not quite certain whether that was a compliment,” I laughed. “I do enjoy yours too, Master.”
Nicolo gave me a rueful smile. “Sometimes I think you enjoy it too much. But thank you, Charlotte. Now take the fucking bed or I shall strip you and strap you into it.”
I had his trust.
It was exactly what I’d been working all these weeks to win, and it justified every opportunity I’d let slip, because tonight we would sleep in the same room, and he would never wake again.
I unbuckled my sword belt, pulled off my boots and surcoat, and got under the blanket, leaving my knife strapped to my upper left thigh. Nicolo wouldn’t think anything of it—he’d assume I wore my defensive measures to bed just as he did. The effort now would be to stay awake long enough to do the deed. It had been a long day, following a long night and I’d not slept now for thirty-six hours.
Nicolo kicked off his boots and took off his belt, though he kept the sword with him, never more than a hand’s breadth away. He unlaced his leather jerkin and folded it into a makeshift pillow. Then he sat on the couch as he looked over at me and found me looking at him.
“Go to sleep.”
“Goodnight, Master.”
I rolled over, pinching myself beneath the blanket to ensure I stayed awake. As I had in the maids’ dormitory by night, I listened for the change in breathing that indicated Nicolo had gone to sleep. But no change ever came. After a while, as if trying to get comfortable, I turned over again, and found Nicolo still seated on the couch, eyes open, sword laid across his lap.
“You’re,” I started.
“Go to sleep, Charlotte,” he repeated.
I closed my eyes and tried my best to mimic the sound and appearance of sleep, pinching myself harder and harder still as my body demanded rest. After what felt like a very long time, I opened my eyes the barest crack, peering through meshed lashes.
“Go to sleep, Charlotte.”
He wasn’t going to sleep until I did, and there was apparently no fooling him. Now what? I couldn’t let the opportunity pass and I feared if I closed my eyes again, I was going to succumb to my body’s demands for sleep.
“It’s too hot in here.”
“How did the other maids ever live with you,” muttered Nicolo, shaking his head. “By the god, you’re an absolute pain in the ass.”
