Lollardly began to rummage through his bag. “What, in particular, ails you, my lady?”
She sat up slowly, covering her mouth when a burp threatened. “Everything,” she groaned. “My head throbs and my stomach aches.”
Lollardly listened to her before digging into his bag and removing a couple of crude leather pouches. He had Lucy bring him some wine and he dissolved first a white, then a brown,powder into the wine. He handed it to Devereux. She eyed it suspiciously.
“What is this?” she asked.
“Drink it.”
“I want to know what is in it.”
“Magic. Mysterious stuff. You would not understand.”
She pursed her lips at him. “Then explain it so I will.”
Lollardly was losing his patience. “Do you want to feel better?”
“Of course.”
“Then stop talking and drink it.”
She was gearing up for a sharp retort but Davyss, grinning, intervened. “You had better tell her or we will be here all day,” he told the old man.
Lollardly frowned, displaying great disapproval as he focused on Devereux. “White willow and coriander,” he replied. “Now will you drink it?”
She eyed him as if to emphasize that she was not complying particularly willingly, but she accepted the cup and drained it. Davyss smiled his approval and helped her lie back down.
“Now,” he kissed her on the forehead. “Go to sleep. You will feel better when you awake.”
She snuggled down into the coverlet and sighed wearily, gazing up at him. “Will you stay with me?”
His smile faded. “For a while,” he said. “But I have business in London I must attend to and I am leaving tonight.”
She bolted up again into a seated position, fighting the nausea that swelled like the tide. “Business?” she repeated, concerned. “How long will you be gone?”
He was very touched to see the concern in her eyes, as if she did not want him to leave. He never thought to see that expression on her face, ever. It was then that he began to realize that the past few days together might have accomplished exactlyas he had hoped; she had warmed to him. Perhaps with time she would actually….
“I do not know,” he said quietly, stroking her pale cheek. “Will you miss me?”
She studied him, fighting the urge to lie. She wanted to deny him. But she found that she could not. “Aye,” she said after a moment. “I believe I will.”
He grinned and kissed her cheek, then her mouth. “I never thought to hear that from your lips.”’
She met his grin reluctantly, closing her eyes in sheer bliss when he kissed her cheek again. “And I never thought to say it,” she lifted her hand, putting it against his stubbly cheek “Can I come with you? I have never been to London before.”
The denial was on his lips. He tried to speak it but could not make the words come forth. Gazing into her lovely gray eyes, he knew he was going to comply. Although he knew very well that she should stay at Wintercroft, he realized he wanted her with him no matter what.
“You may be spending a good deal of your time alone,” he tried very weakly to discourage her. “I have business with the king.”
Her eyes widened. “The king?”
His smile returned and he chuckled. “Aye, the king,” he lifted his eyebrows. “Surely you did not forget that I am his champion.”
She shook her head; then she nodded. “I must confess that for a moment, the fact did escape me,” she replied. “Are you really going to see him?”
“Truly.”
“Will… will I meet him also?”
