“We’ll find the road and cross it to travel the south side. A river follows on the north, and most of the way to London it’s filled with washes and ravines—largely impassable. Turn it loose, Layla—give it! Yes, yes, alright—get out then.” A pause, a shuffling and sliding of cloth. “We’ll go as far as you wish tonight, to put as much distance between us and Fallstowe as possible. But then I do think you should consider traveling in the daylight. Oh! Dammit, Layla! I’ve dropped my slipper.”
Piers rolled his eyes. “Come on, come on!”
“I’m trying! It’s black as the devil’s ear here, Piers, and my shoe is brown.”
“If you hadn’t brought your entire wardrobe you wouldn’t need look for an additional shoe.”
He heard her sigh of exasperation. “You could help, you know, as opposed to standing there berating me uselessly. It’s rather difficult going, hopping about on one foot.”
“Oh, for Christ’s sake.” He walked toward the sound of her voice. “Does milady loathe the feel of dirt on her sole?”
“We’re standing in a briar, half-wit. Take offyourshoes and walk about and see how you fancy it, eh?”
Piers kicked though the tangle of vines with his boots, knowing he was near her when he could once more feel her heat and hear her breathing. He bent over.
“Did you find it?” she asked.
“Certainly. I’m only seeing how long I can stay bent over in such a manner before I am beset by cramps.”
He heard her hop closer. “Piers!”
“Shut up, I’m looking.” His hand brushed smooth, supple leather. He snatched up the shoe and rose. “Here it—”
He collided with Alys and she began to fall backward, shrieking and windmilling her arms. Without thinking, Pier’s left arm shot out and went round her waist, pulling her to him in the next instant.
“—is,” he finished, more quietly now that her face was only inches from his. He pressed the slipper into her hand.
“Thank you.” She sniffed. “You smell like a cow.”
Piers felt his face heat. “I work a dairy.”
“It’s nice,” Alys said lightly.
“I’ll steady you while you put on your shoe.” His fingers kept a loose grasp on the curve of her waist as she leaned to the side. He held her weight easily, unable toignore the limberness of her back and stomach. She was like a young, green reed, strong and pliable and smooth. Bent as she was, the monkey on her shoulder was now face to face with Piers. Layla reached out of the black and tweaked his nose hard. Piers slapped at the air before his face with a growl.
“I’m finished.” Alys stood aright once more.
“Good,” he said gruffly. “May we continue now, milady?”
“Only if you turn me loose,” she said in a teasing voice. “Unless you’d rather we—”
Piers released her in a blink, walking away from her surprised cry and ensuing crash as she fell to the forest floor.
“Ouch! You bastard,” she muttered, and the monkey chattered madly in accord. Piers kept moving as she gained her feet noisily and caught up with him. “That was unnecessary. I think I’ve got a thorn in my bottom.”
“Now you know howIfeel,” he muttered, as his face crawled with heat.
Although, were he to be honest with himself, the uncomfortable sensation he felt was not in his bottom at all—more to the front side, actually.
Sybilla had done little more than push her food about her platter throughout what had to be the longest supper ever known. Her head pounded, her stomach churned, her ears rang from the incessant, nonstop, eternal, and relentless posturing and boasting of her begrudged female guests. With every utterance, each woman backhandedly insulted her dinner mate. Bevan Mallory had said not a word, only belched wetly on occasion. Clement was the only civil one at the meal, including Sybilla, if she was to be honest about it. She knew she was behaving imperially,not deigning to take part in any of the conversation, but she didn’t care. That was her reputation, and this night, she was happy to live up to it.
Just when she thought herself to go mad and murder them all with her eating knife if only to make themshut up,Graves appeared through her private door located in the wall behind the dais, a sweaty soldier on his ancient and sure heels. He came to her at once. Her rude and noisy guests were completely uninterrupted by the servant’s arrival.
“Should we be alarmed, Madam, that, while Lady Alys was not at the Foxe Ring, a bit of blood was found on the center stone?”
Sybilla’s entire body went icy cold.
Alys!
