He glanced down at the blackened rushes by the dresser. “We had a lucky escape.”
“Ihad a lucky escape,” she corrected him. “Because of you. And I will never forget that.”
“I would do it all again, a thousand times.” His voice near trembled with sincerity.
“Let us hope you do not have to.” Esme put her hands on her hips and threw him a glare. “Do you insist on staying to watch me wriggle out of my underthings?”
“Do not tempt me.”
Laughing, he went from her chamber and closed the panel behind him. The long gallery was quiet, with dappled sunlight on the plastered walls. Such joy bubbled up inside him that he could almost forget he had an angry knight to deal with.
And perchance an angry brother into the mix, especially if Jonah had any idea where Adam had spent the night.
He must hope and pray that Jonah had slept through all of the evening’s drama. And the young lord had drunk enough wine to make that probable.
Adam was not sure whether to go downstairs or up to his own chamber. But he had no wish to face Crispin before he must, and his stomach was rumbling with hunger. Humming to himself, he headed for the kitchen, passing Jennifer on the stairs and relaying Esme’s message about water.
If the housemaid was surprised to receive such domestic instruction from a warrior, she hid it well.
The kitchen was warm and smelled of freshly baked bread. Agnes startled to see him, clasping floury hands over her apron.
“Mercy, you gave me a shock. I was beginning to think the place was deserted. Lady Esme is usually down before now.”
Adam carefully said nothing. He had already risked Esme’s reputation in speaking to Jennifer.
“Is milady awake?” The cook’s question was nonchalant, but he felt her eyes upon him as he walked over to the breadbasket.
“I could not say.” He crammed a heel of bread into his mouth to avoid further questions.
“Could not or would not?” Agnes crossed to the sink and picked up a knife which Adam eyed warily. “There’s not much goes on in this house that the servants dinna know about. And there’s plenty that’s gone on over the years, if you know what I’m saying.”
Adam was not sure that he did.
“What happened to that young knight that turned up out of the blue?” she continued, pushing her plait over her rounded shoulder.
Adam cleared his throat. He had not anticipated an inquisition. “I could not say,” he repeated.
“You’ll need drop your airs and your distance if you’re going to stay here,” Agnes observed, reaching for a turnip and beginning to peel it.
“Am I going to stay here?” His eyebrows raised with genuine curiosity.
Agnes turned to face him. “Do youwantto stay here?”
Adam’s hand hovered over the bread. He could pick it up and flee. But the cook’s question made him pause.
He had not properly considered where he wanted to stay—or go, for many a year.
He had gone where his master bid him. But did it have to be that way?
“I have not thought.”
Agnes snorted. “I suppose that’s better thanI could not say,” she mimicked, with a smile to take the sting from her words. “Think on it, sir. There are worse places to wind up.”
Adam fished for words. “I do not know if the possibility exists for me to stay,” he said at last, folding his arms and leaning back against the scrubbed wooden table.
“Oh, it exists.” Agnes waved her knife airily. “All things are possible up here in the northern hills. People can be who they want to be.”
The idea was preposterous to him. How could aught be so simple?
