Leonie waited in the bailey after leaving Amelia, hidden, until she saw her husband return to the hall. Once he was gone, she stopped by the stable and saw for herself that her gentle mare had not been harmed by Rolfe’s horse. Relieved, she walked along the path until she came to the woods. She lingered there, hoping to find solitude in the forest.
She found solitude, but it was not welcome. She wept, which led to disgust with herself. She decided to go on to the village, needing the distraction, but that proved equally upsetting, for while she had forgotten the mischief her people had caused there, the Crewel serfs had not forgotten. The women spared her only a shy word or two, and the men shied away. She did not stay.
By midafternoon she was back inside the walls of Crewel Keep, but she still could not bear seeing her husband yet. She located the kitchen garden, seeking further distraction. The garden amazed her, the vegetables and herbs so overgrown with weeds they couldn’t be seen.
It was bad enough that Crewel was filthy, but a garden was a source of food. A garden gave spicesthat made moldy dishes at the end of winter palatable. A garden gave herbs that healed and comforted. It was intolerable to find the garden in this condition.
“You are being searched for, my lady.”
Leonie whirled around at the sound of the tiny voice. A girl seven or eight years old was kneeling on the ground pulling up weeds. At leastsomeonewas making an effort.
“What is your name, child?”
“Idelle.”
Leonie smiled encouragingly, for she could see the little girl was nervous. “You should have help with all this weeding.”
“Oh, no, my lady. Cook would not like it if I couldn’t manage this task alone. I am only to pick a few greens for the salad.”
“Greens? And did cook tell you which greens to pick?”
The young face crumbled. “I asked him, but—but he said any greens. Have I done wrong? I did not mean to do wrong, my lady.”
Leonie said gently, “No, you did as you were told. How long have you helped in the kitchens, Idelle?”
“Not long. I was learning to weave, but Lady Amelia doesn’t like children within the keep, so my sister sent me to the kitchens.”
“Then someone should have shown you what to pick and what to throw away in this overgrown mess. What you have there I call ‘good-for-nothings.’ ”
Idelle grinned. “Truly?”
“Truly.” Leonie smiled back. “Now let me see.” She bent down and parted a heavy clump of foliage. “Ah! Thereissomething edible here, after all. These will do for a salad.” And she began filling the girl’sbasket with as many dandelion leaves as she could find.
“Once again I find you in a garden.”
Leonie’s hands froze. Even her breathing stopped.
“I told you they were looking for you,” Idelle whispered.
Leonie tried to smile and failed. “So you did. Go back to the kitchen, Idelle. The cook will have to make do with what you have.”
They both rose at the same time, Idelle to move quickly past the awe-inspiring lord of Kempston, and Leonie to face him.
Once again she was struck by the handsomeness of the man, and for a fleeting moment all else was forgotten as she looked him over slowly. From the thickly muscled legs in fine hose to the brown tunic shot with gold thread, everything he wore emphasized the power of his body.
Meeting those velvety brown eyes brought back Amelia’s words. She decided she would not demean herself by asking him questions about Amelia, or about his bringing her there. His wanting to start anew, as he’d said, was obviously a lie. And more lies would only confuse her. Also, she did not want him thinking she was upset over Amelia.
“You call this a garden, my lord?” That was a safe enough subject.
Rolfe spared the briefest look around before his gaze returned to the lovely vision before him. “What would I know of gardens?”
“You saw mine at Pershwick.”
“Did I?” He moved closer, grinning. “No, little flower, I saw only you.”
She felt a fluttering in her belly and her face flushed hot as fire. This would not do, this complexity ofemotions he was able to stir in her. She had to stop his effect on her.
“Do you call me ‘little flower’ to remind me of how you might have shamed me before my people?”
