“If I knew, madame, I would not ask. Alone? This is not Pershwick where you may do as you please.”
“I am most aware of the truth ofthat, my lord,” she said bitterly.
His eyes narrowed. “Perhaps you care nothing for your safety, but you are mine now and I protect what is mine. Must I place a constant guard on you?”
“Do not!” She gasped. “I—I know I was wrong to leave the keep without escort, but I was not thinking. I needed—some time. It will not happen again, my lord,” she finished quickly, embarrassed by her stammering.
She looked away from his penetrating eyes, and he gripped her chin. “I am not asking more than I should, Leonie. Do not begrudge me my concern.”
She hated herself for being so nervous with him. She hated his reasonable tone. But most of all she hated what he was doing to her, this up and down of churning emotions. She was angry one moment, intimidated the next—and worse was this strange feeling that intruded whenever he touched her.
His fingers moved from her chin up across her cheek. Leonie held her breath, waiting for him to kiss her, but he only gazed into her eyes. His eyes were dark and unfathomable.
“Anger is beneficial at times,” Rolfe said. “It clears the air, stimulates the blood. Do not hide your anger from me, Leonie. I may not like it, but I will like it less if you let your anger fester. Do not sulk with me, wife. And never, never bring anger to my bed.”
A quick, feather-light brush of his lips against hers and then he let her go and walked away.
Leonie stared after him, bemused, her fingertips on her face where he had touched it. Her heart was racing.
Chapter 18
THE hall had filled quickly and servants were bringing in large platters of food. A maid lost her balance and her huge cauldron of soup tipped a little, spilling soup onto the rushes. Five dogs instantly converged on the spot, but the hot liquid was not tempting enough. After a few sniffs, they went back to following the platters of meat, hoping for another accident.
Erneis, the Crewel steward, had seen the accident, but he went on filling his plate, giving it no more thought. The maid would think no more of it either. She would not return later to clean up the mess, because no one would tell her to do so.
Common occurrences in Crewel Keep, gone on so long that those conditions were taken for granted. The men-at-arms might deplore the filth, but it was not their place to order these servants. Sir Evarard had lived under worse conditions and took little notice. The servants never did anything on their own initiative and had, in fact, grown lazy.
Sir Thorpe had long ago given up trying to get anything done. He never stayed long enough in Crewel to oversee a thorough cleaning, anyway. And Rolfe had too many other things on his mind. Amelia seemed to have no knack for handling servants. It was enough that she had kept Rolfe’s room reasonably clean.
Rolfe had mused aloud about having a wife in residence, hoping the problem would be solved. But it was not to be. Amelia told him that she had had words with his wife and that Leonie said she could not be bothered with the running of Crewel. Rolfe was furious, especially after the scene in the garden. She could see to Pershwick, which was hers, but she would not see to Crewel?
But Amelia pointed out that ladies of Leonie’s stature were accustomed to spending their days in needlework and gossip. Rolfe knew that to be true, for his own mother had never lifted a hand to run her household. No doubt Leonie had an able steward at Pershwick. Ah well, Rolfe thought, let things stand as they were.
Unfortunately, his anger over that difficulty did not have a chance to abate before Leonie came in. She was wearing the same unhappy expression she had worn in the garden, and he almost sent her away, but too many eyes were on them.
Neither one spoke, and his anger mounted. She was going to nurse her anger, and that infuriated him. He wanted her to be the way she had been the night before, when she talked with him, accepted him. He had believed they were making a new start.
Damian had returned to Crewel in the afternoon with Rolfe’s newly polished armor. Cleaning armor was the only thing the boy did well. Rolfe was not used to having so young a squire, nor did he have enough time at present for the boy’s training. It was Damian’s duty to attend him, to select his clothes in the morning, help dress him, and to serve him at table. Strict rules governed all a squire did, even the carving of meat and presenting of his lord’s wine cup. Damian knew all that was required of him, but nothing was ever done smoothly.
Today, having used all his patience on his wife, Rolfe had none left for the boy. When his wine was spilled a second time, he dismissed the boy with harsh words that rose above the din in the hall. Silence followed, and then everyone resumed eating. Rolfe’s losing his temper was a common enough occurrence, after all.
Leonie was already on edge, having watched Lady Amelia direct the serving of the meal with Rolfe’s apparent approval.
“Are you always so hard on the boy?”
Rolfe’s dark eyes impaled her. “So. You have a voice after all.”
Leonie looked down at the table. “I did not know I was required to speak. There is nothing I wish to say.”
“Common courtesy is alien to you?”
“No, my lord,” she replied softly. “It is returned when it is received.”
He grunted, dismissing the fact that he had said not a word to her, either. “So now you have found something you wish to say—and it turns out to be criticism. You would have done better to keep silent.”
“I know my opinion means nothing to you, my lord, but you would be better served by your squire if you showed a little patience. The boy is only nervous.”
“You have trained many squires, have you?”
