Eve scowled. She wanted to tell Mary to send him away. The last thing she wanted was to see Michael. She wanted to be alone. But Michael wouldn’t like that, and neither would her father. She relented with a nod.
Mary opened the door to allow Michael entrance and moved to a corner of the room to continue her sewing.
Michael crossed the room and stood behind Eve. “You missed dinner. I was worried.”
No apology. No acknowledgement that what he had said had wounded her. Eve got the impression he wantedherto apologize.
“Imagine what our guests thought.”
Still, she did not turn to him.
“Eve,” he said softly. “I’m trying to protect you.”
“From whom? Gabriel was a gentleman. We had fun. He made me laugh which is more than you do.”
Michael pulled back, startled.
Guilt immediately settled on her shoulders. She was harsh, and she shouldn’t be. “I’m sorry,” she conceded with a sigh. “I didn’t mean that.”
“Eve,” he whispered. “Gabe is… well, he is not dependable. He won’t be here for you like I will. Like I’ve always been. I rescued you from the woods when we were young, and I visited you every summer. We had fun. We got to know each other. I have waited until you were ready to marry you on the Yuletide. On the same night I rescued you all those years ago. A new beginning for us.” He reached for her hand.
She wanted to pull it away from his touch but knew she shouldn’t. He was trying. But she knew the truth about him. He saw her as a monster. How could they have a future together?
He covered her good hand with his. “I don’t want to see you hurt.”
She wasn’t sure that marrying him wouldn’t be the perfect way to hurt her. She wasn’t sure any longer if it was the right thing to do. He didn’t love her. But what choice did she have? Her father had promised her to him years ago.
“There,” he said and patted her head as if she were a dog. “All better.” He stood and moved to the door. “Your best option would be to stay away from Gabriel. For your own good.” He glanced at Mary and then departed the room.
Mary didn’t glance up from her sewing. She was a good maid, minding her own business, even though she heard everything. She continued her chore of mending the dress, pushing the needle through the fabric and pulling it through on the other side.
Eve watched her for a moment, the strokes of her hand sure and exact. In, out. It was similar to embroidery. “Mary,” Eve called.
Mary set her sewing on the bed and rose to come to Eve’s side. “Yes, m’lady.”
“Do you think you could aid me in…” She drew in her breath. “Do you think you could help me create a simple, small tapestry?”
“Embroidery, m’lady?”
Eve nodded.
“Aye,” Mary said.
Eve captured her arm. “You mustn’t tell anyone else.”
Mary shook her head. “No, m’lady.”
The next day, Eve hurried through the hallway toward the Great Hall and the morning meal. She had never been so excited about her accomplishments as she had these past two days. She was quite proud of the small tapestry she had created the night before. It was very small, but she had done it by herself.
As she moved by the large double doors leading to the inner ward, she heard a small whistling as the wind found a crack at the base of the doors to enter the castle. The air in front of the double doors was colder than the upstairs hallway. The weather must have gotten colder, but Eve didn’t care. She was flush with excitement and she wasn’t certain whether it was from her accomplishments or seeing Gabe.
As she neared the doors to the Great Hall, she heard the loud chatter that usually accompanied the morning meal. She paused in the doorway, scanning the room, not bothering to look at the head table. Gabe would be seated in the middle of the room, at a table for the knights.
The room was already filled with their guests. Nobles, knights and peasants all sat at the wooden tables lining the room. Soft tones from a harp echoed throughout the Great Hall.
A nobleman with a long green cortehardie that trailed behind him passed Eve, bowing to her in greeting. She barely heard him she was so intensely looking for Gabe.
A large guffaw of laughter sounded from the middle of the room, drawing Eve’s attention. When she saw Gabriel, the rest of the room faded. Her entire vision was taken up by his laughing face. His eyes squinted, his mouth was open in merriment. Her heart hammered in her chest. Her palms became wet with anticipation and excitement.
