Page 11 of Keeper of the Flame: Orrick

Hope couldn’t dispute it because she realized it was true. Then again, Hope and Grace hadn’t exactly wanted to get married so it hadn’t mattered. But now, Hope was getting older and she’d been thinking a lot lately about marrying a man and raising a family. However, Sir Irwin wasn’t whom she had in mind.

“Well, I’ve decided I’m not going to be betrothed to someone like that old crust Lord Irwin,” sniffed Grace. “I’m going to live life to the fullest and experience what I want – even if it’s being in the arms of a man that takes my interest even though he’s not yet my husband.”

“In his arms? You mean his bed, don’t you?”

“Would it be so awful if it really happened?” asked Grace, pinching her cheeks for color, leaning forward to peer into the standing mirror. The room was dark with only the light from the hearth and a nighttime candle next to the bed making the room glow slightly.

“Little sister, if I must remind you, we are ladies and must be virgins on our wedding nights. It is expected of nobles.”

“Oh, I will be a virgin, but a very experienced one by the time I marry.”

“Stop it, Grace.”

“Why?” she asked. “You cannot tell me you like being sent from one castle to another and rejected by each and every man that might be a prospective husband because Father hadn’t betrothed us. We need to take matters into our own hands or someone else will do it for us and I don’t like that.”

“He has betrothed me, unless you’ve forgotten. But I’d rather marry a man of my own choosing. If the prospective husbands have any idea of how you behave, Grace, then it’s no wonder they reject you.”

“I don’t care.” She opened a pouch with a little jar and dabbed some of the liquid between her breasts. “Besides, I don’t see any of them beating down the door asking for your hand in marriage.”

“It’s because I’m already betrothed,” said Hope, getting frustrated with this conversation.

“Whatever, you say.” Grace leaned forward to see herself in the mirror, dabbing something on herself again.

“What is that?” asked Hope, walking over and snatching the little bottle away from her sister. Bringing it to her nose, she took a whiff. “Mmmm. It smells like sweet wildflowers.”

“It is an oil I swiped from the healer before we left Norfolk. I put a dab of it between my breasts and it makes the men drool.” She giggled.

Hope let out a deep breath, not able to stop thinking of Sir Rick. “Do men really like this?” she asked, inspecting the bottle.

“Try it and find out for yourself.” Grace retrieved the bottle and poured out a drop of oil, reaching out and dabbing it on Hope’s wrist. “So, you never did tell me. Did you like his kiss or not?”

“Whose kiss?”

Grace threw her a look that said to stop it.

“Oh, you mean Sir Rick?”

“Is there another?”

“Nay, there’s not.” Hope wet her lips, trying to deny her attraction to the man, but she couldn’t. “I did like the kiss,” she admitted, smiling wickedly, feeling so wanton. She lifted her wrist and brought it to her nose, sniffing the tantalizing potion that made her head spin. “When Lord Irwin kisses me, I want to retch. But when Sir Rick kissed me I . . . I . . . tingled.”

“Tingled?” Grace’s head snapped up and she leaned in closer. “Where?” she asked in a half-whisper, as if she were afraid someone would hear them. “Was it up your spine . . . or between your legs?”

“Stop it,” said Hope, putting the bottle of flower oil down on the dressing table and wiping her hands off in her gown. “I don’t care to speak of this anymore. I am here for a reason and I need to focus.”

“Oh, yes, I forgot.” Grace inspected her hand and bit at a hangnail. “You still believe in the silly superstition that there is some candle that can make someone invincible.”

“I’m not sure if it’s a candle, but it is some kind of flame. It’s called the Infernal – no wait – I think Orrick said it was called the Eternal Flame.”

“Even if there is such a thing, what do you want it for?” asked Grace nonchalantly as she continued to fuss with her hair. Hope had never noticed before how important appearances were to her sister.

“It is also said to keep one from aging,” Hope told her, testing the waters.

“What? I can stay young and beautiful forever?” asked Grace.

Sure enough, the girl took the bait. Hope knew now that Grace cared about her looks more than anything and would help her if she thought she might be able to use the flame for herself.

“I’m not sure how it works but, aye, those are the legends I’ve heard.”