Page 23 of Ladybird

Chapter 6

“Regina, you are so quiet today. Is something wrong?” asked Sage the next morning as they sat in the ladies solar stitching.

“Nay. Nothing’s wrong.” Regina flashed a smile at Sage and the other women, aimlessly pulling the colored thread through the bag she was embroidering.

“Really?” Sage reached out and picked up the bag. “Then why does this flower look more like a bird dropping?”

“Oh!” Regina had been thinking of Hunter and not even paying attention to what she was doing. “Well, you know I was never any good at this.”

“And neither were you ever so bad either.” Sage gave her that knowing look that said she knew Regina was keeping something from her.

“Will you be teaching your cousin falconry today?” asked Lady Jean who was a young widow.

“I—I suppose,” she answered. “But I have so many other things to do.”

“Your cousin, Hunter is sooooo handsome,” gushed Lady Penelope who was about Regina’s age and who always had eyes for the men. “Will you introduce me to him?”

“Me, too!” piped up yet another lady in the room, Lady Gertrude. She was old and had no business even looking Hunter’s way.

“If I get the chance, of course, I will.”

“Good,” said Penelope with a giggle. “Because I am going to do my best to get him to kiss me.”

“What?” Regina looked up quickly in surprise.

“I’d like to lure him to my bed and make hot, passionate love with him,” said Jean looking like she was hot and bothered.

“What kind of a thing is that to say?” gasped Regina.

“Well, I’m a widow and don’t need to protect my image anymore like you, Regina,” said Jean. “I haven’t had a man in a while and there is nothing wrong in wanting to find release.”

“Oh, my,” muttered Regina, fumbling with the needle, trying to get it back through the cloth with no result despite her best efforts.

“Ladies, a man like Lord Hunter won’t want either of you,” said Lady Gertrude. “He will need a more experienced woman in his bed. Like me and all the things I can show him.” Lady Gertrude smacked her lips, almost turning Regina’s stomach at the mere thought of this old woman in bed with Hunter.

“He’s not looking for a woman, I’m sure, so please everyone just leave him be.” Regina looked down at her work. She’d truly made a mess of the embroidery and would have to tear it all out and start over again. Why was it so hard to focus lately? And why were these lust-filled ladies targeting Hunter? Regina didn’t want to share and felt like she wanted the man all to herself.

“Why wouldn’t he be looking for a woman?” asked Jean, batting her eyes. “Or have you already claimed him for yourself, Regina?”

“Huh?” This startled her so much that she pricked her finger with the needle, enough to draw blood. “Ouch!” She threw the embroidery to the side and stood up. “Hunter is my cousin,” she ground out. “I hardly think I’d be wanting to bed him but neither should you. Leave the man alone!”

“Just because he’s your cousin, that doesn’t mean a thing,” said Jean. “A lot of nobles marry their cousins. It keeps the bloodline strong. He is so handsome, I don’t see why you don’t want him, too.”

“Did you say marry?” Regina wasn’t sure she liked where this conversation was leading.

“Jean, don’t give her ideas,” scolded Penelope. “I hear the man already has eyes for Regina. If they couple, we’ll never have a chance with him at all.”

“Hunter has eyes for me? Where did you hear that?” This shocked Regina that the gossip had gotten to this point so fast. She only hoped that no one had seen them down at the lake.

Penelope continued. “The scullery maid told me she was washing dishes in the lake last night and saw you and Hunter by the water together. She said she saw Hunter stark naked!”

“Really? Naked?” Jean’s eyes lit up with excitement and she squirmed in her chair.

“What do you mean?” exclaimed Regina, her breath hitching in her throat.

“Is this true, Regina?” asked Sage, sounding as shocked to hear them say this as she was.

“I—I…” Regina didn’t know how to answer. This was how gossip started. Even if it wasn’t really gossip but the truth. Still, if it wasn’t stopped immediately, Regina’s reputation as a lady would be ruined. If that happened, no nobleman would ever want her someday as his wife.