Page 109 of An Inconvenient Vow

However, when she turned to glance back in that direction, Lady Kentigern was still nowhere to be seen. Two pairs of hostile eyes glared into her, and Sabina turned hastily back, her face flushing with hot color.

The lance thrust at her impatiently and she reached up just in time to catch the coronet which was now perilously close to slipping off the end. Even from her elevated position, Sabina could read Lord Kentigern’s expression which plainly said take the damn thing, woman. As soon as her fingers closed over a handful of petals and leaves, he was wheeling his horse around and heading back into the center of the ring.

Belatedly, Sabina noticed all the heads in the audience were now swiveling to fix on a point at the top of the noble’s stand. With a sense of dread, Sabina, too, glanced up to the top of the box and found Lady Kentigern stood, frozen like a statue, staring with wounded eyes at the flower tribute in her hand. Sabina likewise turned to stone. It felt almost like the garland was scalding her fingers. She wanted to fling the cursed item away from her and beg Lady Kentigern’s pardon, but of course, she could do neither of those things.

The poor girl lifted a hand to her bosom and pressed it there as though trying to comfort the ache in her own heart. It was borne home to Sabina in that instant what a wicked betrayal Lord Kentigern had performed of his tender young bride. He ought to be flogged! If Lady Kentigern had dropped down dead on the spot, Sabina would have thought him a murderer, and she almost as bad.

She felt shame wash over her like a cold wave, submerging her wholly before receding to an icy trickle down her spine. Sinking down into her seat on heavy legs, she set the flowered crown upon the bench next to her with the utmost care. It was not hers and she would never wear it.

Sabina knew not how long she sat, perspiring profusely, despite the fact she was trembling and numb. Only when she dimly became aware that the crowd noise had faded back into her consciousness, did she dart her eyes around and find that most people were now watching the award ceremony being performed by the King in the arena.

Then, and only then, did Sabina rise on shaky legs and make her way toward the steps which would lead her out of this ghastly place. She stumbled once, halfway up the steps, and gave a stifled sob. Luckily, a hurried grab at the partition spared her the ignominy of a tumble in front of all these fine folk and soon she was pushing through the crowds with increasing desperation.

One good thing about her humble dress was that she faded into the background, she thought as a hand caught her elbow. She wheeled around and found it was Laurence.

“You’re going the wrong way, my lady,” he told her and angled his thumb over his shoulder. “The palace is that way.”

Her face crumpled. “Oh,” she sobbed and covered her face with both hands.

Laurence looked alarmed but passed an arm about her waist and towed her in the direction he had indicated. “’Tis the heat,” he said awkwardly. “It can take people strange.” Sabina could manage no more than a muffled choke by this point. “Never fear, I can take you right back to your door.”

Sabina nodded and let the lad tow her until they were once more entering the castle and headed for the courtier’s quarters. She managed to get a hold of herself by the second staircase, taking very deep breaths and clinging very hard to Laurence’s hand. By the time Wilton opened the door to the De Crecy rooms, she was dry-eyed at least.

When she turned to Laurence, he handed her the alms purse he had taken charge of. Feeling the coins still within, Sabina loosed the strings and poured them into his hand. When Jeffree had given her the money that morning, she had thought she would never spend it all. “Thank you for your escort today, Laurence,” Sabina said, forcing a smile to her lips. “You were truly invaluable to me.”

“Thank you, my lady.” He hesitated. “Perhaps you will send for me again, next time you are in the capital?”

“Oh, there is no doubt about it,” she told him, and he bowed and turned with a whoop, clearly ecstatic with his handsome tip, and went skipping off to the staircase. Looking around, Sabina found Wilton had disappeared, so she dragged her weary feet along the corridor until she reached her bedroom door, then took a deep breath and whisked inside, slamming it shut and resting her brow against its wooden surface.

She gave one choked sob and then another, then before she knew it, she was sobbing so uncontrollably that she could not stop.

23

“Sabina?” Jeffree’s shocked accents startled her so badly that she almost stumbled as she wheeled around and slammed straight into his dripping wet body.

“J-Jeffree!” she gasped as his hands came up to clasp her tight, just as well, or she would have collapsed into a heap on the floor.

He gripped her upper arms, peering into her face. “What has happened? Why are you crying?” His blue eyes blazed as he searched her swollen face.

“Nothing, I am entirely well,” she gabbled, but could not stop her face from crumpling up, and then she was sobbing again like a perfect idiot.

“Is this because I lost?” Jeffree asked, frowning.

Sabina stared at him, stunned. “No, of course not!” she wailed.

“So, someone has upset you?” he clarified grimly. “Who?” When she started sobbing even harder, he gave her a slight shake. “Give me their name.”

“Everyone h-hates me!” she wept. “You should have seen their faces!”

“What? Whose faces?” When Sabina would only shake her head as tears coursed down her cheeks, Jeffree scooped her up and carried her toward the bed.

“No!” she cried out. “Do not set me on the bed. I am sweaty and sticky and dirty,” she wept. He changed direction and Sabina realized they were headed toward a large tub. This must be why Jeffree was leaving puddles at every step, she realized dimly. He had been soaking in the tub.

When he set her down next to it and started unfastening her laces, Sabina tried to bat his hands away. “I can do it,” she mumbled with embarrassment. She did not want him to see the unbecoming sweat patches under her armpits and at her back.

He scoffed, but did not speak, dragging her ugly brown gown up over her head and then casting it down into a puddle of water. Then he tackled her shift and pulled off her stockings and shoes. Sabina did not stop weeping the whole time.

The next thing she knew, she was submerged in water and still in Jeffree’s arms. He had climbed in with her, she realized dimly. “This water must surely be very dirty,” she hiccupped, remembering his grime-streaked face from earlier.