Forbidden Magic (26 page)

* * *

"Lady Jewel."

Roused from a dreamy slumber, Jewel stirred and burrowed herself deeper into the warm comfort of the fur pelts.

"Lady Jewel," the voice said again.

Moaning her objection, she rolled to her side, the bright
sunshine flowing in from the window playing heavily upon her
closed lids. She squeezed them shut even tighter, her lip


curling disapprovingly, then she bolted upright in the huge bed
as reality crashed down upon her. Her auburn hair falling in
wild disarray about her shoulders, her amber eyes frantically
surveying the room for Amery's presence, she let out a long
sigh when she discovered they did not share the space. Cool air
touched her bare arms and chest, and, glancing down to view
her nakedness, she quickly grabbed a rabbit skin blanket and
hugged it to her, one hand drawing the long strands of coppery
hair from her brow.

"Lady Jewel?"

Startled, Jewel jerked her head around to find a young maid standing near the foot of the bed and, noticing the worried look on her face, Jewel managed a smile.

"I ... I didn't mean to frighten you, Lady Jewel," she said, "but Sir Amery bade me wake you and aid in your bath. I am known as Aselma."

Jewel's mind rushed with confused thoughts. Bath? Amery? She looked at the sunlight streaming in through the window. Morning? Where had he slept? Here? With her? As she remembered her nudity, her face glowed warmly with visions of who had undressed her. Where was he now? Her head spinning, she touched shaky fingertips to her brow. '

"Art thou ill, Lady Jewel?" Aselma asked, concerned.

Remembering the girl's presence, Jewel forced a weak laugh. "Nay, Aselma. I am fine. Have I slept the morning away?"

"Nay, Lady Jewel. Tis early," Aselma assured her, rounding the bed to offer her help when Jewel attempted to rise. "And the water is warm and scented with Lady Anne's favorite fragrance. If thou wishest, I will wash your Hair."

Jewel smiled appreciatively, allowing Aselma to take the fur pelt from around her as she stepped into the tub.

"Are you hungry, Lady Jewel?" the girl continued with a comforting smile, watching her mistress sink lower into the bathwater. "I could bring a tray to your chambers."

Jewel closed her eyes, breathed in the sweet scent that floated up to greet her, and sighed, for it seemed every muscle in her body ached. "Nay, Aselma," she answered contentedly. "I will join the others if they have not already eaten."

"Yea, m'lady." Aselma nodded and turned away to straighten the bed:

Resting her head back against the edge of the tub, Jewel relaxed, feeling the weariness slowly ebb, and set her mind to wondering at Amery's odd behavior. She had expected to share his bed, fend off his advances, and endure his insensitive remarks. She had not anticipated sleeping alone and even less awakening and finding a bath awaiting her, one he had ordered brought to her chambers. It puzzled her and at the same time bade her beware.

"Aselma," she called, sitting up to scrub her arms with the small piece of linen she found draped over the edge of the tub, "where did Sir Amery spend the night?"

"Where, m'lady?" the young maid asked, the color in her cheeks darkening.

Noting the embarrassed tone of her response, Jewel paused in her bathing and glanced up. "Yes, Aselma, where."

Uneasy, Aselma looked away. "Here, m'lady."

Jewel's own face flamed. She had assumed since he had not forced himself upon her during the night that he had elected to find some other haven for his rest. Frantic, she searched her memory. Could it have been that she had slept so soundly ... ? She shook her head. Nay. He never would have allowed it. He enjoyed tormenting her. Concentrating on her bath again, she scrubbed her flesh more vigorously than before until it had a rosy hue and she was satisfied that his scent no longer clung to her.

"Lady Anne hopes you'll be pleased with the loan of her gunna," Aselma announced suddenly, intruding upon Jewel's thoughts.

With stunned surprise she looked up to find the serving girl holding a velvet gunna in a bright shade of gold for her to appraise. Fox fur lined the collar and cuffs of the full sleeves as well as the hemline. Though simple, Jewel doubted she had ever seen such a beautiful gown.

"M'lady says I am to shorten it if need be," Aselma continued, "and to tell you that the tailor will come this afternoon to take your measurements. She knows you left your home rather hurriedly and if you will allow her the honor, she wishes to see you properly clothed."

"Tis beautiful," Jewel whispered, "but—"

"And m'lady instructed me to tell you that she would be greatly injured if you refused," Aselma finished before Jewel could object. With a sigh, the young girl gently stroked the fine cloth she held and added, "I would gladly accept."

"Then so shall I." Jewel smiled. "And to do justice to such a noble gown, I must complete my bath before the velvet lies in creases for all the wrinkles I shall have."

"Yea, m'lady." Aselma laughed, gently spreading the gunna on the bed. "And if thou wilt permit, I have a most fashionable way to arrange your hair." Moving to the tub, she knelt down beside it and lifted a heavy strand of auburn curls. "If I can dry it before the sun sets again. 'Tis thick."

"Yea," Jewel said. "'Tis a curse."

"Nay, m'lady, hardly that," Aselma argued. "Not many have such thickness and it shines with the firelight. 'Twould catch the eye of any knight."

"Tis why it's a curse," Jewel mumbled as she watched the maid go to the hearth and lift the bucket of warm water from the hook.

"But why, Lady Jewel?" Aselma asked in surprise. "I would be honored if a knight looked a second time at me." Gathering a stool on which to sit, she returned to the tub and sat down. "Twould be wonderful to change places with you, m'lady."

"To marry someone not of your choosing?" Jewel posed, tilting her head back as Aselma poured water down the long, coppery tresses, then worked up a thick lather in her hands from a bar of soap and vigorously rubbed it into Jewel's hair.

"If it meant wearing beautiful gowns, having someone do the chores, attending court, and being the envy of every woman, yea, Lady Jewel, I would most willingly marry the man my father chose for me."

"And be unhappy for the rest of your life?" Jewel asked quietly.

"Art thou unhappy, m'lady?" Aselma queried. "Sir Amery does not seem to be an unfitting choice."

Jewel waited until Aselma had rinsed the soap from her hair and had wrapped its great length in a linen towel before she twisted in the tub to look at her. "How old art thou?"

Aselma's lovely face mirrored her surprise. "I have seen my fourteenth summer, m'lady."

"Then prithee, hast thou seen thy father fight a battle? Defend his lands and people? Give all he had to his wife and children only to lay down his life to the very man he had chosen for his eldest daughter?" Jewel proposed. "Nay, Aselma, I doubt you have. And I doubt thou could know of the grief I suffer, the hate I feel for this man, my betrothed."

"Sir Amery?" Aselma gasped, then quickly stood to help Jewel from the tub and drape her slender form in a linen wrap.

"Yea, Sir Amery," Jewel replied acidly, wiping the moisture from her arms as she went to the hearth and let its warmth dry her.

"But Sir Amery is guiltless, m'lady," Aselma said emphatically.

Jewel was surprised by her own laughter. "Guiltless? Prithee, how hath thee come by such knowledge?"

" Tis simple. Lady Jewel," Aselma continued. "The lord of Burchard would not have offered his protection if he believed Sir Amery was to blame. And I have heard the men of our village talking. Sir Gunther and Sir Amery rode together the night Harcourt was attacked and were many miles away ... on their way to London. M'lord would have no reason to tell an untruth."

Amber eyes gazed back at her with cold disbelief shining in them. "Unless, of course, the two had, ridden first to Harcourt."

"But . . ."

"They are friends, are they sot?" Jewel interrupted. "Each has proclaimed it to be truth. Would friends not share everything? Even secrets? Would they not protect each other?"

"But not Sir Gunther, m'lady," the young maid argued. "He' is a fair and honest lord. He would never do such a thing."

"Sheep," Jewel muttered, turning back to the fire.

"M'lady."

"The people of Burchard are sheep ... easily led to the greenest pastures. But I will not be fooled and in time prove them worthy of the title murderers.?"

"But . . ."

Jewel shook her head to silence the girl. "We shall speak of it no more, Aselma. Now help me clothe myself," she ordered sullenly.

* * *

Nearly an hour passed before Jewel slipped the borrowed gunna over her delicate frame and stood patiently waiting for Aselma's finishing touches. The young maiden had braided the thick auburn hair and intertwined it with a strip of gold lace to match the gown, and over each of Jewel's ears Aselma had allowed a stray tendril to fall. The hemline had been raised and the bodice taken in a bit to fit Jewel's narrow waistline, and satin slippers were hurriedly sewn to shape her tiny feet when none the girl had brought were found to be the right size.

The tune passed in silence and all the while Jewel regretted the things she had said. She truly did not believe Gunther had had anything to do with the tragedy at Harcourt, but her bitterness toward Amery had loosened her tongue. Yet what could explain Gunther's conviction that Amery was innocent when proof of his presence in the hall confirmed it? Jewel's brow wrinkled as she thought about it. 'Twas not eyes that had seen him but the necklace of his mother left behind to mark his being there, she mused. Was it possible that someone else had placed it where it could be found? Who would do such a thing? Radolf? Nay, not he. Radolf had loved her father as he had his own. He would not turn against him merely to entrap his half brother as Amery had implied. 'Twas too outrageous even to contemplate. Nay, if indeed it had been that way, then someone else had set the snare. And for what gain? Who would profit by setting the two half brothers at each other? Or was the intent to have Harcourt? Suddenly Jewel's breath caught in her throat. Had the plan required that she too meet her death and only her absence had saved her? Dear God! Had Amery meant to kill her too? She squeezed her eyes shut. Had he told his friend a falsehood that would allow him time to consider another method of disposing of her since he had failed with the first? A chilling fear raced through her and she shivered.

"Art thou cold, m'lady?"

Reminded of the other's presence, Jewel quickly opened her eyes and forced a smile. "Nay, Aselma. Tis only the excitement of being so richly clothed."

Putting away her thread and needles, the maid came te stand before Jewel, sighing approvingly. '" 'Tis thy beauty that enhances the simple cloth, Lady Jewel. Sir Amery will be pleased."

The smile faded and Jewel hurriedly looked away so that the young woman would not see the fear in her eyes and question its reason. "Then I must not delay a moment longer," she answered nervously, "lest he come looking for me." With a loving sweep of her hand down the smooth cloth of her skirt, she glanced up at Aselma and said softly, "Thank you."

"My honor, m'lady." Aselma curtsied, then stood to watch the slim figure gracefully leave the room.

With the newfound suspicions still haunting her, Jewel felt as if her feet were weighted as she slowly walked the corridor toward the stairway that would place her in full view of the great hall below, for she was certain Amery would be among those sharing the morning meal. Her only hope of escaping the plan he was surely plotting would be to remain in the company of others at all times. Her step faltered. But what of the long hours after the sun had set beyond the hills? What then? How would she protect herself when no one stood in the way? She shook her head. He is no fool, this crafty knight. To slay her while only he shared the chambers would quickly raise a brow or two. Nay, he would seek to make her death appear as if an accident had befallen her.

The sounds of men's voices mingling with the laughter of children floated up to greet Jewel once she reached the landing at the top of the stairs. She took comfort in the fact that she would not have to face Amery alone and wished that somehow business had taken him elsewhere this morn, leaving her to break the fast without his eyes upon her. With a simple glance her way, he could so easily unnerve her, and in view of all the thoughts that plagued her mind at the moment, to find those penetrating green eyes devouring her would have a most devastating effect. After her conversation with Aselma, she had realized no one would listen to her pleas for help if all at Burchard believed in their lord as strongly as the young maid did. Only Lady Anne offered any kind of hope, but even she would soon change her mind once she had talked with Gun t her. After all, what woman would go against her husband?

The gnawing in her stomach reminded Jewel that she had gone without a meal the night before, and since there was very little she could do at the moment to change things, she decided to appease her appetite first and build up her strength. When her chance came, she would have to be ready for it. Drawing in a quick breath, she squared her shoulders and started down the stairs.

It was as if a muteness had struck the inhabitants of the hall once her presence had been seen. The men fell quiet, the children stopped their play, and all eyes lifted to view the beauty that eloquently descended the stairs. Golden velvet shimmered in the sunlight stealing in through the tall windows and seemed to be reflected in the slight blush of her cheek and amber glow of her eyes, shadowed by the thickness of her lashes when she lowered her gaze. The cloth clung almost possessively to the slim waist and accented the fullness of her bosom, and tiny slippered feet peeked out from beneath the fox-fur hem of the gown With each step she took.

Uncomfortable beneath their silent regard, not certain if they disapproved of what they saw, Jewel concentrated on the stone steps and failed to see the one who hurriedly approached.

"Lady Jewel?"

Startled, she glanced up to find Hadwin's youthful face smiling back at her.

"Your beauty this morn outshines the sun," he whispered and received an embarrassed laugh from her in return. "Twould honor me if thou wouldst allow me to escort you to the table."

It seemed like such a long time since anyone had sought to flatter her that Jewel eagerly accepted his arm and smiled her appreciation as they started toward the others. But her pleasure was short-lived, for she looked up and found Amery staring at them, his face expressionless and his eyes the color of emeralds. The morning light streamed across the hall as if to single him out among the rest and Jewel was suddenly unaware of anyone else in the room.