Page 6 of Lord of Deception

Chapter Five

Three days after her encounter with the gardener, Alys sat down to break her fast with Kate and Hannah Shawcross, one of her cousin’s acolytes who’d come to visit. Sir Thomas was absent, which was a relief. Alys had ofttimes wondered why the knight did whatever he pleased when he was at Selwood, almost as if he had a stake in the place.

Rays of sunlight gilded the wooden paneling, and the dust motes danced in shafts of light—it looked set to be a fine day. Mayhap their august visitor had been unable to resist the lure of the weather and had already ridden out to enjoy it.

Hannah sipped at a spoonful of frumenty, then gave Kate a sideways glance. “You look like the cat who has got at the cream.”

Alys had noticed this, too, and was having unsettling thoughts about Kate and Sir Thomas. She prodded her sops in wine with her spoon. If Kate were to marry Sir Thomas, her chances of being tolerated at Selwood Manor were slim—unless she was forced to be nursemaid to Kate’s offspring. Which meant no hope at all of inheriting Selwood, or finding a man who would be interested in marrying her.

“At least one of us doesn’t look miserable as a sinner in Hell.” Kate jabbed her knife in Alys’ direction.

“I don’t—”

Hannah cut in. “Has Sir Thomas proposed? Or is the queen visiting these parts? I’d so love to meet her. Those dresses—”

Kate shook her head, pushed away from the long oak table, and wandered over to the window. She sighed, her ample bosom heaving beneath the tight mustard-colored bodice she wore.

Alys bit her lip, refusing to play Kate’s game, but Hannah was more forthcoming. “Why do you sigh?”

“Because I am happy, satiated, and a little the richer.”

Satiated? What in Christendom did she mean by that? Alys’ latten spoon clonked onto her bowl.

Hannah drummed her fingers on the table. “I beseech you, just tell us, Kate Aspinall—you’re putting us all off our breakfasts.”

Kate beamed. “I won a wager with Alys three days ago—the same day Sir Thomas arrived—and got her embroidered pocket. So, for that, I am the richer.”

Kate loved acquiring things. Especially those belonging to other people.

“What was the wager?”

Hannah’s eyes grew wide as she listened to Kate’s explanation. Then she laughed. “How droll that Sir Thomas should catch you kissing him. Alys showed great wit in saying you were rehearsing a scene.”

“Oh, don’t waste praise on her. It was I who charmed his suspicions out of him. But I must confess to having gained more than a kiss from the handsome fellow.”

Alys’ jaw dropped. She’d warned the man—had he taken no notice at all?

Hannah was staring, open-mouthed. “You didn’t!”

Kate spun back from the window and leaned across the table, lowering her voice. “He was like a stag in rut, a charging bull—the vitality of that man is stunning. Now I know how poorly my dear dead husband served me—he was as a sparrow compared to an eagle. Kit. Ah, Kit!”

Alys’ stomach curled and twisted, her breakfast turning to verjuice. How could Kate risk bringing such scandal on the household, under Sir Thomas’ very nose? They’d be the laughingstock of the neighborhood.

Assuming she was telling the truth.

She locked gazes with Kate. “How do we know you truly did this?”

“If you don’t believe me, ask him yourself.”

Nay, she’d only hear more lies. How could one know who to believe? Admittedly, she’d never before met a man as alluring as their new gardener, but would Kate genuinely stoop so low as to bed him?

Or had she blackmailed him into doing that, as well?

“So, he was good then?” Hannah leaned closer.

“The best. His hands—so strong, yet so gentle. His thighs, tight as a vise, yet tender withal. His manhood, hot, firm and eager. Ah! So eager.”

Alys flushed, recalling the vision she’d had of the gardener naked. It was now flashing in front of her eyes with virulent potency.