A Noble Captive by Michelle Styles

Author:Michelle Styles
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Romance, Romance: Historical, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9780263851557
Publisher: Harlequin Mills & Boon, Limited
Published: 2007-01-15T22:24:31.365000+00:00

Chapter Ten

The late afternoon sun kissed the back of Helena’s neck as she sat, combing the wool smooth. A simple task, and one she normally left to Galla or one of the other servants, but it was all she felt able to do. Her limbs were weak and none of the other chores held any interest. She’d examine the lists tomorrow. Everything could be done tomorrow.

She had spent yesterday and most of the morning asleep, then had woken with a start—embarrassment flooding over her.

Had she actually begged Tullio to make love to her?

Her mouth twisted at the memory. She should be grateful he had refused. The terrible thing was that even now she hungered for his touch. She wanted him to desire her. She wanted him to think her attractive, even though Aunt Flavia had warned often of the fleetingness of beauty.

It was the inside that counted.

She had taken trouble with her dress and hair. A flattering rose pink, but nothing flashy or showy. Her hair was caught up in a simple style and twisted at the base of her neck. Her shawl had slipped down and now lay discarded at her side.

Helena forced the comb through another tangle in the wool, picking out the clot of dirt with practised fingers.

She needed to stop thinking about Tullio and his Roman ways. The temple’s allies were the seafarers. They were the ones who would guarantee the villagers’ survival, not a Roman tribune with crinkles in the corner of his eyes when he smiled, and a powerful grip.

A seafarer would never have rescued her from the cave.

Helena silenced the traitorous voice in the back of her mind.

‘Have you given a thought as to how you are going to answer Androceles? Today is the Ides,’ Galla asked, breaking Helena’s musing.

The maid was swathed in cream cloth from head to foot and her face was slightly perspiring from the heat. She stood in front of Helena, hands on hips.

‘That is my province, Galla.’

‘Flavia is not strong enough, Helena, you know that. You will need to inform Androceles of her illness. You should have done so before.’

The implication hung in the air between them. Galla seemed to trust that the seafarers would give them time and not demand concessions. Helena could not afford to listen. She had made her decision. She would stick by it.

‘It is under control. I…I have had an answer from Kybele.’

‘You?’ The maid’s eyes widened as the full implications of what Helena had said sunk in. She made a sign warding off evil spirits. ‘You didn’t? Your illness begins to make sense. And here, I thought it a headache brought on by overwork. Helena, you took an awful risk. You foolish girl, you should have told me.’

‘Why? What could you have done?’

‘Kept a watch out for you.’ Galla pushed the basket of wool aside and sat down next to Helena. She put an arm about the younger woman’s shoulders as she had done when Helena was small and frightened from one of her aunt’s tests.

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