A Tapestry of Dreams (TJ 1) by Gellis Roberta

Author:Gellis, Roberta [Gellis, Roberta]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Tags: Romance, General, Historical, Fiction
ISBN: 9781402254987
Publisher: Sourcebooks, Inc.
Published: 2011-03-15T07:00:00+00:00

Chapter 16

In the next moment, Hugh realized it was only his own guilt that made him think Audris’s uncle was suspicious. Sir Oliver seemed to have paused only to listen to his niece’s last remark and Hugh’s reply, for he came forward, smiling and uttering a warm welcome.

“My man came down to the fields to tell me you had come, Sir Hugh, and I wished to thank you for sending us news of the meetings with the Scots.”

Although his worst fears were set at rest by the friendly words, Hugh was still so shocked at seeing Audris’s uncle that he could not speak and only nodded while he offered up wordless but desperately sincere thanks to Mary. It could only have been the gentle Mother’s well-known indulgence to the foolish that had shielded them and kept Sir Oliver from arriving a few minutes sooner.

“Will you stay a few days?” Oliver continued, adding with a wry smile, “I promise I will not leave you to Audris’s tender mercies again. She is a good girl, but to converse with her might sometimes drive a man mad.”

“I must be back in Jarrow abbey tomorrow,” Hugh replied, fortunately still too unnerved by their narrow escape to take offense at Oliver’s dry criticism of Audris.

“I am not so bad as that, uncle,” Audris cried, laughing and pouting deliciously at the same time.

“I have never been able to get a straight tale out of you in my life,” Oliver growled. “If Sir Hugh can, I would like to know how he does it.”

“He listens more attentively,” Audris teased, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

“What is the straight tale, Sir Oliver?” Hugh asked quickly, appalled by the expression on Audris’s face and by her remark, which he felt hinted at their relationship.

As he spoke, Audris rose from the bench and settled on the grass, gesturing for her uncle to take her place. He nodded at her and sat, and Audris casually leaned a shoulder against Hugh’s legs, ostensibly so that she could look at Oliver while he answered Hugh’s question. Hugh stiffened nervously, torn between the delight he felt whenever she touched him and a strong desire to strangle her for her mischief. Sir Oliver looked at her and frowned.

“Audris, you are making Sir Hugh uncomfortable,” Oliver remonstrated, gesturing her away.

“No, no,” Hugh assured him. “She is light. If you permit, I am happy to serve as the Demoiselle’s prop and make her comfortable. But what is this new trouble with Robert of Gloucester of which Bruno writes?” he asked hastily to change the subject, for Audris had uttered a choked chuckle and he feared what she might say next.

“You know that Robert of Gloucester was given Caen to hold by King Henry?” Sir Oliver asked. Hugh nodded and Sir Oliver continued, “Bruno thinks that Matilda’s husband, Geoffrey of Anjou, chose to attack Mézidon mostly because it is no more than three leagues from Caen, and he expected Gloucester to open Caen to him. In that, Geoffrey was

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