At the King's Command by Susan Wiggs

Author:Susan Wiggs [Wiggs, Susan]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Romance
ISBN: 9780778327387
Publisher: Mira
Published: 2009-06-30T22:00:00+00:00

“Never,” Rodion said to Juliana, thrusting out his bearded chin. “You’ll not use this horse to haul and draw. He’s made for show.”

Juliana’s heart sank. She had engaged the gypsies as laborers in the Malmesbury endeavor, and she desperately needed both Rodion and the horse to clear debris from the abandoned abbey.

“I’ll pay extra wages for the horse,” she offered, blowing a stray lock of hair off her damp brow.

“No, you won’t,” blustered Jillie Egan, walking toward them and turning back her sleeves. She planted herself in front of Rodion, standing nose to nose with him and glaring into his eyes. “You’ll do the work, gypsy man, and so will your horse, else I’ll … I’ll …”

“You’ll what?” Rodion asked.

Jillie leaned forward to whisper in his ear, then reached around and pinched the young man’s backside. His scowl eased into a huge grin.

Five minutes later, the horse was harnessed and drawing a cartload of broken stonework out of the building. Juliana watched, bemused. What had Jillie said to him? Her familiar touch made Juliana suspect that Jillie and Rodion had become lovers. Was it that easy, then, to bring a man to heel?

Her mind full of intriguing possibilities, Juliana went into the church.

“Did so!” came a tiny, squeaking voice.

“Did not!” came the answer.

Juliana turned to see Sima, Mandiva’s daughter, and Tam, the village chandler’s lad, arguing in the apse.

“What is amiss?” she asked, lifting her skirts to hurry toward them.

“She stole my nest,” said the lad, shoving out his lower lip.

“Did not!”

“Did so!”

“What nest?” Juliana asked in exasperation.

Tam said, “Master Stumpe told me I should climb up to the belfry, see, and ’twas there that I found a most wondrous bird’s nest. I brought it down to take home, but when I turned my back, ’twas gone!” He poked a grimy finger at Sima. “She took it. Everybody knows gypsies are thieves.”

“What do you know, you Gajo scutch-brain? I never even saw your stupid nest.”

“Did so!”

“Did not!”

“Niddy noddy!”

“Bast—”

“Peace, I beg of you,” said Stephen in a weary, half-amused voice. With athletic grace, he dropped the last few feet down from the rope that hung from the bell tower and strode toward them. “I took the nest.”

The youngster blinked. “You did?”

“It wasn’t yours to take.” Stephen went down on one knee and gently squeezed the lad’s thin shoulders. “ ’Twas a rock dove’s nest, and the birds return to the same spot every spring. How would you feel if you tried one day to go home, and your house was gone?”

Tam caught his breath. “I’d not like it in the least, my lord.”

“I thought not.” Stephen extracted a pouch from his belt and held out his hand. “Sugared almonds,” he said, handing one to each child. “Now, I think Master Stumpe needs a pair of good workers to sort shuttles for him. Run along.”

The children scampered out, holding hands, their mouths stuffed with sweets and their argument forgotten. Juliana said, “Since when does the baron of Wimberleigh carry sweets in his pocket?”

He shrugged.

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