Breach of Faith by J G Lewis

Author:J G Lewis [Lewis, J G]
Language: eng
Format: epub

Ela found Drogo outside, chatting with the boy hired to protect the sheep from loose dogs and poachers.

“Master Blount, may I speak with you?”

“Yes, my lady.” He sprang up, enthusiastic and cheerful as always, though he did finish his conversation with the boy as he turned to walk toward her. “A fine day, is it not?”

“Fine enough, but I have a serious matter to discuss.”

“Oh?” He looked infuriatingly unconcerned.

She turned to walk through the apple orchard that had recently been pruned hard, leaving the trees with jagged dark stumps jutting among their pale buds.

“Cook says you’ve been flirting with Hilda Biggs.”

“That old woman wouldn’t know flirting if it had her by the throat. I’ve just been helping the girl settle in by being friendly with her.”

Irritation flared in her chest. “I’ve spoken to Hilda myself. She flushed crimson and all but admitted she intended to marry you.”

“Marry me!” He let out a burst of laughter. “The poor girl must be lacking sense.”

“Indeed. I told her to let go of that delusion.” She felt a bit cruel saying it. No doubt he’d been married before at some point—or had he? Perhaps he’d just left a trail of broken hearts from England to the Holy Land and back.

“Because a knight and a kitchen maid are too far apart?”

Now Ela laughed. “That was hardly my reasoning. A beautiful young girl with her whole life ahead of her and a grizzled and half-worn-out man of battle are too far apart. At least for her happiness.” She didn’t rub it in about him being penniless and an accused poacher.

“Aye. ’Tis true. My wife was a serving maid, though.” He smiled warmly. “Lovely girl, as pretty as Hilda—maybe more so!”

So he was married. “Where is she now?”

“Died in childbirth when we’d been married less than a year.”

“May God rest her soul.” Ela crossed herself. “That must have been devastating. Did the child live?”

“Ay, my son John went to live with my mother in Wiltshire. Would have been nice if I had an estate to leave him, but as it is I can’t even afford to pay for him to train as a knight.”

“You could train him yourself.”

“Aye, if I could find means to support myself at the same time.”

Ela debated the wisdom of finding his son a place in her household and quickly scolded herself for the indulgence. “We seem to have departed from our topic. You must keep away from Hilda.”

“That’ll be hard since I dine in the kitchen with the servants.” His oddly hopeful gaze made her realize with a jolt that he was angling for an invitation to dine with her in the parlor.

He has brass balls, that’s for sure. Her husband’s remembered expression gave her a little frisson of sadness. “I’m sure you’ll manage. You’re here very much on a trial basis. Simon de Hal will be glad of the chance to try you for poaching if you don’t wish to keep your position here.”

She doubted Simon de Hal would care one way, or the other but it was hard to focus Drogo’s mind.

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