Moonlight Madness by Sandra Jones

Author:Sandra Jones
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Time Travel
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press
Published: 2013-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twelve

“There now. Thy bed is ready.”

The housemaid arched her back, fists at her waist, and face pinched as if she’d tasted something bitter.

“Thank you.” Tess trailed her fingers over the inviting mattress, waiting. She forced herself to remain standing, rather than dropping on the bed to lie spread-eagle before Rance’s servant as she longed to, gleefully making angels on the bedspread. “It’s kind of you to prepare for us at this late hour, Mrs. Smithy. I am soooo weary.”

The older woman’s brows went up, and she grunted in return. She sashayed toward the door. Rance had introduced her earlier, and her husband, Mr. Smithy, who was Rance’s steward.

The woman paused on the threshold and turned. “My lord says I am to find garments to clothe you tomorrow…as thou hath none.”

“Yes. I am sorry for that. Sorry to be a burden.”

Mrs. Smithy’s censuring gaze passed over her briefly. With a sniff, she closed the door behind her.

“At last.” Tess collapsed on the bed, smiling.

Odd that something as simple as a comfortable resting place could be the source of so much pleasure, but it was. Her palms glided over the smooth fabric—not a pillow-top mattress with fine sheets but a huge improvement over the beds of hay she’d been sleeping on the past few nights.

Rance’s haunted aqua eyes flashed in her thoughts.

She pushed up on her elbows. No! She wouldn’t ruin this moment of relaxation worrying about him.

She loosened the laces of her costume bodice with angry jerks. She flung off the soiled outer-garment and sighed with relief to be free of it at last. The loose chemise billowed free around her chest.

After foraging on leftovers in the kitchen, surrounded by a questioning throng of the Kingsleys’ household servants, Rance had abandoned her to the care of the scowling Mrs. Smithy.

No explanations given. No kind wishes. No “hope you’ll find your room comfortable.” Not even “I’ll be down the hall if you need anything.” Nothing.

The lack of privacy since arriving at Tolleson Manor had prevented them from making any true conversation.

He could’ve followed her to her room and stayed to talk. He should have. She had so many questions to ask, beginning with why he hadn’t told her he had a daughter.

Or who the mother was.

A daughter! She still couldn’t reckon the scoundrel as a father.

Quirky, irresponsible, seductive Rance. And she’d never had a clue in all their dealings over the past week that he’d had a child waiting for him.

How she’d carried on about Danté…and how he’d argued that she wouldn’t make a good parent because she was single! She supposed he’d offered the advice based on his own experience, but she hadn’t known that at the time. She’d simply fumed at his presumptiveness. Why hadn’t he just told her he had a kid? Why keep it a secret?

It would’ve made her feel more compassionate for his plight, surely.

Or would it?

She rolled onto her stomach and a memory assaulted her. Rance speaking to her by the fire at Llancaiach Fawr Manor.

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