The Maiden by Jude Deveraux

Author:Jude Deveraux [Deveraux, Jude]
Language: eng
Format: epub, azw3
Tags: General, Romance, Fiction, Historical
ISBN: 9780671743796
Google: 7aNoZb_FbSoC
Publisher: Simon and Schuster
Published: 1988-01-02T00:00:00+00:00

The stone of the big manor house was silhouetted in the moonlight and

the only sounds to be heard were the soft nickers of horses and the clank of

a steel sword as a Vatell guard passed.

Rowan and Jura flattened themselves against the wall and waited, and

when the guard passed, Jura motioned Rowan to follow her through a

small wooden side door into the larder. Here hung ducks and geese and

haunches of venison and freshly cooked chickens and meat pies awaiting

tomorrow's dinner.

Jura cautiously opened the door and slipped through into a narrow

hallway, at one end of which there was light and the sound of people's

voices. She started toward the light but Rowan grabbed her tunic back. He

pointed to a steep, dark, stone circular staircase a few feet away. Holding

his sword before him, Rowan started up the stairs.

It was easy to find the master and mistress's bedchamber as it was the

only walled-off room on the second floor. They hid in the shadows once as

a maid hurried past, then slipped into the room and went immediately to

a large chest against the wall.

The Vatells dressed much like the Irials, with cross-gartered boots, their

knees exposed below a heavy tunic. Rowan pulled a blue tunic of

lightweight wool from the chest.

"No," Jura whispered. "That will make your eyes too blue. They show

too much as they are."

"Oh," Rowan asked with interest, turning to look at her, their noses

almost touching. "I had no idea you noticed my eyes."

"I have a few times," she murmured.

He seemed to be ready to kiss her when the door latch was raised. As

quick as lightning, Jura made a leap inside the big chest and Rowan

followed her and closed the lid over their heads. They were pressed

together tightly, warm body to warm body and, unfortunately, weapon to

weapon. Something was pressing hard into Jura's ribs and she was sure it

was Rowan's broadax. She did not dare shift for fear of being discovered.

She lay still and listened as the footsteps, one pair, walked all around

the room. A maid, she thought, then held her breath as the footsteps came

closer. She tensed her muscles to spring.

When the maid lifted the lid of the big oak clothes chest, out sprang two

fierce-looking people, both of them going for her throat.

Quite calmly, the woman fainted.

Rowan and Jura, prepared for a fight, looked at the crumpled little

woman at their feet and began to laugh. It was the first time they had

shared laughter.

Smiling, Jura began to grab garments from the chest. "Here, we take

these and we better tie her up and put her in here and give ourselves time

to get away."

They wrapped the maid in one of her mistress's gowns, stuffed a

stocking in her mouth, and Rowan gently laid her in the chest. Her eyes

opened and she looked up, frightened, at Rowan.

"Don't worry, sweetheart," he said, "there's plenty of air and someone

will find you in no time. Someone as pretty as you will be missed. Just

rest; you'll be safe." He bent and kissed her forehead—and just missed

Jura's slamming the lid on his head. He barely got his fingers out of the

way.

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