His Lady Fair. Margo Maguire

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      Chapter Four

      Lord Kirkham had noticed the rough skin of her hands, so Ria tried to keep them hidden as Kirkham’s secretary bound her ankle in the privacy of a well-appointed chamber near the chapel. ’Twas a comfortable room with long mullioned windows facing out over a quaint courtyard full of statuary and early greenery.

      The secretary, Henric Tournay, was a young man scarcely older than Ria, she thought, with pale hair and even paler skin. His deep brown eyes were set starkly into the light backdrop of his complexion. All his features, in combination, gave him the appearance of being startled, at all times.

      His hands were as white and clammy as the underbelly of a fish, and his touch repelled her. Still, he was trying to help, so she kept her unease to herself.

      “’Tis bruised nearly to the toes, my lady,” Tournay said as he wrapped Ria’s foot and ankle. “You must stay off it for a few days.”

      “But that is impossible,” Ria said. She glanced out the window and saw that it was nearly dusk. Daylight would be gone within the hour. “I must be on my way. On the morrow at the latest.”

      Tournay raised his nearly nonexistent brows and shrugged. “’Tis for you to decide, my lady. But Lord Kirkham—”

      A burst of laughter in Kirkham’s distant hall interrupted the man. Other male voices joined in, along with spurts of music. Instruments began to play, and voices joined in song, then all dissolved into discord and gave way to raucous laughter, only to be repeated again.

      Ria bit her lower lip. How would she get out of Castle Kirkham without encountering the lord’s guests? She was completely out of her element here.

      She halted her dismal thoughts and decided she must take control of the situation. If she were to pass as a lady—nay, if she truly were the Burton daughter—she would have to act accordingly, and not be cowed by every chance encounter. She had spent years mimicking Cecilia, and knew she could make her speech and her bearing seem every bit as regal as her noble cousin’s. Ria had plenty of experience in grooming, having played lady’s maid to both her cousin and her aunt on many occasions.

      It should pose no problem for her to appear as a noblewoman.

      Yet why did the thought of carrying out her deception with Lord Kirkham make her tremble?

      A light tap at the door had the secretary on his feet in an instant. He opened to a burly knight, who stepped in and glanced shyly at Ria.

      “Lord Kirkham sent me to carry the lady to her chamber,” he said.

      “Very good, Sir Gyles,” Tournay said. “I’ll light your way.”

      Relief settled in Ria’s heart. They must not be going through the hall, where Kirkham’s party was gathered, or they would not need extra light. Silently, Sir Gyles gathered her into his arms and carried her through the door, then down a dark passageway until he reached a narrow, circular stone staircase. Here he climbed, following Tournay, until he reached the top, and again turned down a dark passage.

      Tournay walked ahead, and finally reached a heavy oaken door, which he pushed open. In the chamber beyond, Gyles gently set Ria down on a chair next to the fireplace, while Tournay set the candelabra on a table.

      Ria could not help but wonder where her host was, not that she was anxious to see him again. Merely curious.

      “A tray will be sent to you presently, my lady,” the secretary said as Sir Gyles turned to leave. “Lord Kirkham said to tell you that whatever clothing you find in these chests is at your disposal,” he added, gesturing to two large wooden chests on the floor near the washstand. “No one uses them now, and Lord Kirkham noticed you had no…er, that your baggage was lost and he thought…Well, help yourself.”

      When the men were gone, Ria lowered her feet to the floor. She attempted to stand, only gradually adding weight to the injured ankle. Pain shot through the joint, all the way to her knee, making her dizzy and nauseated. Quickly, she sat back down.

      This would never do, she thought. She had to leave Kirkham soon. There had to be a way to deal with this infernal ankle.

      Standing again, she hopped on one foot to the other wooden chair, near the hearth, and took hold of it like a crutch. That was all she needed. A staff, or a crutch, to help her move about until the joint healed. There was no reason why she couldn’t ride to Rockbury, and once there, everything would be settled while she limped on her bad ankle.

      Hobbling around her chamber with the aid of the chair, Ria went to the basin of water that had been set out for her, and started to wash. She felt grimy after her flight from Morley, and the warmth and shelter of the room was a relief.

      But she was only a guest here. Once she reached Rockbury and claimed her legacy from her mother, Ria would have her own home—a place where she really and truly belonged.

      At least she hoped she belonged there.

      Ria shook off the worry. Surely she had not completely misunderstood what СКАЧАТЬ