The Velvet Promise (Montgomery/Taggert 2)

“What are you doing?” he asked sharply. “The leech has already set it.”

“I don’t trust him and will see for myself. If it isn’t set straight, it could leave you lame.”

Raine stared at the top of her head then called to his man. “Fetch me a glass of wine. I’m sure she won’t be satisfied until she causes me more agony. And fetch my brother. Why should he sleep when we are awake?”

“He isn’t here,” Judith said quietly.

“Who isn’t here?”

“Your brother. My husband,” Judith said flatly.

“Where did he go? What business called him away?”

“I am afraid I don’t know. He set me on the doorstep and left. He didn’t speak to me of any matter that needed his attention.”

Raine took the cup of wine his vassal held for him and watched his sister-in-law as she probed the bone of his leg. At least the pain kept nun from giving full vent to the anger he felt for his brother. He had no doubt that Gavin had left his beautiful bride to go to that whore, Alice. His teeth clamped down on the rim of the cup as Judith touched the break.

“It is only a little out of line,” she observed. “You hold his shoulders,” she said to one of the men behind Raine, “and I will pull the leg.”

The heavy sendal of the tent was coated with water. Fat droplets collected on the ceiling and as the rain outside jarred the tent, the water dripped down.

Gavin swore loudly as more water hit his face. Since he’d left Judith, it had done little but rain. There was nothing that was not wet. And worse than the water was the tempers of his men—blacker even than the sky. They had been roaming the countryside for well over a week, camping in a different place each night. Their food was hastily prepared in between cloudbursts and consequently was usually half raw. When John Bassett, Gavin’s chief vassal, had asked his master the reason for the meandering journey, Gavin had exploded. John’s level look of sarcasm made Gavin avoid his men.

&n

bsp; He knew his men were miserable; he was himself. But at least he knew the reason for the seemingly pointless trip. Or did he? That night at Judith’s father’s house, when she’d been so cold to him, he decided to teach her a lesson. She felt secure in a place where she’d spent her life, surrounded by friends and family. But would she dare to act so disagreeably when she was alone in a strange household?

It worked out well when his brothers decided to leave the newly wedded couple alone. In spite of the rain dripping through the sendal of the tent, he began to smile at an imagined scene. He could see her facing some crisis—perhaps something cataclysmic, such as the cook burning a pot of beans. She would be frantic with worry, would send a messenger for him, to beg him to return and save her from disaster. The messenger would not be able to find his master since Gavin was not at any of his estates. More calamities would occur. When Gavin returned, he would find a tearful, repentant Judith who would fall into his arms, grateful to see him again, relieved that he’d come to save her from a fate worse than death.

“Oh yes,” he said, smiling. All the rain and discomfort would be worth it. He would talk sternly to her and when she was completely contrite, he would kiss away her tears and carry her to their bed.

“My lord?”

“What is it?” Gavin snapped as the delicious vision was interrupted, just when he was about to imagine what he’d allow Judith to do in the bedroom, in order to obtain his forgiveness.

“We were wondering, sir, when we were to go home and get out of this cursed rain.”

Gavin started to growl that it was not the man’s business, then closed his mouth. He began to smile. “We will return tomorrow.” Judith had been alone for eight days. That was time enough for her to learn some gratitude…and humility.

“Please, Judith,” Raine pleaded as he grabbed her forearm. “I have been here two days, yet you have not given me a moment of your time.”

“That isn’t true,” she laughed. “Only last evening I spent an hour with you at the chessboard, and you showed me some chords on the lute.”

“I know,” he said, still pleading, but dimples appearing on his cheeks, although he didn’t smile. “It’s just so awful here alone. I can’t move for this cursed leg, and there is no one to keep me company.”

“No one! There are over three hundred people here. Surely one of them—” She broke off as Raine looked at her with such sad eyes that she laughed. “All right, but only one game. I have work to do.”

Raine gave her a dazzling smile as she went to the other side of the chessboard. “You are the best at the game. None of my men can beat me as you did last night. Besides, you need a rest. What do you do all day?”

“Put the castle to rights,” Judith responded simply.

“It always seemed to me to be in order,” he said as he moved a pawn forward. “The stewards—”

“The stewards!” she said sharply as she maneuvered her bishop to attack. “They don’t care as does one who owns an estate. They must be watched, their figures checked, their journals read and—”

“Read? Do you read, Judith?”

She looked up in surprise, her hand on her queen. “But of course. Don’t you?”