myself will be returning home as usual as soon as I am permitted, Father,’ Eleanor broke in sharply, anticipating what was coming next. The room, already stifling, grew hotter. She stood abruptly, walked to the window and leaned back against the cool panes. ‘You told me nothing of this in your letter. I will not be paraded around like one of your prize mares. I am done with all that!’
‘For your part,’ Sir Edgar continued, with only the slightest hint of reproach in his voice, ‘I would be grateful if you would provide a dozen or so casks of oysters for the feast. I have never found any finer than those from Baldwin’s fisheries. I am sure you would wish the duke’s party to be well fed and there could be business in it for you, too. If you will insist on living independently, I must at least try to aid you where I can.’
‘Oh!’ A prickle of heat flickered across Eleanor’s throat. ‘Of course, Father. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean...’
‘Oh, yes, you did,’ Sir Edgar chided gently. ‘I don’t say I blame you, but that is a conversation for another time.’
Eleanor glanced at Rudhale. The steward was now bent over the fire, adding logs to the diminishing flames. He gave every impression of appearing unaware of her blunder, though the deliberate way in which he went about his task left Eleanor in no doubt that he had been listening to every word. A burst of irritation shot through her that she had let her guard down in front of him. She crossed the room and refilled her cup before offering the bottle to her father and finally the steward. Hoping to break his self-possession, she addressed him with a demure smile.
‘This wine really is very good, Master Rudhale. I can tell you must have taken great pains to ensure its safe arrival!’
She had the satisfaction of seeing him blink a couple of times as he worked out the meaning behind her words, before he broke into a broad grin, his blue eyes gleaming. Even that had not appeared to disconcert him. He raised his cup to her and drained it.
‘May I compliment you on your taste, Lady Peyton. It needs time to settle really; being thrown around in a saddlebag has done nothing for it, but you can tell the quality, can’t you? How can you resist such a glowing recommendation, Sir Edgar?’ Rudhale asked the baron smoothly. ‘Will you write me an authorisation to purchase the remaining supply? I will attend to it first thing tomorrow. Master Fortin intends to travel to Bristol, then to Gascony, within the week and I would like to catch him before he leaves.’
‘Abroad, eh? Is he planning to trade? It’s a good time now we are at peace once again and there are fortunes to be made, I don’t doubt it.’ His mood warmed by the wine, Sir Edgar cheerily gave a wave of the hand. ‘Certainly, William, it’s a good vintage and it would be churlish of me to deprive you of your income.’
Eleanor wrinkled her forehead, aware she was missing something.
Rudhale smiled at her. ‘I have some personal interest in the matter, Lady Peyton. My last position was as pantler in the household of the wine merchant I acquired this from. When I left his employment he allowed me to invest a small amount in his business. If I can benefit both my previous and current employer, it is all to the best.’
‘And yourself?’ Eleanor asked.
‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘It may never make me wealthy, but only a fool would turn his back on the opportunity to add to his coffers.’
He moved to the table. Taking a quill in his left hand, he began scribbling rapidly on a sheet of parchment with confident strokes. Watching, Eleanor mused on Rudhale’s references to his previous positions. An usher, a pantler and now a steward: each position was more influential and well remunerated than the last. So Rudhale was ambitious, but also happy to move on before too long? She wondered if his time in Tawstott would be equally brief.
Sir Edgar affixed his seal and Rudhale folded the document carefully before slipping it inside his jerkin. Eleanor followed it with her eyes, her mood lifting a little. With any luck the man would see to the task personally and be gone again by morning.
‘If you will excuse me, I must leave you now. Dinner will be almost ready. Having been absent for three days, I would like to supervise the final preparations myself.’ With a bow to the baron he excused himself. He paused before Eleanor and looked deep into her eyes. ‘Now she has arrived I would like to give Lady Peyton a good impression of my competence.’
Eleanor smiled coolly and held out a hand. The steward hesitated briefly before taking it in his and raising it. Did his lips brush her hand for slightly longer than necessary, or with slightly more pressure than decorum allowed? Eleanor wasn’t sure. She inclined her head and bade him farewell, watching until the door closed behind him and fervently wishing the next two months would pass quickly.
William Rudhale’s smile lasted for as long as it took to him to leave the room, then melted away to be replaced with a grimace. He breathed in a lungful of cool air and held it for a moment before exhaling deeply, admonishing himself for his lack of foresight. He had known for weeks that Lady Peyton was expected any day. Why had he not made the connection between Sir Edgar’s daughter and the woman on the ferry? Her hair alone should have given him enough of a clue; that intense shade of copper was so rarely seen that it would have been remarkable if the woman were not related to Sir Edgar.
Somehow he had forgotten that the widowed daughter must be younger than him. If he had pictured her at all, it had been a plain, pinched face atop a shapeless, thickening body swathed in black. Lady Peyton was as far removed from the dumpy, elderly woman in his imagination as it was possible to be.
He had spent most of his ride from the ferry to Tawstott happily reliving the sensation of the enigmatic woman’s slim frame pressing tightly against him. He had let his imagination have free rein with what he would do if they were to meet again. Certainly she would not have refused his kiss a third time, he would have made certain of that.
A shiver of desire rippled through him at the memory of the slender frame with such soft, tempting curves. He shook his head ruefully. No point spending too much time thinking about them. It was clear that Lady Peyton most definitely had not expected to encounter him again and, judging from her expression, she was not at all pleased to do so!
Will strode along the dimly lit corridor at a leisurely pace, the cold air providing a welcome blast of sobriety after the stuffiness of Sir Edgar’s library, and made his way to the kitchens. With an assured manner he gave orders, noting with satisfaction the efficiency with which they were carried out.
‘Rather young to be a steward,’ Lady Peyton had said, the scepticism clear in her voice. Will’s pride pricked for a moment. It was true enough that he was young, but what of it? The lady would find no fault tonight, he determined. He busied himself testing dishes and tasting wine. Satisfied with the quality of the food, he gave his praise to the cooks, then issued orders to the serving maids, bestowing charming smiles on them as he did. He smiled to himself as they blushed and scurried away giggling.
Will made the short journey to the Great Hall where two long tables were laid for the household members, one down either side of the room, leading to the raised dais where the family would sit. A man was lounging by the fire at the far end of the room. Perched on an iron stand was a small, hooded kestrel. As Will entered the hall the bird screeched. Sir Edgar’s current falconer pushed himself to his feet and hailed Will with a cheery wave of a bottle.
Will greeted his younger brother with a frown. ‘Rob, I’ve
