“Never mind that,” Elia said, glancing at the other women. Perhaps she didn’t want them to know. Kes would ask her later.
The pins in her hair pinched her scalp and she could barely inhale.
“Do you remember anything about your life yet?” the head maid asked her.
Would Kes forget it all? Tears filled her eyes and she bit her tongue to stop them.
“Oh, I would say you were noble born for certain.”
“That’s kind of you to say, Elia.” She thought of her aunt, Eleanor Pendridge. “My distant aunt was the Duchess of Glastonbury.”
“You remember!”
“Only bits and pieces.”
“Well, come. Let’s go find Nicky and tell him.”
Nicky. It was a familiar pet name that almost made Kes envious when she heard Elia say it.
She almost laughed at herself. Who was she to feel possessive of him?
After three steps, she tripped over her skirts and almost landed on her face.
“No, no, dear,” Elia caught her and corrected. “You must loop your skirts over your arm and carry it.”
This must have been the fashion of the day. Kes had seen other women carrying their skirts earlier.
The masses of wool were heavy as she walked down the hall. The stairs were a bit of a challenge, but she managed. Elia led them outside to the separate great hall in the inner bailey.
Kes stepped on a pebble that felt as though it went through her flesh.
By the time she stepped into the hall, two of the pins in her hair popped out and a few strands of hair fell around her temples.
The hall was enormous, with twelve rectangular tables seating at least eight people each. The noise was almost overwhelming. It was like hearing everyone in the world’s voices in her head.
She spotted Nicholas at the head of one of the tables. He held a cup to his frowning lips and looked around. He grumbled something to the people sitting with him at the table.
Elia pulled her closer. “Lord, look who I have found, and does she not look lovely?”
He looked at her loose strands of hair and then at the rest of her with those cool silvery eyes until the backs of her knees tingled. He didn’t say whether she looked lovely or not. In fact, he said nothing at all. Not even hello.
Kes glanced at Elia. She hadn’t been kidding. He really was in a foul mood.
“Well then,” the head maid said with a slight whip to her voice. “We shall leave you alone. Come, Miss Locksley, there is room for us at that table over there.”
She tugged on Kes’ arm to lead her away.
“Wait!” he shouted. When they turned to him, he looked at the empty place to his right and then at Elia. “Sit her there.”
“I would rather not sit with you, Sir,” Kes said. Every eye at the table fell on her.
Elia drew in a slight gasp.
Perhaps she shouldn’t have spoken so boldly to the lord of the castle. She was in the fifteenth century after all. She felt a little faint at the thought of it. The laces of her dress were constricting her air flow.
She didn’t want to faint in front of him.
The pins in her hair were making her itch. Last night, she’d had the slightest thought that it might not be so absolutely terrible here. She’d changed her mind. She hated it here. She wanted to go home.
She spun on her heal, ready to leave them all sitting there gaping.
“Miss Locksley!” he roared. Everyone in the great hall quieted and turned to look at him, and then at her.
She pivoted around and glared at him. He was on his feet. Two women at the table took hold of a small group of children and ushered them away. “Yes, my lord?”
He walked around to the empty bench and dragged it screeching from under the table. “Sit down.”
She stared into his eyes from across the room. She was going to give him ten seconds to apologize and then she was leaving the hall and going back to her room.
1…2…3…4…5…6…7…8…9…
“Please.”
She scratched her head. Another pin fell to the floor and sounded like a bolt of lightning striking in the quiet hall. She guessed his asking nicely was as close to an apology as she was going to get.
Besides, Elia looked like she was going to pass out. She hadn’t moved. Where was she planning on sitting?
Kes took a step and almost fell into the table. She hoisted up her skirts and made it to the bench. She tried to breathe when she sat. He motioned for Elia to sit beside her.
So, he allowed his maid to sit at his table. Was she sitting in Elia’s seat? At his right? She wanted to fan herself.
“Miss Locksley,” Elia said. “I think you will enjoy today’s—”
“I’m sorry,” Kes managed. “Just give me a moment.” She began untying her laces. If everyone was shocked a minute ago, they were probably choking on their ale as she pulled and tugged her way out of the contraption. Did women really eat with these things on? Her skirts were overly heavy in the warm hall, so she untied them and let them tumble around her on the bench. She knew wearing a kirtle alone wasn’t considered indecent. Plus, she’d stopped caring. She needed air.
“What were you saying, Elia?”
Elia’s blood had drained from her face. The angry earl was smiling.
It didn’t last long, for another scowling man had turned his angry glare on him. “You drove my wife and children away with your temper.”
Nicholas ground his jaw. “Reg, why do you not go after them?”
“I do not find you humorous,” Reg protested.
“That is because I’m not trying to be humorous,” the earl let him know. “I’m trying not to knock out your front teeth.”
Kes turned to glare at him again. “Can we eat in peace?”
“Of course.” Nicholas agreed and turned a fearsome smile on the other man. “Reg, you will stay silent or I will cut out your tongue.”
Reg fumed but he
