the women he had sent to London. Certainly Lady Elizabeth had known enough pain with the stillborn death of her children.
"Do you understand my words, sir?"
"I do, my lord," said Boden, turning his attention back to the duke.
"Good," said Haldane, his tone becoming brusque. "There is none other I would send in your stead."
"My thanks for your faith in me. I will try not to disappoint you, my lord."
The duke smiled. "You are like a son to me."
Boden's eyebrows rose. This was indeed a day of surprises. The duke had never been short of women he cared for, but words of sentiment for his knights were few and far between.
Haldane laughed out loud. "I am neither as young nor as healthy as I once was. I have no wish to die with things left unsaid."
"You must not speak like that," Boden said. The duke of Rosenhurst had as many faults as the next man, but in a score of years, he had never been unfair to Boden. Twas a fact for which Boden would be eternally grateful. Worry coursed through him as he stepped toward the bed. "Tis not your time to die, my lord."
Haldane smiled again. "Are you certain or are you but hopeful?" he asked.
"I am both."
"Well spoken." Haldane reached up to clasp Boden's
hand. "You have my thanks for agreeing to go."
"You failed to tell me I had a choice."
Haldane chuckled and released his hand. "Return the lady safely to my side, Sir Blackblade, and you will be justly rewarded."
Boden nodded, not for a moment doubting of whom Haldane spoke. Then he left. The hallway down which Boden hurried was lit by a single sconce.
"Sir Blackblade."
Boden turned quickly at the quiet voice. "My lady."
Lady Elizabeth rushed toward him, her white nightrail billowing behind her. Boden took a cautious step backward. Never did Elizabeth realize her allure. It was no different now it seemed, because she reached for his hand with both of hers. They felt warm and soft as rose petals against his.
"He is sending you away," she said, her voice breathless.
"Aye, my lady."
"Please do not go."
Boden stared in open surprise. Much younger than her husband, she was both beautiful and regal. But now she had abandoned her lofty demeanor. Her dark hair was unbound, making her look young and innocent. Gone was her costly gown, replaced by this touchable bit of linen, as if she'd just left her bed.
"I've had a frightful dream and I worry for your life," she continued, leaning closer.
"My life?" he asked. She smelled of lavender and sweet wine. He was not a man accustomed to the company of women, but one thought stood out clearly in his mind—she was his lord's wife, regardless of the duke's philandering.
"Aye, good sir," she said. "My husband does not sometimes realize your worth, I think. You are the best of his knights. And though I know..." She paused, her eyes very sad. "I know he is not always faithful to me.
But he is still my husband, and I would have what is best for him."
"What do you mean?"
"I fear for his life,'' she said, her voice sounding urgent. "He is not strong these days. And London is such a far way. What if you do not return in time."
"Lady, you shouldn't speak of such things."
"But I must," she said, squeezing his hand imploringly. "You must not leave him now. Won't you come to my chambers and discuss this with me at the least?"
Her chambers! He may not be accustomed to the company of women, but at least he knew the limitations of his self-control, and that was far beyond them.
"I... I must not," he said, and pulling his hand from her grasp, rushed away.
Boden's hurried journey to London had been long and fruitless, for when he'd arrived at Holly House, he'd been told that the women for whom he searched were gone.
Gone! It had taken all of Boden's control not to shake the little servant that elevated his nose as if Boden's scent of fermenting horse sweat somehow offended his sensibilities. Gone where?
The ladies had not deigned to share that information with Mm, the house servant replied. And
"Do you understand my words, sir?"
"I do, my lord," said Boden, turning his attention back to the duke.
"Good," said Haldane, his tone becoming brusque. "There is none other I would send in your stead."
"My thanks for your faith in me. I will try not to disappoint you, my lord."
The duke smiled. "You are like a son to me."
Boden's eyebrows rose. This was indeed a day of surprises. The duke had never been short of women he cared for, but words of sentiment for his knights were few and far between.
Haldane laughed out loud. "I am neither as young nor as healthy as I once was. I have no wish to die with things left unsaid."
"You must not speak like that," Boden said. The duke of Rosenhurst had as many faults as the next man, but in a score of years, he had never been unfair to Boden. Twas a fact for which Boden would be eternally grateful. Worry coursed through him as he stepped toward the bed. "Tis not your time to die, my lord."
Haldane smiled again. "Are you certain or are you but hopeful?" he asked.
"I am both."
"Well spoken." Haldane reached up to clasp Boden's
hand. "You have my thanks for agreeing to go."
"You failed to tell me I had a choice."
Haldane chuckled and released his hand. "Return the lady safely to my side, Sir Blackblade, and you will be justly rewarded."
Boden nodded, not for a moment doubting of whom Haldane spoke. Then he left. The hallway down which Boden hurried was lit by a single sconce.
"Sir Blackblade."
Boden turned quickly at the quiet voice. "My lady."
Lady Elizabeth rushed toward him, her white nightrail billowing behind her. Boden took a cautious step backward. Never did Elizabeth realize her allure. It was no different now it seemed, because she reached for his hand with both of hers. They felt warm and soft as rose petals against his.
"He is sending you away," she said, her voice breathless.
"Aye, my lady."
"Please do not go."
Boden stared in open surprise. Much younger than her husband, she was both beautiful and regal. But now she had abandoned her lofty demeanor. Her dark hair was unbound, making her look young and innocent. Gone was her costly gown, replaced by this touchable bit of linen, as if she'd just left her bed.
"I've had a frightful dream and I worry for your life," she continued, leaning closer.
"My life?" he asked. She smelled of lavender and sweet wine. He was not a man accustomed to the company of women, but one thought stood out clearly in his mind—she was his lord's wife, regardless of the duke's philandering.
"Aye, good sir," she said. "My husband does not sometimes realize your worth, I think. You are the best of his knights. And though I know..." She paused, her eyes very sad. "I know he is not always faithful to me.
But he is still my husband, and I would have what is best for him."
"What do you mean?"
"I fear for his life,'' she said, her voice sounding urgent. "He is not strong these days. And London is such a far way. What if you do not return in time."
"Lady, you shouldn't speak of such things."
"But I must," she said, squeezing his hand imploringly. "You must not leave him now. Won't you come to my chambers and discuss this with me at the least?"
Her chambers! He may not be accustomed to the company of women, but at least he knew the limitations of his self-control, and that was far beyond them.
"I... I must not," he said, and pulling his hand from her grasp, rushed away.
Boden's hurried journey to London had been long and fruitless, for when he'd arrived at Holly House, he'd been told that the women for whom he searched were gone.
Gone! It had taken all of Boden's control not to shake the little servant that elevated his nose as if Boden's scent of fermenting horse sweat somehow offended his sensibilities. Gone where?
The ladies had not deigned to share that information with Mm, the house servant replied. And
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