True Love Read Free

its cleanliness, smelling the
lavender and rosemary scattered amongst the fresh rushes on the
floor. Brightly colored tapestries hung on every wall. Beneath the
tapestries sat carved wooden chests, with gold and silver plate
displayed atop each chest. Many-branched silver candelabra held the
fine wax tapers that lit the rich scene. Like most stone buildings
Wortham keep needed fires to chase away the chill on all but the
warmest days. The huge fireplaces at either end of the hall were
burning apple wood and the fragrance carried to Braedon's nose,
mingling pleasantly with the smell of the herbs on the floor and
the hint of roasting meat that wafted from the direction of the
screens passage and the kitchen beyond..
    No, a woman like Lady Catherine, born into
such wealth, child of two noble parents, honored and respected for
her high lineage, was not for Sir Braedon, simple knight, landless
bastard. He knew it, and told himself so. Then, still feasting his
eyes on Catherine's bright and animated countenance, he told
himself a second time.
    Uncomfortably aware of Royce's cool gaze on
him, Braedon tore his attention away from Catherine so he could
concentrate fully on the conversation with Phelan and his son. It
was a relief when Royce moved off to greet a party of newly arrived
guests. Phelan and Eustace trailed after him, which left Braedon
alone with Catherine.
    “Sir Braedon,” she said with a glance for the
young man who had followed him into the hall to stand patiently
waiting by the door, “you and your squire are both welcome here.
One of the servants will show you to a guest room, and I will order
hot water and a tub carried to you.”
    “After a long ride on a hot day, I will be
glad of a bath,” he said, and grinned at her in expectation of an
interesting hour It was the custom for the lady of the castle or
the lord's daughter to bathe honored guests upon their arrival. Any
man who took impolite advantage of so intriguing an opportunity was
considered a boor and beneath contempt. All the same, the thought
of Catherine on her knees, scrubbing his back and assorted other
parts of him, was delightful. Captivated by the way in which she so
quickly assumed the serious demeanor of chatelaine and hostess,
Braedon could not resist the chance to tease her. “I eagerly await
the pleasure of your company in my chamber,” he said, and was
rewarded for his boldness by the sight of her cheeks blushing
bright pink.
    Catherine signaled to one of the pages and
gave the boy instructions about where to conduct the disturbing
guest and his squire.
    “Braedon the Wicked, indeed,” she said as
soon as the knight was out of hearing. Her eyes sparkled with
mischief. “Aldis, I want you to find Gwendolyn. Tell her she is to
supervise Sir Braedon's bath, and she has my permission to treat
him in whatever way seems best to her.”
    “Gwendolyn?” Aldis repeated in astonishment.
“Why her? She is so homely that no man will look at her, and she is
ill-natured as well. Her temper is vile.”
    “Just so,” Catherine said, smiling serenely.
“Still, Gwendolyn is an honest and faithful servant. I think she
deserves the intimate pleasure of bathing a handsome man at least
once in her life.”
    “But, do you believe Sir Braedon deserves the
torture of having Gwendolyn in his chamber while he is unclothed?”
Aldis asked on a gurgle of laughter. “She will certainly criticize
everything she sees.”
    “If Braedon the Wicked is determined to live
up to the reputation suggested by his name, then we ought to
provide a worthy opponent for him,” Catherine said. “Let us
discover whether Gwendolyn has the spiritual strength to withstand
his seductive wiles.
    “Now, as for Phelan and Eustace,” she
continued more soberly, “I want no women to attend either of them.
Let us use the excuse that all of our maidservants are occupied
with our female guests. Nor will I send any pages to serve them,
especially Eustace. There's no telling what