KIND
EYES AND A LION’S HEART
CHAPTER
FIVE
PART
ONE
When Melvin went
to the hall for the evening meal, he realized at once that Viola wasn’t
there. Barengar was, seated as before at
the high table, although Lord Percival and Lady Anne seemed less than happy to
have him there.
His
plan must have succeeded. He was sorry
Viola wasn’t there because he could have at least have gazed on her from afar, but
he was pleased to think he’d saved her from a disastrous marriage.
“Sir Melvin?”
He turned to find Lady Sylvia at his
elbow. She was younger than Lady Viola,
and pretty in a flaunting kind of way, with pink cheeks and big blue eyes that
didn’t seem particularly shrewd. She
wore a gown similar to the one Viola had worn last night, and while it suited
her, it made him miss Viola even more. “Good
evening, Lady Sylvia. How are you? Lovely day we had, eh?”
“It
was indeed a fine day. Would you mind if
I joined you at your table?”
Melvin
couldn’t have been more shocked if she’d asked him to draw her bath. “Sit with me?
Of course! Delighted, my
lady.”
Yet
even as he answered with enthusiasm, his gaze was drawn again to the high
table.
“Lady
Viola’s not coming. She’s taken ill.”
Despite
Lady Sylvia’s words, she didn’t look particularly worried, and it occurred to
Melvin that illness would be a good excuse to stay away from the hall. Nevertheless, he spoke with grave
concern. “Nothing serious, I hope?”
“No
serious illness,” the young woman
replied. “Her aunt thought it best she
keep to her chamber, though.”
He
wondered if Lady Sylvia was in Viola’s confidence. “Lord Barengar will be disappointed,” he
suggested.
“I
daresay he’ll be disappointed about more than that,” Lady Sylvia replied.
“That
so?” Melvin murmured as he raised a brow and led the lady to the nearest
table.
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Note: This novella is
PG13. With the exception of GWYNETH ANDTHE THIEF and THE WASTREL, my books are usually steamier.
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