straight. 'Twas he who showed me to this place and would gladly show you yours." A puzzled frown crimped the fine arch of her brow as one corner of the knight's mouth lifted with his smile.
"Tis no error, for in fact 'twas he who brought me to this door."
The meaning of his words chilled her more than the deep richness of his voice. "But, sir ...," she breathed, pausing to place her thoughts in context, "allow me a moment then to dress and be gone. If the keeper meant this chamber to be your haven for the eve, I will seek mine elsewhere."
"No need," he replied, stepping further into the room, one broad hand catching the edge of the door and swinging the portal shut behind him. The resulting dull thud tensed every muscle in Jewel's body.
"Then the keeper has made a misjudgment, sir. I am not a... a ..."
"Whore?" he finished, setting his helm and gauntlets on a nearby table. Turning back to face her, be stood at ease, one knee bent, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Then pray tell me, where is your escort and chaperon?"
Jewel opened her mouth to speak but realized the tale would sound false without evidence. She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape her and challenged him with a question of her own. "If, in truth, I was a .. . whore, then why have you sought me out? If I am as you assume, wouldst I not be the one playing for your attention in the hall below?"
He considered her a moment, then nodded slightly. "Yea, 'tis the custom of most, those who openly seek a coin for their affection. The rest, like you, play the innocent and hide behind titles."
"The rest? Do you group us all as one?" she asked, appalled by his insinuation.
Again he nodded as he reached for the belt of his sword and freed it from around his waist. '"Twas only one woman in my life who marked the exception. I doubt there will ever be another."
"Who are you?" Jewel demanded, his questioning her good name bringing her to her feet.
The perfect whiteness of his smile greeted her as he laid the sword with his other garments. "One more among many to come and those past. My name is unimportant, only that you please me." He reached for the coif and pulled it from his head.
"Get out!" Jewel shouted, anger rarely seen now surfacing to set a fire in her eyes.
He paused, studying the flushed face glaring at him, then tossed aside the coif as he said, "Not until money well spent is rewarded."
"Money? What money? I have not received any."
Green eyes briefly scanned the interior of the room. "Mayhap not in coin, but you do enjoy its comfort."
A startled gasp caught in her throat. "'Twas you who paid for this?"
He shrugged. "In a manner of speaking."
"But I thought...." Tears came to her eyes and she fought to hide them as she cursed her own stupidity for being so easily fooled by the innkeeper. It had been the plan all along, to trick her into coming here while he sold her off as some slave for the pleasure of any man who could pay the price. Wisdom may have fled before, but it returned twofold now and she became determined not to remain in this room a moment longer. Hurriedly gathering her damp gunna, chemise, and hose, she hugged them to her and set a brave look upon him. "Then you shall have the comfort this humble place offers and I shall seek out the stable for mine." She took a courageous step forward and stopped when the knight failed to move, blocking the way. "I shall see you are repaid the cost of the bath once my escort arrives if that be your worry," she guaranteed with a lift of her tiny chin, then retreated when laughter rumbled deeply in his wide chest.
"You play the game better than most, little one," he declared with an approving nod. "But methinks you carry it too far. Didst thou hope for more than a bath and a warm place to sleep?" Huge hands unfastened the catch of his hauberk and began to remove it.
"I... I do not have need for any more except the privacy I had before," she replied, her fearful eyes watching as he
"Tis no error, for in fact 'twas he who brought me to this door."
The meaning of his words chilled her more than the deep richness of his voice. "But, sir ...," she breathed, pausing to place her thoughts in context, "allow me a moment then to dress and be gone. If the keeper meant this chamber to be your haven for the eve, I will seek mine elsewhere."
"No need," he replied, stepping further into the room, one broad hand catching the edge of the door and swinging the portal shut behind him. The resulting dull thud tensed every muscle in Jewel's body.
"Then the keeper has made a misjudgment, sir. I am not a... a ..."
"Whore?" he finished, setting his helm and gauntlets on a nearby table. Turning back to face her, be stood at ease, one knee bent, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. "Then pray tell me, where is your escort and chaperon?"
Jewel opened her mouth to speak but realized the tale would sound false without evidence. She swallowed the sob that threatened to escape her and challenged him with a question of her own. "If, in truth, I was a .. . whore, then why have you sought me out? If I am as you assume, wouldst I not be the one playing for your attention in the hall below?"
He considered her a moment, then nodded slightly. "Yea, 'tis the custom of most, those who openly seek a coin for their affection. The rest, like you, play the innocent and hide behind titles."
"The rest? Do you group us all as one?" she asked, appalled by his insinuation.
Again he nodded as he reached for the belt of his sword and freed it from around his waist. '"Twas only one woman in my life who marked the exception. I doubt there will ever be another."
"Who are you?" Jewel demanded, his questioning her good name bringing her to her feet.
The perfect whiteness of his smile greeted her as he laid the sword with his other garments. "One more among many to come and those past. My name is unimportant, only that you please me." He reached for the coif and pulled it from his head.
"Get out!" Jewel shouted, anger rarely seen now surfacing to set a fire in her eyes.
He paused, studying the flushed face glaring at him, then tossed aside the coif as he said, "Not until money well spent is rewarded."
"Money? What money? I have not received any."
Green eyes briefly scanned the interior of the room. "Mayhap not in coin, but you do enjoy its comfort."
A startled gasp caught in her throat. "'Twas you who paid for this?"
He shrugged. "In a manner of speaking."
"But I thought...." Tears came to her eyes and she fought to hide them as she cursed her own stupidity for being so easily fooled by the innkeeper. It had been the plan all along, to trick her into coming here while he sold her off as some slave for the pleasure of any man who could pay the price. Wisdom may have fled before, but it returned twofold now and she became determined not to remain in this room a moment longer. Hurriedly gathering her damp gunna, chemise, and hose, she hugged them to her and set a brave look upon him. "Then you shall have the comfort this humble place offers and I shall seek out the stable for mine." She took a courageous step forward and stopped when the knight failed to move, blocking the way. "I shall see you are repaid the cost of the bath once my escort arrives if that be your worry," she guaranteed with a lift of her tiny chin, then retreated when laughter rumbled deeply in his wide chest.
"You play the game better than most, little one," he declared with an approving nod. "But methinks you carry it too far. Didst thou hope for more than a bath and a warm place to sleep?" Huge hands unfastened the catch of his hauberk and began to remove it.
"I... I do not have need for any more except the privacy I had before," she replied, her fearful eyes watching as he
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