Shaking her head, Madelyne replied with a quiet smile, "Nay, Judith, I am most content with the simple meals, for that is how we supped in the abbey. 'Tis true, I may find myself more overwhelmed than comfortable in the royal court. " A glint of humor lit her luminous eyes and Judith smiled in return.
She patted her lightly on the cheek. "Maddie, somehow I sense that you shall garner strength and boldness that you did not know you have when confronted by the whirlwind of the court. At the least, you shall have myself, who knows much of what goes on here-and what I do not know, I most usually can learn. " She took a last, appraising look at Madelyne, who, with her help, had shed her outdated gown and was garbed in a more stylish mode of clothing.
Madelyne was an exceptionally beautiful woman, Judith thought to herself-not for the first time. With her fair, smooth skin and midnight dark hair, she would likely cause a stir among the queen's ladies-as well as among the noblemen and men-at-arms who were part of the court. Now that she wore more fashionable clothing, the snipes and darts borne from jealousy would not carry the added sting of belittling her clothing or branding her a country mouse.
Judith had chosen an emerald green undergown from her own wardrobe for Madelyne to wear. Although she'd initially balked at the form-fitting skirt that laced up the side and along the sleeves, Madelyne had acquiesced and now wore that, covered by a floor-length overtunic of sapphire blue. Onda, Judith's tiring maid, had shown Peg and Tricky the intricacies of braiding Maddie's thick dark hair and looping it in stylish snoods over each ear. The snoods also belonged to Judith, and they sparkled with tiny gold beads nestled against the black masses of braids.
"Absolutely breathtaking," Judith told her, cocking her wrist to place a forefinger on her pert chin. "You will turn every head, and they will wonder who you are. "
Madelyne blanched, her hands going automatically to touch her hair. "But I do not wish to attract attention!"
"Now, Maddie," Judith chided, linking an arm with her, "you cannot hide your beauty, and you shall soon be known to all anyway. . . so 'tis best to do it under your own terms. Come, we mustn't be late. "
Brushing aside the unhappy expression on Madelyne's face, Judith propelled them out of the chamber, leaving the maids to scurry behind in their wake.
Upon reaching the hall where the masses of people who followed the royal court ate their meals, Judith paused, stretching onto her toes to look over the gathering. She hoped to spot Gavin and insist that he sit with them at table, or, at the least, that he settle them in a place near the royal dais. Aside of that, she intended to sharpen her tongue on him for leaving Madelyne to her own devices. A sigh caught at her, and Judith lowered from the balls of her feet onto her heels. She meant to take Gavin to task-if she found him-but their relationship was tenuous and fraught with tension, and 'twas likely he'd only turn cold and blank and proceed to act unerringly the gentleman, accepting the reprimand and his fault in the matter.
Her lips pursed. If only he'd show some emotion other than anger or blankness! Judith squeezed Maddie's hand and began to pull her through the crowd, heading toward the royal dais. There had been a time when Gavin laughed and joked, and his face warmed with smiles and caring. . . a time before Nicola, before Gregory. . . and before Fantin de Belgrume.
She threaded her way between the rows of tables, tugging Madelyne behind her. Suddenly, she felt the cool fingers slip from hers, and Judith stopped, turning about. "Maddie, are you-" She swallowed her words when she saw Gavin standing there, his face dark and unreadable as ever.
Madelyne had frozen and, having drawn her hand away from Judith, had folded her hands demurely over her waist. "Why, Lord Gavin, 'tis a surprise to see you. I thought you must have left the court. "
Her words, quiet, calm, and without a hint of rancor, delighted Judith and made it unnecessary for her to make the selfsame point to him. The kitten does have claws, she thought, hiding a smile.
He gave a small bow, his gaze traveling over Madelyne from head to toe, then flickering to Judith. "I see that you are none the worse for your first day at court," he replied mildly, returning his attention to Maddie.
Judith stepped toward him, taking his arm with a firm grip. She looked up into his face and directed a bright smile laced with temper at him. "Madelyne had not ventured from her chamber since yestereve, and I bethought 'twas nigh time she found her way to sup with the rest of us. "
Gavin
had the grace to show a bit of shame as he made another slight bow to Madelyne, offering her his arm. "Many apologies, my lady," he said. "I did not mean to leave you unattended for so long, but my services were required elsewhere and I would have sent word had I known how long I was to be occupied. "
Madelyne glanced at his proffered arm, but made no move to take it. Instead, she cast a cool smile at him and responded, "Do you not fear, my lord, 'twas not your presence that I felt lacking, but the desire to sup on more than bread and cheese. With Lady Judith to assist me in that, I should only need from you an introduction to his majesty, and you shall need to dance attendance upon me no further. Unless I am to play some momentous role in your vengeance upon my father?"
Judith swallowed back an exclamation of surprise at her friend's direct and powerful censure, and looked at Gavin. His countenance remained stone-like and immovable as always, although she saw a flare of surprise widen his eyes for a brief instant before he turned a frigid gaze onto herself. "You have ever the loose tongue, do you not, Judith?" Annoyance set in his face and his lips firmed into chiseled marble.
Then he turned back to their companion. "Lady Madelyne, I will be pleased to see that you are made known to his majesty. As to your role in the vengeance that I will have upon your father. . . it remains to be seen how you will figure there. Now, ladies, with your permission, I will escort you to your seats and I will leave you to your own devices. "
Chapter Thirteen
Gavin slugged back a gulp of foamy ale. It burned the back of his throat, warming its way down to his belly, and settled there, heightening the faint haze that softened his mind. Someone guffawed in his ear-'twas Thomas, laughing at his own jest-whilst another companion snorted with mirth, spewing ale from his mouth and spraying Gavin's cheek.
With a swipe over his face, Gavin laughed too, automatically, then took another drink. He leaned an elbow on the split log table that was sticky from spilled ale and reminded himself again not to look in the direction of the high table. If he did, it would seem as though he were looking at Judith and Lady Madelyne.
Aye, if he turned that way, it might appear that he was interested in what the ladies were doing, or as though he cared whether they had been joined by any of the noblemen who visited the king's court.
He wasn't interested and he didn't care.
On the morrow, he would make certain that Lady Madelyne had her audience with King Henry, and he and the sovereign would determine the best way to notify de Belgrume that his daughter was in their custody. Then, he, Gavin, need have naught further to do with her, and he could return to Mal Verne, knowing that de Belgrume was under the king's control at last.
He tightened his fingers around the wooden ale cup. Allowing de Belgrume to live was not his preference. . . but in this, he must obey his king until Fantin misstepped again. Then, Gavin vowed, he would be waiting for the opportunity to finish what had been started seven years earlier.
The sweet sound of a lute caught his ears, wafting over the dull roar of the diners. Forgetting that he didn't want to look that way, Gavin turned toward the high table where Henry and his queen, Eleanor, supped. Instead of seeking the musician, his gaze found and settled on the willowy figure of Lady Madelyne only three tables away. She'd been seated facing him, but now had half-turned toward the lute player, giving Gavin a covert view of her profile.
He couldn't pull his attention away. She looked so calm and serene, beautiful in her composure in the midst of the energetic, rowdy crowd. He saw the slim, white column of her neck-bared now that the thick masses of braids had been gathered above her ears-and watched the curve of it shift innocently as she strained to look between the crowd to see the musician. The bareness of her neck seemed almost obscene to Gavin, for she still had the aura of an innocent, virginal nun, and the baring of such skin was too intimate for a protected woman.
He frowned, tasting his ale again, but still unwilling to look away. He could still taste the sweetness of her full mouth beneath his, and had no delay in summoning to memory the feel of her soft curves molding beneath his hands. Desire that he had suppressed sprang to life, sending waves of heat pulsing through the core of his abdomen, and lower.