Free True Love by Flora Speer Page A

dispelled after telling Catherine about it.
    His original intention had been to deflect
Catherine's dangerous curiosity by recounting e story, and he told
himself he ought to feel guilty for having so shamelessly used
Linette's history for his own selfish purposes. It was not shame he
felt, but an odd peace, as if soothing balm had been poured upon
old wounds that had festered too long. How remarkable it was to
find that Catherine accepted him as an honest man regardless of his
illicit parentage – and what exquisite joy to hear her open-hearted
offer to give Linette a home.
    Despite his qualms about the nature of his
mission to Wortham, and his lingering concern that he had said too
much to Catherine, by the time Braedon reached the bottom step and
struck out across the bailey, he was whistling a cheerful tune.

Chapter 4
     
     
    The next day was the Sabbath, a day of rest
and a time when only the most urgent travel was undertaken, so no
new guests were expected to arrive. With Wortham already full
almost to overflowing, Father Aymon, the castle chaplain, said
three separate Masses in order to accommodate everyone who wanted
to attend. Catherine rose early and went to the first Mass, then
proceeded to the kitchen to discuss the day's meals with the cook.
A barrel of salted fish had arrived from the seacoast on Saturday
afternoon, and the larder was bulging with stores of food.
    “There is to be a hunting party tomorrow,”
Catherine reminded the cook, “which I expect will provide even more
meat.”
    “Aye,” said the cook, “but there are still
the outdoor feasts on all three days of the tournament. Everyone
for miles around will take advantage of the free food. The kitchen
servants and I will be working from morn till night to prepare all
of it, as well as having to provide daily banquets for the
nobles.”
    “I have every confidence in you and your
staff,” Catherine said with an encouraging smile.
    Leaving the cook, she began to walk from the
kitchen through the screens passage on her way to the great hall.
When she heard an unmistakable voice she paused at a spot where she
was still sheltered from view by the carved wooden screen that hid
the entrance to the kitchen. Positioned as she was, Catherine was
able to hear every word that Eustace spoke.
    “I cannot wait to meet that bastard, Braedon,
in combat,” Eustace said in a sneering tone. “First, I'll skewer
him, then I'll dismember him.”
    “I seriously doubt that Lord Royce will
permit desecration of a fallen knight's body,” said a smooth, quiet
voice which Catherine recognized as belonging to Achard. “Have a
care, Eustace, lest you ruin what remains of your good name.”
    “What of your good name?” Eustace demanded,
still sneering. “You cannot be seriously bent on marrying that
unpleasant, interfering wench, Catherine?”
    “It's an alliance that any man of sense would
consider advantageous,” Achard replied. He made no objection to
Eustace's slighting reference to the nature of the woman he aspired
to wed.
    At that point in the discussion Catherine
noticed she could see Achard through one of the openings carved in
the decorative screen. Even as she stared, Achard turned his head
and his eyes met hers. At once Catherine stepped out from behind
the screen to face the two men. Her cheeks felt hot; she hoped she
was not blushing with embarrassment at being caught listening to a
private conversation. Then, irritated at the way they were talking
about her, she decided to do to them what men had been doing to her
for days. She would deflect their attention and offer no direct
response to any questions they put to her.
    “Good morning, Eustace,” she said. “I am
surprised to see you out of bed so early. After last night, I'd
think you would have trouble rousing yourself.”
    “If your servants were more accommodating, I
wouldn't have to rouse myself,” Eustace said in his most
insinuating manner. “I'd have a pretty female to rouse me. The