Free Borrowed Magic by Shari Lambert

silk and
again, wouldn’t be acceptable. And she had her bracelets. Two of
them were thin silver bands – they weren’t any better than the
coin. But the third was wood, carved to resemble a flowering vine.
She slipped it off her wrist and held it out to the girl.
    She just stood there, the desire in her eyes
bright, but willing herself not to reach for the gift. “No. I
couldn’t.”
    “Why not?” Maren asked. “It’s just wood, and
I have lots of bracelets. I won’t even miss it. Besides, it would
be beautiful on you.” When the girl still hesitated, she tried one
last time. “You can tell your ma I wouldn’t take the ribbon unless
you took the bracelet.”
    The girl thought for a minute and then
slowly held out her hand. Maren slipped the bracelet on it and
smiled. The girl looked at it in awe before stammering her thanks
and skipping away. Maren watched her with a smile that soon faded
when the ache in her shoulder sprang to life. Teige was somewhere
nearby, which caught her completely off guard since she assumed he
was still with Philip.
    “You do realize you just gave her the most
expensive thing you have with you? A gift fit for a king.”
    She took a deep breath and turned to face
him. “It was given by a king.”
    “And if her mother recognizes it as
rosewood?”
    “Hopefully she won’t.”
    Teige raised a single eyebrow.
    “If she does, she’ll either pretend not to
know, or sell it.”
    He folded his arms across his chest and
leaned back against a nearby fence. “You know, Lady Maren, you’re a
bit of a mystery.”
    “I don’t know what you mean.”
    “You’re the First Lady and yet you give
priceless gifts to village girls. You are more than just the
queen’s closest friend. There’s something deeper between you. And
yet you don’t seem to fit in with the other ladies. Now I realize
that could just be jealousy, but I get the sense it’s more than
that.” He paused and gave her a disarming smile. “And you’re the
only person I’ve met who hasn’t been overcome by my captivating
self.”
    “I’m not easily overcome,” she said, trying
to keep her voice from betraying her growing discomfort.
    “Then I’ll just have to work harder. May I
accompany you?” He offered his arm, which she pretended not to
notice. The pain was already almost unbearable. She was afraid if
she touched him, she wouldn’t be able to hide it.
    “I’m surprised to see you in town,” she
said. “I thought you were with Philip?”
    Teige smiled. “I was, but he had enough
help, and there was so much work that needed to be done here, so he
sent me back. I’m making sure all the men and supplies I ordered
arrived. And I’m making sure no one is trying to get paid without
doing the work. Thus far, everything is on schedule, except for a
shipment of horses that were supposed to come yesterday from Lord
Montagu.”
    Her brows drew together. “You’re responsible
for all of this?”
    “The king and Philip are technically
responsible. I was just put in charge of actually seeing it gets
done.” He shrugged. “Philip thought my attention to detail might
come in handy.”
    Philip was right.
Teige was good at
details. Every time she’d seen him, his entire person was perfect.
Whatever reservations she had about him went much deeper than
surface perfection, beyond the charm and the teasing
flirtation.
    Or she could just be imagining things.
    “I’m impressed. Everyone I’ve talked with
seems pleased with the work, the schedule, and the effort.”
    Teige grinned. “I may win you over yet.”
    When she didn’t respond, he changed the
subject. “So, Lady Maren, tell me about yourself. Your father must
have been a nobleman.”
    “Yes, he was the King’s Scholar.”
    Teige stopped, his eyes widening in a look
of dawning comprehension.
    “Lord Teige?”
    He started and looked at her as if he’d
never truly seen her before. “I’m sorry. I just hadn’t realized
your father was Lord Haven. Philip told