Page 7 of Her Dark Seduction
“Nonsense!” I said. “How could you form an opinion of him so readily?”
“Out of necessity for your welfare.”
I thought of my first encounter with Vane Sawford, the strange sensations I had experienced and my suspicions of being watched. I took Harwyn’s hand.
“I know,” I whispered. “I am grateful for your caution. Rest assured, I do not intend to spend any more time in his company than is absolutely necessary.”
I stood up and Harwyn moved to open the door.
“What is this?”
She bent down and picked up a folded piece of parchment and handed it to me. Written in a clear, bold hand was a brief message in French.
Have a care, Lady Lisetta. You are in danger, but you have a friend here who watches over you.
“What can it mean?” Harwyn sounded worried. “Someone knows you can read.”
“Not necessarily,” I replied, “but it may be a trick. We must be ever watchful.”
“Is there any truth in those words?”
I laughed mirthlessly. “The danger, aye. I am merely the latest in a long line of disposable wives. But as to having a friend, I trust none but you.”
“Wise words.”
My smile faded. “I will never forget Maman, of that you can be certain.”
****
That night, after the usual ritual in the solar, my husband spoke to me.
“I will be leaving tomorrow, wife, and expect no trouble from you in my absence. Sawford will tend to my affairs in my stead, and I’m certain he will take care of you.”
As Sawford took my arm, my husband called out after us.
“I expect that mare to be in foal when I return, Sawford.”
Sawford bowed before returning me to my room. His closeness compared to previous nights was unsettling. We reached the threshold of my room. To my shame, my heartbeat increased and the heat rose in my face. I was growing afraid of him. He simultaneously thrilled and terrified me. His heavy, powerful silence was overwhelming, but also compelling.
“You are to be in charge of the stables as well as the estate?” I couldn’t help asking. My curiosity was piqued and I wanted desperately to break the silence.
He let out a sharp breath through his nose.
“After a fashion.”
His jaw tightened. Was he angry at my curiosity, a trait which in a woman was more likely to yield punishment than praise? Lord save me. Would he tell my husband? The mask slipped back into place, and I kept my voice low and cold.
“A rather strange occupation for a mere serf.”
He snorted. “You know very well, madam, that you hold me in considerably more interest than you would amere serf.”
Shocked at his perception, I did not trust myself to speak further. I should have heeded Harwyn’s words. He released his grip, and I ran across the threshold, shutting the door in his face. I leaned against the thick piece of oak separating us, terrified he might force his way through; but, part of me wished he would, hoping he would touch me once more, as gently as he had caressed my mouth with his thumb. I clung to that moment of tenderness.
That cursed note. It affected me more than I cared to admit. The hope that someone watched over me in friendship had shattered, not comforted me. Though I loved Harwyn, I desperately wanted a friend here. But I had no desire to risk trusting a stranger. In all likelihood, my husband had asked someone to spy on me. Perhaps this was how he removed his wives. I served little purpose for him other than to perform a nightly ritual in the solar. He would soon tire of me, and then I would suffer the same fate of my predecessors. Was the note the first step in this process?
I bit my lip, letting out a cry when I drew blood. A noise made me fall silent. I held my breath and pressed my ear against the door, straining to listen. The door handle moved and I backed away. Dear Lord; Sawford was still there. After a moment, I heard the telltale sound of his boots clicking on the floor, growing fainter.
Sawford was gone, but he had heard my cry. I felt horribly vulnerable. While my husband was away, I would be entirely at his mercy.
