An Honorable Rogue by Carol Townend Read Free Book Online Page A

neither interview filled her with joy, but she could not put them off for ever.
    Behind her Ben began to play. A love song, naturally. The ladies cooed and sighed. Rozenn rolled her eyes.
    Her cheeks burned as she recognised the song. Fighting the impulse to cool them with the back of her hands, she turned and glared at him. Before Ben had left Quimperle, after his last, fleeting visit--the visit when he had quarrelled with Adam--he had sung this particular song one suppertime in the Great Hall. Those soulful brown eyes had focused entirely on her and she had not been able to think her own thoughts. He was such a flirt.
    Why, the rogue still has a piece of straw stuck in his hair, she noticed, biting hard on the inside of her cheeks to stifle a smile. Dear Lord, why could she never remain angry with him for more than one minute at a time?
    'Rozenn, dear...' Countess Muriel was scowling at her section of wall-hanging '...which colour had you in mind for this lady's gown?'
    'I thought the sky blue. Comptesse, since most of the background will be green, but wouldn't it be best to work the darker wools first, as we had agreed?'
    'Oh, yes, I remember.' Countess Muriel smiled and bent over the coloured hanks.
    'Since Emma is working on the grass, you might like to work with that deep red. It would be good for those flowers. Or you could take that chestnut brown and work one of the deer.'
    The solar door slammed and the flames danced in the hearth, as Rozenn's mother by adoption glided into the room.
    'Ivona, welcome." Countess Muriel said, looking up from the tapestry. 'Have you seen the children?'
    Children. Rozenn's stomach knotted as a wave of longing swept over her. Children. Her marriage with Per had been childless and she worried that the cause might lie at her door. Would Sir Richard think it her fault? Two years married and no children? Would Sir Richard reject her lest she be barren as some in this town had been whispering before Per's death? A knight must have heirs...
    In that unguarded moment she met Ben's eyes, and it seemed the link between them was as strong as ever. She read sympathy and understanding in his dark gaze--it was as though Ben understood what she felt, that he could read her mind. Which was nonsense. As children they had been close, but these days Ben was...just Ben...a footloose minstrel.. .a flirt.. .a devil who made his way by appearing to sympathise with everyone.
    'The children are playing in the bailey, Comptesse,' her mother said, 'now that the guards have finished their drill.'
    'Good. Here, Rozenn...' the Countess patted the stool next to hers '.. .come and sit by me. You can help me do the background."
    Moving round the trestle, careful to avoid Lady Alis, Rozenn squeezed past Ben as he sat by the fire. He made no attempt to move his legs and as her skirt brushed his knees, her stomach fluttered. Brow creasing, she took her place by the Countess, conscious of Ben Silvester at her back, as his voice, his beautiful voice, floated over their heads, singing of true love, of faithfulness, of heroes winning their heroines though all the dice in the world were loaded against them.
    Her heart twisted. She wished he had chosen another song, any other song, and must have muttered something under her breath as Ivona joined her at the trestle. Her adopted mother's eyes were too weak for close work these days, but she usually came to sit with the other women when her duties as chatelaine allowed.
    'What was that, dear?' Ivona asked.
    Rozenn jerked her head in Ben's direction. 'Ben's song, Mama--don't you think he's in good voice?'
    Ivona pursed her lips. "'The Faithful Lover",' she murmured, repeating the song's title. 'Aye, he is--which is a wonder given the subject matter.'
    'Mama?'
    Ivona lifted her shoulders. 'Everyone knows that boy doesn't have a faithful bone in his body. But then...' Ivona shot Ben a meaningful glance '...he's paid to sing well, perhaps that helps him infuse the song with