Love's Call by C. A. Szarek Read Free Book Online Page B

to check on you later,” Lord Dagget said.
    Heat rushed her cheeks, but Avril nodded.
    Surreal.
    A lord had healed her. The Lady of Greenwald was getting her new clothes. What could they want from her in return? She couldn’t pay them.
    “Roduch will send someone to find me, should you need anything,” Lady Aldern said. “Morag has already ordered you a bath. You’re safe Avril.”
    No doubt everyone in the room knew all about her. Her stomach churned, appetite dissolving.
    “Don’t worry about anything right now,” he whispered, as if he could read her mind.
    The healer and his wife entwined their hands and took their leave.
    Mistress Fraser waited, smiling when Avril’s eyes rested on her.
    “I’ll be back later with Jorrin,” Lady Aldern said to Sir Roduch.
    Her knight nodded, rising to retrieve the tray of food.
    “It was nice to meet you, Avril.” With an awkward bow, the duchess excused herself, the Rider on her heels.
    She gasped. “Lady…Lady Aldern bowed…bowed to me.”
    Sir Roduch chuckled, returning to his seat and placing the tray of food between them. “You’ll find out rather quickly we do things a bit differently around here.”
    “Oh,” she said, but the steaming broth caught her attention, so she didn’t mull over his words.
    “Ah, good, you’re eating. Sir Roduch, give me or Meara a shout when you’re both through and we’ll get her all cleaned up,” the headwoman said, drying her hands on her apron as she exited the sizable privy room. “The tub is ready to go. I’ll have the lads bring hot water.”
    “Thank you, Morag.” Her knight inclined his head and the headwoman nodded before slipping from the rooms.
    Silence descended, but Avril could finally breathe again. She was comfortable with the knight. Being alone with him was natural. Like they’d been acquainted for turns.
    She watched his hands when he ripped fluffy bread open and spread butter all over it. He was warm and large and safe.
    “Hungry?” he asked.
    Her gaze shot to his face. One corner of his mouth lifted, and Avril chided herself to calm down.
    “Yes. Very.”
    Sir Roduch nodded and handed her a spoon for the broth. “I’m sure Lord Tristan ordered a light meal. Later we’ll get something more substantial than broth, if you wish. Some meat.”
    “It’s fine,” Avril said, closing her eyes as she savored the rich taste on her tongue. “It’s very good.”
    He laughed, and she looked up from her bowl, forgetting to take a bite of the sweet bread. The sound of his deep carefree chuckle was as appealing as he was.
    Avril grinned.
    Their gazes locked.
    His pale eyes blazed with the emotions she refused to name yet again, and Sir Roduch reached for her hand, pressing a kiss into her knuckles without looking away. “Avril,” he breathed.
    “Yes?”
    “Don’t stop smiling, all right?”
    Her heart thundered. “I’ll try not to.”
    His chest heaved and the apple of his throat bobbed as he swallowed. “Good.” Her knight grabbed a hunk of bread and grinned.
    Avril stared.
    What had this man done to her?

Chapter Five
    Leargan couldn’t get any decent sleep. Ansley Fraser was never far from his thoughts, and she haunted his dreams.
    Dreams as real as visions, where she writhed naked beneath him as he touched and tasted every inch of her tall, slender form.
    Over and over .
    If he closed his eyes, her phantom moans would drift into his mind.
    He should be concentrating on Avril’s situation, but Roduch had things under control. They could do nothing until the girl told all.
    Tristan urged that they not push her, and Jorrin and Roduch agreed.
    So now, they waited. She was safe, but they needed Avril to recognize that. She would. Eventually.
    Unfortunately, Leargan could use a distraction from Ansley. Waiting wasn’t satisfying.
    His fantasies had only worsened since meeting with Lord Aldern.
    “What’s so amusing?” Leargan had asked from his seat across from Jorrin’s desk in the lord’s