The Innocent by Posie Graeme-evans Read Free Book Online Page A

than he but in the seven years she’d been in his house, he’d come to love her more and with a greater depth and meaning than he had loved either of his previous wives—God rest their souls.
    Unusually, the hubbub in the hall found its way into his prayers and for once he abandoned the task he had set himself. The Lord would understand this was a great day: an important one for his household and its standing. After all, how often could a subject entertain his king on his own name day, and in his own house—and on the Virgin’s day too, of course—and with God’s good grace that is what he would do. He took a deep breath to steady himself and stood, almost unconscious of the pain in his knees.
    Now was the time for action.
    As he strode into the receiving hall, it seemed that his entire household was one heaving mêlée of bodies and hysterical dogs; but no one saw him enter because at that moment Margaret walked down the broad stone stairs supported by her maids, and a ragged cheer started up as, one by one, the people of Blessing House saw her there.
    Phillipa Jassy hurried toward her mistress, beaming. “We thank the Blessed Virgin to see you here, my lady.”
    “Amen to that. And I shall thank God and His Mother on my knees in their house for all their help and blessings; but now I should like to see my husband. Is your master in the workroom…?”
    “No, wife, I am here beside you.”
    At the sound of his voice, Margaret, Aveline, and Anne turned and dropped silent curtsies. The household grew quiet. It was as if three angels had flown down from the walls of the Abbey, such was the grace of the tableau in front of them. With tears in his eyes, Mathew raised the three women, first his wife and then the girls, and delighted the household by pulling Margaret to him in a hearty embrace before kissing her gently on the brow.
    A loud voice cut through the rising hubbub of the happy crowd: “I say, let us cheer my father and the Lady Margaret!” On occasion Piers found grace and this was one of them.
    The hall shook with cheering as Master Mathew draped the fur-lined cloak around his dignified wife and escorted her with ceremony across the hall and out to the portico to await their town litter.
    Unnoticed by the crowd, however, he was holding her tightly under the forearm to give as much support as he could.
    But as Anne bent down to gather Lady Margaret’s train she was suddenly conscious that Piers was beside her and, under the pretense of helping her up, had slipped a hand around her waist and quickly cupped one of her breasts, fumbling to find the nipple.
    In her shock, Anne stood so abruptly that she knocked into Aveline before Piers could snatch his hand away—and then everything became very confusing. For a moment Aveline stood there, looking from one to the other, and suddenly her face was very pale. Then a wave of warm blood flowed up from Aveline’s breasts into her cheeks as she turned away, snatching the train from Anne’s hands, and mouthing “slut” at the discomforted girl.
    Piers laughed and smilingly bowed low to them both. “Mistress Aveline, you look most charming in that pretty dress. And the high color you have, how brilliantly it makes your eyes shine. I salute you!
    And Mistress Anne. You should always wear green—it reflects in your eyes.”
    Unhurriedly, Piers sauntered away to stand beside his father as Anne tried to make sense of what had just happened. Why was Aveline so upset? Surely she didn’t truly believe she’d encouraged Piers?
    “Aveline…I’m sorry, but please believe me, I didn’t—”
    “Enough! Setting out to trap your master’s son is the oldest game there is. I can see what you’re doing!”
    Aveline stalked away behind their mistress, loftily ignoring the impertinent, laughing looks Piers tossed in her direction. Then Anne’s confusion cleared a little. Aveline and Piers? Was there something between them—something Aveline took seriously, seriously