To Kiss in the Shadows by Lynn Kurland Read Free Book Online

wondered if he shouldn’t undress her as well. Her gown was soiled and would likely be better off in some pile of rags destined for the beggars.
    He looked at the servants huddled behind him and chose the one who looked the least likely to harm Lianna further.
    â€œStrip her,” he commanded, “and dress her in clothing she can wear abed comfortably. I will wait without.” He looked at the other two servants. “Leave.”
    â€œBut, my lord,” protested one.
    He merely gestured curtly toward the door, and the women quit the chamber without further comment. Jason followed them out, then pulled the door shut behind him. He leaned back against it and stared grimly at the wall facing him. Now that he had peace for thinking, he would have to decide on a course of action. He could only hope that Lianna had managed to vomit up all but the quickest of the poison.
    He had just begun to consider what he might give her to aid her when he noticed a commotion to his left. There coming toward him were the women responsible for Lianna’s distress, trailed by the servants he had tossed from the chamber. Jason simply could not believe they had innocently given her drink laced with death. Worse still was how they walked about so freely, as if they thought no one would think to question their actions.
    â€œMove yourself,” one woman said briskly. “And take that foolish girl inside with you. I’m certain her illness is but a ruse.”
    â€œWhat was in her wine?” Jason asked.
    One of the other women made a sound of misery and slumped back against the wall. That was telling enough, he supposed.
    â€œSomething in her wine, my lord?” the first woman said evenly. “How could you think such a thing of us?”
    Jason looked at the woman who faced him with such apparent lack of fear, and suddenly a name attached itself to the face. Maud of Harrow, who possessed a tongue more poisonous than an adder’s. He should have known she would have been behind this.
    â€œI have eyes,” he said, “and I recognize the signs.”
    â€œHaving brewed several unwholesome things yourself,” the lady of Harrow said with a cold smile. “Along with casting spells and other such activities particular to your kind.”
    â€œOr so it is rumored,” one of the other women agreed.
    â€œSilence, Adela,” Maud commanded. She turned back to Jason and smiled unpleasantly at him.
    â€œI have many skills,” he said with a shrug, silently marveling that she would so boldly accuse him of sorcery. “I daresay you wouldn’t want to acquaint yourself with too many of them.”
    â€œYou don’t frighten me,” Maud said, puffing herself up.
    But it would seem that he frightened the rest of her rabbits, for the other three were near to collapse in the passageway.
    â€œPerhaps I don’t,” Jason conceded. “But you don’t know the extent of what I can do. Especially my talent for carrying tales to the king to ruin the lives of foolish, spiteful wenches possessing sharp tongues and few wits. Do you care for a performance of that one?”
    Maud considered, then turned and, one by one, slapped three whimpering women smartly across their faces.
    â€œOn your feet, Linet. Come, Adela. Stand up, Janet, you fool! Let us be away. We’ll sleep in the solar.”
    Jason waited, faintly satisfied, until they had stomped away before he turned and went back inside the chamber. The serving girl was covering Lianna with blankets.
    But Lianna wasn’t moving.
    Jason hastened to the side of the bed. The servant looked up as he approached.
    â€œI did as ye bid me, milord,” she said. “But she’s powerful ill.”
    â€œAye,” Jason said absently. “I daresay ’twas poison.”
    â€œMayhap ’tis mostly gone from her.”
    â€œLet us pray that ’tis so,” he said. “Fetch my brother, will you? I’ve