She concentrated on unwrapping the bandage while Lord le Wyse listened to Sir Clement and Gilbert Carpenter speak about the problems caused by the recent drought.
Her fingers fumbled with the sticky bandage more than usual, but his burn once again showed no signs of becoming worse. She began to wipe his arm with a wet cloth and bit her lip in consternation at the way her hand trembled. What was wrong with her?
Annabel cleaned his arm as quickly as she could. As before, she encountered an old scar leading up to his burn. She knew the scar was from the wolf attack several years before, when he was only a youth. How brave he had been …
She found Lord le Wyse watching her, but his expression seemed guarded.
She was almost finished with the task. Sir Clement stood. “Gilbert, could you take me to see how your building is coming along?”
Gilbert Carpenter rose and followed him out. Mistress Eustacia, the last person left in the upper hall, slipped out the door after them. Wondering why they had all left her conspicuously alone with her lord, she finished wrapping his burn, tying the bandage in place.
Lord le Wyse said nothing. She tried to avoid looking at his face, but she felt him watching her as she gathered all the bandages and supplies and began putting them away on a shelf nearby.
Would he want her to read to him tonight? When he didn’t say anything, she picked up the bucket of scraps from their evening meal and turned to take them outside.
“Don’t go.” Lord le Wyse laid a hand on her wrist. “Stay and read.”
He removed his hand as she set down the bucket. Why wouldn’t her heartbeat slow? Her wrist still tingled pleasantly from where he’d placed his hand.
She waited as he pulled the most comfortable chair near the fire and nodded at her to sit. He retrieved the large Bible from the chest behind the screen and laid it in her lap. Annabel shivered.
“Are you cold?” Lord le Wyse’s forehead creased.
She shook her head but wrapped her hands around her arms.
“Are you feeling ill? If you don’t wish to read tonight —”
“Nay, I’m well. I do wish to read.” At that moment, she wanted to read the Holy Scriptures more than anything in the world.
He turned and disappeared behind the screen. When he came back he carried a brightly colored blanket with silk embroidery. She could only watch as he took the book from her lap with one hand and laid it on the table then unfolded the blanket and spread it over her. He retrieved the Bible and placed it back in her lap.
Annabel was surrounded now with the scent of the blanket, her lord’s own scent of lavender and warm masculinity. “Thank you.”
She wanted to look at him but didn’t trust herself. Instead, she opened the Holy Writ and turned to the section she had marked the last time they read by placing a feather between the pages. It was Romans chapter eight, and she began to read. “Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free.”
She sighed and relaxed into the chair, feeling warm and safe.
Chapter
15
Ranulf’s heart seemed to beat slower as he listened to Annabel read verses from the letter to the Romans, even though he was only able to concentrate on the words in snatches. He knew he needed to tell Annabel of his plan to send her away to the abbey, and Sir Clement had left them alone so she would reveal who struck the bailiff, but he couldn’t do it. He would do it tomorrow, but right now … he couldn’t justify it, but he simply needed to be with her, to hear her read.
In the morning he would find some way to coax her into telling him who threw the rock. Once he had that information, he could send her away quietly, thus fulfilling her wish and keeping her safe at the same time.
“… Now if we are children, then we are heirs — heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.”
Father God, let my sufferings not be for nothing. And don’t let Annabel suffer any longer. Help her realize none of this is her fault. Protect her.
His chest ached at the thought of sending her away, but he wouldn’t think about that tonight. Besides, she wanted to go. It was her wish to devote herself to a life of prayer, study, and service. If he could do nothing else for her, he could give her this wish.
“… And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
She stopped after reading that verse and stared at the page.
“Annabel? What are you thinking?”
“I was just thinking about all these things that have been happening lately and wondering how God could work them out for our good.”