Another blessing to this arrangement was that as Jarrod paid for rooms at inns along the way, Miriam and I were given a room to ourselves, so as of yet, I’d not been expected to share a bed with Sebastian.
Though it was early summer, the farther north we traveled, the thicker grew the trees and the darker grew the sky. Near the end of the second day, a cold drizzle began to fall, soaking through my cloak.
We passed through a village and headed toward a rise.
“We’re almost there,” Sebastian said, riding beside me. Even in my misery, I noted he sounded worried as he added, “But you’ll need to brace yourself.”
As we came over the rise, I gained my first view in the fading light. My hands tensed on the reins as I fought to keep from expressing dismay. A squat keep loomed up from out of the surrounding forest. Even at a distance, its dark profile looked worn and ill kept.
Sebastian glanced at me. I was lost for words and could only imagine the inside.
Jarrod urged his mount forward, rode up to the gates, and called out. A moment later, a loud grinding sounded, like timber creaking across timber, and the gates opened. We rode inside to a small, muddy courtyard, and as the men began dismounting, the flurry of activity that followed kept me from taking in much more.
“Put your hands on my shoulders,” someone said from below.
Shivering and looking down, I saw Sebastian standing below. Without even thinking, I put my hands on his shoulders and let him lift me off the horse. He held me steady for a few moments.
Kai lifted Miriam down. Poor Miriam. What had I dragged her into?
Jarrod called back toward us, “Kai! Get the women inside.”
“As if we need him to tell us that,” Sebastian whispered in my ear. “Come on.”
Miriam and I were ushered across the courtyard to the main doors of the keep. Inside we passed through an entryway and into a wide passage. Neither of the men slowed down.
At the end of the passage, we emerged into a great hall with a fireplace large enough that I could have stood inside. In addition, half a dozen small spaniels came running toward us, wriggling and whining for attention.
One of them came running and jumped into Kai’s arms. He caught the dog and smiled as she licked his face.
“Lacey, stop.”
The fire in the hearth had been lit, but I couldn’t stop shivering.
Sebastian looked down at me in concern. Turning, he called to a guard down the passage, “You! Have your lady’s travel trunk carried up to her room.” Then he called, “Betty!”
A plump serving woman with a pleasant face came bustling forward. “Yes, my lord?”
“Show your lady up to her room.” He looked down to me again. “Go on and get out of those wet things. Put on your nightclothes if you wish. I’ll have food brought up.”
The thought of retiring to a private room and not having to come out again tonight filled me with relief.
Wordlessly, I nodded and took Miriam’s arm as we followed Betty from the hall.
I’d not seen much of my new home, but in the moment I didn’t care.
Thankfully, the room I was given on the second floor of the single tower was not entirely awful.
It was a woman’s room.
The furniture was old, faded, and in need of a polish, but the four-poster bed was large, with a thick, eyelet comforter. The dressing table was well crafted from rich-toned mahogany. A matching wardrobe stood beside it. A moth-eaten tapestry covered one wall.
Miriam stood in the center of the room taking in the furnishings. Her face was pale and stricken.
One of my chests had been carried and set at the end of the bed. “See if I have a clean nightgown in there,” I said.
We hadn’t eaten since midday, and I longed for a cup of steaming tea, but I was more concerned with being warm and dry. Miriam began unlacing my travel gown.
“As soon we’ve finished with me,” I said, “we’ll see about your room and clothing. You need to get out of those wet things too.”
I couldn’t help wondering how often it rained here in the summer.
Together, we peeled off my clothing, and she slipped a dry nightgown over my head. I sighed in pleasure.
“Let me brush out your hair,” she said. “Tonight is . . .” she trailed off and then finished, “your first night in your husband’s home.”
My pleasure vanished. Would Sebastian expect to sleep in here? Of course, I’d known that side of things was coming, but until Miriam had spoken, I hadn’t wondered if it would be tonight.
“Come and sit,” she said from the dressing table.
I sat and let her brush out my hair until it fell in slightly damp waves down my back.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what might happen if Sebastian came up. My mother hadn’t told me much about what to expect.
“Miriam?” I asked, wondering if she knew.
She never heard the rest of the question as the door cracked open. I could see its reflection in the mirror. Sebastian pushed it all the way open with one shoulder. He carried a tray himself.
“Dinner as promised,” he said cheerfully. “Such as it is.”
Miriam and I both froze at the sight of him standing there. When he saw our faces, his cheerful countenance faded. There was nothing threatening about him, but he was still a man standing in a bedroom chamber with two women who barely knew him.
Using his head, he motioned toward the door and spoke to Miriam. “Go on out. Betty will show you to your room.”
She hesitated but had no choice. With a nod, she left us, and Sebastian used his shoulder to close the door.
We were alone.
“No need to look as if you’re going to the executioner’s block,” he said. “I promise I don’t bite.”
I didn’t find his humor comforting.
With a sigh, he walked to the side table and set down the tray. Then he grasped the bottom of his tunic. “Don’t be shocked. I know this isn’t manly to admit, but I’m freezing.”
He pulled off his tunic first and then the damp wool shirt beneath it. I knew from experience that wearing wet wool was unpleasant at best. There was a dagger strapped to each of his forearms, and he removed the sheaths. After this, he dropped onto the bed and took off his boots.
“That’s better,” he said. Thankfully, he left his pants on, but they looked dryer than his tunic and shirt.
Half turning, he arranged all the pillows up against the headboard and patted a spot on the bed beside him. “Come sit here.”
I stared at him, not moving. He had a scar on his left collarbone.
His tone hardened. “Megan, come here.”
This was an order, and it was one of the first things I came to learn about Sebastian. He always asked politely the first time. Then he gave an order.
Slowly, I climbed up onto the bed beside him.
“Lean back against the pillows,” he said.
He reached for the tray and set it on the bed between us. For the first time, I examined its contents. There was a jug of wine, two goblets, a chunk of cheese, bread, and butter.
“I know it’s not much, but it was the best I could manage,” he said, pouring the wine. “I fear you’ll find it an uphill climb trying to put the staff of this household together. We’ve let things go a bit lax.”