Lords of Darkness and Shadow (90 page)

He gently touched her arm, a comforting gesture, wishing he could do more. “Shall I send for the physic?”

“Nay,” she rasped. “He can do nothing.”

“Can I at least try? I cannot stomach seeing you like this.”

She grunted in response. If it wasn’t a direct denial, he took it as an affirmative.  He turned to go, pausing at the door.  “If I leave, can I be assured that you will not attack your sister in my absence?”

Sheridan’s arm flopped from her face in an irritated gesture. “Do you think I would wait until you go to rip her apart? I would be doing it right now if I felt any better.”

He grinned, quitting the apartment. The little maid came out of hiding and went to her mistresses, Sheridan first to put another cool cloth on her face, and Alys second to inspect the splint on her arm.  Alys waved the woman away, sending her for food. When the door closed softly behind her, Alys sank wearily into the sling-back chair near the smoldering hearth. Already, it had been a long and eventful day.

“Where was Neely when this madness was going on?” Sheridan whispered from the bed. “Why is he not here even now?”

Alys gazed at the lancet window, covered by the heavy oilcloth. “I sent him on an errand. He will be gone for some time.”

“You did
what
?” Sheridan ripped the cloth off, her red eyes glaring at her sister. “Where is he?”

Alys was torn between shame and defiance. “You needn’t yell.”

“Yes, I must,” Sheridan seethed.  “Where did you send Neely?”

“To Gunnarsbury.”

“What on earth for?”

Alys was starting to loosen her insolence. “Because when we were at the Street of the Merchants the other day, a vendor told me about his shop in Gunnarsbury and he said he had the most marvelous delicacy from an ancient recipe from the Holy Land, and that I positively must have some.” She came to a sudden stop and her lip stuck out in a pout. “So I sent Neely to get it for me.”

Sheridan was dumbfounded. “You sent the captain of the guard to Gunnarsbury for food?”

“Not food. A marvelous sweet paste made from Almonds and sugar. They call it Marzipan. Isn’t that a wonderful name?”

Sheridan stared at her sister for a sharp, brief moment before leaping off the bed again and beating Alys over the head with the wet cloth that had been on her eyes.

“Nay,” she screeched. “It is not marvelous. How could you be so foolish? You sent Neely away just so you could be wild and disobedient, and I’ll have none of this, do you hear?”

Alys put her good arm up, trying to protect herself. “Dani, I am sorry. Please do not be so angry at me. I am truly sorry. I promise that I will not do it again!”

Sheridan’s head was about to explode. With a final good smack to her sister’s head, she suddenly fell to the floor, laying down against the cold wooden planks and putting her cheek against the coolness of it.  The room was swaying and she felt so ill that she was sure she was going to die.

“Leave me alone, Alys,” she groaned. “You will be the death of me, I swear it. Go away and leave me.”

Alys tried to pick her up from the floor. “Let me help you back to bed.”

“Nay,” Sheridan slapped at her. “Leave me. Go. Please.”

Alys stood over her, uncertain what to do. “But…”

“Go. I shall be fine. I need to lie here quietly.”

Reluctantly, Alys did as she was asked. She opened the door to the antechamber and the little puppy scampered in, racing to Sheridan on the floor and licking her face furiously. Alys watched as her sister calmed the dog and eventually bade it to lie beside her.  Leaving Sheridan on the floor was a difficult decision, but she’d seen this before.  There were times when her sister had laid on the cold floor for an entire day with a pounding head simply because it felt more comfortable than on a sticky, lumpy bed.

She closed the door to the bower and wandered aimlessly into the antechamber.  She stood there for some time until the servant returned.  The maid had a tray of bread and cheese and Alys sat, eating dejectedly.  All of that energy from her sister had been over only half the story; she hadn’t even told her about Sean breaking her wrist.  It had been an accident, of course, but he had still hurt her.

Gazing down at the heavily bandaged arm, it throbbed considerably.  The physic had given her a bitter willow brew to drink to ease the pain, but it wasn’t helping. She took another bite of cheese and chewed, lost in self-pity.

A soft rap sounded on the entry.  Alys set the cheese down and went to the door.  Opening it, she came face to face with a slight young man with deep brown hair and a handsome face. He smiled timidly.

“My apologies for disturbing you, my lady,” he said. “I saw you the other night but we were not formally introduced. I am Guy de Broase.”

Alys swallowed the bite in her mouth, forgetting all about her horrendous morning.  Sir Guy’s youthful attractiveness sucked all of the self-pity and confusion right out of her.

“My lord,” she bowed deeply. “I am the Lady Alys St. James.”

“I know.” His smile broadened. “It seems that all of the St. James women are exceedingly beautiful.”

She blushed furiously. “Thank you, my lord.”

“Is Lady Sheridan at home?”

Alys thought of her sister lying on the floor in the next room. “She is indisposed at the moment,” she opened the door wider. “Would you like to come in?”

“Thank you.”

Guy entered the room respectfully, taking the chair that Alys indicated for him.  She offered him some bread and cheese, which he declined. But he did take some wine.  It was rapidly apparent, however, that Guy had come for one purpose alone; he had come to see Sheridan.

“I am sorry your sister is unavailable,” he said. “Will she return soon? I hate to burden you with my presence.”

“No burden at all, my lord,” Alys said. She was thrilled to have the opportunity to sit with a handsome young man. “In truth, my sister is ill. She is resting in her bedchamber as we speak.”

Guy instinctively looked at the closed panel. “I see,” he said. “Nothing serious, I hope?”

“A sick headache.”

“I see,” he repeated.  Then, he quickly stood. “I do not want to disturb her with our conversation. Perhaps I should leave and come back at another time.”

Alys was quick to assure him. “We will not disturb her unless we shout. The walls are thick.”

He smiled weakly and sat back down.  He was coming to suspect that the Lady Alys wanted him to stay and chat. But he was uncomfortable with the look in her eye; sort of as a cat watches a mouse.  She was ravenous. His gaze began to dart about nervously, unsure what to say, now wanting to leave.

He was saved by Neely throwing open the antechamber door.  Neely’s face was ruddy from the chill weather outside, but a fire of annoyance blazed in his dark eyes. He was about to vent his frustrations on Alys when he caught sight of Guy.  Respectfully, he saluted.

“My lord,” he said. “I apologize for my hasty entry; I did not know you were here.”

“No apologies necessary,” Guy said, moving for the door. “I was just leaving. Lady Alys, thank you very much for your hospitality. If you will give my compliments to Lady Sheridan and wish her a swift recovery.”

Guy was at the door before Alys could protest. He almost seemed panicked to leave. But he wasn’t clear yet; in his haste, he opened the door and ran headlong into a small man with unkempt white hair and a gnarled face.

“Forgive me,” Guy apologized. “I did not see you, my lord.”

The old man brushed at the front of his tunic for no real reason. In his hand, he held a big leather satchel.

“I am Lott Gilby, the physic. I have come for the Lady Sheridan.” His sharp eyes fell on Alys. “You there, lady. Where is the Lady Sheridan?”

Alys recognized the physic who had bandaged her wrist.  She motioned him inside.  In the course of the exchange, Guy slipped out without being noticed.

“In there,” Alys pointed at the bedchamber door.

The little man shuffled in, very business-like.  Neely, having been gone since sunrise, had no idea Sheridan was ill.

“What’s wrong with her?” he asked Alys.

“Sick headache,” she told him.

It wasn’t a new story with Sheridan. Neely had seen many of these episodes. He opened the chamber door for the physic, immediately spying Sheridan on the floor.  He burst into the room, almost knocking the old man down in his haste.

“My lady,” he knelt beside her. “Can you hear me? Are you all right?”

She stirred and the puppy jumped up, trying to lick Neely’s face. “I have not hurt myself, if that’s what you mean,” she said quietly. “I just need to be left alone.”

Neely was about to tell her that a physic had been summoned but the old man pushed forward and knelt beside Sheridan.

“My lady,” he said. “De Lara sent me. Can you tell me what is wrong?”

Sheridan peeped an eye open, looking at him.  “A sick headache. There is naught you can do for me. This has happened before.”

The physic grunted, digging in the satchel he brought. He pulled out some phials of liquid, pouring some of this and some of that into a small pewter cup.  As Alys and Neely watched curiously, he tossed a measure of white powder into it and stirred the concoction.  It was like watching a witch make a brew and they were properly awed by the mystery.

“Drink this,” he instructed to Sheridan.

With Neely’s help, she sat up and drank the bitter brew.  As she wiped her mouth and made a face of disgust, the physic turned to Neely.

“Put her on the bed,” he said. “She will sleep like the dead for a day and night, but it should cure her.”

Neely picked her up and lay her gently on the bed. Sheridan was still wiping her mouth.  The puppy jumped up on the bed beside her, wriggling happily and burrowing in her covers.

“Sleep now, my lady,” the physic instructed. “I shall return tomorrow to see how you are faring.”

He was concise and business-like. And it was apparent that he had no time for pleasantries now that his task was complete. Neely escorted the physic from the apartment. When he returned, his expression was guarded.  Sheridan was on her back once again, a cool cloth over her eyes.

“My lady,” he began hesitantly. “I must ask you a question.”

“Neely…” she was exasperated; would no one let her sleep? “What is it, then?”

Neely glanced at Alys, on the opposite side of the bed, and noted her bandaged wrist. His jaw began to flex.

“May I ask what has gone on this morning?” he said.

“What do you mean?”

He lifted an eyebrow, speaking mostly to Alys. “I am not a fool. I know I was sent on a ruse because Lady Alys apparently did not want me around.  I will not argue the point, as it is my duty to serve the House of St. James. However, upon my return I find Lady Sheridan huddled on the floor in distress and Lady Alys with an injured hand. I would appreciate a logical explanation of why I was sent away and why everyone seems injured.”

Sheridan lifted the cloth off her eyes. “I will let Alys explain why her wrist is injured.  As for me, it is nothing quite so spectacular. You have seen me like this time and time again.”

“If that is so, why did the physic say that de Lara sent him?”

Sheridan had hoped Neely had missed that part of it, but she wasn’t surprised that he hadn’t. Neely was, if nothing else, extremely sharp.  And he was voraciously protective of both her and Alys.  Her fury in her sister’s actions returned, for a myriad of reasons.

“Because de Lara once again saved Alys’ foolish hide today,” she snapped. “When he saw that I was ill, he was thoughtful enough to send a physic.”

Neely glanced at Alys, his dark eyes full of doubt and resentment. “What did you do while you had me out running circles for you?”

Alys refused to look him in the eye. “You have no right to ask me such things. I am above your reproach.”

“But you are not above mine,” Sheridan said. “Tell him, Alys. Tell him or I will. Tell him how you went to the royal apartment to see the king because you think he is in love with you. Tell him how the king tried to ravage you and how de Lara saved your life. Tell him!”

Alys was red in the face by now. She stood up, stomping to the door. Neely reached out and grabbed her good arm.

“Not so fast, my lady,” he was as close to furious as either of the girls had ever seen him.  “Is this true? Is that why you sent me away, so that I would not stop you?”

Alys yanked her arm away. “You are not my father, Neely de Moreville. You are a mere knight. You have no charge over me. We pay you well, we feed you, and therefore you do as we say. I’ll not have you questioning me.”

Sheridan sat up, shocked and incensed by her sister’s diatribe. “How dare you speak to him like that,” she hissed. “Neely is one of the family. He is part of us. You will apologize immediately or you will suffer the consequences.”

“Suffer what?” Alys was gaining in momentum. “The both of you have done nothing but spy on me and suppress me for as long as I can recall.  But, of course, no one watches you, Sheridan. You are so pretty and perfect. But I know otherwise.” She thrust a finger in Neely’s face. “Do you know that Sheridan has been sneaking out and meeting Sean de Lara? It’s true!”