Page 48 of The Noble Servant

“There you are.” Agnes stood in front of her open bedchamber door.

Magdalen hurried toward her with the pitcher of water.

“What took you so long? Are you consorting with that simpleminded boy?”

“I was concerned about his injury, but he is going to bed now.”

“He is not your concern. Your only concern is to please me.” Agnes raised her chin.

“How may I please you, my lady?” Magdalen couldn’t quite keep the irony out of her voice.

“You may bring me my water.”

Magdalen entered the room and set the pitcher on the table.

“I have no more need of you this evening. You may go.”

Magdalen left the room, refusing to curtsy to her. Whenshe reached the stairs, she hurried up, but at the top Steffan was nowhere in sight.

She sighed, went into her shared bedchamber, and thankfully one of the other maidservants had put a sheet on her bed. Magdalen closed her eyes, clasped her hands, and prayed silently for Steffan’s well-being.

Chapter Sixteen

The next day Steffan’s head felt much better, except for a tiny pain over his eye, but every muscle in his arms and legs was screaming for his full attention.

He got dressed slowly, with Lord Hazen’s personal servant telling him to make haste and get down to the kitchen to stoke the morning fire.

Steffan walked down the corridor, but the first step he took down the stairs made him gasp in pain. He grimaced with every step, and when he reached the next level, Magdalen was waiting for him.

“Where is your bandage? Is your head still hurting?” She spoke softly.

“What are you doing up so early?” he groused. She looked quite lovely in the torchlight, with her reddish-blonde hair glowing around her head and her eyes wide and anxious.

“I came to see how you were faring. Is your head still bleeding?” She stood on tiptoe to inspect his forehead.

“No.”

“It does not look so bad.” She glanced behind her down thecorridor, then leaned close to his ear. “I can go to Lord Hazen’s rooms and search for your portrait.”

“No.” He drew back to look into her eyes. “If he thinks you suspect his scheme, you will quietly disappear and no one will ever discover what happened to you. You must stay away from his rooms.”

He gave her his most severe scowl, but she did not seem very intimidated.

“You cannot go searching if you are working all day in the kitchen. I do not think your getting a job working in the kitchen was a good idea, but if I can find what you need—”

“No. It is too dangerous. Do not do it.” To emphasize his point, he took hold of her arm.

“But I will wait until Lord Hazen is away from his chamber, until I know he won’t be back, and I can—”

“You cannot know when he will return.”

“But I have so much more time and freedom than you do. It will be easy. Besides, I am a house servant. It will not seem so suspicious if I am in his chamber cleaning.”

Forcefulness was not working. “Please, Magdalen. Do not do this.” He took her small, soft hand between his and peered into her eyes.

Perhaps that had not been the best idea either, because now she was gazing up at him, her pink lips parted, as if she was startled. What would she do if he kissed her?

He could not be thinking about her like that.