Page 75 of The Darkland

Astonished, Mara watched as Lily held up an exquisite shift made from soft lamb’s wool with tiny gold thread woven through it. As Mara reached out to touch the fabric, Lily held up another garment, a matching surcoat that was layered with golden fabrics and lined on the edges with white rabbit fur. It was absolutely exquisite and Mara couldn’t help her jaw from dropping.

“Me?” she asked, stunned. “For me?”

Lily could see how surprised Mara was. Truthfully, she had come this morning because she felt guilty for virtually ignoring the lady since her arrival. She’d had Kirk to keep her occupied and a host of visiting relatives. In fact, she had only gotten a good look at the lady last night as Kirk and Spencer had battled it out, and she had noticed the worn nature of Mara’s surcoat. Surely a woman would have worn her very finest to a feast so if that was Mara’s finest, Lily came to think that perhaps the woman didn’t have much at all. As her ladies in waiting whispered and giggled about Mara’s rags, Lily felt a good deal of compassion for her.

Although she didn’t know anything about her other than the fact she was Edmund de Cleveley’s sister-in-law and that in of itself caused her to feel good deal of pity for her. Everyone knew what a horrible place TheDarkland was. There was something about Lady Mara that invited compassion. Moreover, Kirk had spoken so fondly of the woman at the feast the previous night and she had seen how Kirk had battled Spencer when the man had gotten too close. If Mara was worthy of Kirk’s respect, then Lily wanted very much to know her.

“Try them on,” Lily said as she tossed them over onto the mussed bed. Snapping her fingers at the servants, they began to lay them all out over the enormous bed. “My mother spared no expense with her wardrobe. I shall be so happy if you feel you can use it.”

Mara stood rather dumbly as the activity went on around her. She wasn’t honestly sure what to do or say, lured by the beautiful new clothing and Lily’s kind manner. Lily was sweet and mothering, and in little time, Mara was dressed in the fine lamb’s wool shift and the surcoat with the rabbit lining. One of Lily’s maids was an excellent seamstress so when the woman was finished taking note of what needed to be altered, that clothing was pulled off in favor of a red silk. And then a green brocade, a yellow silk, and finally a very fine linen that was the color of a ripe peach. Mara stood on a stool while all of the frivolous madness went on around her. She’d never known anything like it.

The last dress to go on was a magnificent blue that magnified Mara’s eye color. It fit her snuggly on the torso while draping off her shoulders into sleeves that trailed to the floor. A silver ribbon cinched up the front, crisscrossing across her breasts and making her look absolutely delectable.

Lily and her maids fussed over Mara and the dress. In fact, it needed very little altering and as the women tugged here and there, fitting the garment on Mara’s shapely frame, Lilly began to talk.

“Where were you born, Lady Mara?” she asked.

Mara watched the maids work on the hemline of the gown. “Haslingden,” she replied. “It is two days ride south of Anchorsholme.”

“You have lived there your entire life?”

“Aye.”

“Where did you foster?”

Mara glanced at the woman, embarrassed to answer. “Well,” she began reluctantly, “I was sent to foster when I was seven but I did not stay long. I came home at nine years of age.”

Lily’s pretty brow furrowed. “Why so early?”

Mara sighed heavily, making a face. “I did not like it,” she said. “I lived at Rochdale Castle. Lord de Worth was an acquaintance of my father and when my father approached him to ask if my sister and I could foster in his household, he was very gracious. But we soon found out why; he was a vile old man who preferred young girls. His wife was an invalid so he did muchas he pleased without her knowledge. He tried to… well, suffice it to say that when he approached my sister, we paid a soldier to escort us home.”

Lily’s eyes were wide with shock and sadness. “How terrible,” she said sincerely. “Yet you remain a strong and noble young woman. It did not affect you overly.”

It was a kind thing to say of a shameful situation. The more Mara spent time with Lily, the more her jealousy faded and the more she came to like the woman. Truth be told, Mara had never really spent any time around women other than her sister, so her experience with friends was limited. She wasn’t quite sure how to react.

“Where… where did you foster?” she asked timidly.

“Warwick Castle,” she replied. “I went there at nine years of age and returned home at sixteen.”

Mara lifted her arms as the maids began to work on the sleeves. “Did you like it at Warwick?”

Lily nodded, supervising the maids closely on the sapphire-blue coat. “It was a very big place,” she said. “Do you know much of Warwick, my lady?”

Mara shook her head. “I do not,” she admitted.

Lily helped the maid with the hem of the sleeve as she spoke. “It used to belong to the Earls of Warwick, but the last one died several years ago,” she said, happy to share her knowledge. “It belongs to the Crown now and the castellan is Sir Augbert de Gilles. Sir Augbert and his wife, the Lady Eve, were my hosts. The Lady Eve taught me to paint. She also taught me Latin, Italian, and Portuguese.”

Mara looked at the woman, feeling utterly inadequate in the presence of such an educated lady. But Lily didn’t speak boastfully. Her delivery was easy and almost dismissive. In fact, Mara found herself quite interested in what the woman was saying.

“You can speak Italian?” she said with some awe. “I have always wanted to go to Rome. Have you been there?”

Lily shook her head. “Nay,” she replied. “But I am to be married soon. Perhaps I can convince my husband to take me there.”

Mara smiled, a genuine gesture. “If he does, perhaps… perhaps you will tell me of your travels when you return.”

Lily was thoughtful. “Perhaps I will not need to,” she said as if concocting a great plan. “Perhaps Kirk will marry you soon and you can join us. Would that not be exciting? We could be traveling companions and spend all of our husbands’ money.”

She giggled and Mara found herself giggling, too. But it occurred to her that Kirk must have told Lily about their relationship during all of that time that Lily was monopolizing his time.