Forbidden: Claude (Second in Command #2)(11)

“He said you don’t act like any servant he’s ever known.”

She put down the cup, almost spilling the mead in the process. She needed to be more careful with her disguise. “What else did he say about me?”

“He said if you want to know anything about him that you should ask him instead of asking me.”

“He did, did he?” She used the spoon and scooped up a cooked piece of carrot, gently placing it into her mouth and then using the scrap of cloth to wipe her lips afterward.

“Just like that,” said Felix, nodding to the cloth.

“Like what?” she asked, neatly folding the cloth into a square and slipping it back into her pocket.

“He has never seen a servant use a cloth to wipe her mouth. He also said you are too dainty to be of peasant stock. And you smell like rosewater, and your hair is clean and smells like fresh air.”

“I smell like rosewater?” Her heart skipped a beat. Sir Claude noticed that she’d used a small dab of Lady Rose’s rosewater. She liked that he was so observant, but it frightened her at the same time. He was going to figure out her secret. Being from France, he could send a missive back to her father. If so, before she knew it, she’d be marrying the awful Lord Onfroi. She needed to be more careful around this French knight.

When the meal ended, there were games for the children to help celebrate the birthdays of Harry and Charlotte. Evelina went to help the children, hoping someday she would have children of her own.

The children played several games, and the last one had to do with balancing eggs on spoons as they hurried across the great hall, walking around a few obstacles and then back again. The minstrels in the gallery overhead played music. When the music stopped, they had to run back to the start with their egg, hoping not to drop and break it.

“It’s your turn, Harry,” said Evelina, helping the little boy balance his egg on a spoon. “You need to beat Charlotte if you want to win the race.”

“Charlotte, let me help you with that,” said Claude, making his way down the dais to help his sister.

“I don’t need help, Claude,” Charlotte told him. “I’m eight now and old enough to play the game by myself.”

“Hello, Evelina,” said Claude, looking straight ahead instead of at her when he spoke.

“Hello,” she said, looking down at Harry.

“Did my squire give you the message?”

“What message?” she asked, pretending not to know. It would be better if he didn’t realize she had been talking about him.

“Didn’t he tell you? If you want to know anything about me you are to ask me directly, not go through him.”

“There is nothing about you I have the desire to know.”

The music started up, and Evelina urged Harry forward. “Go on, quickly,” she told him, clapping her hands together. “But not too quickly or you will drop the egg.”

“Hurry, Charlotte.” Claude put his hands to his mouth to call out to his sister. “You need to beat Harry. Show him that the de Bars are not losers.”

“De Bars?” Evelina stood up so quickly at hearing him say that name that she lost her balance and almost fell. He grabbed her by the elbow and steadied her.

“Careful,” he told her. “You might hurt yourself.”

She, along with everyone in France knew about the old man, Lord Pierpont de Bar who had watched his wife burn at the stake because she was accused of being a witch. Hadn’t the squire said something about Claude’s grandmother burning at the stake? It was also said that the de Bar family was cursed and some of the relatives were witches. Could he be part of this family? “Why did you say de Bar?”

“I said Montague,” he told her.

“Nay, you didn’t. I distinctly heard you say de Bar. Are you a de Bar or aren’t you?”

“I told you, I am Sir Claude Jean Montague, but thank you for asking.”

“That’s a lie,” she said under her breath.

“What was that?” asked Claude.

“I said that’s a tie. It looks like the race is going to be a tie.”

“That’s not what you said.”

“Of course, it is.” She looked directly at him and smiled.

The crowd cheered for the children as the music stopped. Charlotte and Harry both ran back to the start, somehow managing to keep the eggs balanced on the spoons. Harry crossed the line at the same time as Charlotte.

“You won, Charlotte! Congratulations, Sister.” Claude scooped her up, causing her egg to drop to the ground and break. “You should be proud to be a Montague.” He looked at Evelina as he said it.

“Harry crossed the line at the same time as Charlotte. Just like I told you, the race was a tie.” Evelina picked the boy up in her arms and held him to her chest.

“My brother said I won,” shouted Charlotte.

“Nay, I won.” Harry looked like he was about to cry.

“It’s all right, Harry. Better luck next time.” Claude reached out and ruffled the little boy’s hair. Harry opened his mouth and let out a wail.

“Harry doesn’t like anyone ruffling his hair,” Evelina told Claude.

“It’s just my way of showing affection,” said Claude. “There is no harm done.”