An Uncertain Choice(16)

Small token? I stared at the glittering jewels, the intricate and gilded pattern of silverwork. Perhaps it was small in size, but it was in no way a small token. It was beautiful and extravagant. “Sir, I cannot take this —?”

“Consider it my bouquet to you.” He folded my fingers around the pin. “Perhaps it’s not as colorful as what you’ve already been given, but a flower nonetheless.”

He stood and only then did I notice the fine linen of his apparel, the wide gold belt at his waist, and the jewel-encrusted mantel across his shoulders. Everything about his clothing spoke of riches. Although I’d inherited a great deal of land and wealth from my parents, he apparently had much more to his title, enough to give away diamond pins as one would flowers.

“Whether or not you choose me as your true love, I want you to have the pin always. At the very least, it will help you remember this month and the great fun we are about to have.”

I hesitated.

“You’ll have to get used to lavish praise and lavish gifts, my lady.” He gave me a smile of encouragement. “What is chivalry and romance without it?”

“I’m finding it a bit difficult to adjust to,” I admitted, fingering the diamonds. After having two meetings with my suitors in short succession, I hoped I was reacting appropriately.

“Then I shall make it my goal to help you adjust.” He winked. “Perhaps I shall resort to giving you a new jewel every day until you’re accustomed to the lavishness?”

“’Tis often the rarity that makes something so precious, wouldn’t you say? If I were to have such extravagance daily, then I might begin to think the jewels and the praise are ordinary rather than treasure them as I do.”

“You are wise, my lady.” Admiration shone in his eyes.

Was he the one who had stopped the public torture yesterday? I tilted my head and studied him. He was certainly carefree enough to attempt the deed.

“I guess I’ll have to restrain myself around you,” he said in a low voice. “I wouldn’t want you to think me or my gifts ordinary.”

A call from the stables demanded his attention, and with another grin, he bounded away. Lost in a dizzying cloud of emotions, I wandered toward the back of the keep admiring both the flowers and the diamond pin. I had to admit that my anticipation of the next month was growing.

When I reached the far side of the keep and the entryway that led down into the kitchen, I stopped short. There by the door stood a ragged group of beggar children waiting patiently while Sir Derrick handed out slices of bread and Cook ladled soup into their tin cups. At the sight of me, the children gasped and elbowed one another, until finally one of the youth remembered to kneel, as was the custom. Once the older children began to pay their respect to me, the littlest ones followed suit.

“Children.” I smiled and started toward them, recognizing many of their faces. They were from among the poorest of the poor in my land, many having parents who had died or fallen prey to the Plague. Some of the children supported younger siblings. Others were homeless.

I mingled among them, touching a cheek here or patting a head there, bestowing a smile upon each one. As I did, my back warmed under Sir Derrick’s watchful eyes as he followed my every move.

When I finally turned from the children to face Cook, my gaze collided with Sir Derrick’s. Although he didn’t offer a smile, there was something in his expression that said he was pleased with my kindness to the little ones.

I didn’t say anything to him, but I hoped he could read my approval for his own kindness. Rather I spoke to Cook. “I thought they would be given extra this morning out of the plenty from the Midsummer’s Eve feast.”


“’Twere all given away last eve, my lady,” Cook replied. “Every last crumb from every last plate.”

“I thought you would save some for the children. You have in the past.” I didn’t mean to rebuke my faithful cook, who always went above and beyond to oblige my grand plans for feeding the masses, but I couldn’t keep the disappointment from my tone.

Cook glanced sideways at Sir Derrick and then lowered his voice. “We didn’t have as much left as we usually do, my lady.” He turned to check on a great kettle of soup.

“I see.” I certainly couldn’t begrudge my honored guests and their servants the feasting they deserved. But I could only imagine how disappointed the children were this noon to come for their usual bread and soup, expecting to also receive out of the bounty of the leftovers from last evening’s feast only to be sent away without any extra.

Sir Derrick gave a thick slice of bread to an urchin with a bare head and feet, whose face was thin and dirty. Then he paused in his work. “My lady, let the children have the food that was intended for my noon meal.”

The wafting scent of onion and garlic rose from the steaming pot as Cook stirred the floating chunks of carrots and turnips and bits of wild goose. My stomach growled in response. After a morning working in the castle gardens, my appetite was hearty. But I was sure it couldn’t compare to the appetite Sir Derrick had gained on his hunting expedition earlier.

“I wouldn’t think of asking you to go without a meal,” I started.

“You’re not asking, my lady,” Sir Derrick interrupted as he placed bread into the hands of the next child. “I’m offering. After last night’s overindulgence, the sacrifice won’t hurt my body in the least. And if it would help these children and make them happy . . .”