Page 54 of The Tempest
He shrugged. “I believe ye,” he said. “But speaking of obligation, we have one more tae accomplish together.”
He pointed to the ceiling, meaning the floor above where the bedrooms were. Astria knew exactly what he meant, and her belly was suddenly filled with quivering butterflies. She hadn’t thought about it all day, but now that the moment was upon them, she realized that she was quite nervous about it. Without another word, she simply headed up the stairs.
Fighting off a grin, Payne followed.
The bedchamber was clean, smelling of the vinegar that had been used to scrub the floor, but it also smelled of mint from the linens. Payne took one look at the very neat and clean bed and nearly stumbled through the door, so great was his surprise.
“This doesna look like my bed,” he said. “Did ye steal this from someone?”
Astria couldn’t help but chuckle. “You mean from someone who does not like to sleep in a pigpen?”
“Aye, that someone.”
“Nay, I did not,” she said. “I had a great deal of help from Lady Munro and Lady de Reyne. They helped me clean it and restuff it. It is now fit for an earl and countess to sleep upon.”
He was both pleased and awed. “It most certainly is,” he agreed. “I keep saying well done, but truly, what ye’ve done today is remarkable. Ye’re a bright lass when ye put yer mind tae it.”
Astria went to sit on one of the two little stools she’d put in the chamber. “The coverlet belongs to Lady de Reyne and I am certain she would like it back, so mayhap we can purchase fabric for a new one when we commission the building of a bed,” she said, pulling off one of her shoes. “I do know how to sew. That is one thing I learned because all proper young women learn that skill.”
He saw the other stool and, pleased, went to sit on it himself. He tested it with his weight, approving of the fact that it didn’t crack or groan, before lifting a leg to remove his boot.
“Ye see?” he said. “Ye have proper wifely skills if one wishes tae live simply. Sewing is very important if I want my wife tae make me new clothing.”
She smiled faintly, pulling off the other slipper. “Speaking of wifely skills…” she said, lifting her head to look at him. Her cheeks were already turning shades of red. “You are aware that I do not have any.”
She was indicating the bed, referring to what they would soon be doing. He put one boot aside and began to casually remove the other.
“It doesna matter tae me,” he said. “That only means I can teach ye so that ye can enjoy it this time.”
Astria’s face was turning redder by the moment. “It wasnotenjoyable,” she said. “It was humiliating.”
“This willna be humiliating.”
“How would you know that?” she said. “Also, I am coming to understand that you have done this before.”
“I have.”
“Many times?”
“Enough so that I know what I’m supposed tae do.”
She paused for a moment. “Are you always so honest about everything?”
“Does it bother ye that I am?”
She had to think about that. “Nay,” she said. “I would rather have complete honesty than secrets. Secrets can be deadly.”
“That is true,” he said, putting his boot against the wall with the other one and standing up to remove his clothing. “Secrets can kill many things. They can kill men. They can kill trust. And I dunna wish tae kill anything between us, so I will keep it alive the only way I know how—by telling ye the truth.”
She cocked her head thoughtfully, watching him undress. “Have you ever been in love?”
He pulled his tunic over his head. “There were times when I thought I was,” he admitted. “Men and women are sometimes stupid that way. Confusing love for just a passing fancy.”
“Is that what you did?”
He nodded. “I think so,” he said. “There’s no one lingering in my heart or mind. And ye?”
She shook her head. “There is no one now,” she said. “When I was very young, barely a woman, I thought I was in love with a knight who served my father. He had a wife and children and was at least twice my age, but that did not matter to me. I thought he was remarkable.”
