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dried. It was simply a long rectangle of gray cloth, with a circle cut out in the center for her
head to slip through. Wrapped around her sides and belted, it sufficed, though typically it fell
short on her. But she was naked underneath, and felt naked underneath. The only reason
she didn't balk at wearing a garment without sewn side seams was that she was going
straight to her chamber.
But Kristen was not going straight to her chamber as she had supposed. Upstairs, Eda
pushed her past her door near the stairs and did not stop until the end of the corridor was
reached, where the lord's chamber was. Kristen backed away warily.
"Why?" she demanded as Eda knocked on the door.
Eda did not bother to look at her, but Kristen saw her shrug. "I do what I am told. The
reasons are not explained to me."
"He said he wanted to see me?"
"He told me to bring you here. And here you are."
Eda opened the door and waited for Kristen to enter. Kristen hesitated, but only for a
moment. She was not afraid, but she couldn't think of a reason why she would be brought
here at night. If Royce wanted to question her again, he would have done so during the day,
wouldn't he?
She stepped into the room, habit making her take small steps, even though Eda had not put
her shackles back on after the bath. As the last time she was brought here after her bath,
Eda carried the shackles, and as the last time, she placed them on Royce's table and then
left the room, closing the door behind her.
He stood by one of the open windows in front of her, facing her. She was familiar with this
room now, so did not glance about it, but looked directly at Royce, waiting to learn what she
was doing here. She felt self-conscious in the robe now. She should have balked at wearing
it. If the belt loosened, she would be rendered practically naked. That was no way to appear
in the presence of this man. A few days ago she might have considered such a tactic to
break his control, but now she wasn't sure she still wanted him. No, that wasn't true. She still
wanted him. What she wasn't sure of was if it was such a good idea to get what she wanted.
"It has come to my attention that the clothes given to you do not fit you very well."
This was the last thing Kristen expected to hear him say. That he was thinking of her clothes,
when she had just been thinking of her clothes, gave her an impulse to giggle. She
restrained herself.
"Did you only just notice?"
Royce frowned at her sarcasm. "There is a gown on my bed. See if it fits you."
"You want me to try it on now?"
"Aye."
"Do you leave, or will you stay to watch?"
Royce tensed at her taunting question. Of course she would not care if he watched or not.
She was no doubt immune to having men see her naked. He felt his temper rising, and
could not seem to stop it.
His tone was caustic when he replied. "I have no wish to see you disrobe, wench. I will give
you my back until you have the gown on."
Coward,
she said to herself. To him she retorted, "How very noble of you."
Kristen turned toward the bed to get the gown, but took only one step, then stopped abruptly.
The green velvet was spread out on the bed so she could see it clearly, including the pearl
border. But even if it wasn't, she would have recognized the material of this particular gown.
It was her favorite, for her mother had made it for her, and her mother hated to sew, which
was why the gown was so special to Kristen. Brenna had spent many long hours on it last
year to give it to her daughter for the winter solstice feast.
"What are you waiting for?"
Kristen glanced over her shoulder at him to see that he had not turned his back on her, but
had been watching her. She felt a trap as surely as if the hidden door had already sprung
open. There could be only one reason he would want to see her in that gown. He thought it
was hers. And no gown like that would belong to a whore. He must be thinking just that.
She had every right to be suspicious of his motives. She would be a fool to hide the fact that
she knew what he was about. It was too obvious.
She decided to attack. "What does this mean?"
"What does what mean?"
She faced him, her eyes narrowing at his deliberate evasiveness. "Why would you want me
to try on such a gown, milord?"
"I told you why."
"Aye, to see if it fits me. And if it does, will you give it to me? I think not. So what is the
purpose?"
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