Karina waited as Geoffrey brought the horses over, although she tried her best to remain aloof. What was wrong with her? This was not how the mistress of a household was supposed to act. She was fully aware of his disability, yet she couldn’t help but admire his fine, muscular physique — a physique that was impossible to hide even underneath the shapeless tunic. Unable to help it, a flush bloomed on her cheeks. How was it possible that she, a grown woman, was acting like a shy country maiden who had just come upon an attractive stranger?
“Thank you, Geoffrey,” she said, taking the reins from his hands. Their fingers brushed accidentally, and she startled at the touch. She looked quickly at Geoffrey, but his attention was focused on steadying the horse. Was he not aware of the shock of energy that passed between them?
Silly, she was being silly, Karina chided herself. She took a step back, suddenly conscious of how tall he was.
Alays emerged from inside the house. She carried two sacks with her and tied them on one of the horses. “Are you ready to leave for Baltroham, ma dame?” she asked.
“Baltroham?” Geoffrey said, interest sparking in his eyes.
Karina gripped at the reins. “Alays is accompanying me to the king’s palace.”
“Will you be selling your wares there?” he asked.
“I hope to,” she said, and gestured to the sacks. “I plan to speak with the royal chandler, and perhaps convince him to buy a few dozen of my scented candles.”
“Perhaps you would like me to accompany you?”
She shook her head. That was a bad idea. “The distance is not too far, and the road is safe. I don’t anticipate that we should be very long.” She was about to climb on her horse when she felt his strong hands settle on her hips. With an ease that surprised her, he lifted her up on the horse. The next thing she knew, she was looking down at him from a new height. He regarded her patiently, waiting for her to continue. Grabbing the reins, she clutched them to her chest. “’Tis best that you stay here — in case Master Warin and his eldest son return.”
“Another time, then.” Geoffrey’s lips tightened into a smile and he bowed his head slightly.
Karina felt a rush of relief when she saw that he wasn’t going to argue with her. “Aye, another time. We best be going.”
Then without waiting for his reply, she spurred her horse onward. She wanted and needed to get far away from him, and the uncomfortable feeling that he awakened within her breast. When she was satisfied that she covered enough distance, she slowed her horse and waited for Alays to catch up to her.
Her attention turned to Warin again. The man would continue to harass her until her business was run to the ground. Her shoulders slumped at the thought. It wasn’t fair. When her husband had lost their guild membership, she thought that they were ruined, that all the years that they put into making candles were wasted. But somehow they managed to survive. In fact getting kicked out of the brotherhood was a blessing in disguise. And now that Aldous was dead, and she had taken over the business, she was not tied to their rules and regulations. But conversely, she knew that she was on her own.
“You have a good heart, ma dame,” Alays said, cutting into her thoughts. “However I blame your late husband for making it so difficult for us to find a new stable master. Now we’re reduced to taking on the first man that comes to our door.”
“Geoffrey will work out fine,” Karina said. But then she gave a cynical twist to her lips. “Still you’re right about Aldous; he’s responsible for all this. The town spurned us while he was alive, and even though he’s been dead these past five years, people still avoid us.”
“I know,” Alays said softly. “But it wasn’t always like this, I remember.” Even though Alays was only a servant, she also felt the sting of rejection. The older woman looked off to the distance as if she recalled better times.
Karina fell silent. It was true. When Aldous was a part of the guild, the members had received them with open arms. Admittedly living with her husband was hellish, but there were moments when things weren’t so bad, moments that she shared with her best friend Beatrice. As the visage of her good friend floated in front of her, her throat constricted, and a burning sensation filled her eyes.
“I wish that Beatrice was still here,” she said, giving a sorrowful sigh. “She would have had much to say about the townspeople.”
Alays made a sympathetic sound in her throat. “She died too young, that one.” Reaching over, she squeezed Karina’s arm. “Remember, she’s in a better place now.”
She gave her servant a tremulous smile. Beatrice had died painfully while giving birth to her first child. Karina’s parents were dead too. Indeed, everyone significant in her life was gone except for Alays.
“Don’t think too much about the past, ma dame,” Alays said. “All will be well, and your candles will sell more. It won’t be too long —”
“Aye, I know. It won’t be too long before King Edward discovers my candles.” She smiled bravely. “You’ve told me this many times, Alays. I just wish that Master Warin would leave me alone.”
The guild master, she knew, had more wealth than anyone in town and lived like a lord. His authority was as large as his girth. And now he would use his weight to make her life difficult…
“Perhaps you can change your profession, ma dame,” Alays suggested, tilting her face toward her. “If you no longer make candles, Master Warin will likely stop harassing you. I know you have good sense and knowledge on how to run a proper business. And I would think ‘twould be easier for you to succeed in some other craft.”
“Nay,” she said, smiling affectionately at Alays’ naivety. “’Tis impossible to move into another profession. It takes more than ten years of apprenticeship under a master craftsman before a person is even ready to set up a shop. I’m twenty-five years old, and a woman — both barriers that will prevent me from finding success in any new venture.”
“Oh,” Alays’ face fell. “I thought that I had found the perfect solution to our troubles,” she sighed. “’Tis so much easier to be born a man,” she observed.
Karina laughed, although a slight bitter edge entered into it. “You’re right about that. But our mothers have endured before us, and we will endure now.” She reached over and absently ran a hand down the horse’s mane. “But I expect to do more than just persist, Alays. And to do that, I need figure out a way to succeed in spite of Aldous and Master Warin.”
“I know that you will find a way, ma dame,” Alays gave an encouraging smile. “Hopefully our luck will turn, and the royal chandler will see us today.”
“Hopefully,” Karina agreed. The horses continued to plod along on the dirt road. Just beyond the trees, she knew that Baltroham Palace stood there atop a rocky hill. Placing the reins on her lap, she ran her sweaty palms along the skirt of her gown. “If lady fortune favors us today, the royal chandler will meet with us, and will buy all the candles that we’ve brought.”