tongue stroking the warmth of her skin. She moaned softly as his teeth grazed her throat.
"Sleep, little one," he murmured. "You have nothing to fear. It's only a dream..."
In the morning, Rhianna woke feeling hungry and oddly lethargic after a good night's sleep. Recalling that she had missed supper, she decided that accounted for her hunger as well as her lassitude.
Sitting up, she felt faintly dizzy. "Too much sleep and not enough food," she muttered as she slid her legs over the edge of the bed and stood up.
She looked at the bellpull, hesitant to summon Bevins, wondering if she would ever get used to the idea of having someone ready to fulfill her every desire.
"No time like the present to start getting used to it," she reasoned, and tugged on the cord.
Minutes later, Bevins knocked on the door.
"Come in."
"Good morning, miss." His gaze moved over her, and Rhianna thought she saw a look of pity in his eyes, but it was quickly gone, and she decided she had been mistaken.
"Could I... that is, I'd like a bath, please."
"Right away, miss. The water is heating." He left the room, only to reappear a moment later, a tray in his hands. "I thought you might like to take breakfast in your room this morning."
"Why, yes, I would, thank you."
"Is there anything else, miss?"
Rhianna shook her head, wondering if he was some kind of mind reader.
"Your bath will be ready shortly, miss."
"Thank you, Bevins." She paused, frowning. "How did you get in here?"
"Through the door, of course."
"But I... It was locked, wasn't it?" She glanced at the door. "I'm certain I locked it last night."
"You must be mistaken."
Rhianna shook her head. "No, I'm sure it was locked when I went to bed."
"Will there be anything else, miss?"
"No, thank you."
Feeling somewhat dazed, Rhianna carried the tray to bed. She'd been tired last night. Maybe she hadn't locked the door. With a shake of her head, she put the thought from her mind.
Making herself comfortable, she ate a leisurely breakfast, took a long soak in the tub, then spent an hour trying on her new clothes, wishing there was a mirror in the house so she could see how she looked.
Later that day, she asked Bevins if he would find one for her.
"I'm sorry, miss," Bevins said, his expression impassive, "his lordship refuses to have them in the house."
Rhianna frowned. "But why?"
"I'm sorry, miss. I'm afraid that's something you must discuss with Lord Rayven."
"How can I, when I never see him?"
"I am sorry, miss. Is there anything else I can do for you?"
"Lord Rayven said you would teach me to play the pianoforte and to read."
"I should be pleased to help you, miss."
Rhianna smiled at him. "Thank you, Bevins. I should like to begin this afternoon, if you don't mind."
"It will be my pleasure, miss. Shall we meet in the library at three?"
In the weeks that followed, Rhianna's days fell into a pleasant routine.
She spent her mornings wandering about the grounds when the weather permitted; if it was raining, she struggled with a bit of fine needlework. Like all girls, she had learned early how to sew a seam or mend a tear, but she'd never had the time to sit and do what her mother called "fancy work."
She ate a late dinner, took a nap, and then spent the rest of the afternoon under Bevins's tutelage. He taught her to play the pianoforte; he taught her to read, and to write. She almost squealed with delight the first time she wrote her name without any help. Rhianna McLeod. Miss Rhianna McLeod. R. McLeod.
She wrote it over and over again, thinking how grand it looked, how wonderful it was to be able to write her own name. After supper, she spent a quiet hour going over her lessons, and then she retired for the night.
One evening before going to bed, she told Bevins she wished she could plant a garden; the next day, she found a variety of seeds and seedlings on a bench in the side yard.
As the days passed, she came to realize that Bevins was quite a remarkable man. There were no other servants in the castle. Bevins was cook, butler, valet, and housekeeper, all rolled into one. In addition, he did the shopping and the laundry, looked after the grounds, and tended the horses.
He never intruded on her privacy, yet he was always there when needed. Truly, a most amazing man, she mused.
She had been at the castle several weeks