Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,102

truly as horrible as her mother claimed? Or was she a selfish woman who demanded that her daughter live with her in the most foul of circumstances? Was this the reason they had taken such an interest in her, wished to know her age, where she was born, and the name of her mother?

Elizabeth had to answer questions they asked of her, though because of who they were she would never dare to demand answers from them. Olma had yet to offer any information either, but she could ask Blaise.

She would have to step cautiously while in his presence. If the man ever became aware that she had plotted his robbery, she would be tossed from the castle.If she were lucky.

She had hired those men because she knew them, almost. They were part of her mother’s clientele, and harmless enough, or so she had thought. They were to simply watch out for the man with orange hair and surprise him. They were not to beat him into unconsciousness, steal his clothing, and leave him for dead in a rain puddle.

Elizabeth sighed and shook her head. Perhaps the amount of money she had given them as payment was smaller than she had thought. “‘Tis my own fault for trusting them.” She supposed she should feel grateful they had not outright killed him in their attack, and not simply because then her plans would have been for naught. Elizabeth did not know how she would have been able to live with herself had a man’s blood been put on her hands.

Elizabeth turned away from the colourful glow rising from the east. Perhaps if she confessed…

She shook the thought away quickly. Nay. She could never tell him. To do so would risk everything she had worked hard to accomplish. She could never sell her body as her mother had, and what little she could grow behind that hut or steal from the unsuspecting travellers was not enough to ensure her survival.

Blaise Gray was known for his lonesome rides. Or, at least, Elizabeth imagined they were lonesome. Every time she had seen him he was always alone, not a knight or even a page with him. 'Twas a miracle no one had thought to rob him before. As reckless as he was, Lord knew he practically begged for trouble. Elizabeth had done him a favour. At least now he would be more aware of the dangers.

A knock sounded on the door, breaking her silence and startling her into a fearful jump. Dear Lord! What if a servant heard her speaking to herself on the other side of the door? With a trembling voice she called, “Who is there?”

“‘Tis I, Lady Elizabeth.” Olma's voice carried softly to her ears.

Elizabeth sighed. She had not lived at Graystone for long, but she knew already that Olma kept to herself and did not search for gossip as other servants did. Still, she would have to remember to keep her thoughts inside her head and not speak them out loud.

Elizabeth allowed the girl entrance, and then Olma proceeded to bustle about and dress her in the green gown she had worn her first day in the castle.

Lord Gray had promised to find her some old gowns that belonged to his mother and have them hemmed to fit her, but until then she would have to wear her green one. She hoped the other gowns would be ready soon, for she had no desire to use hers any longer than necessary. She wished to preserve it. It had, after all, been a gift from her mother.

"Olma, where is Lord Blaise?" Elizabeth asked while the girl worked on the strings of her corset.

Olma paused briefly before the tightening at her back continued. "‘e is usually with the men at the gate or tending to the mews."

"The mews? Are there not men who will do that for him?"

"Aye, but ‘e prefers to go down anyway, Lady Elizabeth."

Elizabeth's spine tingled as Olma referred to her as a lady. 'Twas not the first time she had heard it since arriving, but she never grew weary of the sound.

‘Twas what she had always dreamed. To be what she truly was, more than a peasant girl who struggled to feed herself every winter.

The delicious tingle soon vanished, replaced with a cloud of worry and fear. Though Blaise would never learn of her part in his near death, and, God willing, Lord Gray would never learn it either, Blaise’s obvious suspicion frightened her.

'Twas impossible that he could