Lady Thief - By Rizzo Rosko Page 0,98

for a reason and lord Gray was proof enough of that. She'd known the man for less than five minutes and she liked him already.

***

Elizabeth was taken an empty room, and as promised, a young servant girl came to help her out of her filthy rags. The tight sleeves pealed from her arms like a second skin, and Eliza’s body seemed to inhale a breath of fresh air as it was removed.

Despite the wonderful welcome and treatment, Elizabeth could hardly contain her awe at her surroundings. 'Twas no servant’s room she had been directed to. She could tell even though she had never been inside of a castle before.

The elegantly carved four poster bed, with a mattress that looked thick and soft with clean quilts was the item worth the most admiration. She could not wait until she could sleep in it. Thick rushes on the floor welcomed her feet, and painted oak furniture were proof enough that lord Gray must indeed have enjoyed their first meeting.

As she had yet to explain that she'd saved the life of lord Gray’s son, 'twas likely she’d only been shown this room because lord William assumed she truly was lord Blaise’s betrothed. She shuddered to think of what he would do when he discovered it had just been a jest on her part.

Eliza wanted to bathe, but with how quickly her gown had been thrown on her, and the promise of meeting the lady of the castle in mere minutes, she didn't dare ask for one. ‘Twould be too presumptuous and take far too long.

“Ye seem out of sorts, milady.” The girl said while her fingers worked on the many buttons and laces.

Elizabeth scratched her arm under the tight sleeves; dirty skin itched beneath the fine fabric, driving her mad. Though she had scrubbed her face with an old rag before setting off with Blaise, her body protested any further movement before washing. “Could we perhaps take another moment for me to wash?”

The servant girl’s face widened, as though she hadn’t thought of it. She turned her head to the empty basin where water should have been, and bobbed an apologetic curtsy.

“Forgive me, milady. I ‘ad not realized water ‘ad not been brought in.” The girl promptly scurried out of the room like a frightened bird. Elizabeth stood confused when alone. How long would she take? Would Elizabeth still be in time to be introduced to lady Gray?

Those thoughts barely left her head before the girl rushed back inside with a pitcher in her hands. She poured the water into the basin that sat on the table, and Elizabeth sighed and surged forward like a starved man towards food.

She splashed her face and rubbed her neck with the cool liquid while the girl behind her worked on loosening her gown so that she might scrub her arms. She washed until the water turned brown with the mud from her hair, face, and arms. The servant girl swiftly carried off the soiled water and brought fresh water to her so that she might finish cleaning herself.

Ah, what would she have done without the swift little bird behind her? Elizabeth did not care that the water splashed against her gown as long as it was only in small drops, just so long as she emerged a clean lady.

She scrubbed everywhere she could without entirely removing the only fine bit of clothing she owned, even scraping the dirt out from under her fingernails.

Her skin felt lighter, not tight with drying mud, and while her hair was again soaking limp because of when she put her entire head in the basin, she still felt clean and refreshed. She heaved a happy sigh and addressed the girl trying to dry her hair without wrinkling her gown. "I think I am ready now. What is your name, girl?"

"Olma, milady," she said, leaving her hair so that she might return to helping Elizabeth back into her gown. "Shall I send that one for washing?" She asked, indicating the filthy gown with a jerk of her head.

Elizabeth looked at it and winkled her nose. "Nay, I shall never wear it again after tonight."

***

Elizabeth was led to the solar where Blaise intended to explain to his father that he was not betrothed to the woman he brought home with him. While she did not look forward to the embarrassing encounter, she delighted when all eyes in the room focused on her.

Blaise's especially. No longer wearing the shoddy blanket she presented him with