hard-edged on the floor, but while sore, her foot was unmarked. Rubbing the spot, she peered across the rushes, eyebrows rising as she spotted a bit of shiny gold. Murie released her foot and bent to pick up the object, eyes widening at the cross on a gold chain upon which she'd stepped. She examined the item curiously. It wasn't hers, and she'd never seen Cecily wear it. She turned it over in her hand and began to bite her lip, worrying at its origin.
The click of the door opening distracted her, and Murie glanced over to see Cecily stick her head into the room. Spotting her mistress up and about, the servant smiled and entered bearing a basin of fresh water.
"Did you sleep well, my lady?"
"Aye." Murie set the cross on the table by her bed and followed the maid to where she set the water by the window.
"Did you dream of anyone?"
Murie glanced at her with surprise. She recalled talking about the St. Agnes Eve superstition with the maid the night before, but didn't remember mentioning that she'd eaten rotten meat.
"Well?" Cecily asked curiously. The maid then tilted her head, eyes narrowing. "You did, did you not?"
"Aye," Murie admitted. By now, she realized, news of what she and Lauda had done was probably all over court. After all, the woman had gotten the rotten meat from the cook, and anyone sitting near them last night had been able to hear their discussion.
"You did!" the maid squealed excitedly. "Tell me all. What does he look like? Is he handsome? Do you know him?"
"He was very handsome," Murie acknowledged, an image of the stranger's face rising up in her mind. It was a strong, handsome face, with deep brown eyes, a straight nose and the sweetest lips - Murie unconsciously raised her hand to her own mouth at the memory. Their kiss was a little fuzzy in her mind, not as clear as reality would have been, but still, she could recall the feelings that kiss had stirred and could even still taste him on her tongue. She could not smell him anymore, though, not now that she was up and about, and she suddenly wondered if the rest of it would fade as quickly. Murie hoped not; she'd never been kissed before, and it had been quite the most exciting thing she'd ever experienced. She really didn't want to forget.
Realizing that she was rubbing her upper lip with her fingers, Murie forced her hand away and began to wash, saying, "I put a cross on the table by the bed. Go look and make sure it is not yours."
The maid moved dutifully across the room and picked up the cross. "Nay, my lady. 'Tis not mine."
"I did not think so," Murie said, troubled. She briefly considered that it might belong to her dream man and that he wasn't a dream at all, but she didn't recall him wearing anything of the sort.
"Most likely one of the servants dropped it while replacing the rushes yesterday," Cecily suggested. "Or it may have been caught up in the rushes themselves."
"Oh." Murie released a breath of relief. "Aye. That must be it. Set it back on the table, and I shall ask Becker to check with the staff and find out if someone has lost it."
Cecily set the cross on the table as instructed, then walked back to her side, asking, "Did your dream man say or do anything?"
Murie's hand slowed, the damp linen washcloth pausing over her left breast. She was reluctant to answer, really wishing now that she hadn't admitted to the dream. She suddenly didn't wish to share her dream man with anyone. She wanted to remember and savor what she'd experienced, and telling others seemed to lessen the experience somehow.
Raising her head, she forced a smile and lied: "Nay. And that is all I am telling you for now. Come; help me dress. I am famished this morn and would go down to break my fast."
Cecily looked disappointed but refrained from questioning her further. After helping her mistress get ready to face the day, she followed Murie out of the room and accompanied her below. Emilie and her husband, Lord Reginald Reynard, were just leaving their room as they approached, and both smiled upon spotting Murie and her maid.
"Good morn, Murie! Are you feeling better?" Emilie asked, waiting so that they could all walk together.
"Aye, thank you for asking," Murie answered. She smiled in greeting to Lord Reynard. Handsome