The Traitor's Daughter (Complete)

Part 7-Closer!

 Morning found her dressed and ready before eight. She had been up before sunrise, not intending to be late on her first day at work. The seamstress had been to see her and had brought a number of dresses, of fine material and suitable for a noble lady. Had Luke guessed that she was one, and not quite the plebeian she made herself out to be?

After a breakfast of porridge in the kitchen with the other staff, she made her way to the study, this time finding it by herself. He was already there, and Zena felt her face burning as she remembered the events of the previous night. It was a relief though, that he was cool and businesslike that morning, as if last night had never happened. How could he act so distanced? Did he not feel anything? These thoughts raced through her mind, and she shook her head slightly as if by doing that she could shake off her thoughts.

Luke led her to another, smaller room, attached to the study and handed her a couple of account books.

"Are you sure, you'll be able to do them?" he asked.

She nodded, taking the books from him. She had kept the accounts in her father's household too, so it was nothing new for her, but she guessed, it would be on a much larger scale since it was such a big estate.

Once he had left, she sat down at the wooden desk and opened one of the books. Soon, she was engrossed in following the method they used for bookkeeping.

"Did you find anything, Dave?" Luke asked his man.

They were riding over the extensive grounds of the manor. The war with Valeria was almost over, but the news had reached them that there could be trouble in the Blackwood Forest region which bordered Valeria. It was one of the most sensitive districts of the principality, and so he had decided to visit the Blackwood Manor. His sojourn here was strictly low-key, not giving it out to the world. His men were everywhere, smelling out the traitors and troublemakers in the area.

"Our men have been patrolling the borders, sire. They have been checking in the village too, but haven't found anything suspicious, though there are a couple of leads."

"I didn't mean that, Dave," he said impatiently. "Did you find anything about the girl?"

He had been getting bored here in the neck of the woods when she had arrived as a welcome distraction. But he hated mysteries, and she was one. He wouldn't rest till he solved it.

Dave shook his head.

"No one in the village seems to know her. My men are on it, sire. We'll find out something soon enough."

"See that you come to me straight away if you find anything," he ordered, before spurring his horse deeper into the woodland.

It was eventide when Zena raised her head from the books and gazed out of the small window in the back room. One could see a part of the grounds from here too. A couple of riders were making their way back towards the manor. Even from a distance, she could make out that Luke was one of them. He sat gracefully on his white stallion, man and beast seeming to be a part of each other as they moved in unison. Both looked regal and so sure of themselves. He really was the most handsome man she had ever seen, Zena mused, then chided herself mentally for even thinking along those lines. She was here strictly to keep herself safe, and maybe, get an audience with the Prince. Given the chance, she would kneel at his majesty's feet and plead her innocence as well as that of her father.

Zena was anxious for her father too. She knew that Lord Martin could never have done any of those wile things which he had been accused of. Nor would he have escaped as a coward. Her intuition said that he was in some great trouble. Only the Prince could help her in finding her father.

She sighed a deep breath, expressing her helplessness. Every day was precious, and time was running out. Luke was the only one who could help her in her quest.

She closed the books and put them in the drawer for safekeeping, then made her way out of there. She was hungry and her back ached from bending over all day. She wasn't quite looking where she was going, and walked straight into someone, colliding with a hard chest.

It was Luke. He steadied her with a hand on her arm. She looked up at him, a word of thanks on her lips, and he could see the tiredness on her face.

"I didn't mean for you to work all day, Zena. That way you'll soon get dark circles around your beautiful eyes," he whispered in her ear.

At that precise moment, her stomach rumbled embarrassingly.

"What's this? Did you not take a break for luncheon?" he asked, displeasure on his face.

She shook her head, and his scowl deepened.

"Come with me," he caught her by the hand, pulling her after him. "We'll get something into you first."

They went to a room that she hadn't hitherto seen. It was a large dining room, with a long table and about a dozen chairs around it. Tapestries hung on the walls and there was a polished wooden sideboard with numerous covered silver dishes on it. Dainty china was laid out on the table, with clever flower arrangements in the middle.

A servant stepped forward when they entered, and hurriedly removed the covers from the dishes. It was clear that evening tea was served in great style in Blackwood Manor.

"There, help yourself," Luke told her when they were seated.

Zena looked at the veritable feast in front of her, selecting scones with preserves and small teacakes, as well as meat pies.

"You're very kind, my lord," she told Luke, as they sat eating and sipping the freshly brewed tea.

He nodded acknowledgment, then looked her over.

"I see that the seamstress has been to visit you," he commented, approval in his tone as he saw her new dress.

"I didn't need so many dresses, and such fine ones too," she protested.

"Then you're the first woman I know who doesn't. I have mostly seen them complain that they have too few," he said with a chuckle.

"Oh, have you known many?" she blurted out, then colored.

"Now, that would be telling. Any middle-aged matriarch of the social set would tell you that I have known too many for my own good," he laughed, and she colored some more.

"I'm sorry, my lord," she said.

He covered her hand with his own and looked into her eyes.

"I can assure you, my dear, that you're one of the prettiest women I have known. Wouldn't you like us to know each other better?" he whispered in a low, suggestive voice.