Page 15 of The Silent Songbird

“Eva?”

She felt a slight touch to her shoulder and jerked the blanket off her face. Westley was standing beside her.

“Why were you so afraid of those men?”

His brows were drawn together, and his gaze delved into hers.

She simply shook her head.

“Is someone looking for you?”

Evangeline could no longer look him in the eye. She had to tell him the lie, or he might tell them they could not travel with him and his group. She did not know much about the world, but she did know that people did not take it lightly when a villein ran away from his or her lord. A villein would be severely punished for running away. So she shook her head no.

Someone cleared their throat behind Westley. He stepped aside, revealing Muriel standing there.

“Do you need something?” Muriel glowered at him.

“Only inquiring after Eva.”

Evangeline frowned at Muriel and gave a slight shake of her head.You’re not under the king’s protection anymore, Muriel.They had to pretend to be humble and respectful. After all, they were supposed to be poor servants.

Westley gave Evangeline a questioning but kind look, then he left.

Evangeline scowled at Muriel, who huddled with her under the blanket.

“I don’t want that man getting too close to you.”

Evangeline dared to whisper back, “Why?”

“We don’t want him discovering your secrets.”

Westley had been nothing but gracious. And he had risked hislife to save a little girl. But if Evangeline knew Muriel, the reason she didn’t want him getting too close to her was due to his status as a peasant.

Evangeline and Muriel walked until dark, slept on the ground again, then walked all the next day. Evangeline had never walked so much in her entire life. By the time they reached Glynval, it was dark and they were all weary and footsore.

She and Muriel were taken inside the bottom floor of a building where beds were lined up and nearly all occupied. A servant showed them two empty beds against the wall. Evangeline did not even take the time to get undressed but lay down and fell instantly to sleep.

She awoke to find herself in a large rectangular room. Light streamed in through the small windows. Several rows of beds, now empty, met her curious glance around the room.

“Are you finally awake?” Muriel bustled toward her. “Get up and get ready. Mistress Alice is deciding where we shall work today.”

Evangeline sat up and rubbed her face.

“Most of the servant girls have gone out to the fields to cut the wheat. Here is your breakfast.” Muriel handed her a cloth bundle.

Evangeline unwrapped it and found a bread roll and a piece of cheese. She ate it quickly. Since she had slept in her overdress, she was ready to go as soon as she put on her shoes.

The bright sunlight made her blink as she emerged into a large courtyard of green grass. A young woman was slapping the ground with a stick to keep a gaggle of geese from straying, and a young man was leading a flock of sheep through a gate into a pasture. A wooden platform stood in the middle of the courtyard with a pillory, where a person’s head and hands would be imprisoned between two woodenboards for punishment. The steward occasionally used the pillory at Berkhamsted Castle to punish a servant for thievery.

A young woman was operating a windlass at a covered well. Muriel led her toward it. “Can she have a dipper of water?” Muriel said to the maiden raising the bucket.

“Who is this?” The maiden stared at Evangeline’s face, then looked her over from head to toe.

At Berkhamsted Castle, if a servant had spoken to Muriel that way, she would have given her quite the tongue-lashing. She squeezed Muriel’s arm.Please remember we are peasants now.Evangeline held her breath.

“And who are you?” Muriel leaned toward the girl, her hands on her hips.

“I am the girl with the bucket.” She smirked.