Read Daughters of the Dagger 04 - Amethyst for Free Online Page B

leaving the room and then back again.
    “Oh, nothing I can’t handle,” she told him, pushing up from the table, feeling the emptiness of her stomach, and just eyeing the hounds finishing off the last of her meal. “But you were right when you said Lord Marcus will treat his hounds better than me.”
    Her uncle looked down to the dogs, suddenly understanding what just happened. He motioned for a kitchen servant with a tray in her hand to join them, and when she did, he took a hunk of brown bread as well as an apple from the tray and handed it to her.
    “Here, eat this as we walk,” he told her, “but we need to hurry. Lord Montclair doesn’t take kindly to anyone showing up late for his meetings.”
    “I’m sure there is nothing that man takes kindly to,” she said, taking a bite of the bread and hurrying out the door after her uncle.
     
    Marcus paced back and forth in his solar, as everyone was present for the meeting except for his master mason and the man’s niece. And he didn’t tolerate anyone being late. He knew he’d been a bit harsh with Amethyst, but he couldn’t help it. After she made that comment about him probably making his mother sit below the salt, he’d gone crazy.
    He wondered how she knew that he ha d actually done that, years ago. It was the worse night of his life. He told himself it didn’t matter anymore, but he knew that it really did, as because of his actions, his mother was now dead. That was years ago, and when he was much younger. It was a time that he wanted to forget, but yet it haunted him still. That was the day that changed his life forever. It was also the day that he turned into a cold-hearted bastard, just like his father.
    “I apologize for the delay, my lord,” said Clement, hurrying into the room, with Amethyst right behind him. She was holding something, but he couldn’t see from across the room just what it was.
    “You know I don’t tolerate anyone being late,” he reminded him, then looked over to Amethyst. “I knew the girl was going to be a distraction. Now bring your plans up here and tell me … have you found a better way to fortify the castle or not?”
    “I have.” He stopped and looked over to Amethyst. “I mean … we have, my lord.”
    “We? Master Mason, I find it admirable that you are valiantly trying to include your niece, but I assure you it isn’t necessary. I will find something suitable for her to do on the morrow. There are baskets to weave and wheelbarrows to clean. Now bring the plans up here and let’s see what you’ve come up with.”
    He motion ed for everyone to come forward as he took the parchment from Clement and unrolled it atop the table. His workers were gathered around as he looked at it, but from behind him he could hear the obnoxious sound of crunching that was rattling his nerves as well as his brain. He turned his head slowly, already knowing it was the girl causing the distraction, once again, just as he’d predicted.
    He could see her out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting on a chair with her legs outstretched, biting into an apple.
    “Master Assistant, I told you the meal is over,” he ground out.
    “Lord Montclair, please, if I may explain the plans,” interrupted Clement, obviously trying to divert his anger from the girl.
    “Nay, Master Mason,” he said, standing and turning toward her and crossing his arms over his chest. She continued chewing, then bit into the apple once again. “I think since you said it was both your idea, than we should include the girl in this as well.”
    “My name is Lady Amethyst,” she said while chewing. She was still lounging back, and took another big bite of the apple. Her chewing stilled, and she suddenly swallowed, then looked up, realizing the room was silent and every man there was staring at her. “What?” she asked.
    “We are all waiting for you to explain the new plans in modifying the castle,” he told her. Her eyes opened wide, and he almost laughed.