Chapter 10

Eleanor woke slowly the next morning to the sound of birds and the laughter of children. She smiled to herself and stretched comfortably on the soft bed, then sat up with a start and looked around the room.

After Fann had left her last night, she’d struggled to move the settee back near the fire and covered it with furs. She’d changed herself into a wonderfully soft night dress and curled up on the settee, leaving Fann the bed. Obviously, he had moved her because she, and the furs, were tucked up on one side of the bed. The other side had definitely been slept on, but it was now empty. Bread and honey were on the table by the settee for her to break her fast.

Eleanor got up and padded over to the window, pulling back the fur to let in the sunshine. Everything about this was different from waking up in the abbey. She felt rested for one thing, even the settee had been more comfortable than her pallet at the abbey with it’s prickly straw mattress and scratchy, patched blankets.

The tol