Godiva: Unbridled Read online

  “Oh,” she said, and looked around. Across the barn, in a box stall on the other side she saw her horse. “Niklada!” she breathed gratefully and she smiled at the man.

  “Yes, I brought you and your horse here two days ago. Do you remember anything?”

  She shook her head, which still ached a little. She reached to feel the back of her neck, and there was a lump right at the base of her skull. Around the tops of her arms, deep bruises stood out angrily against her fair skin.

  “Yes,” the man said, acknowledging the confused look on her face. “You have a big lump on the back of your head, and bruises from your fall. I found you lying in the field among the wildflowers and the ivy. Your horse was by your side. Did she throw you?”

  “Oh no,” she said. “Niklada would never do that.”

  “What’s your name?”

  She opened her mouth to tell him, but the words wouldn’t come. Blinking, she thought again, probing the depths of her mind. Images shot though her memory, but none close enough to grasp. And none of them with an identity. “I… I don’t remember.”

  The young man startled, then smiled softly. “Well that’s okay. You’ve had a bad injury. You need rest and time to heal. Until then, I can give you a name. Would that be okay?”

  She thought about what he said, but when she thought too hard, it made her head hurt again. So she just nodded.

  “With all this golden hair you remind me of a bedtime story that my mother used to tell me.” He picked some of the grass and leaves from her hair that spread in long, uneven tresses across the blanket. “It was about a princess who was captured by an evil witch and the witch forced her to spin her beautiful sunlit hair into thread for clothes for her mean and ugly son, who became handsome but only when he wore the clothes. But that doesn’t seem an appropriate story, now does it?” The young man laughed, and his easy, open smile soothed her. As he continued grooming her hair, he fell silent for a moment as he seemed to run through ideas in his mind.

  “Well, we’ve just had our Spring festival a week ago,” he spoke slowly, pausing to think. “That’s because it rained so much last month and we couldn’t very well celebrate Spring under a blanket of clouds now could we?” He chuckled, bent his head to see if she reacted. “It’s Coventry, the town we’re in, does that speak to your memory?” She just looked at him blankly, so he continued talking. “It’s now the month of May… that might be a nice name to call you. May, like the May queen who headed up the Spring festival. The lovely Lady May. Does that sound all right?

  She smiled and nodded. He was comely, and kind. As he stood, she had a memory of her dream, the tall, strong body, long legs and sturdy shoulders. But he wasn’t dressed in fine clothes; he was more simply clothed, in fabric breeches with no belt and a linen shirt that laced up, no silver buttons. It was deeply stained from wear, but appeared as clean as he could probably get it.

  “My name is Thomas,” he volunteered. “I’m a tailor’s apprentice, but my master has been commissioned to a Lord in France, and he couldn’t afford to take me with him. He has a shop at the north end of the village but he’s very possessive of his work, and wouldn’t allow me to continue it while he’s gone, but I’ve taken a few small commissions, to be done here, at home.” He gestured around him. “This is where I live, in the barn. But it’s a nice barn, don’t you think? The animals keep to their side, and I keep to mine.” When she didn’t respond, only watched him as he spoke, Thomas continued. “The house is my uncle’s but he’s away in Scotland. He’s a knight, so he travels a lot. I watch over his farm while he’s gone. Perhaps you’d like to clean up. I think you’ll be pleased to see my toilette. That’s what my uncle calls it. He likes to use French words on things he’s particularly fond of. When I came to stay, we built this area so I would have the modern convenience of the manor. It’s really quite lovely, if I do say so.” Thomas walked past his pantry area, where the stone fireplace had an almost constant fire, and toward a corner where he drew back a thick canvas curtain. From where she lay, the Lady saw a private area with a table and basin, pitchers for water and a tall stool.

  “I’ve a proper bathtub as you can see,” Thomas smiled proudly. “Once you’ve gained back your balance, I’m sure you can enjoy that. For now, a basin of water should do. There’s a kettle on, so the water will be nice and hot. Would you like me to help you?”

  The Lady May was already pushing herself up on her elbows, the idea of warm water and privy to use, a great incentive. Thomas came over and helped steady her as she stood, then let her lean on him the entire twenty paces to the curtained alcove. She sat on a chair just inside to rest from this exertion, while he fetched a kettle full of hot water and some cloths for her to use for bathing. A white, fragrant lump of soap sat in a dish next to the basin, where the steaming water awaited.

  After the privy, the Lady stripped her chemise from her body. On the wall there was a rough mirror, old and in need of silvering, but clear enough for her to make out most of her form. Around one ankle an angry bruise stood against her pale skin, and similar bruises cuffed the top of both her arms. On her hip was a welt and bruise from her fall, clearly the place that she’d hit the ground. Dirt and mud remnants covered one of her arms and several spots on her legs, and there was a shadow of grime around her feet from where she guessed she’d had shoes on at some point. Her hair was a tangled, wavy mess, and as she looked into the eyes of the stranger who stared back, she turned from the mirror, no longer wanting to see the evidence of what had happened to her those days before. Dunking a cloth into the steaming hot water, she fanned it on the air just enough that she could cover her face with it, and she groaned softly as the heat and steam penetrated her nostrils. She had to sit down on the chair in the middle of her clean up she was so exhausted, but once she was done she felt renewed, like she’d washed away not only the filth from the fall, but something more that she couldn’t define. With nothing else to wear, she reluctantly slipped the linen chemise over her head, and sat back on the chair, calling Thomas in to help her walk back across the room and to bed again. When she got there, a cup of warm milk with honey sat on a hay bale that served as a bedside table, and she drank it down and fell right back to sleep.

  Chapter 3

  Several days passed and the Lady May spent most of her time resting and sleeping, and when she was awake, staring across the barn to her horse when she was in her box stall, and watching Thomas as he carefully mended and altered the garments that he had secretly taken on commission from his master’s tailor business. Doing this gave her much comfort. In the quiet peacefulness of the barn, rest came easily. With the musical trills of the contented chickens as they wandered in and out of the little trap door that allowed them access to the garden, a serenity filled her. May found that her jumpiness had subsided. Thomas awoke early and got most of his chores done without even waking her, and by the time she did waken, he had always prepared some kind of meal, though usually very simple; fruit, bread, cheese, eggs. Enough to fill her and leave her feeling contented. For several hours each day he would disappear and she didn’t know where he would go to, but during that time she usually drifted in and out of sleep, caught between fitful nightmares and disturbingly vivid, intimate dreams about the man who was her caregiver. For his part, Thomas had remained an absolute gentleman, leaving her as much privacy as she could have wanted and not questioning her too deeply about the things she could not recall. She didn’t know where Thomas even slept; as she herself had fallen asleep each night before Thomas had cleared away the nightly dishes. A loft above one side of the barn was a possibility, but she couldn’t be certain. The bruises on her upper arm and around her ankle had begun to fade, and no longer ached when she touched them. Still, a heaviness hung inside her, wondering what life it was that she had lived before now, wondering if anyone was missing her from the place she’d left. At first merely sitting up sent the barn spinning around her, which would leave her panicked and shaking, so she stopped trying and decide
d to remain in bed unless absolutely necessary. Even the short walk to the bathing alcove took her several long minutes, and required the assistance of Thomas’ sturdy shoulder. But by her fourth day there, she felt well enough to make the walk on her own, and after her breakfast, Thomas pulled a tall stool over to Niklada’s box in the stable, where she perched while Thomas readied himself to go into town.

  “Do you feel at all dizzy?” he asked, watching as the horse nuzzled against her. “It might be safer for you to stand. Niklada could knock you off your balance, even just by accident.”

  The Lady smiled at his concern. “I feel quite well today. If she gets too enthusiastic, I’ll climb down and lean against her. But I’m sure we’ll be fine. I can’t seem to remember much, but I do know that she and I have been friends for a long time. She wouldn’t do anything to harm me.”

  “Well, she did seem a bit unsure about me at first.” Thomas produced an outstretched hand with a segment of carrot balanced on his palm, and the horse lipped it up eagerly. “But I think she’s learning that I’m not so bad now.”

  A vision cut through the Lady’s mind. Her horse, throwing her head, the shrill screech of a distressed neigh cutting across the lawn of a manor, and the casual slap of a man’s hand on her rump, shooing her away. A panicked gasp overcame Lady May and she leaned against Niklada’s shoulder, steadying herself against the shock of the ugly memory.

  “Are you quite all right?” Thomas put his hand on her back and she flinched, so he removed it right away.

  “Yes, yes…” she reached out toward his hand and held it, letting him know she wasn’t offended by his soothing touch. “Just a memory, only a second. Just a flash of Niklada, somebody driving her away from me. I don’t know what it was. Just a wisp of a thought. But it was upsetting nonetheless.”

  “She’s a beautifully trained horse,” Thomas said, squeezing her hand, and reaching the other to stroke the horse’s nose. “Just during the time I’ve taken her out in the field she’s behaved so well, like she had very formal instruction. Perhaps she had a trainer who was a bit rough on her, and you remembered that? Maybe that’s why she was shy at first with me? I might remind her of him.”

  “Maybe,” the Lady mumbled as she stared at the ground, unconvinced. The memory had more malice than that, struck a personal chord that she couldn’t define. She looked up to see Niklada lipping another carrot from Thomas’ palm and she smiled, leaning into his sturdy warmth.

  “I’ll be going into town for a spell but I’ll be back shortly,” Thomas said. “Will you be needing anything while I’m gone?”

  “A brush?” the Lady asked. “Do you have a brush I could use?”

  “Oh, a brush I’m afraid not, my lady. I’ve got a comb you’re welcome to in the privy, but I’ve got no brush.”

  “No, not for me,” she laughed, but had a flash of vanity that perhaps she did in fact need a comb for herself at the very least. “For Niklada. It always relaxes me to groom her. And if I’ve the energy, I’ll groom the other horses as well.”

  “Ah, a horse brush I’ve got,” Thomas said, moving to a shelf along the back stable wall, where he produced a wooden caddy containing several types of wire and bristle brushes and combs for horses. “Groom to your heart’s contentment. And pay no mind to the comment made about the comb in the privy. You certainly require no particular grooming of your own.”

  “Well, my memory may not be working so well but I can see myself as clearly as that mirror allows and I know what looks back is wild as the woods,” she replied. “I shall certainly make good use of that comb in the privy sooner than later, now that I can stand on my own. Perhaps when you get back I can make use of that bathtub. Finally soak away what’s left of the grime and the leaves that litter my hair.”

  “As you wish,” Thomas replied. “I’ll not keep you waiting long.”

  After grooming Niklada and one of the two other horses, the Lady May was too tired to start the other horse, so she made her way back to the bed where she rested for a while. After a time of dozing, she found herself rejuvenated enough to go outside. It was a fine day; the sun shone warmly through the clouds that drifted in front of it, bright blue sky open and clear. She walked around the perimeter of the barn. It was a large building, well constructed, with wide doors and plenty of windows for ventilation with shutters that closed tightly to keep out the drafts. On one side, a vegetable garden was flourishing, neatly planted rows of leafy stalks rising from the rich, brown soil. Beyond that was a field of lavender, its tall, purple stalks making a colorful patch of landscape. At the edge of the lavender were what appeared to be three beehives, perched upon wooden pedestals. She stared at the garden for a long time. So much care and deliberate planning had gone into it, and now the bees and butterflies floated busily about the blossoming plants, knowing just what to do. The wind picked up, giving her a chill in just her simple chemise, so she headed back toward the doors. In the far distance, she saw what looked like an orchard, and for a second she froze. Why did that seem familiar? Her brow knit together in confused uncertainty. It was much too far for her to walk there, and the land was hilly and uneven. She could ride Niklada… but she didn’t feel fit to ride yet. Still, something about that gnawed at her, and not in a good way. She realized that her heart was beating very fast, and she wanted the enclosure and shelter of the barn, so she looked away from the trees, and dashed inside the safety of the barn’s double doors.

  Thomas returned not long after that, and she found herself relieved to see him, his open face and welcoming smile both comforting and familiar now. On his back he carried a pack stuffed full of provisions, and strapped to his shoulders he dragged a wheeled cart that had bags of oats and grain. As he unstrapped himself, she couldn’t help but notice his biceps, flexed and straining against the weight of his burden, the sturdy broadness of his chest. He pushed his blond hair off his face and gave her a grin.

  “Well, now! The horses all groomed and ready to show?” He didn’t even seem tired after all that hauling, she thought. How far did he have to walk into town?

  “Not all, just Niklada and the black pony. I’ll get to the other one tomorrow. I did take a walk around outside to see where it was that I’ve taken up residence.”

  “Aye?” Thomas looked at her curiously. “And what did you think about that?”

  “Oh, it’s lovely. It’s a very special place.”

  “I’d take you inside but my uncle doesn’t leave me with the keys. I suppose he’s afraid I’d take up residence in his cozy home if he did!”

  “Oh, I didn’t even look at the manor,” the Lady May continued. “I was talking about the barn. I looked at the garden and all the vegetables and the flowers. It’s just such a lovely little patch of earth. Very peaceful.”

  Thomas observed her enthusiasm with an inquisitive expression as he put away his provisions. “It’s but a wee vegetable patch. But I’m glad you’ve taken a liking to it.” She looked away, realizing that her interest in something so simple was odd.

  “Perhaps I was a botanist in my other life, so plants and soil speak to me,” she said, a shade of humor in her voice. He chuckled.

  “Well as you regain your memory then you can help me to expand the garden, tell me where to plant the seeds and when. Pumpkins in the autumn, berries in the summer, we can take it well beyond that.” He walked over to her, gently moving her tousled hair from her face. “How does that bath sound to you now? I’ve had the stones heating in the fireplace, so they’re ready to warm the water. Two big pots full of them. It might help you feel a bit more like yourself.”

  She nodded. A bath might be just what she needed.

  She watched him move around the barn, heard the water pumping, observed as he took the heavy buckets of stones hot from the fire and listened to them sizzle as they dropped into the cool water he’d pumped into the bathtub. She watched his tall, muscular frame as he worked, and admired him silently. Once done, he excused himself, and left the barn so she could enjoy
her bath with no concern of her modesty.

  Taking great care as she rose from the bed, she walked to the bathing alcove gingerly, still mindful of the lump on her head, fearing the dizziness that had overcome her the other day. She felt much more sound and solid now, and after making use of the modern plumbing in this otherwise rustic bathing area, she walked to the bathtub and stripped the chemise over her head. As she lowered into the water, she caught sight of her own reflection in the rough mirror hanging on the wall and she paused. Her own face she still didn’t recognize, her body seemed unfamiliar. Gray eyes, round and large, stared back unknowing. She sighed sadly. Perhaps with time she would remember her own face. Her blonde hair swept across her back, tangled and unkempt, in need of washing, but long and healthy despite her incident. Her body was pleasing, supple breasts, firm and full, a gently sloping waist and rounded hips. Her bottom was high and smooth, legs strong and sleek. Whoever this stranger was in the mirror, she thought wickedly, running a hand over the nipple that had grown taut from looking at her own reflection, and from the chill on the air, she was arousing to the eye. The warm water enveloped her as she sank down into it, and a moan issued long and low as her muscles relaxed in the heat of its welcoming depth. The young man had thought to put a towel across the back of the tub and she rested her head in its softness, closing her eyes. The sound of her own even breathing relaxed her further until her thoughts had drifted off, lulled into dreams by the gentle sloshing sounds of water.

  ***

  She reached above her head and water cascaded over her body, the waterfall a powerful, yet gentle force all around her. Its roaring, splashing gush sounded on all sides, but where she stood the spray was soft and soothing. The coolness of the water brought her nipples to a hard, tight attention, and where it dribbled down her stomach and between her legs was unspeakably arousing. Suddenly, arms grabbed her from behind, pulling her against a strong, muscular chest, the heat of his skin a contrast to the cool, refreshing water.