Love's Labyrinth Read Online Free PDF Page B

heavens we’re out of there. I thought for sure they’d have to send in a search party. Hey, where’s that music coming from?” She raised her head and pointed. “Look—that wasn’t there before.”
    A large buff-colored tent was pitched on a slight rise.
    Bright pennants of all shades of blue and yellow and russet flew from high stakes. The music—a high-pitched piping that began and ended in fitful starts as though someone was practicing—was definitely coming from that direction. The smell of cooking meat wafted past on the breeze. Olivia sniffed appreciatively. “Mm. That makes my mouth water.”
    Alison sniffed deeply, smiled, and then gagged. “But, my God, get a whiff of that!” She made a face in the opposite direction. “What on earth—?”
    Just then a young man in his middle to late twenties rounded a corner. He was dressed in authentically theatrical clothes, noted Olivia. In fact, the authentic side won out over the theatrical side, as she noted sweat stains under the arms of his doublet. His whole appearance seemed a bit grimy, as though his costume hadn’t been cleaned thoroughly in some time. He was muttering to himself as he approached.
    “Excuse me!” she said.
    He looked up with a startled expression, as though the two women were the last people he expected to see standing next to the entrance of the maze. An odd expression crossed his face, and Olivia continued: “Can you tell us how to reach our group? We got separated and we haven’t been able—” She broke off as the young man’s face drained of color.
    His mouth dropped open, his eyes grew wide, and his face blanched. “By our Lady, it worked!” He stammered, just before he toppled over in a dead faint.

CHAPTER 2
    ALISON BOLTED to his side with Olivia, shocked and completely dismayed, close at her heels. Olivia knelt beside Alison, who was feeling for his pulse, and loosened the ties that held the grayish-white ruff in place around his neck. “What do you suppose is wrong with him?”
    “I don’t know—he’s not warm or anything… color’s okay—except for being so pale—here, he’s coming around. Must be the heat.”
    The young man’s eyes fluttered open, and Olivia could see they were a shade of light brown, flecked with gold, almost the color of sherry. They widened the moment he glimpsed the two of them leaning over him. His mouth opened, and a little sound escaped.
    “You’ll be okay,” Alison was saying. “Just lie there and take it easy. That costume’s probably too hot for this weather. How about we get this top thing off?” She reached for the lacings of his doublet, and the man’s mouth dropped open even further, revealing strong, even, white teeth.
    “Mistress, what do you do?” He pushed her hand away with a horrified look and struggled to sit up and move away.
    “I’m just trying to make you more comfortable. You’ve got to be sweltering in that get-up. Come on, take the top thing off.”
    “I will not!” The young man sat up and backed away, glancing at Olivia.
    “We’re only trying to help,” she said. “Have you fainted like this before?”
    A dazed look came over his face and he looked from one to the other, utter disbelief warring with something that could only be curiosity. “Your manner… your speech… you… both of you… you…” He broke off, his mouth hanging open in a way that made Olivia want to giggle despite his obvious distress.
    Alison threw up her hands in disgust. “Here all we’re trying to do is help you and all you can say is that we talk funny? Sorry that we’re just a couple of lowly tourists trying to help. Is there a doctor on the staff here? A nurse? There’s got to be someone around—look, Liv, you stay with Prince Charming here and I’ll go see if I can find one of the guides. God only knows where our group has got to by now.” She’d started to rise, brushing off the green satin of her gown, when the young man grabbed her wrist with an even more