A Knight for Love (19 page)

If
Bennet was disappointed with his allocation of duty, he didn’t show it. He inclined his head towards Warin. “As you wish.”

Familiar smile in place, he looked at Alyna. “My lady?” He left the salutation dangling, obviously looking for direction.

“Er, umm,” she stammered. The sudden responsibility took her by surprise and she had to think quickly for a task for him. “The fire. Stoke the fire. The men must be fed.”

Warin, satisfied that Alyna was in good protection, lifted his hand and
moved away to join Gerard and the others.

Bennet was the best choice for guarding Alyna, he told himself as he strode across the clearing. Accordingly, the jealousy that still niggled
at Warin would have to be pushed aside. In an odd sort of way, throwing the two together more would prove or disprove his trust.

*****

The days slipped by and gradually the siege engine took form. Although originally planned to be only a simple catapult, they soon realized that the superior power and range of a trebuchet would better suit the purpose. Despite taking longer to construct, Warin and Gerard both decided that once built, the siege itself would end quicker.

Before long, Alyna
discovered the time-consuming task of feeding a small army. Luckily, however, word had spread of the siege attempt. Offers of help came from unexpected sources, for all the Caperun vassals wished to see the return of Hugh’s heirs and family for he had been well-liked. One day, a goat appeared in camp, another, several plump geese and yet another, a sack of turnips. The last was delivered by Tom, Emma’s father, early one morning while the frost yet tinted the grasses.

“Tom!” Alyna exclaimed. “Wh
y are you here? Is your place not within the castle walls? What of Emma?”

Tom
pulled off his cap and lowered his eyes. “I left,” he admitted, weathered cheeks reddening. “I don’t like the new mistress.” He heaved a heavy sigh and brushed a hank of grey hair out of his eyes. “Emma chose to remain.”

“She chose to remain with Odo,” Alyna guessed.
Emma always had a soft spot for Odo, although Alyna for the life of her could not see why. Odo only cared for Odo. She could only hope Emma would not be too hurt when she discovered that. “She is fond of him.”

“Aye.”
Tom nodded. “But we both know the manner of man he is.”

“And now you worry
for her.”

Again Tom nodded.
“I tried to tell her not to stay, that it would turn out badly for her, for all of them.” He gestured with his chin to the king’s men. “They are here to fight on your behalf?”

“They are.” Alyna nodded. “And we shall be victorious and recover the keep. But not yet, much preparation
is still needed.”

Tom
twisted his cap with gnarled fingers. “If my lady would excuse me, I must return to the village.”

“Take me there,” Alyna
blurted out. It would do her good to get away from camp for awhile, to forget about the impending battle.

“My lady?” Tom
raised his head to gape at her.

“Aye, take me there.”

“Nay, Lady Alyna.” Horror filled his eyes and he shook his head, hair flapping about his head like a grey halo. “Your lord husband would not approve.”

“Approve of what?
I only wish to see Muriel.” She laced her fingers together and turned her full gaze on the elderly man standing before her. “We’ll bring Bennet with us. I won’t go for long. My lord husband won’t even know I’ve left.”

“The castle is under siege, my lady.” Tom’s voice trembled.

“Aye, it is. But the village is a mile or two distant and nowhere near the keep.” Close enough for safe travel but far enough to be out of the direct battle zone. Besides, as lady of the manor, her duty lay in caring for her people. Surely Warin would have no quarrel with that.

Alyna gestured to Bennet to saddle
their mounts and soon they were on their way, Tom leading. Unable to find Warin, they left word with Gerard of their destination.

Alyna spent an enjoyable
morning playing with Muriel’s new babe and with light heart, trotted into the camp about midday. It had been a pleasant diversion and as neither Bennet nor Gerard had objected, she expected no discord from her husband.

On that she was wrong.

Warin charged over as soon as he spied her entering the camp. “Where did you go?” he demanded, scowling. “Next time you must ask permission.”

“Nay, I ask no permission.
” Defiant, determined to assert her place at his side, she lifted her chin. “I am lady of the manor.”

“We have no manor as yet,” he
growled, blue eyes blazing. “On the contrary, we live in a battle zone.”

“Aye, but
I wasn’t gone long” she argued. “Bennet was with me, we were safe.” She glanced down, blinking away tears as the joy in the visit faded. Disappointment took its place. She raised her gaze to his face, bracing herself for the angry words sure to come.

None came.
For whatever reason, he chose to hold his silence. He closed his eyes and ran his hands through his hair. They were grimy, the nails broken and dirty, the palms callused, evidence of the long hours spent working beside the men.

Until now, she hadn’t noticed the exhaustion rimm
ing his eyes, the shoulders slumping with fatigue. Remorse filled her at the additional worries she had burdened him with, unfounded or not.

“I am sorry, my lord,” she whispered. “I
’m eager to assume my duties, is all.” She turned as if to walk away.

“Alyna.”

She stopped in her tracks, back stiff. “Aye?”

She did not turn around.

“I meant no insult.” Warin paused as if carefully weighing his words. “I worried for you.”

He
admitted fear for her. The words filled her with joy for they must mean he cared about her, if only a little. She glanced back at him, coyly hiding her cheek against one lifted shoulder.

“As you can see,” she said, “I am whole and in one piece.”

His gaze raked her fully, his words full of innuendo. “I must see for myself for your body is hidden from me.”

He spoke the truth, for
his cloak swathed her from head to toe. Too long for her, she carried the fur-lined fabric with both hands to keep it from dragging on the ground.

She tilted her head towards their tent, the gesture rich with promise. “Mayhap the conversation should be continued later this evening?”
She meant her comment to tantalize him, to tease him from his worries.

It must have worked for his eyes
became heavy-lidded and full of desire. Although not apparent beneath his surcoat, she knew his chausses would be bulging. A shiver of anticipation crawled up her spine and down her belly. The evening could not come soon enough.

But alas, it did not come to pass for the demands of siege warfare intervened and Warin did not come to their bed until late that night.

He tumbled into bed beside her and she moved her backside up against his in an offering of warmth beneath the furs. Sadly, the blatant invitation to continue what had been started earlier did not evoke a response, for Warin fell sound asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Sighing, she tucked her chin further into the warmth
. How could she wipe the careworn expression from his face?

Chapter Thirteen

“Come with me,”
Alyna cajoled the next morning while they broke their fast, determined to tear him from his responsibilities for a while. “Gerard can look after things for one day.”

“Nay.”

The single word cut through the air as if a blade of tempered steel and she recoiled slightly. However, she wouldn’t let his brusque voice or stern expression deter her.

“I
’ve packed a lunch,” she pleaded. “Come, a break from your duties will do you good.”

“Nay, Alyna, I
’m needed here.” His voice, however, began to lose its curt edge.

Sensing a softening in his
features, she pressed on. “A fresh mind is a strong mind. Come, you will be all the better for it.”

Still he shook his head. “Nay.”

She lifted the corner of the cloth covering the basket
of food. “See? Venison and turnip and—” She paused for a moment while she pulled out a small wrapped package and waved it in the air. “Goat’s cheese. Muriel gave it to me yesterday, ‘tis fresh. Come,” she coaxed him. “It’s your favorite and there isn’t enough to share with the others.”

“Nay.” But his voice had lost its convincing edge and she knew he weaken
ed in the face of her coaxing.

“Aye,” she
announced, sensing victory. “Come and I’ll show you the farthest corner of Caperun Keep holdings. You haven’t seen all of our lands yet. Surely seeing some of the riches we share can only aid you in your resolve to recover what is ours?”

And that, apparently, was the argument that pushed him over the edge for he threw his hands up in the air. “Enough, Alyna, enough. By the Virgin Mary
, you can be a stubborn one, as stubborn as a dog holding a bone against its pack.”

She knew he teased he
r for she detected the note of mirth ringing through his words. Better yet, she had convinced him to accompany her.

A sudden surge of happiness made her breathless; she shook it off. She had no time to waste on such silliness. She and Warin were going to steal some time together.

“I’ll tell Gerard and Bennet.” She flashed him a smile. “And I’ll need to borrow your cloak again.”

Warin watched Alyna skip away like a small child following a jester.
He snorted. What had he just agreed to? A tour of Caperun lands with Alyna as guide?

A grudging smile crept across his mouth. Alyna in full charm
– eyes luminous with pleading, slender hands lifted, full lips puckered – was a sight to behold. A sight not to be denied, least of all by him.

Mayhap
she had a point. Mayhap he should become more acquainted with the lands now his to defend.

Of course, the prospect of spending a pleasant afternoon in his lady wife’s compan
y did not sway him. Not at all.

Laughter sprung from his gut.
The day beckoned, full of promise.

*****

Stark and gnarled, overhead branches grasped the leaden sky, held up by ghostly tree trunks standing bare against the moss carpeting the ground. Crushed leaves scented the crisp air, those same leaves lifting, swirling, rustling, marking their way as they trotted along the faint path. The path, really no more than an animal track, finally twisted upwards through a jumble of stones, boulders and bushes.

Alyna concentrated on maintaining her seat until they spilled out into a small clearing at the summit.

They had climbed a rocky outcrop. Trees and bushes surrounded almost the entire clearing but one side lay open to the vista below.

She
slid off her horse, letting the reins fall for there was really nowhere the animal could go. “Look.”

She
swept out her arm.

Warin dismounted and walked over to stand beside her.
“What is this place?”

She shrugged. “
Somewhere I come when I’m troubled.”

“What troubled you that you needed escape?” He laid an arm about her shoulders and pulled her close. “Tell me.”

“Philippa,” she said simply, tilting her head sideways to gaze up at him. His scent tickled her nostrils, a spicy mix of smoke and leather and she inhaled deeply. Masculine. Like him.

“Foul woman, what of her?”
Warin looked intently at her as if he could will the words from her by force of gaze alone.

The concern in his eyes loosened her lips and she shuddered before she began.

“When he left on Crusade, my father put David in charge of Caperun Keep. Philippa lived with us there already, indeed had done so since my birth. With my father gone, her true nature surfaced and she became mean and spiteful. She started to usurp David’s place, changing his orders and making her own demands.”

Alyna paused, looking down towards Caperun Keep in the distance. Several spirals of smoke rose from the castle and diminutive figures patrolled the wall.

“There.” She pointed towards the castle. “There is the source of all the troubles. Right now it looks peaceful yet it’s been nothing but a source of discord.”

“Aye, it is a rich keep.
” He nodded. “The fields are harvested, all is ready for winter and the surrounding forest yields game and wood. It’s well placed.”

“It is.” She lifted her gaze to watch a pair of
crows circling overhead then continued with her tale. “Philippa soon realized she could take it from us and that is when David, displeased with her imperious ways, left. He thought to tell our father of her treachery and too, I think, the idea of fighting for our Lord in heaven appealed to him.”