Page 11 of A Knight To Call My Own
“Tell me you are not happy to see me, sweet Lynet.” The huskiness in his voice was almost her undoing, yet again.
She lifted her eyes to meet his.Damn!Mistake number two! She would not give him the satisfaction of knowing just how much she had missed him. “I amnothappy to see you!” she retorted meaningfully. Lifting her chin a notch, she prayed the expression she gave him was a defiant one. His chuckle led her to believe she had failed in her quest to appear indifferent to his charms.
“Perchance, you should tell your eyes that, little one, for your gaze tells me your lips speak a falsehood.” His grin was surely from the devil himself, as it broadened whilst she attempted to mask her feelings for him. His deep laughter rumbled in his chest, only giving evidence she had completely forgotten her hands were still pressed upon his granite-like torso. She let go quickly with the feeling she had been burned.
“Go back to the Highlands and marry some other witless girl. I care not who you wed, as long as ’tis not me,” she yelled, pulling herself from his arms and making her way to the door. She slid the bolt back and opened the door, only to come face to face with a very angry brother-in-law.
“Is there something amiss here?” Dristan demanded.
“Nay,” Lynet cried out in frustration, “nothing is amiss. Ian and I are finished here. Let the damn games begin!”
She did not wait for his response, but ran down the corridor to her chamber. Flinging herself face down upon her bed, she allowed the tears of her frustration to finally spill forth like the churning waves of a turbulent sea. ’Twould be hours later afore she came to the sad realization she had not even acknowledged Rolf’s presence or concerned look whilst he had been standing next to their liege’s side.
Chapter Seven
“’Tis been some time sincewe have all been together,” Dristan drawled to the men gathered in his solar.
“Hear! Hear!” The men agreed with him as they lifted their tankards and sipped the cool bitter ale to toast their brotherhood. Ian was no different in his regard for those gathered within the chamber, since he had trained and fought beside these men, many years ago. There was only one difference today than what had been found in the past. Rolf, who Ian had once considered a friend, peered angrily at him over the rim of his cup. ’Twas painfully clear, Rolf was no more happy to see him than Lynet. He would not be surprised to find himself up against the man in the coming days in order to win the lady’s hand. He appeared as determined as Ian to have Lynet for his bride.
Conversations filled the room as those who had been traveling told their tales to those who had stayed behind as Dristan’s guard to defend the keep. Laughter came from many as Taegan and Turquine retold stories of their conquests with the fairer gender ’til the sound of the door opening had all heads turning in its direction.
Surprise registered on many faces when Amiria’s twin brother Aiden entered, followed closely by the youngest member of the MacLaren clan. At ten and four, Patrick had grown since Ian had last seen the youth. He, too, had been gone from Berwyck’s domain whilst he served Riorden de Deveraux as his squire. That Riorden entered the room with his own commanding demeanor directly behind the boy only gave evidence to Ian that the event to follow in the coming day’s affected all who had once lived within the security of Berwyck’s walls.
Riorden’s group strode purposefully to Dristan with little regard to the rest of the men within the room. Their speech immediately became an extremely heated discussion, with Lynet being the topic of concern, as their voices rose in volume. Ian silently viewed the scene playing afore his eyes ’til they turned as one in his direction. He was not sure why Riorden was glaring at him so, but Aiden’s scornful sneer was certainly understandable, despite the fact he had guarded the younger man’s back for many a year. ’Twas obvious Lynet’s brother planned on having words with him.
Aiden took a step forward, but was halted as Riorden put a hand upon his shoulder. After a brief and silent exchange between the two men, Riorden came afore Ian and began looking him up and down. Ian supposed, given the fact he was wearing the colors of the MacGillivray clan, and not the normal clothes of a knight, Dristan’s former captain was somewhat surprised.
“So…” Riorden began. “I have heard tell, you have most recently come into a title.”
Ian shrugged, as though ’twas nothing. “News travels fast, it seems,” he drawled offhandedly. “I did not expect such tidings to reach Warkworth so speedily.”
’Twas Riorden’s turn to give a casual shrug, along with a short amused chuckle. “We were already on our way here to witness this farce Dristan seems determined to play forth. We did not learn the news of your good fortune ’til we arrived, but a few minutes ago.”
“We?”
“My wife Katherine travels with me, along with Nathaniel and Ulrick, although they will now return to their duties here at Berwyck. They will be up shortly, once they see my wife and son settled.”
“May I offer my congratulations on your heir, Riorden? It appears good fortune has smiled upon you, as well. I am pleased all has worked out for you,” Ian offered his well wishes with a small smile.
“Aye. We may have hit a few bumps along the way, but I am most fortunate to have such a woman as my Katherine to grace my life.”
“She seemed a most astute young woman when we had speech at Bamburgh last year. God has indeed blessed you, to bring a woman such as Lady Katherine to your side.”
“You do not know the half of it, nor just how far she has come, my friend.” Riorden’s laughter erupted, and yet, Ian could not for the life of him decipher what the jest might be. “But tell me, why are you-”
Riorden’s conversation was interrupted by a discrete rap upon the solar door. Afore any could answer, the lady of their musings poked her head inside the chamber. Without so much as a by your leave from Dristan, she gave a wave in their direction and boldly walked into the room.
All conversations ceased upon her entrance, but she gave it no mind whilst she made her way to her husband, who leaned down and placed a kiss upon her forehead. She appeared as if she did nothing out of the ordinary, and Riorden did not seem upset she interrupted the men. Ian hid his shock, however, to see another woman dressed in hose and tunic, much like Amiria continued to prefer. There were not many women of his acquaintance who would dress so daringly.
Wrapping her arm around her husband’s waist, she peered about her and gave the men a smile that lit up the room as though the sun had appeared afore them to brighten their day. “Wow! There’s a lot of testosterone in here, isn’t there?” she murmured. “And aren’t the lot of you just such handsome devils, too!” She took another glance around the chamber and suddenly appeared almost shy when she espied Dristan’s captain. “Hello, Fletcher,” she said softly.
“My lady,” Fletcher replied with a slight bow, keeping his eyes fixed on Katherine.
Ian watched her blush afore she recovered herself and leveled those aquamarine eyes on his own sorry form. “Lady Katherine, a pleasure to see you, again,” Ian said with a nod of his head, feeling the need to say something when she continued searching his face.
“Ian, you’re just the person I came looking for,” she finally replied afore turning to Dristan. “My Lord Dristan, how nice to see you. I’m sorry for interrupting your meeting with the men, but you don’t mind if I steal Ian away for a few moments before I join the ladies, do you?” she asked.
An almost comical look flashed upon Dristan’s features afore his face returned to a mask of irrelevance. “Not at all, Lady Katherine.”
