Page 24 of A Knight To Call My Own
“Aye. Luckily I will live to see yet another day, but ’tis only because of my lady’s healing touch.”
Riorden took a menacing step forward, only to have his wife take his hand to halt his progress. “Yourlady? When did she become yours for you to make such a claim on her?”
“Yester eve…when we handfasted. Lynet is my wife,” Ian stated confidently, “and as such, she is no longer under your protection, Dristan.”
“Your wife?” Dristan roared, balling his hands into fists.
Ian could have sworn the floor shook as Dristan quickly advanced, but he stood his ground. He had known this would not go over well. Hands again went around his already bruised neck as pandemonium broke out once more in the solar. But Ian’s only concern was that he could not breathe for the second time in a matter of minutes. He tried to fight, but was losing the battle as he saw determined steel grey eyes ready to make him pay for his insolence. The world started to darken afore Ian’s eyes as he began to lose consciousness. The Devil’s Dragon demanded reparation for Ian’s trespass, and by damned, reparation he would have.
~***~
Ian’s eyes flickered open. Bleary eyed, several moments passed afore his vision cleared enough for him to notice he had been taken to Lynet’s room. That he awoke at all, must surely be something short of a miracle and a testament Dristan did not wish him dead, after all.
He caught a slight movement and noticed Lady Katherine mending something by the fire. She was most intent on her task and had not as yet noticed he watched her. He was surprised to see her here, let alone without another woman present. Riorden must have softened in his married state if he would allow his wife to be by herself with another man, especially given what had transpired earlier. He was not sure he would be so lenient with his own dear wife, once he found her.
“Shhhhit!” Katherine hissed quietly, putting her finger in her mouth. “I frigginhatesewing! Damn inconvenient…that’s what it is. Where the hell is a department store when you need one?”
Ian gave an amused chuckle, drawing the lady’s attention to the bed. “You really are not from around here, are you, my lady?”
“You’re awake!”
“Obviously…but that does not answer my question.” Ian put his fingers to his throat. His voice was raspy, and it hurt to swallow. Luckily, he was still amongst the living.
Katherine put down her sewing and came to sit on the edge of the bed. Ian leaned up on one elbow and watched the woman afore him. She sat there as though ’twas the most natural thing in the world to be ensconced in a chamber with a man who was not her husband. A woman who would act so freely, in Ian’s acquaintance, was no lady at all.
“You’re lucky to be alive. You know that, don’t you?” she responded instead, whilst still ignoring his question. “It took RiordenandFletcher to pull Dristan off you. Not to mention, the three of them to keep Rolf and Aiden from taking his place.”
Ian shrugged with disinterest and looked her up and down, trying to see the point of her being here.
“What?” she asked, leaning back against the bedpost.
“Riorden would allow you in a room with me alone? ’Tis most unusual,” Ian drawled.
“He trusts me.” ’Twas a simple answer, but still, unthinkable.
“Does he now?” Ian inquired, sitting up further on the bed.
“Yes…ummm…aye, of course he does.”
“But does he trust me?” Ian leaned forward to test this woman he knew very little about. He was curious just how faithful she, in truth, was to her husband.
She leaned forward, as well, and got a strange look in her aquamarine eyes. For a moment, Ian thought she would betray Riorden, for she looked as though she were begging for his kiss. But she surprised him when she gave him a hard push, causing him to fall back upon the pillows.
“Don’t even think it, buster! I’ve come a long way to be with the man of my dreams, and not you, or anyone else, is ever going to come between us again! The fact you’re still alive to be having such a stupid conversation with me should tell you Riorden trusts you, you fool!” She began muttering about idiotic, arrogant men, who only thought about what their needs were between their legs.
“You see? There ’tis again! I have never heard speech as yours afore, let alone heard a woman voice such things aloud,” Ian proclaimed. “Come…tell me from whence you hail?”
She gave a muffled laugh. “You’d never believe me in a thousand years.”
“Try me…” His words lingered in the air, and Ian could see she mulled over the possibility of telling him her story.
“I don’t think so, at least not yet.” She gave an elegant toss of her head and reached back to pull her tawny tresses together. Swiftly, she tied a ribbon around its length, ensuring its captivity. Folding her hands in her lap, she once again relaxed and watched him. It became a staring contest between them ’til she finally voiced what was on her mind. “So you married her…well…married being a somewhat loose term, since the ceremony wasn’t done before a priest.”
“’Tis still binding. Besides, ’tis an old custom to handfast.”
Katherine shook her head. “Old…yes, I suppose it was…umm…isa custom for this time period. I must admit, I’ve only read about such pagan rituals. Doesn’t it usually have a length of time attached to the arrangement?”
Ian peered at Katherine. “If you are trying to politely ask if I will abandon Lynet and a possible babe after a year’s time, then nay, we made no such stipulation for our marriage to end.”
