Page 28 of A Knight To Call My Own
Again…Why was he not surprised? Ian of Urquhart sat confidently in his saddle, all but flaying him alive with his angry, hostile eyes. The unwelcome trespasser jumped lightly down from his steed and came to stand afore him. Rolf refused to back down to the younger man as they stood toe to toe. Nothing would give him greater pleasure than for Ian to make the first move. At least with his fist planted firmly in Ian’s face, he would have a moment of satisfaction for all he had lost when it came to the fair Lynet!
~***~
Ian could hardly believe he had actually found Rolf. His anger rose to unbelievable proportions as they stood ready to fight each other over a woman. He took hold of Rolf by his tunic, even as his adversary grabbed at his. “She ismywife,” Ian shouted. “You have no right to be searching for her.”
Rolf pushed Ian away and went back to his place by the fire. ’Twas almost as though all of Rolf’s energy left him with his sudden appearance. “And she just as easily could have been mine,” the obnoxious man grumbled under his breath. “Besides…I am her captain, and, hence, she is mine to safeguard.”
“That privilege was taken from you when she came under the protection of my name.”
“And yet, you have not been sealed together as man and wife under the eyes of a holy priest of God.”
“Our handfast is still binding. Even you must know that,” Ian roared.
“Nevertheless, she is, or was, my responsibility, and my honor is at stake. You do know about honor, do you not? If so, you must surely understand my reasoning behind my actions. She was taken whilst under my care. Hence, ’til found, Iwillsearch for her.”
Ian felt some of the hostility leave him, and yet, he kept his guard up. Still eyeing his rival for Lynet’s affection, he was surprised when the older man made a slight gesture to join him by the fire.
“You may as well sit, Ian. There are still plenty of hours left of the eve, and we may as well take our ease together and join forces come the morn in our quest to find your lady.”
At least, Rolf acknowledged Lynet was his. Surely, that must mean something. Ian came and took a place next to the man on the ground. There had been a time when he had considered Rolf a friend. They had trained together and fought side by side to hold Berwyck Castle in the name of England’s king. It did not matter that Ian would be leaving his allegiance to England behind as he took his place as laird of Urquhart Castle. He understood honor and all that went with a code of chivalry for one who has been knighted. He himself had lived most of his life by such a code. ’Twas of no consequence he now wore a plaid and his duty would lay with Scotland and its king. Some habits were still extremely hard to dismiss.
His gaze returned to Rolf, and he noticed the knight wore only his everyday clothing. No armor, nor chain mail. There was nothing to protect him from an inevitable fight that could cost him his life, except the sword at his side. Considering Rolf’s injury to his arm and the knowledge he himself was not completely healed, a fight with the enemy to save Lynet did not bode well for a favorable outcome.
Ian massaged the wound still mending at his side. Truthfully, he was not in much better shape than his old comrade-in-arms. “You ride light, I see,” Ian mentioned the obvious, “and with only three guards. What were you thinking?”
Rolf shrugged. “I see you travel the same, so I think we were both idiots with like minds. I am sure Dristan will be appalled we thought so little of ourselves to travel thusly. He will think he failed in our training.”
“I am sure we will get an earful when next we meet.”
“Is not that plaid a little drafty?” Rolf inquired with a smirk as he turned the conversation to Ian’s attire.
“One becomes used to it.”
“I shall have to take your word for it.”
“The plaid gives one a certain amount of freedom, and it keeps me warm on a chilly night. Those Irish were clever when they came up with such a garment. Although, most times, I still wear hose with it.”
“I have no idea how running around half naked or possibly showing your arse to the world during a good wind can possibly give you any form of comfort or protection. You hardly look like a knight of old, Ian.”
“Times change, but I still adhere to our code of honor,” Ian muttered as he stretched out his long legs whilst attempting to get comfortable. He grabbed his plaid and wrapped it around his shoulders for warmth. “I will assume you will remember such, once we find my wife.”
“You do not have to keep reminding me you have claimed her, Ian. I have taken your point.”
“Just stating the obvious, old man, in case you had forgotten.”
“’Tis hardly likely I could ever forget Lynet cannot be mine. You do not have to continue to rub my nose in it,” Rolf declared with a hint of bitterness in his voice.
“I will concede then and expect no further argument that you will try to claim her.”
Rolf took a stick and began stirring the embers of the fire. “’Tis not as if I, or anyone else, for that matter, even stood a chance, once you arrived at Berwyck.”
Ian tossed his old friend a glare. “What is that supposed to mean?”
“Do you not have eyes inside your head, or are you merely daft? Do you really have no inkling how the lady has always felt for you?”
“She had a childish fascination with me, but hardly knows the man I have become.”
“Think you that means anything to Lynet when her feelings ruled her judgment?”
