Page 8 of A Knight To Call My Own
Lynet tried to remain calm, but her anger, along with the silent sour words lingering in her mouth, were about to be her undoing. She leaned forward on the table to peer at her liege lord. Amiria sat back with her own grim expression, allowing Lynet a better view of her husband. She knew he felt her gaze when he looked at her from the corner of his eyes, but he offered no words of solace. If anything, his demeanor showed nothing other than a coolness she knew would get her nowhere.
She opened her mouth to give a bitter retort to his silent avowal, only to have Dristan halt her words with his steely stare.
“You will not sway me from this course, Lynet, so do not waste your words on me,” he declared folding his arms across his chest.
Amiria patted his arm. “You must admit, my lord, the selection you bring afore her leaves something to be desired.”
“They are all titled, hence they are all worthy of her,” Dristan retaliated.
Lynet put her hand on the table, bringing herself as close to the pair as she could without putting her arm in their trencher. “Worthy of me? You would have me wed one of these fools? Wed, to spend my life catering to the whim of some selfish lout? To someone who only cares for the monies I bring so he can clothe himself richly or purchase another steed to fill an already overflowing stable? Someone who will only see me for my beauty and parade me around at court like a pretty bauble he has acquired?” she hissed.
“They are not all of such temperament,” Dristan huffed.
“Ugh!” Lynet threw up her hands ready to run screaming from the keep. “Do not be blinded by what you think you see, for they are what I claim. The remaining few are either too young, or too old, my lord.”
“Then you have nothing to worry about from those who will not hold their own against a seasoned warrior, or did you forget the conditions of the competition that only the man who is triumphant at the end of the games will win your hand?”
“You condemn and sell me into a life of servitude. I will be chattel to one of these fools and you care nothing for my feelings.” Lynet stifled back a sob.
“All will work out as it should, Lynet. Of that, I have no doubt.” Dristan reached for his goblet and stared at her over its rim.
She peered at him trying to determine what his expression meant, for he had a strange look upon his face, as though he held some secret. “Not if I am to marry any of these sorry excuses for men who have come looking for glory. By the time the next two se’nnight’s are over, you will have nothing left of your larder.”
“Let me worry about my larder, Lynet.”
Exasperated with the conversation, she sat back in her chair and returned her attention to the goings on within the hall. All were merry with thoughts of their victorious win, especially one mountain of a man. She vaguely remembered being introduced to the burly brute the day afore. He was Scottish, for sure, and from the Highlands, if her memory served her aright. Giving a heavy sigh, she became once more disinterested in the happenings in her own hall. With wine and ale flowing freely, few would be in any condition to compete. Mayhap, that would be in her favor.
She noticed Rolf making his way through the room and her breath caught at the sight of him. He had dressed in his finest, and the dark blue tunic fit him well. He made his way confidently to stand afore the dais and gave a low, polished bow, performed with a courtly flourish. A soft smile at last lit her features as he arose to stare at her with twinkling merry eyes. He was devilishly handsome and had a grin upon his face like a boy who had just received a well-deserved treat!What is he up to,she wondered?
“Rolf,” Dristan said nonchalantly, and looked as if he was trying to hide his own smile.
“My liege,” Rolf replied with another courteous nod. He may have answered his lord, but his eyes held only unto her own. A flicker of hope pounded within her heart that perchance all was not lost.
“All is in order?”
“Aye, my lord.”
Dristan nodded towards his knight. “Then come and sup with us. I give you leave to sit next to Lady Lynet.”
Her mouth hanging open in a very unladylike manner, she watched as Rolf made quick work of lessening the space between them ’til he sat next to her. He began filling the trencher afore them with the choicest of meats so they could partake of the meal. He waited politely ’til she took a piece of venison and started to chew afore he delved into his meal. Taking a sip of wine to loosen the meat that seemed to stick in her throat, her heart picked up its pace ’til she thought surely everyone in the room would be able to hear its rapid beat.
She could stand the silence between them no longer. “Lord Dristan heard your petition?” she whispered for his ears alone.
“Aye.” ’Twas a simple, yet annoying statement, which told her nothing further of the information she was dying to know as he continued to eat his fill. She watched him discreetly from the corner of her eye for several minutes ’til she could stand it no longer. Underneath the table, she gave him a none-too-gentle poke in his ribs with her finger. His brow lifted as he began wiping his hands, since he had finished his food.
“And…” she prodded for him to continue.
Rolf shrugged his shoulders. He took his chalice in hand and began twirling the stem casually between his fingers afore he took a long slow sip of his wine. She began to drum her own fingers upon the table, a clear indication she was impatient. It seemed as if she waited an eternity afore he finally answered her. “I am here next to you. Should that not speak for itself?”
She sighed inwardly in relief, knowing Rolf would do everything within his power to win her hand. For the first time in weeks, Lynet felt as though a heavy weight had been lifted from her weary shoulders. They began to converse with a lighthearted banter. ’Twas nothing out of the ordinary of what their conversations had been over the years, other than he was seated to her left in a place of honor. The placement would have normally been given to her husband, and there were several men about the room who stopped what they were doing to observe the pair with narrowed eyes. She mentioned they were being observed, and yet, Rolf only laughed, as though she had nothing to worry about.
But worry she did, along with the fate of her heart. Yet, ’twas naught because of the men she had already been introduced to, nor the handsome one sitting comfortably by her side. Where but moments afore she had visions of her life with Rolf and what that would entail, those images quickly shattered into a thousand fragments as she watched another make his way through the hall, as he had done so many times in her past. She could not believe who her eyes beheld. For Ian…of all the people Lynet least expected to see…had come home!
Chapter Six
From the furious glint in her eyes, Ian could tell Lynet clearly was not pleased to see him. He would need to quickly remedy that and see if he could win her favor. Ian bowed low to those seated at the table afore him. When he rose, he suppressed a frown, seeing Rolf seated next to the woman he had not seen in many a year.A woman!Aye…for surely she was a small lass no longer. If Lynet had been beautiful in her youth, he was not sure what verbiage would now do the lady justice. To say she was simply stunning, would surely be considered a sin.
He tore his gaze from Lynet to see her sister Amiria staring at him with an amused smirk on her own beautiful visage. Her violet eyes sparkled with a mischievous twinkle, as if she knew where his thoughts had led him. Her husband, on the other hand, did not look as pleased. Apparently, their friendship over the years only went so far, especially where Lynet’s heart was concerned.
