Page 48 of Knight of Chaos
“Charles, please release me,” she tried again. She did not wish to crush his spirits now any more than when she left months ago, but nor could she allow him to take such liberties. She would need to gently inform him she was now married but not here. Not within the hearing of everyone in the village.
“My lady,” Kingsley’s address caused a hush to fall over the crowd around them.
Ingrid frowned at the man. “Not now, Kingsley.”
“But Lady Ingrid—”
“I saidnot now, Goodee,” she replied, interrupting him. Kingsley and Blake exchanged silent glances and continued to stand by their horses, holding the reins while they waited for what would come next.
Charles slowly raised his head to stare upon her. The golden tints to his amber eyes stood out before he gave a fierce frown whilst turning his attention to her riding companions. “Who are they?” he growled out.
Ingrid watched the play of emotions running rampant across Charles’s features.God’s Bones!Was this how she had appeared when jealousy had clouded her judgement? She would be hard pressed to explain herself to Theobald once they met again.
She took Charles’s hand as she had done a million time before in their youth. He mistook the gesture as something more as happiness swept across his handsome features. She hastily withdrew her grip. He appeared crestfallen once more and his mask of jealousy rose again to the surface.
“Well?” he scowled at her and her friends. “Will you not tell me who these two men are that you have been riding with?”
“Aye, I will once we see to our horses, I have a fire lit in my hearth, and we have had some time to fill our empty stomachs. We have been riding long and hard, and I must needs rest my weary self before I tackle another obstacle in my life,” she proclaimed looking upon her friend in sympathy. “I am most certain you understand my plight and will give me the time I need.”
A blush of embarrassment flushed his face. “Aye, Ingrid, of course. Take what time you need,” Charles said stepping away from her and crossing his arms over his chest.
His arms bulged with muscles, reminding her that he was not the same scrawny youth from their younger days together. Nay. This was a man who was used to hard labor, and he had the body to prove it… just like the men she was with, along with her husband. She could see Charles would demand answers from her soon and would not wait long for her to settle into her dwelling. Her life here had been so much simpler in her youth. Now that Charles was a man fully grown, he appeared to think he had the right to claim ownership over her. He would be hard pressed to accept the truth.
“Thank you for understanding, Charles,” she finally murmured, although from the looks he was giving her, her words were a falsehood. He was far from understanding anything concerning her and her traveling companions. “Come by my hut in about an hour. That should give me enough time to get myself settled.”
The crowd parted giving Ingrid, Blake, and Kingsley a straight path in the direction of her home. She wasted little time pulling Valor toward the small barn in the backyard. ’Twas not much in the way of a stable, but large enough for the three trusted steeds. They made quick work of taking off the saddles and bridles. Combs were found to brush the horses down and one of the villagers came to bring several bags of oats. Whilst Ingrid thanked the man, he informed her that a hot meal would be brought over so they could eat their fill. Ingrid was thankful for this as well. She had no provisions for a lengthy stay here and would have to rely on the generosity of others. Another part of her plan she had not thought completely through.
Blake and Kingsley took off to clean themselves in a nearby stream, giving Ingrid the moment of privacy she had not even realized she needed. She slowly opened the cottage door. Memories of her father flooded across her mind in wave after wave. She could almost feel a physical manifestation of the love that he had for her washing over her as she remembered all the good times they had shared. She could envision him sitting by the fire sharpening a knife or eating a meal she had prepared for them. A sob caught in her throat as she recalled that, despite how close she had considered them to be, he had still kept her birthright a secret from her. Why had he done that? The lie still did not sit well with her. She wanted to demand answers, but there was no one who could give them to her. Not anymore.
A knock sounded upon the door, and Ingrid assumed Blake and Kingsley had returned. She opened the door only to see Charles standing on the other side. He was earlier than expected, but she could do nothing but allow him entrance.
Before she could protest, he kissed her cheek as he swept by her, making his way over to the hearth to start a fire. Once the flames were ablaze, he at last stood to stare upon her.
“You look different,” he stated, taking a seat on a wooden chair whilst motioning for her to do the same with the vacant one across from him.
Inwardly she sighed. If he had given her the time she had requested, she would have at least had the opportunity to wash herself and change into clean garments. Instead, now she was having to entertain a guest in her own home still feeling the dust and grime from days in the saddle.
“You are early,” she said, crossing the room to sit. “I asked for an hour.”
“I could not wait that long,” he mumbled, looking sheepish. “I have missed your company.”
“I would have preferred you to wait until the appointed time. I have yet to change and clean myself from my travels. I have only had the time to see to my horse,” she said with firm lips.
“There was no need to clean up just for me but I appreciate that you would like for me to see you looking your best,” he said whilst inspecting her.
She cursed beneath her breath. “I have been traveling for days in the rain, Charles. My desire to be presentable was not with the intention of being pleasing for you or anyone for that matter. ’Twas a desire to see myself clean and to settle back into my home after being gone for so long.”
“You should have never left,” he replied.
And there it was… the dig she should have expected from him.
“I had a mission to fulfill and a duty to the Empress Matilda.” She looked directly into his amber eyes, watching whilst a multiple of reactions crossed his features before he masked them.
“I apologize for not waiting the hour that you requested. But as I said, I could not wait knowing you were home. Besides, no matter what you look like, you are always beautiful to me, Ingrid,” Charles proclaimed with a bright smile.
“That is kind of you to say, Charles, but there is much that needs to be said between us,” she began but halted once he reached across the space between them to take hold of her hand. She allowed it but briefly before she pulled her fingers from his grasp.
He sat back in his chair and a frown marred his handsome brow. “You have changed.”
