Page 7 of Promise of a Knight
Upon hearing his footsteps, she leapt from her crouched position, a single rose held in her dainty hand. ’Twas Alexandra.
“Are ye following me?” she asked, her gaze darting around, no doubt praying for someone else to be there and save her from having to speak to him.
Alaric wanted to laugh, but he kept it held in. Her disdain for him couldn’t be any more apparent.
“Nay, my lady.”
“What… What are ye doing here?” She swallowed and even in the waning light, he could see the delicate bob of her long, silky throat.
“I could ask the same of you,” he drawled. Alaric reached out, plucking the flower from her hand and tucking it into the knot of red hair on top of her head. Her locks were soft and a faint, floral fragrance, better than the flower he’d tucked there, wafted toward his nose. “Beautiful.”
What was getting into him? He wasn’t a romantic and he certainly didn’t want to romance a little Scots wench.
“Thank ye,” she murmured, then glanced over her shoulder. “I should…” She licked her lips nervously, returning her eyes to his.
Alaric thought to put her out of her misery. “Shall I take you back to your chaperone?”
Alexandra’s eyes rolled, her long lashes fluttering. He had the strongest urge to touch her lashes, to run the pad of his finger over the soft flesh of her eyelid, to place a kiss between her brows, before tugging her into his arms and laying claim to the lips she kept nibbling on. He doubted she even knew what a tease she was.
Alaric loved a woman in need of saving.
“Oh, I doubt she’s even noticed that I’m gone. Lady Home is only returning a favor to my mother. She does not want me here, nor does she really like me all that much.” Alexandra blushed. “I dinna know why I am telling ye all this.”
Alaric smiled, touched her hand, and pulled it to wrap around his arm. Without her seeming to notice, he started to walk about the garden. “Why do you think that?”
“That she doesn’t like me?” Alexandra flitted her hand as if dismissing the air, then settled it atop the other that rested around his elbow.
“Mmhmm.” Alaric found that he rather enjoyed the sound of her voice.
“She’s as much said so. But I’ll soon be out of her hair.”
“At the king’s palace?”
She glanced at him out of the side of her eye. “Aye. At the king’s palace.”
Why did he get the sense that wasn’t the truth at all? Before he could question her, she bent to pick another flower.
“I would not pick a flower at all if we were at the king’s palace. But Lady Home… I kind of feel like each little blossom I pick is a pinch to her ego.” Alexandra laughed. “I should be ashamed of such vengeful thoughts.”
“There’s a bit of mischief in you,” Alaric said, laughter in his voice.
“A bit.” Alexandra stood and after breaking off most of the stem of the flower, tucked it into a buttonhole on his doublet. “And now I’ve an accomplice.”
Alaric smiled. He rather liked the idea of being her accomplice. The lady was absolutely extraordinary. Not at all like the stuffy ladies at court. But alive. And full of enthusiasm.
“Dinna tell where ye got the flower, Sir Alaric, else Lady Home may punish me for ruining her garden and my reputation.”
“Your reputation?” Hell, he would gladly be the man to ruin her reputation and he’d do it right here. Or perhaps on the bench just behind them. With gusto. The thought had his blood churning and shooting straight to his groin.
“Walking in a darkened garden with an Englishman? Alone?”
Alaric laughed. Ah, yes, they were simply talking of walking, nothing more. He gently pulled her hand to his lips. “I promise, your secretandyour reputation are safe with me.”
Well, at least her secret was, for ’twas taking every ounce of his control not to bend her over his arm and steal a true kiss.
