Jeremy started to sit down, then straightened and began
to pace instead.
“Your own actions are partly at fault. Your mistrust
has raised her guard.”
Jeremy clenched his jaw and, without thinking,
fingered the hilt of his dagger. “I’ve reason not to trust
her.”
William’s brows rose. “Has she betrayed us in any
way to anyone?”
“Nay, not yet,” was the grimly firm reply.
“Has she mistreated or neglected any of the men?”
“Nay. She’s treated every man’s wounds...including
mine.”
“And saved my life. Do traitors act thus?”
A long pause ensued before Jeremy sat down beside
the bed. “I presume not.”
“You suspect her because she’s a woman.” At Jeremy’s
grimace, William’s tone softened. “I understand your
misgivings. But all women don’t favor Estelle Hawk or
your female kin. You can’t condemn the entire gender for
those few.”
“I’ll strive to remember that, my lord.” His jaw
tightened. “But only Manfred’s Lucinda is faithful,
because he keeps her so with his fist. Edward treated
Blanche kindly. She sought to cuckold him with me, and
succeeded with one of his retainers. And Estelle—“ Jeremy
swallowed. “But you know all, having been my family’s
lifelong friend.”
“I’ve offended you.” William sighed. “I wish you no
hurt. You’re as a son to me. But you must stop your
rancor. My God, you can’t distrust half of all mankind!”
Jeremy moved to the window and braced both hands
on the sill. “And why not? Man fell from grace because of
woman.”
“History cannot be undone. But you need not think
that women are good for naught more than tumbling into
bed.”
Jeremy shot a look over his shoulder. “Of course, my
lord. Women cook, clean and sew. My kindly childhood
nurse—”
“This situation hardly calls for jocundity, Sir Jeremy.”
Despite William’s abruptly formal tone, Jeremy didn’t
relent. He turned to approach the bed, saying as he did
so, “If Adam had felt as I do, instead of being seduced by
the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then Man would
be in the Garden still.”
“Be assured Man would have fallen eventually, my
friend,” William replied dryly. “Even you can’t keep a
woman abed all the day ‘round.”
***
“Hercules, get your nose out of those oats and let me
brush your face,” Alicen scolded her gelding as she
groomed him late that afternoon. “You think of naught
but food. Fat swine.”
The bay snorted, tossing his head and knocking the
brush from her hand. It landed on the opposite side of
the stall, leaving her with two options—crawling under
his belly or going around to retrieve the tool. Sighing, she
moved toward his rump.
“Wretched beast,” she grumbled.
“I’ll get it.”
The deep voice brought her up short. Startled, she
turned to see Jeremy Blaine’s broad-shouldered figure
five steps away. Fear swept through her like a fever. She
froze as he bent to retrieve the brush, her first thought
that he had come to punish her for her audacity. They
were alone. Her gaze darted to the door behind him, and
she tensed, ready to fight him if need be or run if the
chance presented itself.
With a pang of regret Jeremy noted Alicen’s terror.
She thought he’d harm her. And based upon his previous
conduct, he had to admit her fears had some justification.
He must proceed with caution so as not to frighten her
more.
Summoning a slight smile, he asked in his most civil
manner, “Have you another brush? If I groom this side
while you do the other, the work will be done in half the
time.”
Alicen went weak with relief. Moving swiftly, but not
fast enough to betray her anxiety, she put Hercules’
comforting bulk between herself and the fearsome soldier.
Still, her hands shook when she reached for a second
coat brush to resume the grooming.
Moments passed in strained silence as neither spoke.
Risking a glance across the horse’s back, she saw Blaine
intent upon his task. She wasn’t comforted. Memory of
his intimidating manner remained fresh. Even garbed in
a plain tunic, hose and short boots, he looked every bit
the warrior.
Jeremy groomed the gelding’s coat to a deep gloss.
Finishing, he patted the sleek neck and ran his hand
across the muscled withers.
“A fine animal,” he said appreciatively, catching
Alicen’s wary look. “You must value him highly.”
She rubbed the horse’s soft muzzle and returned
Blaine’s perusal with more courage than she actually
possessed. “Indeed I do. Hercules is a good friend.”
“Hercules,” Jeremy mused aloud. “One possessing
great strength. It fits him.” At her frankly surprised
expression, he added, “Not every soldier is an ignorant
lout, Mistress Kent.”
She lowered her gaze, embarrassed he’d guessed her
thoughts.
“And, not every soldier behaves as despicably as I
have toward you.” He paused before adding, “Even though
your deeds provoked me.”
Alicen’s cheeks flushed. Her head snapped up.
“Mayhap you acted within your authority, Captain,” she
retorted, “but the punishment was unjustly cruel.”
“Citizens have no say in military matters,” he
returned, stunned at how swiftly their conversation had
gone from horses to apologies to argument.
“Landeyda is my home. Seeing it turned into an
encampment appalls me.” She clutched Hercules’ mane
in her left hand.
“Were the duke able, I’d take him from here. He’s
not. And no matter how loathsome, we must tolerate the
present situation.”
“I may tolerate it, but I’ll never enjoy it.”
“’Twould be more pleasant if you occupied yourself
solely with healing.” He leveled a cold look at her.
Her narrowed gaze locked on his, and she stood tall.
“Then will you not occupy yourself with healing, Captain?”
“What do you mean?” His scowl carried through to
his tone.
“Will I be able to aid all who need my attention?”
“You circumvented my order concerning Naismith
quite easily, from what I understand.”
She paled at that barb but held her ground. “May I
perform my tasks with no soldier following?”
Both his look and tone brooked no argument. “For as
long as the duke remains here, no.”
“Then I am your captive.” She took a shuddering
breath.
He gaped in surprise at her conclusion. “You’ll not be
kept here against your will. But you’ll be escorted when
you leave.”
Her right fist strangled the
handle of the brush she
held. “You think me a traitor! How could you?”
“A soldier’s intuition, I suppose.”
“Lucifer take your intuition,” she cried, hurling the
brush to the floor. Hercules jerked his head, but Alicen
ignored him. “I take no sides in this—or any—dispute!”
Jeremy eyed her speculatively, carefully gauging her
state of mind. He found he preferred her anger over her
fear. “You treated the men we captured after the ambush,
did you not?”
“Aye.” She hesitated, sensing a trap. “But they were
well guarded—”
“You’d treat a mercenary, a deserter or a traitor if the
scoundrel presented himself at your door, would you not?”
“I’ve had little occasion to do so.” Except for Orrick.
“But you’d not hesitate,” he accused.
“Nay, I’d not hesitate.” At the triumphant glint in his
eyes she added, “I’m a physician, Captain. I treat the ill.
Social station, political beliefs...have naught to do with
the ill needing care.”
“And that is precisely why I trust you not. If you’d
bind a man’s wounds regardless of his fealty, you’ve no
loyalty to your liege lord.” Crossing his arms over his chest,
Jeremy assumed a posture of stubborn pugnacity.
Anger drove Alicen’s fear away. “When you see a child
or a woman attacked, Captain, do you ask where her
loyalties lie before deciding to aid her?” she challenged.
“My allegiance is not in question here.”
“Yet mine is, despite my saving William’s life.”
“You yourself said you’d aid anyone.”
She stared at him, noting the stubborn set of his jaw,
and knew for certain the futility of argument. She shook
her head. “You see what you wish to see, and in your
eyes I am untrue.”
At this sudden acquiescence, his brow rose. “You
could disprove that accusation.”
She shrugged. “Yet ’tis truth I’ve sworn to treat all
who need me. Thus, I’ll refuse no one. Nor will I betray
William or seek out his foes.” She paused before saying
slowly, “I understand not why you so despise me, sir. I’ve
done little to deserve such animosity except to speak my
mind. And if honesty is so intolerable to you, I can only
wonder at your rise to favor in the duke’s service.”
Staring at his face, she caught a play of...what?
Sadness? Regret? Startled, she looked again, but the
knight’s expression had become closely guarded.
Silently, Jeremy hung his brush on a nearby peg and
left the stable.
Five
“I tried to apologize, but that wretched woman
wouldn’t let me,” Jeremy seethed as he sat by William’s
bed the next morning studying a sheaf of messages. “She
detests soldiers—”
“As much as you mistrust women,” the duke broke
in archly.
The knight grunted. “So it seems.” He tried to focus
on the writing before him, but couldn’t get Alicen’s image
out of his mind. Tension twisted in his belly.
William laughed weakly. “What a pair you make.
Forced together and ready to rend each other at the least
provocation.”
“I see no humor in this,” Jeremy muttered, lifting his
gaze to the duke. “Were you fit to ride, we’d leave this
miserable place.”
“I enjoy her, though her unwed state vexes me,”
William asserted. Then he added slyly, “Mayhap I should
invite her back to Tynan to find her a match.”
Jeremy’s entire body went rigid. “Take her to Tynan?
Jesu forbid it! You’d force me to rejoin Bedford in France
to get as far away from her as possible.”
“Why would her presence plague you? I’ll see her wed
to some clerk, and you’ll be well quit of her.”
“What man would willingly marry such a hoyden?”
The knight shuddered. “She’d harry him unto his grave.”
The older man’s dark eyes twinkled. “You don’t find
her at all attractive?”
“Much too slender,” Jeremy scoffed. “I like a woman
with flesh on her, not one who’s shaped like a lad.”
“A curvaceous lad, I’d say. With all that rich chestnut
hair, and those eyes—” William’s expression turned
thoughtful as he covertly studied his captain.
“Her eyes carry only daggers for me. I hardly remarked
her hair.”
William nodded as if answering his own unvoiced
question. “Mayhap you were far too preoccupied with her
shape to note any of her other fine features.”
Too angry to hear the duke’s sudden change in tone,
Jeremy stated, “Hell will resemble a Norse winter ‘ere I’m
preoccupied with any of that shrew’s features.”
Yet even as he swore this declaration, his reaction
when Alicen tended his wound—and his visions at the
tavern—filled his mind and belied his oath. Sweet Jesu,
how could women do such things to rational men?
He was struggling to return to his letters when the
infirmary door burst open and Taft rushed in.
“What the devil,” Jeremy exclaimed, springing to his
feet.
“Come quickly! Our rider approaches at a dead
gallop.”
Jeremy cast a glance at William.
“Go,” the duke ordered.
Taft spun on his heel and left, his captain right behind
in a sprint to the courtyard.
“’Tis Fish, sir!” cried the watchman at the gate.
Both officers rushed to where Fish pulled his lathered
mount to a halt at the stable.
“Enemy soldiers,” Fish gasped, sliding from his saddle.
“A league north of Sherford. Search party.”
Expression cold, Jeremy sent a look at Taft then
turned back to Fish. “How many?”
“Two score at least. Takin’ care to check buildings an’
such.”
“Looking for their missing patrol?” Taft speculated.
“No doubt.” Jeremy directed his next question to Fish.
“How long before they arrive here?”
“An hour at the least, Cap’n. They don’t seem in a
hurry, but they’re surely after somethin’.”
“Nicely done, Malcolm.” Jeremy clapped him on the
shoulder. “You may have given us time to escape their
net.”
He turned to the men gathered behind him and began
snapping orders. In moments, all were racing to carry
out his commands.
Although he schooled his features to show nothing,
Jeremy couldn’t help turning to stare at Alicen’s cottage.
“How will we protect William?” Taft asked soberly,
following his commander’s gaze.
Expression hard, Jeremy said, “I’ll inform our hostess
that guests approach.” He strode to the cottage, Taft
following.
***
“As we cannot retreat, you and the seriously wounded
will remain inside,” Jeremy explained to Alicen, looking
around the circle of men for their affirmation. “The rest
of us will deter
any of Harold’s troop who seek entrance
at the gate.”
She paled. “You cannot fight here!”
Her intense declaration gave Jeremy momentary
pause. Behind him, the men were tautly silent. “’Tis as
good a place as any, considering the wall surrounding
it.”
“Nay! Even did the odds favor you, I’d not allow a
battle.” A hint of desperation tinged her bold
announcement.
Jeremy’s jaw tightened. “You threatened to kill the
duke just a few nights past.”
“To protect Ned,” came her terse reply. “You drove
me to voice an empty threat.”
Jeremy crossed his arms over his chest in his most
intimidating pose. “As you said, William cannot be moved,
so we’ll defend him here. You’ve no choice in this matter.”
She shook her head, her body shaking as well with
the force of her emotions. “My home is no killing ground.
’Tis a place of healing. To fight here is to destroy a sacred
trust.”
Though her voice had faded to a whisper, Jeremy was
certain every man heard her words, spoken with such
exquisite anguish as to touch all with their poignancy.
She lifted her gaze to his, torment clear in the green depths
of her eyes.
Something in his chest tightened, but he instantly
tamped down his sympathy.
“You’d have us surrender without a fight?” he asked
evenly.
“Nay, no fight is necessary. The sign of plague will
deter them. They’ll not dare risk their lives to enter.”
“And if they heed not the warning?”
“Ned and I will burn clothing and bed linen to warn
them further of the danger here.”
“Aye, there’d be truth to that,” Jeremy replied coldly
as he rested a hand on his sword hilt. He studied her
tense features. “Do you plot a trick to trap us?”
She flinched, but didn’t allow her conviction to falter.
“There will be no killing here.”
“Mayhap we’ll keep the boy with us, to assure your
loyalty.”
Anger flared in Alicen’s suddenly narrowed eyes. “I’ll
allow no killing at Landeyda. That’s where my loyalty lies.”
Jeremy shrugged as if discounting her statement.
“We’ve the element of surprise to aid us.”
“And fewer than a dozen able-bodied men. Against
forty.” Unbidden images of a massacre assailed her.
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