Heat rushed to her face as she thought about the kiss. Even though she was ashamed to admit it, she enjoyed it. What would her sisters think of her? She was supposed to be their shining example of virtue, yet clearly her behavior was like that of a common courtesan.
Then her father’s words echoed in her mind. The man the he described didn’t resemble the Gavin that she had gotten to know over the past few hours. This man was kind, honorable and thoughtful. He also incited loyalty in his friend. He was the furthest thing from the criminal that her father had depicted. Could her father be wrong about him?
She brought out the medallion from underneath her tunic. It had belonged to her mother, and every time she touched the pendant, she felt her presence. Unfortunately this time she couldn’t sense any comfort from it. All she experienced was the hard, heavy metal in her hand.
But what if her father was right? What if the man she had gotten to know wasn’t what he seemed? Was she still willing to lose her heart to this knight?
“I need to know the truth,” she said, breaking the long silence. “Did you really save my father’s life, Sir Gavin?”
The hound that trotted along side the courser looked over at her, surprised to hear her voice.
Gavin’s mouth curved downward. “You asked me that before.”
“I do not know who or what to believe any longer,” she confessed. “My father said ‘twas Sir Etienne that saved him and not you. In fact he says that you were a part of the robbery.”
The muscles in his jaw began working as his eyes narrowed at her words.
“You father’s commander came long after Ulric and I had killed one of the outlaws,” he said flatly.
She mulled over his words. He didn’t sound like he was lying yet her father’s allegations still rebounded in her mind.
“My father insists that there is no merit to your claim. And if this is the case, you are acting like a common outlaw by abducting me.”
Her accusation hung heavily in the air.
“I’m within my rights to claim you as a wife,” he replied, his tone cool. “I had your father’s word. And Ulric bore witness to it.”
“Sir Ulric is under your employment and —”
“Enough,” Gavin said, irritated. “I will not be interrogated.”
“But we are discussing my future here!” she burst out. “I cannot marry a man under false pretenses. And I refuse to marry a man who has no integrity and lies to get what he wants.”
His nostrils flared. “Your father would be dead now had I not intervened on his behalf.”
Estella blinked at the ferocity behind his statement. There was too much feeling, too much energy behind his words that she could no longer doubt that he told the truth. She had held onto a small hope that the pact between Gavin and her father didn’t really exist. But that hope was now diminishing.
And if her father truly pledged one of his daughters to this man, then she was honor–bound to fulfill the promise. The unfairness of it all hit her with a sudden force. And although she tried to rein in her emotions, it settled squarely in her chest, making it difficult for her to breathe. There was no doubt that she had to marry Gavin.
She turned her head and looked off in the distance. “I suppose you will marry me as soon as we set foot in your castle,” she said.
“I’ve decided that we shall marry on Christmas day,” he said.
Estella swung her head back and frowned at him. “That is five days away.”
“Aye,” he nodded. “There is plenty of time —”
He reared in his horse as he saw a gang of five outlaws blocking the road. One was on a horse while the others were on foot. The days leading up to Christmastide seemed to bring out all the criminals and scum of the earth.
The hound stopped abruptly beside them, making a low growl at the back of his throat, warning the bandits to stay where they were.
Ulric halted his horse next to Gavin. “I’m certain that they’re the same outlaws that we encountered earlier,” he said. “I recognize Thomas, their leader.”
Even as he said it, the outlaws seemed to recognize them as well. A ripple of nervous tension coursed through the group. They muttered amongst themselves while looking and pointing in disbelief at what they saw. Even the horse that Thomas rode seemed to sense their fear, and it tossed its mane.
“Move aside,” Gavin said loudly. “We don’t want trouble today.”
But Thomas jerked his reins to still the horse’s movements. “Trouble came the day that you set eyes on us,” the leader said. The venom in his voice seemed to lend strength to his men. One man snickered in the background. “We might have let you pass unharmed except that you killed one of our brothers.”
“Then perhaps we should kill you all so we can pass,” Ulric growled. He slipped off his horse and took a menacing step forward.
The outlaws who were on foot looked uneasily at each other. “Perhaps we should let them pass, Thomas,” one of them said. He was the closest to Ulric, and he moved back, holding tightly onto his sword.
Thomas ignored the man, having zeroed in on the gold medallion that hung around Estella’s neck. A greedy, calculating gleam shone in his eyes and any initial fear that he displayed was gone. Estella felt a chill run down her spine.
“Give us the gold necklace on the lady, and we might give you free passage.”
Estella reached for her pendant, grasping it tightly in her hand. “You cannot have it.”
Thomas gave an ugly laugh. “You make it sound like we’re giving you a choice, my lady,” he said. “If you know what’s good for you, you’ll hand over the necklace. Me and my men can do a lot of damage.”
With one arm Gavin grabbed Estella around her waist and set her down on the ground. The hound immediately came to stand in front of her, his stance tense and ready to spring at the enemies.
“I’m afraid that you’ve forgotten how much damage we can inflict upon you,” Gavin said. “‘Tis you who should move aside and be on your way.”
The leader laughed in disbelief. “Not when you carry such valuables, my friend. We might even take the lady and hold her for ransom.”
“That is impossible,” Gavin said calmly.
“We outnumber you, if you haven’t noticed.” His lips curled into a sneer. “The last time we met, we were too occupied with the old nobleman and you caught us unawares. This time you won’t be so lucky.”
“I’ll have you know that there is a reason why I’m called Sir Gavin the Bold,” Gavin said, his tone as cool as a warrior’s blade.
In one smooth motion, he lifted the bow that was slung across his shoulders, and with his free hand he drew an arrow from his back pouch. At the same time, Ulric brandished his broadsword, waiting for a signal to move forward and attack.
Thomas’ laughter stopped abruptly. A dark shadow of fear seemed to roll over the entire group. “Sir Gavin the Bold is an old man,” he said with uncertainty in his voice. “Everyone knows that.”
“He’s likely in his twentieth–eighth year, wouldn’t you say?”
With growing alarm, Thomas squinted at Gavin’s face.
A couple of men beneath his horse took a cautious step back.
Gavin drew his bow and pointed the arrow at the leader. “And if my memory serves me correctly, Sir Gavin the Bold has expert marksmanship.” As he said this, Gavin released the wooden shaft. The arrow whizzed through the crisp air, just a whisper past Thomas’ right ear.
Thomas’ face turned ashen. He jerked hard at his reins. “Disperse, men!” he barked. But he didn’t need to speak at all. His riffraff band had already scattered into the forest like scared mice.
Estella let out a breath of relief as she watched the outlaws disappear in the forest. Her heart slowed down to its normal pace. She was only too glad that the horrible incident was over.
Gavin slipped off his horse, and helped her back on the saddle before positioning himself behind her.
“Let us get away from this place,”
he said.
Ulric didn’t need further encouragement. He hopped onto his horse and soon they rode off at a full gallop.
CHAPTER 10
After what seemed like hours, Gavin slowed his horse to a steady, rhythmic gait.
“Those were the same outlaws that attacked my father, weren’t they?” Estella asked, even though she already knew the answer. Not only did he save her father, but he prevented the robbers from making off with the thing she valued more than life itself.
Gavin nodded. “Those were the attackers.”
“I thank you for driving them away,” she said, her voice quiet.
She lifted the pendant and looked at the intricate design. She sensed him watching her trace the heraldic shields that were embossed onto the gold jewelry.
“It means a lot to you, doesn’t it?” he asked.
Her throat constricted, and she swallowed hard, trying to stem back the wave of sadness that suddenly came upon her. “Aye,” she said, unable to keep her voice from cracking. She closed her eyes tightly but still the tears escaped. She swallowed again. “‘Tis the only thing I have left of my mother. She had died along with the babe that she carried.” She wiped away the tears with her fingers. “This medallion has far more value than the gold that it was forged from. If I could have my mother back in exchange for this piece of jewelry, I would gladly give it. But even I know ‘tis impossible to bring her back from the dead. At least if I have this ornament, I can feel her near; I can feel her presence, her gentle love.” She gripped the necklace in her hand, willing it to give her strength. And when it did, she clenched her jaw, her gaze focused on a spot beyond the horizon. “If that robber had tried to take this from me, I would have found a way to kill him myself.”
Gavin lifted one eyebrow, surprised at the ferociousness in her tone.
“I have no doubt about that,” he said softly. “You must have loved your mother very much.”
She let out a long breath and allowed her chin to drop to her chest. “She was a very special woman, and she loved me and my sisters dearly,” she said, her voice quiet. “There was always a smile upon her lips and a kind word to everyone she met. She cared for everyone, even the lowest of serfs. And she would give away her last coin if she thought you needed it more than she did. I can only hope to be a good person like her one day.”
A branch on a tree nearby, heavily laden with snow cracked and fell onto the ground.
“Your mother sounds like a lovely woman,” he said. For a moment, Estella thought she detected wistfulness in his tone, but then it was gone. His gaze fixed on the road ahead. “My mother died when I was young,” he shrugged “I only have memories of my step–mother.”
“Was your step–mother good to you?”
His grip tightened on the reins. He hadn’t thought about his step–mother in years. “There was no love lost between us,” he said.
She waited for him to continue, but when he remained silent, she sighed. “I am sorry to hear that you did not have a good experience with your step–mother,” she said.
“You look exhausted,” he said, abruptly changing the subject. He glanced up at the sun and determined that there was about two hours left before sunset. “We should stop and rest soon.”
The sound of scampering animals in the bushes nearby made her jump.
“Do you think we are far enough away from the outlaws?” she asked. “What if they decide to follow us?”
The snow swirled in the wind and then settled in a new place.
“We shall be fine,” he said. Even though he knew it was best for them to continue, to put more distance between them and the outlaws, he couldn’t bring himself to push forward. Estella was a lady and ladies weren’t used to long rides across rough terrain. And from this point on, the terrain would only become rockier and possibly more perilous. “‘Tis doubtful that the outlaws will have the courage to follow us after the last incident.”
He shifted his eyes to the bare trees on both sides of the road and confirmed what he already knew. Everything was quiet. The snow alongside the road was undisturbed and there were no distant sounds of pounding hooves following them. The landscape was changing, becoming more barren and rough. Yet there was an unpolished beauty here. He breathed in deeply. He was nearing his home. His heart sang with that realization.
“‘Tis peaceful out here in the open,” she said as if she had heard his thoughts. She looked up at the sky. A golden eagle soared high above and let out a screech, its cries echoing in the rocky valley. Large snow flakes began to fall onto her lovely face. “I used to sit by the solar window with Mother, and watch the snow cover the land in its beautiful white cloak. The sun would touch it with its warmth, and ‘twould reflect back and sparkle like expensive jewels.”
Her face softened as a far away look crossed her face. “They weren’t jewels, she told me, but gifts from the fairies,” Estella continued softly. “You see, they sprinkled their fairy dust everywhere, and all you had to do was to believe in their magic. Only then would your wishes come true.”
He looked at the trees covered in their own white robes. “I have never heard of anything like that,” he said.
She gave him a wry smile. “My mother was a very fanciful story teller.”
They fell into a companionable silence, and Estella leaned back to rest on Gavin, taking in the pristine beauty before her. Although most of the trees had lost their leaves, a few fir trees scattered here and there, their leaves green and everlasting. A large mountain loomed in the background while the landscape became more forbidding and difficult to navigate.
A large rock sat to the left of them and upon seeing the marking, Gavin veered off into the forest.
“There is a small cave not far from here,” he explained. “It will provide protection from the cold and wet while we stay here overnight. We should arrive at Ashburn Castle by tomorrow.”
The horses trudged through the snow, and arrived at a cave that was large enough to accommodate their small party.
As soon as she got of the horse, she hurried inside the cave, glad to be out of the biting wind and chill.
The cavernous shelter looked as if a dozen or so dwarves had carefully chipped away at the stone in their quest to find precious metals and gems. Still, there was a certain beauty to the jagged edges that projected from the sides. The ground was worn down and smooth. The remains of an old fire sat at the center, while dried bones, sticks and leaves were scattered everywhere.
The hound walked over to the discarded bones. He sniffed at them before turning his nose on the meager offerings, and left the cave.
“You look exhausted,” Gavin said. He motioned for her to sit on a log that someone had dragged in a long time ago. “Rest there while I set up the fire.”
She shook her head. “Staying idle makes me feel colder and more tired,” she said. “Besides I want to be useful. Perhaps I can help with something.”
“Fine,” he said. “Go into my sack and bring the steel–striker. You should find it in the oiled leather bag.”
Estella walked over to the horses and saw the sack that slung across Gavin’s saddle. She dug her hand into the bag, searching for the familiar pouch when she encountered something soft and pliable.
She lifted the object out of the sack, and stared at it in disbelief. “A cloth doll?” she murmured to herself. She turned it over, and noted the fine satin tunic on the well loved toy. “Why would a knight carry a doll with him?”
“Did you find it?” Gavin called to her.
“I am still searching,” she said as she hurriedly stuffed the doll back into place and felt around for the oiled bag.
Finding it, she grasped the leather pouch and brought it over to Gavin.
He smiled at her. “There is not much else for you to do until Ulric comes back with some meat.”
Gavin swept the debris with his foot and began to gather the loose leaves into a pile. He then picked up some of the dried branches that someone had left behind and p
laced it on top of the nest of leaves.
Estella took a seat on the log, hugging herself to keep herself warm. She watched as Gavin struck the flint with the striker. When a spark lit, he waved his hand over it to encourage the flame to grow.
Soon he had the fire going, and the cave became cast in a warm glow, causing shadows to dance merrily along the uneven walls. Just outside the mouth of the cave, Estella could see the sun fading. While she was out of the immediate danger of having her prized medallion stolen from her, and the dark and cold was temporarily forgotten, her thoughts whirled out of control. Her gazed settled on Gavin. Just when she thought she had him figured out, more unanswered questions cropped up. Who was this man that she was about to marry? In the time that she had gotten to know him he had never mentioned having any children. And if he did have children, why didn’t he tell her?
CHAPTER 11
“I had no luck finding meat,” Ulric said, dusting off the snow from his hair and shoulders.
The hound arrived at his heels, licking his mouth as if he had just enjoyed a tasty meal.
“It looks like the hound had better luck than you,” Gavin said.
Ulric grunted. “Well if he found any meat, he’s not sharing any with us. Greedy animal,” he muttered, moving closer to the fire. He caught the food pouch that Gavin tossed to him.
“We have enough to sustain us until we arrive at Ashburn,” Gavin replied. He broke off some bread and cheese from his share, and offered some to her. “You will have to forgive us for our meager provisions, my lady.”
She nodded. “‘Tis fine,” she said, taking the offering.
The hound stretched contentedly and curled up by the fire.
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