Harlequin Historical July 2021--Box Set 2 of 2

by Madeline Martin

  Ralph hesitantly approached them without getting too close and caught Gwenllian’s eyes. He’d startled her, he noticed, as she flinched, then quickly recovered herself.

  Gwen had not expected to see him and why would she? Had he not expressed that he no longer wanted to resume their friendship? Had he not pushed her away and warned her against any further interest in his life? Yes...and it had been necessary. Ralph could not fault his reasoning for his need to achieve what he had set out. He needed no distractions, just a resolute singlemindedness to right all the wrongs perpetrated against him. Yet Ralph was dissatisfied with how everything stood between them. With how there might be more to Gwen’s apparent betrayal of him than he had initially believed.

  In any case, he had not been able to push Gwen out of his mind since the moment he had seen her again, however hard he had tried.

  ‘I did not expect to see you here.’ She was talking to him softly, albeit discreetly. Both of them were faced away from one another, in different directions, and to any casual observer they would appear absorbed in anything other than this encounter.

  ‘Nor I you.’ Ralph ran his fingers across the smooth length of the blade as though he were examining the sword. ‘I had not thought you would leave the knights’ parade so soon.’

  ‘Other matters needed my attention.’ She narrowed her eyes. ‘Do you not also have duties to serve your knight?’

  ‘I do, but I wanted to...nay, I needed to see you after last night.’

  She ignored him as her companion whispered something in her ear before walking away, presumably with an errand.

  The big burly blacksmith wiped his hands on a dirty cloth and nodded at Ralph. ‘Your helmet has been smoothed and would be ready on the morrow, as promised.’

  ‘My thanks and I’ll be delivering more of Sir Thomas’s weapons for you in preparation for the mêlée, if you have the time to attend to it?’

  ‘Aye.’ He nodded as he turned to Gwen. ‘And now, my lady...’ the man inclined his large head awkwardly ‘...about what we discussed before... I can get everything that you need, ready and tight by sundown.’

  ‘Thank you,’ she murmured. ‘You are too kind.’

  Ralph watched with fascination as the big, gruff man softened his stance with a reticent smile on his face at being called ‘kind’ by a lady. He inclined his head again and resumed his work. Gwen returned his smile and bid the man farewell and began to walk towards the inner bailey of the castle. She took no notice of Ralph, intent, it seemed, on ignoring him even though he followed, keeping his distance, behind her.

  ‘Tell me how you fare, Lady Gwenllian?’ he said in a low voice, his head bent low.

  ‘Thank you, but there is no need for you to concern yourself with me.’

  He caught her elbow from behind and she stilled. ‘Gwen?’ he whispered softly.

  ‘I’m well, but you had best go,’ she muttered over her shoulder. ‘It would be inadvisable if we were seen together, would it not?’

  That he knew, but there was something she wasn’t telling him. ‘What are you up to, my lady?’ She began to quicken her pace, ignoring him. ‘What are these matters that need your attention?’

  She stopped, but still faced away from him. ‘They are of no importance. You and I are no longer...’ She shook her head and exhaled deeply. ‘Our lives run along different paths, now.’

  ‘I know.’

  ‘Well then, I beg you to leave it and continue to do everything you can to win Kinnerton back.’

  ‘Gwen, I...’

  ‘Go back, Ralph...forget me,’ she whispered and resumed walking, almost sprinting in her hurry to get away.

  Forget Gwenllian ferch Hywel?

  He had tried to...all these years he had tried but, no, it appeared that Ralph could not forget her. No, he could never do that.

  * * *

  It was not too difficult to locate Gwenllian before dawn the following morn, getting ready to leave surreptitiously when most from King Henry’s court and knights in attendance were still abed.

  In fact, it had been shockingly easy to find out what she intended to do, especially with so many ordinary people whom she had sought help eager to talk readily in exchange for coin. Ralph had followed her trail in dismay. The impulsive foolishness of leaving, with just a young stable hand and her pretty companion, a woman as young as Gwen, no less, was nothing short of madness. Lord above, it was as though they were actively seeking trouble or at best naive enough to believe they were sufficiently protected.

  They were not.

  What he did not know was why Gwen was leaving now. But then again Ralph knew nothing of Gwen’s life and what had happened to her after all this time. He wondered whether her reasons might have something to do with their meeting in the woods a few night ago. He hoped it had not.

  Ralph stepped out of the darkness and into the gloomy, unlit stables that housed some of the finest horses in the land. Gwenllian and her small party were packing up their meagre belongings and attaching them to the saddlebags with quiet, efficient expediency. They were naturally in a hurry to get away.

  He peered from under his wide hood and saw that she was surprised. Her eyes widened and she stopped and turned towards him.

  ‘What are you doing here?’ she hissed.

  ‘I could ask you the very same question.’

  Her lips twisted in annoyance, but she did not offer an answer.

  ‘Well?’

  Gwen turned away and continued to brush down her grey mare, uttering soothing comfort into the horse’s ear.

  Ralph looked her up and down and shook his head. She was wearing a dark woollen tunic, a padded leather gambeson, a wide hooded cloak, thick hose and matching braies. In fact, the apparel of a young squire, but Gwen looked entirely too feminine to pass for a young boy.

  Her companion, Brida, strode through the entrance, wearing similar clothing. The young woman opened her mouth to say something to Gwen, but once she realised that he was there, she looked between them, worried her bottom lip and turned away.

  ‘You still have yet to answer.’

  ‘What I choose to do has absolutely nothing to do with you, Ralph de Kinnerton.’

  ‘No, my lady.’ He touched his hood, making sure that his face was still concealed. ‘I did not say it did, but I would be grateful if you could oblige me, all the same.’

  ‘Would you? And for what purpose?’ She sighed in irritation. ‘Why this interest in me and my movements now?’

  He raised a brow. ‘You believe that you are of no interest to me?’

  ‘No, not from what you conveyed to me a few nights ago.’ She shrugged. ‘And, frankly, why should you, after all this time?’

  Yes, he had clearly offended her that night in the woods.

  Ralph tried a different tack. ‘You seem to be in a hurry to get away, my lady?’

  ‘We are, sir, so if you will excuse us, please. We would like to leave before daybreak.’

  He caught her arm as she tried to walk past him and pulled her around to face him. Gwen’s eyes fell to his hand touching her and Ralph quickly removed it, as though he’d been burned. Heat ignited through his body from such an innocuous contact. He swallowed, pushing the thought away, and stepped back.

  ‘You wish to leave before anyone has a chance to find that you’re missing? Is that it?’

  She didn’t answer him, but turned away to stand in the entrance and addressed her party.

  ‘Simon, have you tied up the extra provisions?’ She stood with her hands on her hips, addressing her companions.

  ‘Yes, mistress, once I get this hack ready with the rest of the saddlebags.’ A young male voice came out from behind the stables. Christ above, he was no more than a boy.

  ‘Good, and what of you, Brida? Are you ready to depart?’ Her companion made a single nod which Gwen returned
before turning to attend her horse in the stable.

  Ralph watched, turning from one to the other in disbelief. He had to try to make her see sense, somehow.

  ‘What is this all about, Gwen?’ He expelled his breath through his teeth. ‘What are you running away from?’

  ‘It really doesn’t concern you, sir.’ She frowned.

  ‘Is it Stephen le Gros?’

  She stiffened immediately. ‘Even if it were, I do not need your help with him or anything else, Ralph.’

  A muscle leapt into his jaw. ‘You still do not believe that I can stand up to my cousin?’

  ‘That is not what I meant. I am happy in the knowledge that you are doing everything you can to reclaim Kinnerton. And I wish you every success with this tournament, Ralph. I truly do.’ She rubbed her forehead before continuing. ‘But that does not mean that you are in some way obligated to me because of our shared past. You do not owe me anything.’

  ‘Even so,’ he said, standing in a dark corner, ‘I can still be apprehensive about what happens to you. This, whatever it is that you are doing, is nothing but a fool’s errand.’

  ‘Not that I care for your opinion, sir.’

  ‘You are putting the lives of your companion, the young lad as well as your own in danger.’

  ‘And not for the first time,’ she muttered under her breath, more to herself than to him.

  ‘What does that mean?’ He stepped towards her again. ‘Gwen? Talk to me.’

  She turned to face him, raising a brow. ‘So, now you wish for discourse between us? I apologise, Ralph, but we simply do not have the time to tarry.’

  ‘If I can discover that you’re running away, with such ease I might add, then anyone can. I did it, effortlessly, in between the rigorous tourney practice, as well. Anyone intent on finding you would be able to, within a day or two.’

  ‘I disagree. My departure is not expected and once it has been discovered that I am no longer here, it would be too late to pursue me.’

  ‘Is that so? I’m not convinced, Gwen.’ He grimaced. ‘And if we leave that aside, what of other dangers that you’re likely to meet on a long journey? For that is what I presume this to be?’

  ‘Whatever danger we may face, it shall be a difficulty for me to bear.’

  ‘“Difficulty?” I think it will be far more than that. What in heaven’s name will you do if you are set on by bandits or outlaws, Gwen?’

  ‘Please...please, just leave this be.’ He could see the tension mounting in her shoulders as she screwed her eyes shut. ‘I have been planning this for a long while, so you need not worry that this has somehow been decided on some whim. I promise you that it has not.’

  ‘It does not matter how long you have planned and prepared for this scheme. It would still spell a disaster.’ He shook his head and softened his voice. ‘Are you this desperate to be away from here?’

  ‘What if I am?’ she whispered.

  ‘Gwen...’

  Ralph would never have envisaged Gwenllian ferch Hywel like this. Whenever, he had thought about her, over the years it had been with regret, heartache and, aye...bitterness. Anger towards her for not agreeing to run away with him and the reality that she had forsaken him out of obligation—for duty. Her practical, sensible and measured insistence, at the time, had left him without an argument to change her mind. He had left her behind, believing that her ambitions were tied to fulfilling a duty to be Lady of Kinnerton.

  Yet now, after all these years, she was doing the very thing that she had refused to do back then. It made no sense and once again he was curious about what had happened to her these past six years. Guilt coursed through him, knowing that he still felt a sense of obligation towards her, no matter what had happened.

  ‘Please let me...allow me to help you.’

  ‘Why?’ She flicked her gaze in his direction. ‘Really, there’s no need, Ralph.’

  ‘That may be so, but I would like to give you any assistance that you may require.’ He sighed. ‘Despite everything you say, Gwen, I feel a sense of responsibility towards you.’

  ‘Again, I must enquire the reason to that. Is it simply because I am unmarried still? Is that where your sense of responsibility stems from, because you can otherwise spare your breath.’

  True, he had never thought Gwen to be unmarried, but there was a lot more to it than that. Without the protection of a husband, she was certainly at the mercy of every ambitious man with an eye to her wealth, including his cousin Stephen. Which again begged the question of how she had protected herself all this time and how she had managed to escape Stephen le Gros, when he had effectively taken Kinnerton to become its sergeant after his father’s death. The man had mentioned something about her evading him and running away. Is that what she had done and if so, why had she not run away with him?

  ‘There is much I don’t know about you, Gwen, and I would like to rectify that, if you would allow it.’

  ‘That is not what you said the other night.’

  ‘I know...and for that I apologise. As much as you asked me to forget you, Gwen, it is impossible for me to do. I cannot just simply allow you to leave here without being assured of your safety.’

  Her shoulders slumped and she expelled a breath. ‘My thanks, Ralph but I just don’t believe—’

  ‘Listen to me, Gwen. This scheme of yours will lead nowhere other than disaster. Wherever it is that you’re intending to go, I will pledge on my sword, on my oath as a knight, that I will escort you myself. But not directly and certainly not like this.’

  She frowned, narrowing her eyes, not quite believing his words ‘Because you fear for my safety?’

  ‘Yes.’ He inclined his head. ‘It would be my honour to protect you, my lady.’ And he meant it. Especially as Ralph could never have done so when they were younger—he could not have stood up to his cousin back then. Now, however, he would do right by Gwen as well. Yes, he would swear to protect her and escort her to wherever she wanted to go, but only after his future was determined one way or another.

  Her brows furrowed in the middle, inducing a little crease in her forehead that he remembered from before. He pushed the memory away and tugged his hood forward, making sure that his face was still shrouded and hidden away.

  ‘What happens if you do not succeed at the tournament, Ralph?’

  His lips pressed down into a thin line. ‘My success at regaining Kinnerton has no bearing on this. I would still escort you to wherever you need to go.’

  Gwen didn’t seem to believe in his abilities, even after all this time? Well, no matter, he would have to prove to her just what he was capable of.

  ‘I know, Ralph. I did not mean to cause offence. I just...’

  ‘And I shall protect you against Stephen. Upon my honour.’

  She lifted her head. ‘Your honour is not in doubt, but it isn’t necessary for you to embroil yourself with Stephen. Especially if you do not want him to become suspicious of you and you don’t, do you?’ Her eyes narrowed. ‘That’s why you want him to continue to believe you are dead, I assume. So that you can gain leverage?’

  ‘Something to that effect, but regarding this, Gwen, I cannot stand by while Stephen continues to intimidate you, as he did the other night.’

  * * *

  Gwen would like nothing better than to believe Ralph. But she was not certain that she would ever feel safe from Stephen le Gros. Not until she was far away from him would she feel secure from his advances. Yet...yet it was a relief to have this surprising offer of support and protection from Ralph de Kinnerton. Not since Gwen, as ward of the Crown, had lived with the family of the Lord Protector and Regent of England, William Marshal, had she felt safe. However, her situation once again became precarious after Marshal’s death.

  Gwen had managed to get away from Stephen all those years before, after the man had usurped Ralph and taken Ki
nnerton Castle unlawfully. He had foolishly believed that he would just be handed the castle, its lands and...her.

  Yet, Gwen knew that his presumption and arrogance in believing that, with both Ralph and his father, the old Lord de Kinnerton, out of the way, everything would then belong to him would be his weakness. Stephen le Gros had underestimated her and she’d used that to her own end.

  Gwen had persuaded Stephen that if he forced her into marriage, it would go against him and sit unfavourably with the Crown, who had by then seized Kinnerton as well as her wardship. Gwen had surmised correctly that the Crown would need the tax levies from both Kinnerton and her Welsh lands during the Barons’ conflict and used this to get away from Stephen.

  And her plan had worked.

  Not only had the Crown continued its demand for a huge feudal relief that King John had set on Kinnerton before his death, but had not been willing to give it up so readily after the end of the conflict. Meaning that all this time, Stephen had no real way to raise the sum himself either, unless he did so by foul means.

  It also meant that she had been free of Stephen le Gros until now...until this tournament with the possibility of huge sums of money to be won.

  Gwen flicked her gaze to Ralph. All that had been before her knowledge of the man stood opposite being alive and at this very tournament. Could she trust that he’d help her? Indeed, she was at a loss as to understand why he would, after everything that had happened. And yet... This was still the same Ralph de Kinnerton, who had always been steadfast, resolute and loyal to a fault. She knew with absolute clarity that she could trust him with her life.

  Before Gwen knew what she was about to do, she stepped forward and stuck out her hand.

  ‘Very well, I accept.’

  Ralph seemed to hesitate as if he couldn’t quite believe that she had acquiesced, but then he regained himself and reached out to clasp her hand and lifted his head.

  The sudden flash of heat flared from where their hands joined together, unexpectedly. She swallowed uncomfortably. Oh, Lord, mayhap this had not been a prudent decision after all. But it was then that Gwen felt the rough, jagged feel of his hand holding hers. She looked down at their joined hands and stared at the contorted, twisted muscles with gashed marks all over and gasped.