Feisty Heroines Romance Collection of Shorts

by D. F. Jones

Anna and Jacob looked at their feet.

  "That's going to stop. You have nothing to fear from my friends or me. But if someone else ever tries to hurt you again, I don't want you to be afraid to protect yourself. I want you to fight back."

  Grace stood over him. "We're so much smaller and weaker than you. How are we supposed to fight back?"

  "Smaller and weaker can be quicker if you know the right moves. I'm going to show you."

  As darkness crept in around them, he demonstrated ways to move and defend themselves. Grace and the children practiced pushing against him, striking him, and kicking him. They used their strongest body parts to unbalance him. He even told them where to bite and jab to cause the most pain. By the end of their lesson, Grace and the children had stopped shirking in fear of an arm or a hand coming at them but instead learned to avoid it or swat it away.

  Thankfully, his chain mail and the padded doublet underneath saved him from a few extra bruises. When the basics were taught, he gave the children a dry meal and had them sit by the low-burning fire so he could focus on Grace.

  "I have something for you." He pulled the small dagger from the top of his boot and handed it to her. "This was my sister's blade. She died when I was a lad, but she wanted me to stick it in my boot for those unexpected moments. It served me well."

  Grace stroked the carved handle. It fit perfectly in her hand. "It's beautiful."

  "I want you to have it. Where I come from, the ladies wear a belted girdle on their hips with a dagger such as this hanging at their side. The dagger is good for cutting food but when needed, it's also used as a weapon. Danger lurks around every corner, and a woman needs to know how to protect herself with a blade. I once saw Lady Katherine save a fellow knight by jumping on the back of a man and stabbing his chain mail so many times in the same spot she pierced right through to his skin. It was an amazing feat to behold."

  "The Earl of Rosemont's wife?" Excitement sounded in her voice. She grasped the hilt and sliced the air in front of her. "How do I use it?"

  He chuckled. "Let me show you."

  Miles was happy to have a reason to get close to her and feel her soft curves. He came in behind her and pulled her back against his front. Then he wrapped an arm around her waist, so they became like one.

  He placed his bare hand over hers and they moved the dagger through the air together. A rush of pleasure from their touch coursed through him. From his position behind and above her, he looked down at the mounds of her breasts, heaving with effort and his muscles tensed. A whiff of primrose teased his nose, and he inhaled deeply, enjoying her scent.

  When she'd mastered the movements, he reluctantly let her go and they focused on frontal strikes. He was proud to see that with each stab of the blade, she took her power back.

  Grace was quick on her feet and a fast learner, but that didn't stop him from occasionally stroking her arm or landing a lingering hand on her hip. He taught her where to place lethal blows on a man with chain mail and a man without. Before long the darkness swallowed them up, and they, unfortunately, had to stop for the night.

  Chapter 11

  While lying next to Jacob and Anna, a shiver woke Grace from a fitful sleep. Fear of the future had crept into her slumber. She opened her eyes slowly. Sunrise had not yet arrived, and the forest remained dark. Only embers lined the firepit. Miles sat a foot away with his back against a boulder, his legs stretched out in front of him. In the dull moonlight, she watched him scan the surrounding area, making sure they were safe.

  His presence was a welcome sight. Since the intimacy of his lessons, a growing bond had developed. When their bodies had touched, unaccustomed confidence and desire surged through her.

  I have never felt this alive.

  She hoisted herself up on her arms and scooted over to him.

  He opened his mantle wide, and she snuggled against his side. He brought his arm down over her shoulders and wrapped his cloak around them.

  A strong aroma of sandalwood and smoke soothed her worries.

  "I'm so sorry I didn't tell you about my uncle." She laid her head on his chest, enjoying his warmth. "I'm sorry you thought I didn't tell you because I didn't value your life. I do."

  "It's done. Don't worry. In a few hours, we'll be at Rosemont. Time for a new beginning." He rubbed her arm. "The minute the forest lightens, we'll depart. We want to stay ahead of anyone who may be looking for us."

  "I thank you for teaching us how to defend ourselves. I'm afraid our skills were lacking in that area before." Her body relaxed against him, enjoying his touch.

  "Do you have the dagger I gave you tucked away?"

  "I found a place for it in the sleeve of my kirtle."

  "Remember, if your life is in danger, you must fight back with lethal force. Never hesitate. If it comes down to you or them, always choose you. You must live, no matter what you have to do."

  "I'll remember." She nestled closer.

  Chapter 12

  The afternoon sun shone down brightly on Grace as the dirt road brought them into a small meadow. In the distance, a castle was visible high on the cliffs.

  "Is that where we are headed?" she asked excitedly.

  Miles reined his horse next to hers. "That's Rosemont Castle."

  "What a lovely sight. How far away are we?"

  "It's about a mile ahead. This road will lead us to the front gates."

  "Hang on, Anna." Grace let out a carefree hoot and Anna laughed as Grace kicked her mount into a canter. They reached the woods on the other side first.

  Suddenly, a horse bolted out of the tall bushes. The rider grabbed her horse's bridle and brought the mare to a jerky stop. Two more riders surrounded Miles and Jacob, swords drawn, making them halt their horse a few steps behind.

  Her uncle stepped out from behind a copse of trees. He aimed a crossbow at her chest.

  Grace's body quaked.

  "My dear, you've been a naughty girl."

  "Uncle." Her voice trembled. She looked at Miles. His face was a blank mask.

  "You've been nothing but trouble lately. I should've married you off a while ago, except I didn't want to have to pay someone to take care of the children and the house when you did it for free."

  "Please, Uncle. Let us go."

  "If you think I would permit you to take away my brother's son, my only male heir, and my daughter, you're sorely mistaken. I see you've enlisted help. A knight no less."

  "I'm under the protection of the Earl of Rosemont. Release us, and you will live," Miles said, his voice commanding.

  "Right now, you're under no one's protection. You have trifled with the wrong man. Me. I will see you beaten for your deeds. Get him down," her uncle ordered.

  "Let him be," Grace swung her leg over her horse's neck, slid to the ground, and took a step.

  Her uncle grabbed her by her upper arm and jerked her back. "Stay here."

  "Throw your weapons aside," one of the men dismounting instructed Miles.

  Miles unbuckled his sword belt and tossed it onto the road.

  The man pulled Miles off his horse while pressing a long dagger to his throat.

  The other two men alighted and surrounded Miles.

  Grace caught Anna's attention. Their two horses stood side-by-side. She motioned for Anna to slide onto the back of Miles's horse, in front of Jacob.

  Nobody seemed to notice or care about the switch.

  Two men held Miles by the arms, while one stood in front. These men didn't work for her uncle in London. They were hired ruffians. Men paid to work outside the law.

  Miles sent her a reassuring look. In the next instant, he shoved off the men holding him and hit anything he could. His arms flew in all directions.

  The three men tried to dodge his harmful fists, but they found their mark more often than not.

  Miles didn't stop pounding them until one of the men sliced the back of his leg with a dagger. He went down on one knee.

  At once, the three men overpowered him. Two men then h
eld him down as the third punched his face and head.

  Each blow caused Grace to relive her own painful past. Tears spilled down her cheeks. She pulled against her uncle's hold as she tried to run to Miles.

  "Stop it! Stop it!" she screamed hysterically.

  "Enough," her uncle said.

  The men hovered over Miles who lay motionless at their feet.

  "When we leave, kill him and bury the body."

  Grace gasped and turned to her uncle. Her head wanted to explode from the horror of his command. She couldn't lose Miles, not after just finding him.

  "You're a monster."

  Her uncle let go of her arm and landed a backhanded blow across her face.

  She staggered sideways, and her hand flew up to cover the sting. A taste of blood lingered in her mouth.

  "You'll see what an animal I really am when I get you back to London. I'll teach you and the children lessons none of you will ever forget. You, my dear niece, will be lucky to survive," he growled.

  Fear churned in her belly. She knew what the man was capable of.

  A surge of strength rose from the pit of her stomach and traveled through her body. She couldn't let her uncle hurt the children or her ever again.

  Inside her kirtle's tight sleeve, the hidden dagger scrapped against her skin.

  She glanced at Miles. He doesn't deserve to die because of me.

  His earlier words echoed in her head. You must live, no matter what you have to do.

  She grabbed onto the hilt of her dagger, pulled it out, and plunged the tip of the blade into the soft spot at the base of her uncle's neck. Right where Miles told her to aim.

  Her uncle never saw the death strike coming. His eyes bulged in surprise. He reached for her as he crumpled to the ground.

  She had no time to think about what she'd done. Instead, she pried the crossbow out of his grip and pointed the tip at the three men standing over Miles.

  "Anna and Jacob, ride to Rosemont and bring help."

  Miles's horse needed little urging to race home, and hooves hitting the dirt road at a fast clip echoed in the distance.

  Grace stood tall and stared with deathly calm at the three men. "The Sheriff is dead. There is no one left to pay your wages. If you want to live, get on your horses and ride. A legion of men will be here in a few minutes. If you are not gone by the time they arrive, you will die."

  They gawked at her in stunned silence, never expecting such an outcome. One of the men sheathed his dagger and reached for his horse. The others followed his lead. They all mounted and took off at a gallop.

  Grace raced to Miles sprawled out on the road and knelt beside him. She placed the crossbow next to them and positioned his head in her lap. His face was bloody and starting to swell.

  "Miles. Talk to me. Please. My uncle is dead. His men are gone. Don't leave me. I'm so sorry I involved you in this mess. Don't die on me. Wake up. Speak to me." A sob stuck in her throat as she tore a piece of cloth from the bottom of her kirtle and gently rubbed splotches of blood from his face.

  Miles opened one eye. "Are you hurt?" his voice croaked. He brushed a trickle of blood from her lip with his finger before his arm dropped back to his side.

  "I'll survive." She let out a hysterical laugh and held his hand. "Thank God you're alive."

  "Would you have missed me?"

  "Most definitely. You better not die on me. How bad are you hurt?"

  "My leg is bleeding," he uttered huskily.

  She placed his head on the ground, ripped a strip of cloth from her hem, and scooted over to his leg. Finding the wound, she tore open his hose to see the damage. He needed stitches. She wrapped the bandage tightly around the injury to stop the bleeding and returned to position his head in her lap.

  "Anna and Jacob rode to Rosemont. Your friends should be here soon."

  "You saved us all. I knew you could." Miles coughed out the words.

  "It was you who saved us. I was shaking with fear. I wouldn't have known what to do without your lessons, your sister's dagger, or without you showing me where to send the tip of the blade. When the moment came, it was your words telling me I must live, no matter what I have to do that gave me strength."

  He reached for her hand, brought her knuckles to his lips, and placed a gentle kiss on them.

  "You are much stronger than you think," he whispered.

  Her heart soared. It is you, my love, who makes me strong. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. "Shh. Rest now. We can talk later."

  Time stood still as she stroked his hair with one hand and cupped his face with the other. Her body trembled as she ruminated on what had just happened.

  An army of hoofbeats sounded in the distance.

  A gigantic man on the biggest black destrier she had ever seen came galloping up, sword drawn. He scanned the scene, launched himself from his horse, and sheathed his sword. Other riders arrived behind him.

  The man locked eyes with Grace and then leaned over Miles. "Can you hear me?"

  Miles opened his good eye. "Richard, we got into a bit of trouble."

  "I can see that. You should've sent word. I haven't had a good fight in months."

  "I thought we were ahead of them. There are three men on the run. Are the children all right?"

  "They're fine. Just scared. We'll get you home right away."

  "This is Grace. You'll see that she and the children are cared for, no matter what happens?"

  "On my life. No need to worry, my friend."

  "Good." Miles shut his eye.

  Richard laid a gentle hand on Grace's shoulder. "Richard, the Earl of Rosemont, at your service. Please, just call me Richard, though. We don't stand on formality around here. We're all family. A cart filled with straw is coming." He looked over his shoulder. "Owen, James, let's give Miles a drink of water to wash the blood out of his mouth and then we'll get his chain mail off. Peter, there are three men on the run. Take care of them."

  Grace sat back in awe as the Earl of Rosemont, dressed in a black leather doublet, barked out orders. Men hurried to do his bidding.

  Richard helped her stand as his men removed Miles's heavy chain mail and doublet, leaving him in his linen shirt. They examined his leg wound and rewrapped it.

  Richard looked at her uncle's dead body on the ground. Miles's dagger stuck out of his neck.

  "My uncle didn't give me a choice."

  "You did that?"

  "Miles taught me how to protect myself, just in case."

  Richard nodded.

  Men wrapped her uncle's body in a blanket and threw it over a horse.

  The cart arrived and four men gently placed Miles on the soft straw. Grace scooted in behind and held his hand. She didn't want to be far from his side. The ride to Rosemont was quick, although a bit bumpy. Miles groaned a few times. Her heart went out to him. She knew what it was like to be in pain.

  When they came upon the castle on the cliffs, her mouth dropped. She had never seen anything so wonderous. Everything Miles had said about his home was true.

  Anna and Jacob waited on the steps of the keep with the most beautiful blonde-headed woman she'd ever seen. They ran to Grace, their arms outstretched and grabbed her around the waist when she alighted from the cart. They sobbed with joy to find her unhurt.

  The men delivered Miles to a bedchamber where a healer was already waiting. Lady Katherine called out orders and big men moved quickly to do her bidding.

  Grace heaved a sigh of relief. She knew Miles was in the best of hands.

  Chapter 13

  "Magnificent, isn't it?" Miles's deep voice startled Grace out of her thoughts.

  "It is. I've never seen anything like it." She peered over the stone wall to the ocean and cliffs below. The crashing of the waves sounded in the distance. She turned to him. "Should you be out of bed? It's only been a day."

  "I mend fast." He walked with a stick, limping on one side.

  "What happens now?" She leaned against the waist-high wall. The sun was bri
ght and warm on her skin.

  He stood before her. His handsome face was bruised and swollen, but he was able to open both eyes after she had spent hours laying cold compresses on them.

  She stroked his cheek.

  "No broken bones. I should be thankful that those outlaws were weaklings."

  She chuckled. "At the time, they looked like they were doing a fine job of it."

  "How are Anna and Jacob taking your uncle's demise?"

  "They lost any love they had for him years ago. They know, as I do, that our situation was going to get worse, and his death was a blessing for us."

  "I have your dagger." He handed her the blade.

  "It's your dagger."

  "I gave it to you. Every woman needs her own dagger."

  "If I have a dagger, I'll need a girdle. Maybe one like Lady Katherine's."

  "I'll have one made for you. Is everyone treating you well?"

  "They've been more than welcoming. I like your friends a lot."

  "I've talked with Richard. We all have to return to London. Your uncle was a sheriff. His presence will be missed. Jacob is his heir. Richard feels we should return your uncle's body and explain the circumstances of his death and how he was working outside the law. We need to make a claim for Jacob to inherit your uncle's possessions. Richard will stand with us, be a witness to what went on, and use his position as an earl to make sure it all goes smoothly."

  Grace inhaled deeply. We're returning to London.

  "You have a chance to live out your days in London without your uncle in your life."

  She scrutinized his soft, beautiful eyes, the ones she'd become so fond of. They were studying her reaction carefully.

  Does he want to leave me back in London? Is he saying he wants to be free of me?

  She drew from her newfound strength and decided to follow her heart.

  "Do I have a choice where I live?"

  "You do."

  "Then, I want to live here at Rosemont. With you, if you'll have me. I know it's a bit presumptuous on my part, but I have strong feelings for you, Miles, and I'd be daft to toss them aside and pretend that I don't. I want to start over with you. I know you've never given me any indication that you feel the same way about me, but..."