Chapter 5
Market Day dawned bright and fair, and Keira watched her father load up the cart with his handiwork. He had crafted some new pieces, beautifully carved with intricate designs of birds and flowers, and these were carefully placed next to the plainer, more utilitarian pieces already in the cart. Keira smiled to herself when she saw them. Father hoped that Aaron Drake would be enticed to part with further coin to purchase these superior pieces. When the cart was loaded Father walked Nelly down the road, steering the aging horse towards the marketplace where he would unload the merchandise before returning home. Keira followed a few paces behind, exchanging greetings with her neighbors as she walked by. Despite the early hour, the villagers were already up and about, used as they were to hard work and long days. A few children ran out to greet her, and she stopped to hear their tales and sympathize over a scratch or scrape.
It was busy at the marketplace when Keira arrived with Father. Other merchants milled around, unpacking their carts as they set up their displays. Keira greeted them with a smile and a wave as she started arranging the table, carefully finding a spot of prominence to display the new pieces. By the time she was satisfied with the display, customers were already starting to file past the market stalls, and Keira sat down on her stool. Her mother would not be coming for another few hours, and Keira enjoyed the small freedom this gave her. At this time of morning, most customers coming to market were there to buy their fresh fruit and vegetables, or to order their meat, so she was not surprised when her display received no more than a few cursory glances. Instead of watching for customers, she leaned back against the table and allowed the sun’s rays to warm her face.
Her mind drifted to the conversation she’d had with Edmund the previous day. It had shaken her more than she cared to admit, and she’d barely slept the night before, as the shadows beneath her eyes attested. Sometime during the night, she’d resolved to speak to Father James about taking holy orders. It would mean leaving her home and family and moving to a convent many miles away, but she didn’t mind leaving the village behind. She did, however, worry about Anna. As spoiled as she was, her journey into adulthood would not be easy. There were few, if any, who would indulge her as Mother had, and the lessons would be difficult. Perhaps, Keira thought, she would wait awhile before speaking to Father James. Edmund was in no rush to get married, and Father was not pushing her to make a decision. Maybe she could teach Anna some responsibility in the meantime. She could not delay for too long, but she’d do all she could for Anna before she left.
The sound of a cat yowling in pain broke through her thoughts and brought her to her feet. The sound came from the alley behind the market, and she ran towards it, determined to discover the cause of the cat’s distress. As she rounded the corner, the sight of three boys tormenting the animal drew an angry shout.
“What are you doing?” She pushed the boys aside and pulled the terrified creature into her arms. “That’s Dame Lamb’s cat!”
It clawed at her arm, hissing in anger, but she continued to hold it close, stroking its fur and murmuring under her breath as the cat slowly calmed down. Its fur was matted with blood, and as she looked more closely she was horrified to see a piece of string tied tightly around its tail, ripping through the tender flesh. Clumps of fur lay on the ground, and Keira could smell smoke – she shuddered to think what the poor creature had endured. With the cat still in her arms, she rounded on the boys as they stood glowering in defiance against the alley wall. She was not surprised to see Matthew, Edmund’s youngest brother, among the boys.
“How dare you treat an animal like this?” she hissed at them, her voice low with anger.
“It’s just a cat,” Matthew muttered, staring at the ground as he stirred the dust with a grubby toe.
Keira shifted the cat to one arm and yanked his ear. “This is one of God’s creatures,” she said. “How would you like to be treated like this? And you,” she said, releasing Matthew’s ear and pointing at his two friends, “you are all horrid little boys to treat a helpless animal like this.” She was about to say more, when a voice cut in from behind.
“Don’t speak to my brother like that,” Edmund snarled. Keira spun around to see him motion Matthew over with a jerk of his head. Matthew moved over to his brother, relief evident on his face, and his friends quickly followed him.
“He was torturing a cat, Edmund,” she snapped through clenched teeth. “He deserves to be whipped.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” Edmund said. “You’re the one who should be whipped for interfering where you had no business. They were just having a bit of fun.” He advanced towards her, his expression threatening, and Keira took a step back, stopping when she felt her back against the wall. The cat wriggled free of her arms and darted away, disappearing around the corner. The menace in Edmund’s expression was evident, and Keira glanced around in search of a means of escape. Seeing none, she pushed herself upright and stared at Edmund.
“Your brother is a bully, picking on a helpless creature, and so are you, Edmund Hobbes.”
“How dare you,” he snarled. He lifted his hand and drew it back.
“Go ahead,” she said. “It will just increase the contempt I have for you!”
She saw his hand flying through the air, and closed her eyes in anticipation of the blow, but it never came. Instead, the sound of a savage growl reached her ears, followed by a dull thud. Her eyes flew open in time to see Edmund hitting the wall and crumpling to the ground in a heap. Beside him stood Aaron, his eyes blazing.
“Get up, you coward,” he ordered. “Keira is right, you’re nothing but a bully. And only a coward would ever strike a woman. If you come near her again, I’ll make sure it is the last thing you ever do.”
“Keira is mine,” Edmund snarled as he pushed himself up from the ground. Aaron stared at him for a moment, astonishment etching his features, then threw his head back and let out a loud laugh.
“Not only are you a coward and a bully, but I believe you’re also deluded,” he said. “I seriously doubt that Keira will ever shackle herself to a man such as you, but perhaps we should ask the lady herself.” He turned to Keira, his face suddenly serious. “Mistress Keira, what do you have to say to this?”
Keira looked at Aaron for a moment before slowly turning to face Edmund.
“I will never be yours,” she ground out with contempt. “Now go. Get out of my sight!”
“You heard her,” Aaron said when Edmund didn’t move. “Go!”
With an ugly expression of abhorrence, Edmund stared at Keira before he turned and stalked out of the alley. As he disappeared around the corner, Keira slumped back against the wall, her legs trembling.
“I fear I’ve made an enemy for life,” she whispered, struggling to hold back tears.
“Don’t be afraid,” said Aaron, moving to her. “Edmund knows that going after you will incur my wrath, and he is too much the coward to take that risk.” He reached for her hands and Keira allowed herself to be pulled gently into his arms. She leaned her head against his chest. His hand was soothing on her back as he rubbed small circles between her shoulder blades. She lay in his embrace for a few more moments, before she reluctantly pulled away.
“How did you come to be here?” she asked.
“I heard you yelling at the boys,” he said, “so I came to lend you my support. I almost lost all control when I saw Edmund about to hit you. If he’d managed to land that blow, he would not have walked out of this alley alive,” he added darkly, turning his face away. His jaw was clenched in anger, and Keira felt her heart racing as she realized that his threat was completely serious, and just what a formidable adversary he could be.
“Why do you care?” she asked in a whisper.
Aaron turned to look down at her, his expression softening as his gaze held hers.
“Sweet Keira,” he started in a soft voice, but whatever else he was about to say was lost when the sound of footsteps alerted them to so
meone’s approach. “It’s your mother,” he said with a grimace, “and she’s incensed.” He stepped back to put some distance between them.
“How …” started Keira, but he held up a hand to silence her.
“Sshh!”
Keira’s mother rounded the corner a moment later. She glanced suspiciously between Aaron and Keira, but Aaron just smiled as he swept his hat off with a bow.
“Madam Carver,” he said.
Mother responded to his greeting with a curt nod before turning to her daughter.
“You weren’t at the stall, Keira,” she said. “Edmund told me I might find you here, along with this man. What do you have to say for yourself?” She folded her arms across her chest, and tapped her foot as she waited for her daughter’s response.
“Some boys were torturing Dame Lamb’s cat, Mother,” Keira explained, “including Matthew Hobbes. I had to stop them. Milord Drake heard the commotion and came to investigate.”
“Edmund said that you and he had argued, but seeing you here, alone, in an alley with this man,” Mother said, nodding in Aaron’s direction, “gives me more reason for concern than the fate of a cat.”
“If he hadn’t arrived when he did,” Keira shot back, her voice rising in anger, “then perhaps Edmund hitting me would have been a reason for concern, Mother.”
“Why in the world would Edmund hit you?” asked Mother.
“Because he’s a bully,” was Keira’s instant reply.
“Come now, Keira, I’m sure Edmund wouldn’t have hit you. You must have misread his intention.” Mother’s voice was placating now, and Keira felt her annoyance mounting. A heated response quickly rose to her lips, but Aaron’s cold voice stopped her.
“Edmund was fully intending to injure your daughter, Madam Carver,” he said, his eyebrows pulled together in a frown of disapproval, “and would have done so if I had not intervened.”
Mother turned to Aaron, her expression clearly communicating her disapproval of his interference, but he met her stare unflinchingly, his hard eyes boring into her own. She stared at him for a few moments before dropping her gaze and glancing back at her daughter.
“Come, Keira,” she said over her shoulder as she headed out of the alley.
As Keira turned to go, Aaron brushed his fingers against hers. She smiled at him, then hurried after the retreating figure of her mother.
Bound by a Dragon Page 5