a deep, velvet-sounding voice in front of them. “I stepped away from the wall rather abruptly while you were both whispering.”
The sudden arrival of a third person, one she hadn’t even sensed, stopped her heart for a second. She could feel the shock lodging in her hands, causing them to shake a little, but she lifted her chin in defiance. This had to be one of Robert’s men whose laughter had haunted her for weeks, she thought darkly.
“Well, sir, you are obstructing our path,” she said imperiously, “so please remove yourself so we can continue on our way.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that until you tell me what you are about. Sir Robert has left me in charge of the Keep, so, Lucas, if we start with who exactly your delightful companion is, I might be able to decide whether either of you represent a threat or not.”
“Sir Gareth…” Lucas stammered clumsily, but Imogen’s alarm was quickly turning to white-hot anger.
“You mean to tell me that you intend to prevent me from leaving the Keep if I don’t answer your impertinent questions?” she asked coldly.
The man paused thoughtfully for a moment. “Yes, that would about sum it up. Now, your name—”
“Why, you nasty little toad,” Imogen exploded. “Come, Lucas, step around this worm and we will be on our way.”
Lucas hesitated for a moment. In the fortnight since Robert had taken possession of the Keep, Lucas had quickly learned to treat both him and his knights with careful respect. The first time one of them had clapped him encouragingly on the back, he had been sent reeling. They just didn’t seem to know their own strength, and Lucas didn’t want Sir Gareth to feel he had to physically stop them. His innate common sense warned him that it would hurt.
This respect for their raw power was also mixed with a large dose of awe. Until now the only male Lucas had been in regular contact with was Duncan, the old groom. These massive warriors had suddenly invaded his world like a whirlwind, each of them as impressive as the last, and Lucas was thriving in this masculine world. They were all gruffly kind to the small boy who hung around with such obvious devotion. They tried to answer his nearly endless questions, and one of them had even let Lucus try to pick up his prodigious sword. He worshipped both the knights themselves and the world they came from and would rather die than upset one of his new heroes.
He also knew that it was simply daft to just ignore a direct order when it was given with such calm authority.
“Ah, I’m sorry, my lady, I don’t think so—”
“I didn’t ask you to think, Lucas,” she snapped. “I asked you to do.” She could feel him hesitate and she gritted her teeth impatiently. “Very well, I will go on myself.”
She dropped her hand from his shoulder and without allowing herself time to consider the wisdom of her actions, she moved to step round where she judged the rude man to be standing. She misjudged this by a good couple of inches and ran straight into him instead and at that moment, she had an almost overwhelming desire to stamp her feet with sheer frustration.
“If you would just go away, then…” She was stopped by the squeal that escaped her as her world shifted.
The knight had easily picked her up and gently threw her over one shoulder. Lucas’s eyes went totally round at the sight of Lady Imogen being carried like a sack of washing. It took a few seconds for him to collect his scattered wits enough to drop the food basket and scurry after the spluttering lady and the amused knight.
Gareth placed her carefully down near the fire in the main hall, then stepped back. He crossed his arms over his massive chest and intently considered the outraged woman in front of him.
“So, may I have your name?” he asked quietly, his deep voice rumbling impressively through the hall.
“You dolt, I’m Lady Imogen Beaumont, owner of this damn, blasted Keep.” She stepped forward to just in
The sudden arrival of a third person, one she hadn’t even sensed, stopped her heart for a second. She could feel the shock lodging in her hands, causing them to shake a little, but she lifted her chin in defiance. This had to be one of Robert’s men whose laughter had haunted her for weeks, she thought darkly.
“Well, sir, you are obstructing our path,” she said imperiously, “so please remove yourself so we can continue on our way.”
“I’m sorry, but I can’t do that until you tell me what you are about. Sir Robert has left me in charge of the Keep, so, Lucas, if we start with who exactly your delightful companion is, I might be able to decide whether either of you represent a threat or not.”
“Sir Gareth…” Lucas stammered clumsily, but Imogen’s alarm was quickly turning to white-hot anger.
“You mean to tell me that you intend to prevent me from leaving the Keep if I don’t answer your impertinent questions?” she asked coldly.
The man paused thoughtfully for a moment. “Yes, that would about sum it up. Now, your name—”
“Why, you nasty little toad,” Imogen exploded. “Come, Lucas, step around this worm and we will be on our way.”
Lucas hesitated for a moment. In the fortnight since Robert had taken possession of the Keep, Lucas had quickly learned to treat both him and his knights with careful respect. The first time one of them had clapped him encouragingly on the back, he had been sent reeling. They just didn’t seem to know their own strength, and Lucas didn’t want Sir Gareth to feel he had to physically stop them. His innate common sense warned him that it would hurt.
This respect for their raw power was also mixed with a large dose of awe. Until now the only male Lucas had been in regular contact with was Duncan, the old groom. These massive warriors had suddenly invaded his world like a whirlwind, each of them as impressive as the last, and Lucas was thriving in this masculine world. They were all gruffly kind to the small boy who hung around with such obvious devotion. They tried to answer his nearly endless questions, and one of them had even let Lucus try to pick up his prodigious sword. He worshipped both the knights themselves and the world they came from and would rather die than upset one of his new heroes.
He also knew that it was simply daft to just ignore a direct order when it was given with such calm authority.
“Ah, I’m sorry, my lady, I don’t think so—”
“I didn’t ask you to think, Lucas,” she snapped. “I asked you to do.” She could feel him hesitate and she gritted her teeth impatiently. “Very well, I will go on myself.”
She dropped her hand from his shoulder and without allowing herself time to consider the wisdom of her actions, she moved to step round where she judged the rude man to be standing. She misjudged this by a good couple of inches and ran straight into him instead and at that moment, she had an almost overwhelming desire to stamp her feet with sheer frustration.
“If you would just go away, then…” She was stopped by the squeal that escaped her as her world shifted.
The knight had easily picked her up and gently threw her over one shoulder. Lucas’s eyes went totally round at the sight of Lady Imogen being carried like a sack of washing. It took a few seconds for him to collect his scattered wits enough to drop the food basket and scurry after the spluttering lady and the amused knight.
Gareth placed her carefully down near the fire in the main hall, then stepped back. He crossed his arms over his massive chest and intently considered the outraged woman in front of him.
“So, may I have your name?” he asked quietly, his deep voice rumbling impressively through the hall.
“You dolt, I’m Lady Imogen Beaumont, owner of this damn, blasted Keep.” She stepped forward to just in
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