them would intercept him and distract him with a trivial matter of building Thistlewood.
Leastways , Richard, when unable to harry her, put himself to good use. Many times he stripped off his tunic and worked right alongside the other men. Why would he do such a thing? He was strong and fit, mostly from working with sword and shield. Although a business man, he never allowed his fighting skills to suffer. But other manual labors he usually tried to avoid.
The men worked to rebuild the tower and Richard joined them, hauling rotten wood, and moving broken stone. Was he trying to impress people , or prove he could work as hard as the next man...a man such as Branan?
One morning, Richard arrived and ma naged to corner her. Catriona swallowed hard and stood her ground. Branan and Gavin worked in the tower and obviously did not realize he had found her.
“ Catriona, ” Richard said gazing at her critically. “ Are you feeling well? Your face appears quite pale . ”
She shrugged, keeping her attention focused on her work, gathering laundry for delivery to the washer-women.
He sighed softly, his voice taking a gentler tone. “ My lady should not be so taxed with manual labor, ” he said, crouching before her and putting a tunic into the basket. “ I want you to return to Brackenburgh. You will be safer there. ” He paused and smiled as if trying to make light of his words. “ There is no reason why my betrothed should sully herself with peasant's work. ”
She shrugged. “ I enjoy the work, Richard. It keeps my mind occupied. If I returned to Brackenburgh I would be driven daft with boredom. ”
He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “ Catriona — ”
“ Catriona? ” Branan called.
“ Aye? ”
Courcy's gaze turned flat.
Branan flashed her a bright grin, shoving his thick forelock from his brow. She wanted to laugh, the action reminded her of the mischievous lad who escaped only rarely. “ I need to speak with ye, lass. As chatelai ne, we need to discuss the spinning and weaving . ”
"+0" faaramond">“ Of course. ”
Branan looped his arm in hers. “ Excuse us, Courcy. ”
Richard said nothing , but the veins in his forehead grew more prominent.
Branan led her away.
“ Am I in trouble? ”
“ Nay, but I dinna like the way he cornered ye. ”
She sighed softly. “ He wants me to return to Brackenburgh. He thinks I'm sullying myself with peasant's labor. ”
“ And what do ye want, lass? Ye are looking a bit pale. ”
“ I want to stay here, Branan, with you and Gavin. ”
“ Then here ye shall remain. ”
“ Thank you. ”
“ But I am concerned, perhaps we shouldna focus so much on work. ”
“ It needs to be done and I enjoy working. ”
“ I remember a lass who was a fine shot with her bow. Gavin tells me ye have grown even more skilled. ”
She nodded. “ But my bow was lost in the fire. ”
“ The bow-maker from Brackenburgh has arrived. Mayhap we should speak with him. ”
Catriona almost clapped her hands in glee. “ That sounds like an excellent idea. ”
“ This spaamond">way, lass. ”
She walked through the camp with him, her heart lighter and it took a moment for her to realize what he had done. Branan had given her a fine distraction and kept her occupied so Richard would not see her alone again. She couldn't help but chuckle.
“ Something amiss? ” Branan asked innocently.
She laughed again, stepping closer, her arm tightening on his. “ You are a cunning man, Branan MacTavish. ”
He winked at her. “ I've heard mention of that afore. ”
Catriona grinned. As they passed the door of the tower, Richard emerged , his eyes locking on hers. Branan guided her to a different path, leading her away from the tower and into camp. For an instant, Richard looked confused. Then his expression darkened like a thundercloud as she walked away.
****
Days later, the bow-maker brought Catriona's bow and asked her to try it. She agreed , but moved toward her shelter
Leastways , Richard, when unable to harry her, put himself to good use. Many times he stripped off his tunic and worked right alongside the other men. Why would he do such a thing? He was strong and fit, mostly from working with sword and shield. Although a business man, he never allowed his fighting skills to suffer. But other manual labors he usually tried to avoid.
The men worked to rebuild the tower and Richard joined them, hauling rotten wood, and moving broken stone. Was he trying to impress people , or prove he could work as hard as the next man...a man such as Branan?
One morning, Richard arrived and ma naged to corner her. Catriona swallowed hard and stood her ground. Branan and Gavin worked in the tower and obviously did not realize he had found her.
“ Catriona, ” Richard said gazing at her critically. “ Are you feeling well? Your face appears quite pale . ”
She shrugged, keeping her attention focused on her work, gathering laundry for delivery to the washer-women.
He sighed softly, his voice taking a gentler tone. “ My lady should not be so taxed with manual labor, ” he said, crouching before her and putting a tunic into the basket. “ I want you to return to Brackenburgh. You will be safer there. ” He paused and smiled as if trying to make light of his words. “ There is no reason why my betrothed should sully herself with peasant's work. ”
She shrugged. “ I enjoy the work, Richard. It keeps my mind occupied. If I returned to Brackenburgh I would be driven daft with boredom. ”
He shook his head, his jaw tightening. “ Catriona — ”
“ Catriona? ” Branan called.
“ Aye? ”
Courcy's gaze turned flat.
Branan flashed her a bright grin, shoving his thick forelock from his brow. She wanted to laugh, the action reminded her of the mischievous lad who escaped only rarely. “ I need to speak with ye, lass. As chatelai ne, we need to discuss the spinning and weaving . ”
"+0" faaramond">“ Of course. ”
Branan looped his arm in hers. “ Excuse us, Courcy. ”
Richard said nothing , but the veins in his forehead grew more prominent.
Branan led her away.
“ Am I in trouble? ”
“ Nay, but I dinna like the way he cornered ye. ”
She sighed softly. “ He wants me to return to Brackenburgh. He thinks I'm sullying myself with peasant's labor. ”
“ And what do ye want, lass? Ye are looking a bit pale. ”
“ I want to stay here, Branan, with you and Gavin. ”
“ Then here ye shall remain. ”
“ Thank you. ”
“ But I am concerned, perhaps we shouldna focus so much on work. ”
“ It needs to be done and I enjoy working. ”
“ I remember a lass who was a fine shot with her bow. Gavin tells me ye have grown even more skilled. ”
She nodded. “ But my bow was lost in the fire. ”
“ The bow-maker from Brackenburgh has arrived. Mayhap we should speak with him. ”
Catriona almost clapped her hands in glee. “ That sounds like an excellent idea. ”
“ This spaamond">way, lass. ”
She walked through the camp with him, her heart lighter and it took a moment for her to realize what he had done. Branan had given her a fine distraction and kept her occupied so Richard would not see her alone again. She couldn't help but chuckle.
“ Something amiss? ” Branan asked innocently.
She laughed again, stepping closer, her arm tightening on his. “ You are a cunning man, Branan MacTavish. ”
He winked at her. “ I've heard mention of that afore. ”
Catriona grinned. As they passed the door of the tower, Richard emerged , his eyes locking on hers. Branan guided her to a different path, leading her away from the tower and into camp. For an instant, Richard looked confused. Then his expression darkened like a thundercloud as she walked away.
****
Days later, the bow-maker brought Catriona's bow and asked her to try it. She agreed , but moved toward her shelter
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