do.”
And then he winked at her. Rhianna wanted to dislike the man; she really and wholeheartedly did, but at the moment, she just could not. Erik’s smile was so sincere that Rhianna could only return one to him.
As they walked quietly down the lane, Erik had the niggling feeling that he was becoming rather smitten with this perplexing woman. Everything he had thought about her was altered. She was not a hag, but a beautiful young woman. She was not a witch, but a healer. While she could be shrewish, she could also be sweet, compassionate and nurturing. She seemed bold, but her innocence gave her away. When he saw her hurry from his sight as he chopped the wood, he knew. Why, he could still see the stain of shyness as blush flooded her face when she noticed his state of undress. He made certain to put his tunic back on before carrying the wood into the cottage. She may have been left to tend the keep on her own, but Erik had to remember she was probably quite sheltered when it came to seeing men semi-clothed.
Rhianna tried to have pleasant conversation with the man walking beside her so she said, “Where do you suppose Sir Drew went?”
For the second time that day, Erik found himself plagued with jealousy. Drew was such a charmer of the ladies and no doubt Rhianna was not immune to Drew’s ways. Erik had been lucky with women, as well, but not like Drew. Drew never was without a pretty maid on his arm or for that matter, in his bed.
Erik’s eyes grew suddenly cold and he shrugged. Rhianna became fully aware of the change in his mood and she wondered at it. At the mention of his elite guard, Erik seemed to turn back into the hardened warrior right before her eyes. How odd. Was he jealous? That seemed unreasonable to Rhianna. She tried to not give it too much merit. They were strangers, after all. Surely he did not fancy himself attracted to her. Rhianna also decided she did not want to encourage the moodiness in the man walking beside her. She could not be certain what manner of man he truly was, yet. She did not know if he was volatile or prone to bouts of violence, so she let the matter drop. Besides, they had not walked very far when they spied Sir Drew leaning casually against a fence post speaking to a lovely girl. He was clearly courting her and the girl was enjoying his attention. Spying Erik and Rhianna, he left the girl with a smile and casually walked toward the couple. Drew saw that Erik once again looked annoyed, and he wondered what the girl had done this time. Instead, Erik just handed him Rhianna’s supply basket and took her arm in his own hand. Drew smiled to himself at the not so subtle message which rang clear. Why, Erik was claiming the girl as his own. Finally! Drew actually was happy for his friend. He believed that Erik and Rhianna would realize they were destined for one another.
~Chapter Fourteen~
Aaron Jasper sat before the fire of his crumbling abode at Morcar Keep. Prosperity had not been fortuitous to him. In fact, the holding was rapidly becoming a pile of disintegrating stones. It sat upon a crag near the river, and it gave an ominous appearance in the shadows. Broken balustrades perched black and jagged against the night sky and when there was a moon, Morcar Keep took on a nightmarish visage that kept visitors at bay.
The main hall was strewn with refuse and offal of meals gone by. Rats and dogs alike foraged in the fetid rushes that had not been changed in months or worse. The cesspits outside the castle walls were full with sludge and when the wind was right, they could be smelled from every corner of the keep. Many of his men had deserted him long ago. Aaron actually cared little about that fact. Those who remained were either too lazy to move on or they enjoyed the demise from the restraints of proper society. And demise was an understatement. The inhabitants of Morcar were a lawless bunch of thieves, murderers and rapists. They bowed to no man and no god. They
And then he winked at her. Rhianna wanted to dislike the man; she really and wholeheartedly did, but at the moment, she just could not. Erik’s smile was so sincere that Rhianna could only return one to him.
As they walked quietly down the lane, Erik had the niggling feeling that he was becoming rather smitten with this perplexing woman. Everything he had thought about her was altered. She was not a hag, but a beautiful young woman. She was not a witch, but a healer. While she could be shrewish, she could also be sweet, compassionate and nurturing. She seemed bold, but her innocence gave her away. When he saw her hurry from his sight as he chopped the wood, he knew. Why, he could still see the stain of shyness as blush flooded her face when she noticed his state of undress. He made certain to put his tunic back on before carrying the wood into the cottage. She may have been left to tend the keep on her own, but Erik had to remember she was probably quite sheltered when it came to seeing men semi-clothed.
Rhianna tried to have pleasant conversation with the man walking beside her so she said, “Where do you suppose Sir Drew went?”
For the second time that day, Erik found himself plagued with jealousy. Drew was such a charmer of the ladies and no doubt Rhianna was not immune to Drew’s ways. Erik had been lucky with women, as well, but not like Drew. Drew never was without a pretty maid on his arm or for that matter, in his bed.
Erik’s eyes grew suddenly cold and he shrugged. Rhianna became fully aware of the change in his mood and she wondered at it. At the mention of his elite guard, Erik seemed to turn back into the hardened warrior right before her eyes. How odd. Was he jealous? That seemed unreasonable to Rhianna. She tried to not give it too much merit. They were strangers, after all. Surely he did not fancy himself attracted to her. Rhianna also decided she did not want to encourage the moodiness in the man walking beside her. She could not be certain what manner of man he truly was, yet. She did not know if he was volatile or prone to bouts of violence, so she let the matter drop. Besides, they had not walked very far when they spied Sir Drew leaning casually against a fence post speaking to a lovely girl. He was clearly courting her and the girl was enjoying his attention. Spying Erik and Rhianna, he left the girl with a smile and casually walked toward the couple. Drew saw that Erik once again looked annoyed, and he wondered what the girl had done this time. Instead, Erik just handed him Rhianna’s supply basket and took her arm in his own hand. Drew smiled to himself at the not so subtle message which rang clear. Why, Erik was claiming the girl as his own. Finally! Drew actually was happy for his friend. He believed that Erik and Rhianna would realize they were destined for one another.
~Chapter Fourteen~
Aaron Jasper sat before the fire of his crumbling abode at Morcar Keep. Prosperity had not been fortuitous to him. In fact, the holding was rapidly becoming a pile of disintegrating stones. It sat upon a crag near the river, and it gave an ominous appearance in the shadows. Broken balustrades perched black and jagged against the night sky and when there was a moon, Morcar Keep took on a nightmarish visage that kept visitors at bay.
The main hall was strewn with refuse and offal of meals gone by. Rats and dogs alike foraged in the fetid rushes that had not been changed in months or worse. The cesspits outside the castle walls were full with sludge and when the wind was right, they could be smelled from every corner of the keep. Many of his men had deserted him long ago. Aaron actually cared little about that fact. Those who remained were either too lazy to move on or they enjoyed the demise from the restraints of proper society. And demise was an understatement. The inhabitants of Morcar were a lawless bunch of thieves, murderers and rapists. They bowed to no man and no god. They
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