making me think ye intended to cart goods when ye meant all along to run away.”
“But I didn’t.”
“Aye, ’cause Sir Talon here caught ye.”
“But—”
“What d’ye want done with her, sir? We’ve irons in the dungeon where the stores are kept.”
Larkin worried her lower lip. Would Talon go through with his threats? She turned pleading eyes on him but found his gaze impassive.
“Nay, Cleve, I think not. The keep still has need of her services. I wonder if she might not know a way to escape those irons were she not watched constantly, and Hawking Sedge’s men have already exhausted too much effort because of her.”
He dismounted and handed his horse over to a stable lad.
“Then I don’t know what’s to do, Sir Talon.”
“Please, do not imprison me,” she implored.
Talon raised an eyebrow. “Do you remember the abbess’s request that I should have care of you?”
Larkin nodded, aware of Cleve and the listening men.
“Th’ abbess asked ye to keep Larkin safe?”
“Indeed she did. Let it be understood by all that Mistress Larkin continues to clean and help in the keep as I direct. During the day, she will have a guard with her at all times. The nights she will spend in the solar.”
She gasped. So much for trust and his word to Mother Clement.
Several of the men chuckled.
Cleve grinned. “The men will envy you, sir. She’s turned them all down.”
Talon’s voice turned cold. “Let the men think as they like, but remind them what I said. As long as Larkin remains within these walls, I will have no man offer her insult or injury. Is that understood?”
“Aye, sir.”
“Then kindly ask Alice to have bread, ale, and cheese sent to the solar.” He pushed on Larkin’s arm, and with the entire guard watching, she was forced to march ahead of him, up the stairs to the hall, and upward again into the solar.
The moment the door closed she shook off his hand.
“I told you I would never consent to your touch,” she snarled.
He waved her to silence. “There is no need to snap at me, Larkin. I’ve no interest this night in proving that you lie to us both.”
“But you said ...”
“What I said in front of the men was to keep you safe, as I promised the abbess I would.” He sank onto the bed. “I need your help with my boots. I really must find a squire.” He spoke as if to himself.
Larkin hung back in the corner near the door.
“Well, what are you waiting for? I asked for your help.”
“Why have you done this?”
“Done what? Asked you to remove my boots for me? Because I don’t wish to sleep in them.”
“Nay.” She stomped across the room to stand before him. How could he treat her so casually and still believe her to be the liar and thief he constantly accused her of being? How could he claim to give no woman dishonor, yet allow the entire keep to think she shared his bed. The man was impossible.
“Who is the liar now,” she accused. “My presence alone in this chamber dirties my honor.”
“I will not dishonor you.” He lifted the hem of his shirt and shrugged the garment over his head.
His calm denial irritated her more.
“Do you not? Cleve was leering. The rest of the guards snickered and made lewd comments among themselves. No doubt they all expect to hear my screams this evening and your tale of the bedding on the morrow. These are not the actions of a man who would keep me safe or preserve my honor!” Her voice rose.
“Cease!” He roared back at her and stood.
She retreated a step. Even then, he was too close. Too daunting. Too shirtless. Too attractive.
“I did none of these things.”
“Of course you did,” she sputtered.
“Nay,” he said, giving a weary shrug of his naked shoulders as he sat and lifted a booted foot in her direction. “’Twas Cleve, you said, who leered, and the guards who snickered and made lewd remarks. By your own words, I did none of these things.”
“But you caused them.” She grasped the boot and
“But I didn’t.”
“Aye, ’cause Sir Talon here caught ye.”
“But—”
“What d’ye want done with her, sir? We’ve irons in the dungeon where the stores are kept.”
Larkin worried her lower lip. Would Talon go through with his threats? She turned pleading eyes on him but found his gaze impassive.
“Nay, Cleve, I think not. The keep still has need of her services. I wonder if she might not know a way to escape those irons were she not watched constantly, and Hawking Sedge’s men have already exhausted too much effort because of her.”
He dismounted and handed his horse over to a stable lad.
“Then I don’t know what’s to do, Sir Talon.”
“Please, do not imprison me,” she implored.
Talon raised an eyebrow. “Do you remember the abbess’s request that I should have care of you?”
Larkin nodded, aware of Cleve and the listening men.
“Th’ abbess asked ye to keep Larkin safe?”
“Indeed she did. Let it be understood by all that Mistress Larkin continues to clean and help in the keep as I direct. During the day, she will have a guard with her at all times. The nights she will spend in the solar.”
She gasped. So much for trust and his word to Mother Clement.
Several of the men chuckled.
Cleve grinned. “The men will envy you, sir. She’s turned them all down.”
Talon’s voice turned cold. “Let the men think as they like, but remind them what I said. As long as Larkin remains within these walls, I will have no man offer her insult or injury. Is that understood?”
“Aye, sir.”
“Then kindly ask Alice to have bread, ale, and cheese sent to the solar.” He pushed on Larkin’s arm, and with the entire guard watching, she was forced to march ahead of him, up the stairs to the hall, and upward again into the solar.
The moment the door closed she shook off his hand.
“I told you I would never consent to your touch,” she snarled.
He waved her to silence. “There is no need to snap at me, Larkin. I’ve no interest this night in proving that you lie to us both.”
“But you said ...”
“What I said in front of the men was to keep you safe, as I promised the abbess I would.” He sank onto the bed. “I need your help with my boots. I really must find a squire.” He spoke as if to himself.
Larkin hung back in the corner near the door.
“Well, what are you waiting for? I asked for your help.”
“Why have you done this?”
“Done what? Asked you to remove my boots for me? Because I don’t wish to sleep in them.”
“Nay.” She stomped across the room to stand before him. How could he treat her so casually and still believe her to be the liar and thief he constantly accused her of being? How could he claim to give no woman dishonor, yet allow the entire keep to think she shared his bed. The man was impossible.
“Who is the liar now,” she accused. “My presence alone in this chamber dirties my honor.”
“I will not dishonor you.” He lifted the hem of his shirt and shrugged the garment over his head.
His calm denial irritated her more.
“Do you not? Cleve was leering. The rest of the guards snickered and made lewd comments among themselves. No doubt they all expect to hear my screams this evening and your tale of the bedding on the morrow. These are not the actions of a man who would keep me safe or preserve my honor!” Her voice rose.
“Cease!” He roared back at her and stood.
She retreated a step. Even then, he was too close. Too daunting. Too shirtless. Too attractive.
“I did none of these things.”
“Of course you did,” she sputtered.
“Nay,” he said, giving a weary shrug of his naked shoulders as he sat and lifted a booted foot in her direction. “’Twas Cleve, you said, who leered, and the guards who snickered and made lewd remarks. By your own words, I did none of these things.”
“But you caused them.” She grasped the boot and
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