they spoke, and Royce paused to look closely at Lynette again, as if he was considering whether she spoke the truth or not.
She smiled. "It is true. She is a very sweet child." "Come, let us break our fast. There is much to be done. I should like to see the accounts today also."
The meal was hasty, a crust of bread and cheese washed down with ale, and soon they were in the saddle.
They rode for some time, and Lynette was well aware that he was watching her closely.
"I do not understand you," he finally said. "You are ... different from what I expected you to be."
"And what did you expect? A fierce woman waiting at the gates of Creganwald with a sword in her hand? It is an amusing thought, but in combat I hardly think I could stand against you."
"And so you believe there are other ways to do battle?"
"Mayhap you seek battle where none exists. This land has been in my family for long years. I value it, and the people who live and work upon it. I would not see them suffer needlessly. Not if—"
"Not if you sacrifice yourself in marriage, and bring peace here," he finished.
"Sacrifice? Did I suggest such a thing?" Her look was one of such innocence that Royce laughed. It had been a long time since he had laughed so freely. It was a surprise to him.
Again they rode in silence, and she knew he was lost in thoughts that did not especially please him. Was he thinking of the woman he had loved so fiercely that her loss would make him want to lay down his life?
Royce's thoughts were confused. He wanted this girl's resistance, and instead she gave him smiles to fight against. How could he make her understand that a true marriage between them was impossible? He lived with a ghost that would not free him, and he did not welcome any other woman's presence in his life.
What made matters worse was that though she rode beside him, her horse was just a stride or two ahead, and he could not keep his eyes off her. She rode well, as he had noticed before. She was also quite beautiful. She had been angry at Oriel's treatment of Cerise, and had stormed at him that she would bear no child of his. He hoped that refusal was still in her mind. He preferred her anger and resistance to her docile submission.
William had given him a month's reprieve before the marriage, and had told him to bring her to London. But he intended to take her to London before that. There were many knights in William's service, knights who would willingly take his place as Lynette's husband. If Lynette were to find another, one who was acceptable to William... The king might be willing to replace Royce.
He would show her to the court, and the court to her. Like any young woman, she would be excited. Once she had won another heart or so, he would broach the subject to William. Time was what he needed ... time.
Lynette's thoughts were more on him than he would ever know. She had been prepared to hate him, to do battle in every way possible. The taking of Creganwald by the Norman horde had created resistance. But Lynette's realistic assessment of her home, her father, and her responsibilities made her strong and quite capable of doing what was necessary to protect them. A woman had never had choices about marriage, and she knew she could have fared much worse than being promised to Royce.
She was also surprised at how aware of him she was. It was not the fact that he was the handsomest man she had ever seen. A handsome face could cover a great deal of evil. No, it was the shadows in his eyes, and the bitter hurt she had seen when he looked at Cerise. He was wounded and carried a scar that could not be seen, but that bled with every beat of his heart.
She looked at the hands that held his reins, and saw the power of them. They were large, his fingers long and shapely. She could feel again the strength with which he had held her. Those hands could wield a sword with ease, but she sensed they could be gentle and warm. The thought was surprisingly unsettling.
This
She smiled. "It is true. She is a very sweet child." "Come, let us break our fast. There is much to be done. I should like to see the accounts today also."
The meal was hasty, a crust of bread and cheese washed down with ale, and soon they were in the saddle.
They rode for some time, and Lynette was well aware that he was watching her closely.
"I do not understand you," he finally said. "You are ... different from what I expected you to be."
"And what did you expect? A fierce woman waiting at the gates of Creganwald with a sword in her hand? It is an amusing thought, but in combat I hardly think I could stand against you."
"And so you believe there are other ways to do battle?"
"Mayhap you seek battle where none exists. This land has been in my family for long years. I value it, and the people who live and work upon it. I would not see them suffer needlessly. Not if—"
"Not if you sacrifice yourself in marriage, and bring peace here," he finished.
"Sacrifice? Did I suggest such a thing?" Her look was one of such innocence that Royce laughed. It had been a long time since he had laughed so freely. It was a surprise to him.
Again they rode in silence, and she knew he was lost in thoughts that did not especially please him. Was he thinking of the woman he had loved so fiercely that her loss would make him want to lay down his life?
Royce's thoughts were confused. He wanted this girl's resistance, and instead she gave him smiles to fight against. How could he make her understand that a true marriage between them was impossible? He lived with a ghost that would not free him, and he did not welcome any other woman's presence in his life.
What made matters worse was that though she rode beside him, her horse was just a stride or two ahead, and he could not keep his eyes off her. She rode well, as he had noticed before. She was also quite beautiful. She had been angry at Oriel's treatment of Cerise, and had stormed at him that she would bear no child of his. He hoped that refusal was still in her mind. He preferred her anger and resistance to her docile submission.
William had given him a month's reprieve before the marriage, and had told him to bring her to London. But he intended to take her to London before that. There were many knights in William's service, knights who would willingly take his place as Lynette's husband. If Lynette were to find another, one who was acceptable to William... The king might be willing to replace Royce.
He would show her to the court, and the court to her. Like any young woman, she would be excited. Once she had won another heart or so, he would broach the subject to William. Time was what he needed ... time.
Lynette's thoughts were more on him than he would ever know. She had been prepared to hate him, to do battle in every way possible. The taking of Creganwald by the Norman horde had created resistance. But Lynette's realistic assessment of her home, her father, and her responsibilities made her strong and quite capable of doing what was necessary to protect them. A woman had never had choices about marriage, and she knew she could have fared much worse than being promised to Royce.
She was also surprised at how aware of him she was. It was not the fact that he was the handsomest man she had ever seen. A handsome face could cover a great deal of evil. No, it was the shadows in his eyes, and the bitter hurt she had seen when he looked at Cerise. He was wounded and carried a scar that could not be seen, but that bled with every beat of his heart.
She looked at the hands that held his reins, and saw the power of them. They were large, his fingers long and shapely. She could feel again the strength with which he had held her. Those hands could wield a sword with ease, but she sensed they could be gentle and warm. The thought was surprisingly unsettling.
This
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