Under the Warrior's Protection, page 3
Katherine kept her eyes on the taller man as he folded the mysterious package into his cloak, all the while keeping his head turned in the direction of the guards. Just as she thought she wouldn’t see his face he stepped out of the shadows, no longer appearing to need to hide.
She inhaled sharply. It wasn’t Jarin Ashdown creeping around, but his right-hand man, Erik Ward. Erik straightened his clothes and looked towards the guards once more. None of them paid him any attention. She held her breath, waiting to see what he would do next, but he only sauntered away as if he didn’t have a care in the world.
Chapter Four
‘This is a bad idea,’ muttered Jarin, the cool morning air biting against his face. Beneath him his horse, Eira, shifted, her hooves crunching on the ice underfoot.
‘You can’t make a reasonable decision about marrying one of the Leofric sisters if you don’t spend any time with either of them,’ argued Erik reasonably. ‘You’d be a fool to turn down Ogmore’s offer.’
Jarin tightened his grip on his reins; Erik had a point, but he didn’t want to hear it. He didn’t think he could manage five long days under Katherine Leofric’s unsettling scrutiny. He wasn’t sure he’d be able to control his body’s impulse when it came to her either. It was not a prospect he relished.
‘What’s taking them so long? I instructed them to be ready to leave at daybreak. We need to leave promptly if we’re going to make it to Abbotston by nightfall.’
Eira whinnied restlessly underneath him, picking up on his tension. He patted her neck to soothe her.
‘I’d imagine it takes more than a few hours to pack up one’s entire life,’ said Erik drily.
‘Their belongings are already in the cart. It must be something else holding them up.’
Jarin had been shocked by the pitiful amount of luggage the sisters were taking. Just one small bag of clothes between them; hardly the amount you would expect from two ladies of their rank, even taking into consideration their family’s fall from grace. Most of the cart was taken up with provisions for the trip and a few gifts for the newly married couple.
‘You need to relax. You’re escorting two young women to their new home, not going into battle. Neither of them knows about Ogmore’s offer of a marriage settlement. At least the old goat promised to keep that to himself.’
Jarin leaned forward to smooth Eira’s neck as once again Katherine’s piercing gaze sprang to mind. He closed his eyes tightly. Why couldn’t he stop thinking about the way she’d looked at him? He didn’t want anyone to know the real him underneath his cool exterior so why, when it felt as if she had peered into his soul, did he want her to do it again?
‘It’s a simple solution, Jarin,’ continued Erik, oblivious to his mood.
Jarin shook his head, dispelling the image of Katherine’s gentle curves; he needed to approach this problem with his normal, rational decision-making. One of the sisters might make him a decent wife and, with Ogmore’s dowry for them thrown in, some of his problems would be sorted.
All around him his men busied themselves getting ready for their departure. Last-minute items were being added to the cart and horses were being walked backwards and forward to keep them from getting cold while they waited for the Leofric sisters to emerge.
A flurry of activity appeared around the keep’s entrance as the sisters burst out into the open. Wearing plain, dark travelling cloaks, the pair hurried towards the waiting horses. As they approached, some of Jarin’s ire at their lateness dissipated. There was no sign of excitement from either woman. Instead of whispering and giggling together, they walked hurriedly with their heads bowed.
‘They don’t look happy, do they?’ commented Erik.
‘If even half of the rumours are true, living with their mother must have taken its toll on them,’ said Jarin.
‘Their mother isn’t weeping and wailing as she watches the girls off so perhaps relations are as badly strained as rumours suggest.’
‘Surely this is yet another reason to steer clear of the family,’ said Jarin wryly.
He’d had enough of family tensions to last him a lifetime. His brief marriage had been a web of lies and deceit that had turned him inside out, leaving him drained and desperate not to make the same mistake. Becoming involved in someone else’s family dramas was something he actively wanted to avoid.
‘I’m sure they will blossom when they are out of their mother’s iron grip,’ said Erik optimistically.
Jarin wasn’t convinced. Katherine’s tight mouth and rigid shoulders certainly didn’t make it look as though she was happy and excited to start her new life.
‘Good morning, ladies,’ he said as they were helped on to their horses.
Linota replied sunnily enough, although her smile didn’t quite reach her blue eyes. Katherine merely nodded in his direction. Her long, light brown hair was tied tightly in more unflattering braids and her plain cloak was shapeless, almost as if she were wearing a sack. He knew that underneath that unflattering outfit she had a trim figure, but there was no sign of it today. There was no earthly reason for his attraction to her, but he couldn’t deny that it simmered beneath his skin, urging him to tug her hair from her braids and watch it fly into the wind as she rode her horse.
Perhaps it was her obvious indifference to him that had him intrigued. Women normally fawned over him, whether it was something he encouraged or not. It didn’t seem to matter what age or social standing a lady had, he was always subject to some sort of simpering behaviour, flickering eyelashes or coy giggles. He didn’t delude himself that it was always because of the way he looked. He knew he wasn’t ugly. He’d had his fair share of female attention before his older brothers had died and left him the heir to the vast Borwyn estate, enough to know that he was physically appealing to women.
His title normally ensured that even those not swayed by his face still treated him well. Katherine Leofric didn’t seem to fall into the category of most women. Despite the fact she was above what most people would consider a marriageable age and he was a single, eligible man, she showed no interest in him at all. Perhaps that was part of her attraction. Now that she was seated on her horse she wasn’t sparing him a second glance. Her uneasy gaze flickered between the gate and the keep as if she was expecting the portcullis to be slammed shut before she could get out.
He cleared his throat and her head whipped round to face him. He’d been about to make a light-hearted quip about leaving, but his words died in his throat as her eyes locked with his again. In the weak morning sunlight they looked moss green and he couldn’t have torn his gaze away even if he’d been forced at sword-point. For several heartbeats neither of them moved and then her lips twisted in disgust and she turned away again.
He frowned. What had he done to cause such a look? They’d hardly spoken so she had no reason to dislike him. Perhaps she was mad like her mother. Or worse, his desire might be written all over his face, making him look like some sort of salivating beast. The back of his neck heated and he vowed again to rein in his reaction to her.
Her obvious dislike shouldn’t bother him. If he was going to marry one of the women, then the fact that Katherine couldn’t stand him should make the decision easy. Unfortunately, it wasn’t Linota’s hair he fantasised about tugging from tight braids to watch it fall around her face. It wasn’t Linota who could capture his interest in just one look. He frowned again; this was going to be a long five days.
‘Erik, you ride out front and I’ll take the back,’ he commanded. ‘I want to reach Abbotston before it gets dark.’
Gradually the group of riders started moving; the heavily laden cart creaked as the wheels finally began to turn. He sighed as they progressed slowly out of the heavily fortified gates and into the wide-open countryside. Far into the distance, hills glistened white under a layer of frost and the ground crunched underfoot as they started their journey.
Riding at the back of the group was slow progress, but it meant Jarin could keep an eye on stragglers. His men knew how much he hated dawdling and would keep up a brisk pace, especially if he was watching their movements from behind.
It soon became very apparent that Katherine was not a natural rider. Her movements were jerky and she kept pulling on the reins to slow her horse down even though the rate at which they were progressing was so laboured Jarin was sure he could walk backwards faster. Katherine slipped around in the saddle, her plaits bouncing wildly. Her technique had to be causing her discomfort and she was already falling behind the rest of the group. Her mount was a placid creature, but Jarin knew it would only be a matter of time before the animal lost patience at such mishandling.
‘Try loosening your grip on the reins,’ he said as he rode up beside her.
‘Pardon?’ She twisted on her saddle to glare at him, causing her mount to skitter sideways.
‘Careful,’ he said, grabbing her reins and bringing the horse back under control.
She frowned at him as she clutched the pommel in front of her. ‘You spooked her. What were you thinking sneaking up on her like that?’
He snorted with laughter and passed the reins back to her. His fingers grazed the skin on the back of her hand as he did so, the brief, gentle touch causing his body to tighten. He snatched his hand away. How strange he should react like that to the briefest of contact, especially with someone so bad-tempered. It really had been too long since he’d had a woman. As soon as the opportunity presented itself he would take a woman to his bed and lose himself for a couple of hours. That would satisfy this strange, unwanted craving he was having for a woman who couldn’t stand him.
‘I don’t think Braith is spooked easily.’ He looked at the squat mount that was now plodding placidly along. ‘I think it’s your erratic riding that’s upsetting her.’
He snapped his mouth closed in surprise. He’d never been so rude to a young lady. Katherine was making him act unlike himself. He really should offer her an apology, but his mind refused to come up with one.
‘My riding?’ she gasped. ‘There’s nothing wrong with it.’
‘You’re all over the place. It’s upsetting Braith and it can’t be comfortable for you.’
She sat up straighter in her seat. ‘I am perfectly comfortable, thank you very much.’
She raised her chin and focused her gaze on a distant point in the horizon. Every line of her body was rigid. He really should fall back and allow her to ride alone. That would be the chivalrous thing to do, but for some reason he couldn’t do it, she drew him in without even trying. His mind warred with his body, telling him to act sensibly and retreat; his mind lost.
‘If you change your grip slightly, you’ll have a lot more control over the direction in which your horse is travelling.’
The glare she sent him would have killed a lesser man.
‘We are travelling in a straight line,’ she ground out through clenched teeth.
‘We are, but if you want to travel around an obstacle you will have greater success if you hold the reins like this.’ He held up his hands to demonstrate.
She didn’t respond. Her grip only tightened, causing Braith to toss her head. He didn’t know Katherine, they’d never spoken before this brief altercation, but something told him she wouldn’t be able to bear him having the last word. They rode in silence while he waited.
‘Are you always rude?’ she asked as they passed a small copse of trees.
Jarin flung back his head and laughed.
No one had ever called him rude before. Good manners had been drummed into him before he could even talk. He always acted on the rules he’d been taught during his upbringing and, even if he had inadvertently insulted someone, no one ever commented. He was the Earl of Borwyn, one of the largest landowners in the country. Everyone wanted to be on his good side. Women wanted to marry him; men wanted his favour. Or at least they did at the moment. If they ever found out the truth about his strained finances, he knew he’d fall out of favour. Her unguarded response was refreshing. At least if he married her he would know from the outset that she didn’t like him. That had to be better than finding out several months after they were wed, as he’d learned from bitter experience.
‘Well?’ she demanded.
‘Well, what?’
‘You didn’t answer my question.’
‘Ah, you want to know if I’m always rude. No, I’ve never been accused of that before. I think, when you’ve had time to reflect, you’ll find I’m not being rude right now, merely helpful.’
He really shouldn’t tease her, but the deep frown across her forehead was extremely entertaining and it was going to be a long ride to Abbotston.
‘Can’t you go and be helpful to someone else?’ she asked, still not looking at him.
He grinned. ‘No one else needs my assistance with their riding.’
He nodded to the rest of their party who were moving in a solid line ahead, her own sister riding comfortably at their centre seemingly deep in conversation with Erik.
‘I don’t need your assistance.’
Something scurried in the undergrowth and Braith snorted in distress. Katherine squeaked and pulled on the reins, causing the horse to stagger sideways. Katherine yelped in distress as she slowly slid from her saddle.
Before she could become completely unseated he reached over and instinctively grabbed her. She gave a cry of pain as his hand encircled her upper arm. He released her quickly; he hadn’t held her that hard, but her cry had been genuine. She continued to slide and so he slid his arms around her waist and held on. Underneath her bulky cloak he could feel her slim figure trembling.
‘It’s all right; I’ve got hold of you. You’re not going to fall. I’m going to sit you upright.’
She nodded against his chest, the gesture oddly vulnerable. As gently as he could, given that their horses were still moving beneath them, he helped her back on to her saddle. When he was sure she was balanced, he slowly removed his arms and transferred his weight back on to his own horse.
She turned her face away from him which meant he couldn’t see her expression, but her whole body curled up in misery. She reminded him of a wounded animal. Was it because he had upset her by insulting her riding or was she in tremendous pain? Was she hurt elsewhere? The thought caused his fingers to curl into fists. She was a tiny woman who wouldn’t be able to defend herself, but someone had obviously hurt her badly. Anger throbbed through his veins and he had an insane urge to turn his horse around and demand answers from Ogmore, the man whose care she’d been under for many years.
He’d been a boor to tease her. She was obviously distressed for a reason that had nothing at all to do with him.
‘If you have need of me, I’ll be right here,’ he said gravely.
A brief nod was all the indication he got that she’d heard him. He slowed and allowed her to pull ahead, noting with a slight smile that she altered the way she held the reins to the way he’d shown her. She might be stubborn, but she wasn’t an idiot.
* * *
He kept his eyes on her throughout the long, dull morning of riding. Her miserable posture didn’t relax at all but, although her riding technique didn’t improve, she did remain in her saddle. He wanted to talk to her again, to engage her, even if it was through argument. He’d rather see her angry than such a sad, miserable figure plodding along in front of him.
All through the long day of riding his brain kept conjuring up scenarios of him rescuing her again, images that showed him holding her in his arms once more. He kept ruthlessly pushing them to one side. It was obvious she did not want to cast herself as a damsel in distress and, even if she were, for some reason he was the last person she’d want to rescue her.
Chapter Five
Jarin blew into the palms of his hands, but the gesture did little to alleviate the numbing cold slowly turning his fingers white. Each morning of the journey the temperature had dropped a little further. He pulled his cloak tighter and made his way over to his men who were busy preparing for today’s departure.
As he got closer, William, one his guards, nodded over to a spot a little further on. ‘Mistress Leofric,’ he said gruffly.
Jarin looked in the direction William indicated. Katherine Leofric was sitting on her haunches, apparently staring into a thicket of wild brambles. Her hair shone dark gold in the early winter light—an unhelpful observation, thought Jarin as he made his way over to her.
‘Is everything all right, Mistress Leofric?’ he asked as he approached.
She glanced up at him fleetingly before turning back to the hedgerow. He sighed softly. She didn’t seem to be warming to him after three days of travelling together.
In direct contrast, he was spending an inordinate amount of time riding behind her and watching the way she moved. She was still a terrible rider, but she never complained or asked for help. He’d have gladly given it just to see her smile at him the way she did at other people, but never at him.
‘Mistress Leofric,’ he said again. ‘We need to be going, so if you’ve quite finished...um, whatever it is that you are doing, then...’
She turned back to look up at him, ‘There’s a little bird stuck in the brambles. I’m trying to help, but every time I go near she goes wild.’
Jarin crouched down next to her and looked in the direction she was pointing. A slight breeze picked up and he caught the smell of lavender. Katherine must use it when she washed because he caught the tantalising perfume whenever she was around. He clenched his fists as he resisted the impulse to pull her closer and press his lips to her neck so he could inhale her.
A frantic flapping thankfully brought him back to the problem.
‘See,’ she said.
‘Ah, yes. Perhaps if I...’
