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Authors: The Darkest Knight
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she said, arching one eyebrow and showing more spirit.
“Sure of my power over women.”
He winked, spoiling her outrage before it started.
Chapter 6
J ust before dusk they approached a castle, nestled in a valley along the banks of a river, with lush farm fields as far as the eye could see. Earlier they had passed through one of the outlying villages, and Reynold had inquired if the castle housed travelers.
“Is this not dangerous?” Katherine asked, pulling her hair back with a thin strip of leather. “What if someone is curious about us?”
“Better to answer simple questions, than to be attacked again.”
She shivered and glanced over her shoulder. “Do you think we have been followed?”
“I will not take chances. That man seems determined to recapture you. Perhaps you would care to enlighten me as to his motives?” Reynold asked with a quirk of his brow.
Katherine rolled her eyes and sighed. She would tell him everything, if only her father weren’t at risk.
The uneven ground sloped downward, and Katherine caught Reynold’s arm to keep from tripping in a muddy hole.
He patted her hand. “Do not worry. I am a convincing actor.”
“I’ve no doubt,” she said dryly.
They walked along in silence, arm in arm, and for once Katherine didn’t pull away. Her hand was caught in his elbow, where hard muscles bulged against one another. He felt solid and strong, like a man should feel. Did James feel this way? It had been three years since she’d seen her betrothed, three years of rare gifts and letters, but no wedding date. She remembered him as handsome and strong, but not so large as Brother Reynold. He’d never touched her, except to kiss her hand. Was not even her dowry an inducement for James to complete their vows? Had he forgotten her? Or perhaps he remembered only her physical flaws.
They approached the castle just before the gates closed for the night. The walls on each side of the gatehouse sloped outward towards the ground, but reared up to two towers which blocked out much of the sky. Brother Reynold smiled down at her and tightened his grip. Just in front of them, a man pulled a cart overflowing with children. A little girl with a thin face and a head of brown curls waved at them and giggled.
Somehow Katherine expected her knight-turned-monk would frown uneasily. Instead he grinned, wiggled his fingers in return, and crossedhis eyes at her. The child shrieked with delight until the man told her to hush.
Katherine eyed the monk dubiously and he leaned down until his mouth was close to her ear.
“I love children,” he whispered.
The words faded away as his lips brushed her ear and a shiver swept through her. His breath was warm against her neck and he seemed to linger there a moment, the stubble of his beard scraping her. Katherine remained immobile, caught up in the spell of his nearness.
“Don’t you like children?” he murmured. “Or have your brothers and sisters soured you on them?”
“I am the only child,” she replied uneasily, wishing he’d move away. She couldn’t think straight.
“Ah, what a shame. No one to play with as a youth, no one to train with as you grew older.” But his voice trailed off and he frowned.
She couldn’t let such an opportunity go. “Why Brother Reynold, didn’t you play with all the village girls?” She wanted to know everything about him, but didn’t know how to begin. She expected him to laugh, but the anguish in his face only deepened before he could hide it.
“I was too big,” he answered at last.
“Too big? What does that mean?”
“They were afraid of me.” His deepset eyes were remote, almost wistful. “Sometimes I could not control my strength.”
Her own smile died and her throat tightened insympathy, as she imagined a little boy, awkward in a too-large body, playing by himself. She wanted to kiss that little boy’s brow, soothe his ruffled hair.
Katherine found herself sliding her hand into his much larger
“Sure of my power over women.”
He winked, spoiling her outrage before it started.
Chapter 6
J ust before dusk they approached a castle, nestled in a valley along the banks of a river, with lush farm fields as far as the eye could see. Earlier they had passed through one of the outlying villages, and Reynold had inquired if the castle housed travelers.
“Is this not dangerous?” Katherine asked, pulling her hair back with a thin strip of leather. “What if someone is curious about us?”
“Better to answer simple questions, than to be attacked again.”
She shivered and glanced over her shoulder. “Do you think we have been followed?”
“I will not take chances. That man seems determined to recapture you. Perhaps you would care to enlighten me as to his motives?” Reynold asked with a quirk of his brow.
Katherine rolled her eyes and sighed. She would tell him everything, if only her father weren’t at risk.
The uneven ground sloped downward, and Katherine caught Reynold’s arm to keep from tripping in a muddy hole.
He patted her hand. “Do not worry. I am a convincing actor.”
“I’ve no doubt,” she said dryly.
They walked along in silence, arm in arm, and for once Katherine didn’t pull away. Her hand was caught in his elbow, where hard muscles bulged against one another. He felt solid and strong, like a man should feel. Did James feel this way? It had been three years since she’d seen her betrothed, three years of rare gifts and letters, but no wedding date. She remembered him as handsome and strong, but not so large as Brother Reynold. He’d never touched her, except to kiss her hand. Was not even her dowry an inducement for James to complete their vows? Had he forgotten her? Or perhaps he remembered only her physical flaws.
They approached the castle just before the gates closed for the night. The walls on each side of the gatehouse sloped outward towards the ground, but reared up to two towers which blocked out much of the sky. Brother Reynold smiled down at her and tightened his grip. Just in front of them, a man pulled a cart overflowing with children. A little girl with a thin face and a head of brown curls waved at them and giggled.
Somehow Katherine expected her knight-turned-monk would frown uneasily. Instead he grinned, wiggled his fingers in return, and crossedhis eyes at her. The child shrieked with delight until the man told her to hush.
Katherine eyed the monk dubiously and he leaned down until his mouth was close to her ear.
“I love children,” he whispered.
The words faded away as his lips brushed her ear and a shiver swept through her. His breath was warm against her neck and he seemed to linger there a moment, the stubble of his beard scraping her. Katherine remained immobile, caught up in the spell of his nearness.
“Don’t you like children?” he murmured. “Or have your brothers and sisters soured you on them?”
“I am the only child,” she replied uneasily, wishing he’d move away. She couldn’t think straight.
“Ah, what a shame. No one to play with as a youth, no one to train with as you grew older.” But his voice trailed off and he frowned.
She couldn’t let such an opportunity go. “Why Brother Reynold, didn’t you play with all the village girls?” She wanted to know everything about him, but didn’t know how to begin. She expected him to laugh, but the anguish in his face only deepened before he could hide it.
“I was too big,” he answered at last.
“Too big? What does that mean?”
“They were afraid of me.” His deepset eyes were remote, almost wistful. “Sometimes I could not control my strength.”
Her own smile died and her throat tightened insympathy, as she imagined a little boy, awkward in a too-large body, playing by himself. She wanted to kiss that little boy’s brow, soothe his ruffled hair.
Katherine found herself sliding her hand into his much larger
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