My Guardian Knight by Lynette Marie

The other lady grasped her hand and said, “I don’t know how to thank you and Marshal Knight for helping us yesterday.  If it weren’t for you my Justin would surely have been injured.  I just wanted to let you know that your kindness is appreciated and if you ever need anything, I’ll be there for you.  I’ve written down my address and, although I won’t be there for some time yet, my brother-in-law is there and will help you with anything you need.”
                  Amanda smiled.  “That’s very thoughtful, but--”
                  “Please take it.  This is all I have to give.”
                  “Thank you very much,” Amanda said, deeply touched.
    They bid farewell and Amanda continued downstairs to find Sebastian sipping coffee on the porch.  “Good morning!” he called.  “Would you like some coffee?”
    She shook her head and sank into the chair, waiting for Matthew to have his breakfast.  “I would have ordered something for you but I wasn’t sure when you’d come down.”  She shrugged.  “Thank you, but I’m not hungry anyway.”
    Sebastian struck up a conversation with Matthew and Amanda stared past them to the scenic view of the town.  She felt numb, she thought, from the top of her head to the tips of her toes.  She’d had a slight taste of what life could be like and she didn’t want to go back to the fear and the longing that was so much a part of her real life.
    Damn Avery! Damn him for bringing her to this!  He had never cared for her, so why was he still punishing her for leaving?  And why did the punishment have to be so thorough, so final?
    When the boys were finished with their meal, she followed them to the train station dejectedly, searching the face of every passerby to make sure she had not been found.  She felt relatively secure, since she still hadn’t had the feeling .  As far as she knew, he had no clue where she was, but she would take no chances.
    They filed onto the train and she wasn’t a bit surprised when Sebastian sat down beside them as if he belonged there.  She had half a mind to tell him he should sit somewhere else, but stopped when she realized that she wanted him there.  That without his calming presence she may very well fall off the edge that she teetered on daily.  Was it just her imagination or was she even closer to that edge than usual?
    The whistle blew and the train started off.  Amanda
    was busy studying the people on board and listened with half an ear to Matthew's excited chatter as he bounced in his seat beside the window.  She was so intent on her own thoughts that she didn't notice Sebastian watching her with concern.
    "Amanda?" he asked, touching her shoulder.
    She jumped with a gasp, a scream just seconds from escaping her lips.  When she realized who had called her she took a deep, calming breath and closed her eyes.
                  “Are you all right?” he asked.
    “Fine,” she said with false brightness.  “I’m just fine.  Maybe a little tired, that’s all.”
    “You seem upset about something.  Would you like to talk about it?”
    “No, really, I’m fine.  I suppose I stayed up too late last night.”
    His smile was gentle as it lit upon her.  “Why don’t you try to sleep some.  I can keep an eye on Matthew.”
    She nodded and laid her head back against the seat, wondering vaguely when she had come to trust him so completely that she would entrust her son to him.  With a sigh, she drifted into dreamland.
     
    Sebastian watched Amanda as she slept.  Tenderness spread through him at the sight of her and he knew he’d like nothing more than to protect her from whatever it was that troubled her.  Her actions seemed to tell him that she may be in more trouble than he’d first suspected.  The way she watched everyone, suspicion evident in her eyes, conveyed to him the fact that she was running from someone.  The dejected slump to her shoulders and