slumped against the rough trunk of the tree he had been set near. “ ’Tis not the wound which troubles me,” he admitted in a faintly sulky voice, “but that I gained it at the hands of a woman. A tiny, red-haired Scottish lass has cut me down as if I was no more than some virginal page.” He glared at Gabel when the man laughed. “I see no humor in this. You need not add to the laughter I will have to endure.”
“Do not fear that your pride will take a bruising. ’Twill soon be known by all at Bellefleur that Lady MacNairn is no weak, pretty child. She killed a man today in a sword fight.” He nodded when Justice gaped at him in surprise. “She armed herself, and one of those outlaws was fool enough to think her an easy kill.” Gabel looked to where Ainslee sat close beside Ronald. “She found her first killing hard to bear, but I believe she has the will to overcome that.”
“Aye, that is one very willful woman. The ladies at Bellefleur will find her a puzzle. No doubt of that.” Justice studied his cousin for a moment before adding, “A woman so brave and skilled would be a good wife for a man trying to grasp a foothold in this wild land.”
“Do not try and choose my wife for me, Cousin,” Gabel said, smiling faintly at Justice to soften the reprimand. “I have decided upon the sort of wife I must have, and, beguiling and stirring to the blood as Ainslee MacNairn is, she is not what I seek. She is but a pawn in a game of treaty.” Gabel avoided Justice’s stare, certain that his lack of conviction in his own words would show in his face. “That lovely girl is one tiny, enchanting packet of trouble, which we must be rid of as swiftly as we can.”
“Ease your mind, lassie,” Ronald soothed Ainslee after she told him all that had happened to her upon the rocky hill. “That mon would have killed ye without a thought.”
“I ken it.” She looked Ronald over carefully, relieved to see that fleeing from the outlaws had not served to worsen his condition. “Ye appear to have survived your flight through the forest.”
“Aye. The lads did their best to travel gently yet swiftly. My only regret is that their care is spent in taking me to Bellefleur and not to Kengarvey.”
“Bellefleur?”
“Aye. That is the name of Sir Gabel’s keep.”
“Bellefleur, eh? It doesna sound a verra strong name for a knight’s fortress. I wonder how he came to choose that name.”
“Methinks ye might wonder about that mon far more than might be wise.”
Although she flushed slightly under Ronald’s steady, knowing gaze, Ainslee nodded. There was no reason to hide anything from him. “I fear I might indeed, but I shouldna fret yourself o’er it, my friend.”
“Nay? We could find ourselves held at Bellefleur for a verra long time.”
Ainslee recognized the danger of that as well, but just smiled and patted Ronald’s hand. “Sir Gabel is an honorable mon, and I am a woman full grown. If anything happens betwixt us, ’twill rest upon our own heads.”
She smiled ruefully when Ronald muttered a curse, and wished she felt as brave as she sounded. If Gabel de Amalville had any interest in her as a woman, a long stay at Bellefleur could prove to be very dangerous indeed. However, Ronald could not help her this time. Whatever did or did not develop between herself and Gabel was a matter only she could deal with. All she could do was pray that she had the wit and the strength to do so without endangering them or her own heart.
Five
Bellefleur rose from a dark bed of rock, strong and majestic. As Ainslee reached the crest of a small hill and saw Gabel’s keep, she hesitated. King David was rewarding the Norman very well indeed. Even from a distance the keep bespoke wealth and refinement, neither of which her family had ever attained. The imposing stone fortress was a huge symbol of the massive gap between Sir Gabel de Amalville and herself. All the other differences and complications, from
“Do not fear that your pride will take a bruising. ’Twill soon be known by all at Bellefleur that Lady MacNairn is no weak, pretty child. She killed a man today in a sword fight.” He nodded when Justice gaped at him in surprise. “She armed herself, and one of those outlaws was fool enough to think her an easy kill.” Gabel looked to where Ainslee sat close beside Ronald. “She found her first killing hard to bear, but I believe she has the will to overcome that.”
“Aye, that is one very willful woman. The ladies at Bellefleur will find her a puzzle. No doubt of that.” Justice studied his cousin for a moment before adding, “A woman so brave and skilled would be a good wife for a man trying to grasp a foothold in this wild land.”
“Do not try and choose my wife for me, Cousin,” Gabel said, smiling faintly at Justice to soften the reprimand. “I have decided upon the sort of wife I must have, and, beguiling and stirring to the blood as Ainslee MacNairn is, she is not what I seek. She is but a pawn in a game of treaty.” Gabel avoided Justice’s stare, certain that his lack of conviction in his own words would show in his face. “That lovely girl is one tiny, enchanting packet of trouble, which we must be rid of as swiftly as we can.”
“Ease your mind, lassie,” Ronald soothed Ainslee after she told him all that had happened to her upon the rocky hill. “That mon would have killed ye without a thought.”
“I ken it.” She looked Ronald over carefully, relieved to see that fleeing from the outlaws had not served to worsen his condition. “Ye appear to have survived your flight through the forest.”
“Aye. The lads did their best to travel gently yet swiftly. My only regret is that their care is spent in taking me to Bellefleur and not to Kengarvey.”
“Bellefleur?”
“Aye. That is the name of Sir Gabel’s keep.”
“Bellefleur, eh? It doesna sound a verra strong name for a knight’s fortress. I wonder how he came to choose that name.”
“Methinks ye might wonder about that mon far more than might be wise.”
Although she flushed slightly under Ronald’s steady, knowing gaze, Ainslee nodded. There was no reason to hide anything from him. “I fear I might indeed, but I shouldna fret yourself o’er it, my friend.”
“Nay? We could find ourselves held at Bellefleur for a verra long time.”
Ainslee recognized the danger of that as well, but just smiled and patted Ronald’s hand. “Sir Gabel is an honorable mon, and I am a woman full grown. If anything happens betwixt us, ’twill rest upon our own heads.”
She smiled ruefully when Ronald muttered a curse, and wished she felt as brave as she sounded. If Gabel de Amalville had any interest in her as a woman, a long stay at Bellefleur could prove to be very dangerous indeed. However, Ronald could not help her this time. Whatever did or did not develop between herself and Gabel was a matter only she could deal with. All she could do was pray that she had the wit and the strength to do so without endangering them or her own heart.
Five
Bellefleur rose from a dark bed of rock, strong and majestic. As Ainslee reached the crest of a small hill and saw Gabel’s keep, she hesitated. King David was rewarding the Norman very well indeed. Even from a distance the keep bespoke wealth and refinement, neither of which her family had ever attained. The imposing stone fortress was a huge symbol of the massive gap between Sir Gabel de Amalville and herself. All the other differences and complications, from
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