Ria Cantrell - Celtic Storm 03 (10 page)

“She fares better, my lady. The lung sickness is past. She has no more fever. I thought to keep her abed still.”

“Yes, t’is wise. Let me have a look at her to see if she needs anything else to help her get better.”

Hildie stepped aside and eyed the two large men that were with Rhianna. Hildie smiled and said, “Who might these two handsome lads be?”

Blushing Rhianna said, “Sir Erik Ragnorsen and Sir Andrew Brandham are on royal business. They thought to be my escort today.”

“Ah, and what sort of Royal business brings you to our lovely village?”

With an impish grin, Drew piped up, “Well, m’lady, our King, His Majesty, has decided that Sir Erik is to marry your beautiful Lady Rhianna.”

Hildie laughed happily and said, “Oh, blessings! What wonderful news. Congratulations are due to you both. Sir Erik, you have found a rare gem.”

A smile quirked at Erik’s lips and he teased, “M’lady, she has not said yes yet.”

Rhianna’s eyes flew to his face. If she thought he was handsome before, when the man smiled it was likened to the beauty of the sun. Rhianna felt as if the wind had gone right out of her. Turning away from him, she mumbled, “You have not asked me.”

“Haven’t I?”

“No.”

“So I haven’t.”

Erik was starting to realize that perhaps the way to win this girl over was to not demand things of her, but rather to allow her to decide them for herself. Even though the king had decreed them to wed, he himself had been most opposed to the match. Perhaps he needed to just ask her and let the decision be hers. He was starting to think that mayhap this arrangement was going to suit him nicely after all, because despite their less than proper beginnings, Erik found that he rather liked the little sharp-tongued minx.

“Well, then, I shall have to remedy that, shan’t I?”

Rhianna saw he was grinning at her and she was not certain if he was being charming or if he was making sport of her. She did not have time for games. She needed to see to the child. She took the basket from Erik’s hands and she said, “Please make yourselves useful. I have matters to attend to and sport and play must wait.”

Erik shrugged and said, “Who said I was playing?”

Rhianna did not answer him, but turned from him to go see Alys.

Hildie said, “Won’t you come in?”

“Perhaps there is something I can do for you.”

“Oh, no, sir,” Hildie replied, as crimson blush rose up her neck. She felt a strong kick at that moment and her hand went to her swollen abdomen as a gasp left her throat. Erik immediately took her arm and led her to sit at the table.

“Are you alright?”

“Oh, aye, Sir. The babe is restless today.”

Looking up from the child, Rhianna said, “I will prepare something for you to drink after I am done with Alys.”

Erik asked sincerely, “Can I help?”

“Well if you would, draw some fresh water and bring it.”

Erik nodded and left the cottage with Drew. While Rhianna tended to the sick child, Erik went to the well and drew two pails of water. He carried them back to the cottage and set them inside. He had noticed some wood needed to be chopped by the side of the house, so he set to the task at hand.

Rhianna had busied herself with tending to both Alys and Hildie. She was pretty certain Hildie’s time was soon, but the woman was absolutely exhausted. Rhianna put on broth to warm over the fire and she set some herbs to steep into soothing teas for both of her charges. When she heard the unmistakable sound of wood being chopped, she had thought that Alric had returned from the fields. Wiping her hands, Rhianna stepped out of the cottage and went to talk to Alric. She did not want to alarm Hildie but she wanted Alric to know that Hildie was going to need more rest until the baby came. Rhianna stopped in her tracks at the sight before her. There, with efficiency and power, stood Erik splitting logs with the axe that had been left at the chopping block. He had removed his mantle, cape and tunics and was bare from the waist up. Muscles rippled across his chest and stomach and his biceps strained in his arms with each strike of the axe. Despite the chill of the day, thin trickles of sweat ran down his cheek like tears. Rhianna had seen men chop wood many a time, but never had the sight of one affected her the way this one had. When she saw Erik at the task, her mouth fairly dropped open and it suddenly felt dry. It is
Thor
, she thought as Erik raised the heavy axe over his head and brought it down on the log.

A queer feeling pooled inside of Rhianna and she turned away in embarrassment. Her cheeks flamed and she wanted to hurry quickly from the vision of Erik stripped to the waist in nothing but his tight leather trews. She had a fleeting thought that even if she lived a thousand years, she would never get that image from her mind. What was wrong with her? For the love of God, he was just chopping wood! Rhianna fairly ran back to the cottage, shutting the door behind her. She leaned against it and tried to bring her breathing back to normal. She chided herself for being a foolish woman, easily ensnared by a braw man. She needed to keep her wits about her or else she would succumb to his charms and find herself wedded and bedded and her lands would be forfeit.

Hildie eyed the lady curiously. Blush tinged her cheeks and her breathing was rapid like she had been running a great distance. Rhianna was leaning against the door as if Satan himself was on the other side. As a hand rested on her swollen middle, Hildie offered womanly advice.

“My lady, forgive my boldness, but well, Sir Erik would make a fine husband for you.”

“I do not
need
a husband, Hildie.”

Despite her discomfort in the late stage of her pregnancy, she was happy to be a mother. She could not imagine her life without the blessing of children and a warm bed with a husband in it. She frowned and asked, “But, Lady Rhianna, don’t you want children of your own? You are so good with Alys. Sir Erik would be a wonderful father to your babes, I am certain.”

“Hildie, you and I know nothing about the man and what I do know I am not certain proves anything except that he is a rake.”

“Your gifts are vast, m’lady but I have gifts too. I can tell a man’s mettle usually forthright. I assure you, Sir Erik is a fine man.”

Rhianna did not answer. Perhaps Hildie was right but perhaps she was just charmed by the way the man looked.
God’s teeth, he would tempt the resolve of the saints!
Besides, she could not tell Hildie the man kissed her publicly only after he threatened to spank her. Even thinking upon that made the heat rise in her face again, not to mention other places she dare not think about.

Rhianna went to the water pitcher and poured a drop of the cool water onto a cloth. She dabbed it to her flaming face. She felt as feverish as little Alys had been. Perhaps she was developing the same symptoms as the child. No, this was different; this did not feel like when one took ill. Rhianna ignored the source of the burning in her flesh.
It was madness. That’s what it was.

Rhianna pulled herself away from the door and she tucked Alys back into bed. The door swung open and Erick appeared with an armful of wood for the fire. He had donned his under tunic, but left it unlaced. He placed the wood by the hearth and he waited while Rhianna gave some instructions to Hildie to rest as well as little Alys needed to. She packed up her basket and she left. Erik picked up his jerkin and mantel, which he had folded near the wood pile. He smiled warmly down at Rhianna and he gently pulled her cloak about her, tying it closed at her neck. It was a simple gesture, but it also was an intimate one. He said, “You were quite remarkable with that little girl. Your people are lucky to have your skills with healing herbs.”

Rhianna lowered her lashes shyly and said, “T’is just what I do.”

Erik once again felt pride welling inside of him for this woman. He had watched her caring for both the child and the mother and he reached a new found respect for the girl. He said, “Not everyone can do what you do. I am happy I decided to join you today.”

Rhianna looked back up to meet his gaze and she stammered, “Thank you…for your help. Alric has been busy in the fields with duties of the harvest. They needed their woodpile replenished and you.…”

Erik placed a kiss to the top of her hair and he said, “I was happy to help. It’s just what I do.”

And then he winked at her. Rhianna wanted to dislike the man; she really and wholeheartedly did, but at the moment, she just could not. Erik’s smile was so sincere that Rhianna could only return one to him.

As they walked quietly down the lane, Erik had the niggling feeling that he was becoming rather smitten with this perplexing woman. Everything he had thought about her was altered. She was not a hag, but a beautiful young woman. She was not a witch, but a healer. While she could be shrewish, she could also be sweet, compassionate and nurturing. She seemed bold, but her innocence gave her away. When he saw her hurry from his sight as he chopped the wood, he knew. Why, he could still see the stain of shyness as blush flooded her face when she noticed his state of undress. He made certain to put his tunic back on before carrying the wood into the cottage. She may have been left to tend the keep on her own, but Erik had to remember she was probably quite sheltered when it came to seeing men semi-clothed.

Rhianna tried to have pleasant conversation with the man walking beside her so she said, “Where do you suppose Sir Drew went?”

For the second time that day, Erik found himself plagued with jealousy. Drew was such a charmer of the ladies and no doubt Rhianna was not immune to Drew’s ways. Erik had been lucky with women, as well, but not like Drew. Drew never was without a pretty maid on his arm or for that matter, in his bed.

Erik’s eyes grew suddenly cold and he shrugged. Rhianna became fully aware of the change in his mood and she wondered at it. At the mention of his elite guard, Erik seemed to turn back into the hardened warrior right before her eyes. How odd. Was he jealous? That seemed unreasonable to Rhianna. She tried to not give it too much merit. They were strangers, after all. Surely he did not fancy himself attracted to her. Rhianna also decided she did not want to encourage the moodiness in the man walking beside her. She could not be certain what manner of man he truly was, yet. She did not know if he was volatile or prone to bouts of violence, so she let the matter drop. Besides, they had not walked very far when they spied Sir Drew leaning casually against a fence post speaking to a lovely girl. He was clearly courting her and the girl was enjoying his attention. Spying Erik and Rhianna, he left the girl with a smile and casually walked toward the couple. Drew saw that Erik once again looked annoyed, and he wondered what the girl had done this time. Instead, Erik just handed him Rhianna’s supply basket and took her arm in his own hand. Drew smiled to himself at the not so subtle message which rang clear.
Why, Erik was claiming the girl as his own. Finally!
Drew actually was happy for his friend. He believed that Erik and Rhianna would realize they were destined for one another.

~Chapter Fourteen~

Aaron Jasper sat before the fire of his crumbling abode at Morcar Keep. Prosperity had not been fortuitous to him. In fact, the holding was rapidly becoming a pile of disintegrating stones. It sat upon a crag near the river, and it gave an ominous appearance in the shadows. Broken balustrades perched black and jagged against the night sky and when there was a moon, Morcar Keep took on a nightmarish visage that kept visitors at bay.

The main hall was strewn with refuse and offal of meals gone by. Rats and dogs alike foraged in the fetid rushes that had not been changed in months or worse. The cesspits outside the castle walls were full with sludge and when the wind was right, they could be smelled from every corner of the keep. Many of his men had deserted him long ago. Aaron actually cared little about that fact. Those who remained were either too lazy to move on or they enjoyed the demise from the restraints of proper society. And demise was an understatement. The inhabitants of Morcar were a lawless bunch of thieves, murderers and rapists. They bowed to no man and no god. They answered to no tugs of conscience and Aaron was content in this path that he had chosen, as well.

One of his spies had told him of a riding party that arrived at the neighboring village to pay a visit to that haughty Rhianna du Montefort’s keep. His man said the guests were riding under the king’s flag. Perhaps, the king had gotten word that Randall was dead and that du Montefort Keep needed to be fortified. The problem was; Randall du Montefort was
not
dead. Aaron had his guards ambush Randall on his return from an emissary mission. While Aaron wanted nothing better than to murder his foe, he could not bring suspicion to himself.

He wanted to claim the high and mighty witch and take her lands for his own. If Randall was found murdered, Aaron Jasper was not fool enough to think that he would be named the main suspect in the deed. Instead, he had du Montefort beaten and tortured just for the sport of it. Randall du Montefort would never permit any Jasper to marry his precious sister. The witch had been carefully protected and coddled. Randall made no bones that he thought the likes of anyone named Jasper was beneath the station of his sister. Therefore, Aaron Jasper took extra pleasure in giving Randall his comeuppance. He was not so high and mighty after Aaron was finished with him.