The Falls of Erith (10 page)

He
wriggled his eyebrows in response, dismounting his charger. The two squires
were there to take the reins, the older one passing a lingering glance at
Brooke. The girl looked back. But the adults were oblivious to the youngsters
exchanging glimpses as Braxton focused solely on Gray.  In the short time he’d
spent away, he’d missed the sight of her.

“Plans
have changed,” he said vaguely, removing one of his heavy mail gauntlets. “May
I be so bold as to ask you to accompany me into your hall?”

Gray
nodded while Braxton removed his helm, handed it over to the younger of his
squires, and extended an elbow to her. When she looked at him, still puzzled by
his swift reappearance, he merely smiled. It loosened her enough to the point
where she smiled back. Then she took his arm; it felt solid, reassuring, and
safe.  She realized she was glad to see him.

Even
as he led her up the stairs, there was tremendous activity going on in the
bailey. Men were clustered in well organized groups and several of them were
offloading wood and other materials out of one of the wagons.  That was about
all Gray saw before Braxton took her into the keep, yet she could still hear
the noise behind her. Once inside, Braxton took her straight into the hall.

Gray
recognized Braxton’s three knights, lingering near the massive dining table.
Servants were bring out pitchers of the nasty wine and trays of dried fruits,
as it was the only items of hospitality they had to offer.  As she drew close,
she noticed that there was a myriad of items strewn over the table; bolts of
fine fabric, pins, belts, silks, and a box containing spools and spools of
thread.  Her mouth popped open with astonishment at the sight while Brooke,
having rushed in behind her, began to squeal with delight.  Brooke was all over
the table, exclaiming about the beauty of the items, as Gray stood there with
her mouth hanging open.  Braxton stood beside her, watching her astonished
face.

“I
hope these are to your liking,” he said quietly. “I was not sure what women of
fine fashion would like, so I asked a merchant in Kendal. He told me that these
items were most popular right now.”

Before
Gray could reply, Braxton turned to Dallas and muttered something. The young
knight went over to a pile of fabric at the far end of the table and drew forth
a heavy blue brocade cloak lined with luxurious gray fur.  He returned with the
garment held high as Braxton pointed to it.

“The
merchant assured me that this cloak is the warmest one he had,” he fingered the
gray lining when it came near. “I know it seems foolish purchasing a cloak when
the weather has been so warm, but winters this far north can be exceedingly
bitter. I was not sure if you had something suitable for the approaching
season.”

Gray
stared at it. It seemed that she was having difficulty speaking. “For… me?” she
whispered.

Braxton
smiled. “Of course. Unless you do not like it, whereupon I will take it back to
the merchant and bring you back something you will like. Or you can keep it and
I shall go buy you another one you will like better.”

Hesitantly,
she reached out to finger the fur. It was some kind of fox, complimenting the
beautiful blue fabric.  Before she could say anything, Brooke found a cloak for
herself in the pile at the end of the table and she hooted with delight.  She
swung it around her shoulders, delighting in the beauty of it, but couldn’t
seem to navigate the fasten. Geoff was standing the closest to her and came to
the rescue.  With the cloak fastened, Brooke put the hood on her head and
skipped about the room in delight.

Gray
watched her daughter joyfully parade around.  It only reminded her that she had
never been able to provide her daughter with such comfort. Brooke had never
even seen a fur-lined cloak, much less owned one.  The sight brought tears to
her eyes. She looked at Braxton.

“My
lord,” her voice was choked. “Your thoughtfulness, as always, is beyond words,
but these items must have cost you a fortune. I cannot… that is to say, I could
never repay you for these, and all of the hospitality in the world would not do
just compensation.”

He
gazed down at her, the blue-green eyes gleaming.  “Standing here with you is
enough compensation for a thousand such things.” When she struggled to blink
away the tears, he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Walk with me,
madam. Please.”

Dumbly,
she followed him from the hall. Behind them, Brooke was still crowing about her
cloak. It made Braxton smile to hear the girl’s excitement.  He took Gray out
of the keep, down the repaired steps, and into the bailey.  She kept her head
down, struggling not to let loose with an emotional display, as he led her from
the fortress and out into the green Cumbrian landscape beyond. The pace was
slow, giving her time to compose herself.

“Now,”
he said quietly. “Before you become angry with me for the gifts I have brought,
you should know that I did it for purely selfish reasons.”

She
looked up at him, her pretty amber eyes glistening with moisture. “Selfish?”

“Aye,”
he said. “I am hoping to bribe you.”

Her
expression turned dubious. “Bribe me? For what?”

He
came to a halt, facing her in the light of the setting sun. She was an
astoundingly gorgeous creature. “Because I want you to allow me to do good
things for you, madam.”

“I
do not understand.”

Her
hand was still tucked into the crook of his elbow. He took it in his ungloved
hand, holding it sweetly. “I have done much in my life that was perhaps not so
good. I have killed because men have paid me to kill. I stopped going to
confession long ago because the priests said I could never do enough penance to
make up for the evils I have done.  So I was hoping… nay, I was praying that
you would allow me to do good things for you in the hope that it might make up
for the wrongs I have done.  You look as if you could use good deeds. And I
have done many wrongs, madam. Many indeed.”

Her
tears had stopped. A look of serenity came over her face, illuminated by the
glow of the dying sun. “You have been overwhelmingly good to me and my family
since we met you, my lord,” she said softly. “I cannot imagine you committing
horrible deeds. You seem the essence of knightly chivalry, for certainly, you
have done more for me in two days than any one person has done for me over a
life time.”

 
His smile returned.  “It is not something that comes easily to me, I assure
you.  But it was a strange day when I met you in the trees.”

“What
do you mean?”

He
shrugged. “Simply that I wasn’t supposed to be there,” he replied. “My men and
I were due in Kendal that very day but we veered off track chasing a hefty
buck. It was the same buck that we ate that night at Erith.  That animal took
several arrows and still refused to fall, so we chased it. It didn’t fall until
right before I heard your screams.  And then I followed your cries and found
you.”

She
smiled timidly. “A fortuitous coincidence, my lord.”

He
shook his head. “’Tis more than that. It was as if… almost as if I was meant to
find you there. As if I was meant to save Brooke. I cannot explain it any more
than that.”

Gray
wasn’t quite sure how to answer him.  Their eyes met and she looked away,
smiling bashfully.  Never in her life had she met a man who had even said the
remotest kind word to her. She did not know how to respond.

“In
any case,” he continued, enchanted with her dimpled smile. “I do not want you
to be angry with me for bringing you gifts. You deserve to be showered in fine
things.”

She
shrugged and resumed their walk at a slower pace. “You are most kind to say so,
my lord, but I must be honest when I say that I cannot, in good conscience,
accept your gifts. I know that you are trying to do good for me and for my
daughter, and believe me when I tell you that it brings me joy as you will
never know to see her happy over something as simple as a cloak, but I am not
sure that it is entirely proper for me to accept gifts from… well, from a….”

“Stranger?”
he finished, watching her nod in mute agreement. “In faith, I am not so sure
that I am a stranger. After all, we spent a good deal of time in conversation
the other night. We came to know quite a bit about one another.”

“True.”

“Would
you accept gifts from a friend?”

She
cast him a glance from the corner of her eye. “I might.”

He
smiled broadly. “Good. Then I would be honored to call you my friend. And, if
God is good to me, perhaps something more in time.”

She
came to a sudden halt, facing him.  All of the warmth was drained from her
face. “What more?”

He
could see the fear in her eyes again. “My intentions are honorable, my lady, I
assure you.”

“What
do you mean?”

He
put his hands on his hips, hoping to lightly diffuse what could build into an
unpleasant situation. He could just read the suspicion on her face.

“Can
a man not work up the courage to declaring his intentions?” he demanded
lightly.  “Must I be plain all within the first few days of knowing you? If you
must know, then I am a coward. Women frighten me.  It is not easy for me to
state my intentions right away. I must ease into such a thing. To declare my
interest for you all at one time might cause my heart to stop or my brain to
freeze.  The shock would likely kill me. You would not want that, would you?”

Gray
was torn between giggling and the seriousness of the situation. She settled for
amazement. “You would… declare your intentions? For me?”

He
scowled. “Give me time, you pushy wench.”

A
grin joined her amazed expression. “But… my lord, we discussed this the other
night. I have nothing of value to offer.”

“And
I am a knight bannerette with no property or standing.”

“I
am well beyond marriageable age.”

He
waved her off. “Are you mad? You are young and beautiful and when I gather
enough courage, I shall… well, you know.…”

She
could not believe what she was hearing.  The astonishment was more than she
could bear. “Nay, I do not know.”

Braxton
scratched his forehead. In fact, he looked almost nervous.  “Must I be plain?”

“I
am afraid so.”

He
gazed down at her, the sweet curves of her face, the delicious manner in which
her amber eyes reflected the dying sun. He could look into her eyes and see a
daughter with her exquisite face and his blue-green eyes or a strong son with
her sensibility and his strength.  He could see his unborn children reflecting
in the depths of her amber orbs.  Before he realized it, his hands were
gripping her upper arms and he pulled her against his chest.  His face was no
more than an inch from hers as he spoke.

“I
mean to marry you, madam,” he rumbled. “But until that time, I intend to spoil
you as you were meant to be spoiled, and to shower you with attention as you
were meant to know.  Those are my intentions, as plainly spoken as I can make
them.”

Gray
gazed up at him, so completely swept away by his words that, for a moment, she
forgot to breathe. There was such power in his grip, such strength in his face.
She’d thought so from the moment she first saw him.  For the first time in her
life, she felt excitement from a man’s touch. For the first time in her life,
she experienced the first sparks of true joy.  It was the most amazing dream
she could imagine.  So she said the first thing that came to mind.

“Are
you drunk?”

Braxton’s
eyes widened. Then he broke out in laughter so strong that he nearly fell over
with the force of it.  Gray watched him, a smile on her lips, as he wiped his
eyes.

“Aye,
madam, I am drunk,” he struggled to catch his breath. “I am drunk with your
beauty and charm and wit.”

She
laughed shyly, watching him compose himself. As much as his declaration struck
her, she was equally puzzled. “But… even if all you say is true, the fact
remains that traveling is part of your vocation. I cannot wander with you. Even
if you were to marry me, my place is here, with my daughter.”

His
laughter was fading. “You worry overly. I would never dream of separating you
from your child.”

“Does
that mean you will live here, with us?”

He
could only shake his head. “All I know is that the moment I laid eyes upon you,
I knew I had to have you. Beyond that, I have not thought it through.  Give me
time, madam.  I will do what needs to be done, for us both.”

It
was a vague answer, but not a frightening one. In fact, now that her shock was
wearing off, an odd sense of elation was taking hold.  Braxton watched her
lovely face for a moment before extending his hand to her.

“May
I have permission to court you, then?”

She
gazed at his open palm before slowly placing her hand within his. “I will
consider it.”

He
brought her fingers to his lips, the first kiss between them sending waves of
exhilaration through her body.  It was a very sweet, very tender moment, in a
life that had known none.  But her fingers tasted so sweet that he gave a
gentle tug, pulling her up against him once more. He held her close, gazing
down into her miraculous eyes and wishing he was without his armor. He so
wanted to feel her soft body against his.  His lips came down upon hers,
tenderly.  When he felt her respond, his kiss turned insistent and hot.  His
tongue gently snaked against her lips, tasting her flesh with all of the
satisfaction of a man tasting the ambrosia of Heaven.  He forced himself to
pull away, knowing he would be lost if he did not.