“What is happening in the keep that she cannot greet my guests?” he asked.
Annaleigh was reluctant. “Well…” she said uncomfortably. “It’s Penny.”
“WhataboutPenny?”
“She’s been naughty.”
William didn’t need to be told more than that. Maybe it wasn’t a ploy, after all, considering any situation with Penelopewas quite plausible. William turned to speak to the group of men behind him.
“My wife is unavoidably detained at the moment,” he said. “Let us continue this conversation inside where food and drink await.”
The men began to move and Annaleigh stood back as the group began to pass her by. She would follow them indoors and quietly monitor the situation just in case they needed something. Three men she didn’t recognize moved past her, and a few she did recognize in Troy and Talus and Anthony, but William was still speaking to the man she hadn’t seen yet.
But then he moved aside.
A man was standing there, positively enormous in breadth and height, and he was looking up at the impressive keep of Castle Questing. Just for a moment. But then his eyes moved to the bailey, to things around him, and finally to her, standing just a few feet away.
Those eyes.
Annaleigh looked at the man and he looked at her. She’d seen those eyes before. William was with the other men, heading towards the keep, briefly leaving the man alone as he inspected his surroundings. He took two steps before suddenly noticing her and, for a moment, they simply stared at one another. Recognition was in the air as they both began to realize they knew one another or, at least, they’d seen each other before. Perhaps eight months ago in a thicket of trees next to the River Till.
Realization hit Annaleigh like a battering ram.
“Ye,” her eyes widened. “It… it’sye!”
His eyes lit up, beautiful eyes she’d remembered from those months ago. “Annaleigh?” he said, incredulous. “My God. Is it really you?”
She couldn’t even answer his question. She was so overwhelmed at the sight of him that she couldn’t even answer him. A shout from William got his attention and he suddenly turned away, rushing to catch up with the group and leaving Annaleigh standing there in shock.
But it was more than shock.
It was horror.
Horror that a reminder of the worst event in her young life had been standing in front of her. Horror that the man had actually survived because she had given him aid. Not only had she caused the event, but she’d aided the enemy. At the time, guilt had forced her to. Guilt that the knight had been injured because of her. She hadn’t really believed the man would survive his wounds, but he did.
And he was here at Castle Questing.
A reminder of everything she was trying to forget.
But, God… he was so handsome. In the dark thicket, covered with mud and gore, she’d never gotten a good look at him other than his eyes and those had been beautiful. Recognizable. But now, she’d just caught a glimpse of the rest of him and to stay he was magnificent… well, there wasn’t a word invented that could describe all that he was. He was a god among men, a paragon of masculinity who had just stepped from the lofty heights of Olympus.
And he was here.
Stiffly, Annaleigh began to follow the men into the keep, lagging behind because she didn’t want to get any closer. She was only following them because she’d told Jordan she would, but she was struggling to regain her composure. It occurred to her that all she’d ever heard about the visitors were that they were from Bamburgh Castle, someone named Herringthorpe who was a powerful new garrison commander, sent by King Henry himself. In fact, she’d built up a healthy sense of aweabout him. Even now, she still had it. But it further occurred to her that when she’d seen the man in that thicket, he’d only told her his first name–
War.
Was he the Herringthorpe everyone was talking about?
She was about to find out.
CHAPTER SEVEN
It was hisangel of mercy.
At least, he’d called her that once. She’d helped him after the battle at Etal when he hadn’t wanted her help and was utterly ungracious, but she’d ignored him and she’d saved his life. That’s what the surgeon said after he’d been found three days later.
Who stitched you up, War?
