“I am a warrior. Even if no one knows it.”
She could see the dissent in his eyes, but to his credit, he said nothing. Honora knew full well that she wasn’t the sort of woman her sister was. Katherine was the fresh-faced beauty, the virginal woman who knew everything about tending a household.
She had known nothing, a fact that Ranulf had never failed to remind her. Despite her best efforts, she had given her husband no pleasure in his home nor in his bed. Had she fallen ill and died, she doubted if he would have noticed.
“Why do you fight?” Ewan asked again, staring as if he could see the answers in her profile.
“Fighting is something I can do well,” was her answer. It was the only thing she could do with any sort of expertise, save the embroidery. And even that, she’d only learned because it was necessary when tending wounded men. Blood had never bothered her, and she’d sewn up countless wounds.
After she tied off the thread, she packed the wound with comfrey and crushed garlic that Katherine had left behind. There were no cobwebs to help the wound bind but with a tight bandage, it might do well enough. She bound his arm firmly with the clean linen. “Do you want me to wrap your ribs now?”
Against her desires, she found herself staring at his mouth. The heat of the room grew stifling, and perspiration rose up on her skin.
“That won’t be necessary.” His hand reached out to hers, and she grew self-conscious of the rough calluses upon her palm.
“The cut will be better in a sennight or two,” she remarked. “But try to keep it covered when you fight.” Taking a step backwards, she drew her hand away and waited for him to leave.
Ewan didn’t take the pointed hint. Instead, he moved in until she was cornered against a wall. “Don’t ever take a risk like that again. Beaulais might have harmed you.” He rested his hand against the wall behind her. Once again, the familiar scent of him seemed to pull at her senses.
Honora tried to keep her breathing steady, to ignore the rapid pulsing of her heart. “I could have blocked him, had he tried to strike me.”
“You take too many chances,” he argued. “And while I am glad you can defend yourself, there’s no reason to seek trouble.” He cupped her chin. “You find it well enough on your own.”
“Don’t patronize me.” Her face felt as though it were on fire, and he was far too close. The gentle pressure of his fingertips against her chin made her hands tremble. “And don’t touch me.”
He lifted his hands up and stepped away. “As you wish. But let there be peace between us, Honora.”
“Why does it matter?”
“If I’m going to wed your sister, I would like for us to be friends.”
Friends. Had they ever been that, to one another? She had followed him around far more than was proper. If the truth be known, years ago she’d held a secret admiration of him, wishing that he would fall in love with her.
But he hadn’t. He’d been kind enough, but most times, he’d tried to avoid her. Looking back, she understood the reason. It was difficult for any man to love a woman who attempted to skewer him with a sword.
“Friends,” she repeated. “I suppose there’s no harm in it.” She offered him her hand, as though it meant nothing. But the light grip of his hand upon hers sent a wild heat blazing through her. “As your friend, I’ll warn you not to do anything foolish again, like you did tonight.”
The corner of his mouth turned up. “Why would you say that?”
Tilting her head, she remarked, “Fighting a man when you’ve been bleeding for hours, Ewan? Now was that wise?”
“I won, didn’t I?”
She shook her head. “I had to sew you up again afterwards.”
He sent her his most charming smile and released her hand. “It was just a scratch, Honora.” Turning serious, he changed the subject. “Did you ever learn anything more about your thief?”
“No. Nothing.”
“Most of the men speak of Katherine or their own estates. I’ve heard not a single mention of the chest. But at least it was recovered.”
“It isn’t only the chest,” she admitted. “A cross and a chalice were also stolen.”
“And were they found?”
She shook her head. “Not yet. But that isn’t what bothers me most. Neither were valuable. They were made of wood, not silver. I can’t understand why anyone would want them.”
“I don’t know. But I’ll try to find out anything I can.” Ewan raised his bandaged arm. “I owe you for this.”
