“Have you been this way before, Will?” Gautier asked as he brought his mount to William’s left.
“Nay. I have visited but a few places in these lands and not this one.”
Even as he spoke those words, images filled his thoughts. Three other approaches to de Gifford’s village and at least one secret way into his castle. Secret no more. Searching farther away from the castle, William saw three guard posts along the road from Gifford to Yester, too. They need not worry about those for now.
“You seem familiar with these lands.” Gautier said, almost in accusation. The words hung in the air between them.
William shrugged and shook his head, letting the gesture hang out there in the space between them. Whether good fortune or the fates, a small traveling party appeared on the road behind them, coming through the thick line of forest and onto the more open, exposed fields.
“These people may know of the route we should take.”
In a few minutes, the group of peasants caught up with them. A man who was tall, broad-chested, broad-shouldered, and older than the rest led them. William’s gaze fell on a young woman standing behind the man, to the side of the horse-drawn cart.
“Good day, my lord,” the man said as he stepped, William noticed, between him and the girl. The small group made as to pass them by, but William eased his mount farther onto the path, stopping them.
“Good day,” William said, nodding only at the one who would meet his gaze. “Do you travel to Yester Village?” With a touch of his heel to his horse’s side, he made the animal sidestep enough for him to see the girl.
“Aye, we are from the village,” the man replied. With a nod of his head, he added, “ ’Tis just over the next hill and about a mile on.”
“And Lord Hugh?” William asked.
What William could only describe as a shudder passed quickly through the six villagers at the mention of the lord’s name. Only the girl remained unaffected. Damn her, who would not raise her eyes to his! The older man moved as their gazes met once more, preventing William from getting a better look at her.
“Is Lord Hugh in residence?”
With neither of them willing to reveal their intentions or knowledge to the other, William might never get an answer. He also could not explain the compulsion burning through him to see the young woman and to speak to her. Was this man her husband then, protecting her from other men? The age difference was no indicator to him. His daughter?
“Sir,” a soft voice began in faltering French. “I fear we know not.”
She stepped from the shadow of the large, older man and glanced up at him. Although braced for something, he was not ready for the reaction of his body or mind as their gazes met. A roar filled his ears, and the ground seemed to shake beneath him.
Older than he’d first thought, she had amber eyes that resembled molten metal, a color that also seemed to surround and outline her form. But he must just be imagining it, for no one else appeared to notice how truly different she was from the rest of them. Everyone else faded, as though they’d lost all the color in their skin and hair and garments. Then, as if in answer to her heated gaze, the patch of skin on his arm burned more, a searing pain that threatened to take his breath away. His blood rushed, and the beating of his heart pounded in his ears, both making any words impossible to hear. Without thought, his hand moved to the hilt of his sword as though some danger approached. And, as happened before any battle, his muscles tensed and prepared to give and take blows.
“William.” It took him a few moments to realize that Roger spoke and shook his shoulder because his gaze and his senses were filled with her. “William.”
He felt unable to pull his gaze from hers, but he finally tore himself free of the power of it and nodded, once he was able to hear his friend’s words.
“They are returning to Yester. We will have to ride on to see if Lord Hugh is there.”
“Brienne?” the man said, touching the woman on her shoulder. “Are ye well, lass?”
He watched as the young woman, asBrienne, came back to herself and nodded to the man. “Aye, Father,” she whispered, but William heard the words.Father!
Whatever had happened, they’d both felt it. The man tugged the girl back closer to his side and then nodded at William and the others.
“Good day and safe travels to ye.”
Without waiting for his approval or permission, the man guided the group back along the road. No one spoke until they were far enough away not to hear their words.
“Merde!I thought you would bed her in the road before all of us,” Herve said with a laugh. “Though I’ve never known you to pay heed to a woman of that kind.” William did not seek out virgins, and he did not seek those in service to their lords who could not gainsay him.
“Her father saw your intention with one look, and now he will lock her away until we are gone from this business with Lord Hugh,” Gautier said. “A bit homely for my tastes, but to each”—he nodded at each of them—“his own.”
“Homely? You think her plain of face?” he asked. She was radiant and stunning to him, her eyes glowing like a fiery ingot, her womanly curves outlined by the same glow. How could they think her otherwise? The three laughed aloud at his words and nodded. “Truly?”
“Aye,” Herve said. “Though a woman’s beauty or lack of it ne’er stopped me from bedding her if she were willing.”
“Nay, it does not,” Roger agreed. “I have seen you take all manner of women to your bed. Be they young or old, infirmed or in fine mettle, plain-faced or a beauty. You have no refinement in your choices of a bedmate, my friend.”
