He could hear the children making noise upstairs as he wiped the remaining water and soap off his face. Someone opened the chamber door loudly and it banged against the wall, rattling the entire keep. He set the linen towel down as he heard voices coming down the stairs to his level. Then there was great banging on his door.
Fighting off a grin, he made his way to the heavy oak panel, held together with pegs and iron. He was dressed in leather breeches, naked from the waist up, as he opened the door for the gaggle of children clamoring to get in. Just as he opened the panel, Brendt charged in with a squeal, running the length of the room with Orin and Romney on his heels. The boys chasedeach other madly around the room while Gart stood at the door, perplexed.
“What goes on?” he demanded.
Only Romney answered. “He has my shoes!”
Gart couldn’t help the grin now, watching Brendt jump on his bed only to be captured by Orin. As Orin held tight, Romney began pulling off the small leather shoes on Brendt’s feet which were, at closer inspection, too large for the boy. Brendt’s giggles turned to sobs as Romney managed to get both shoes off of him. Brendt sat up on the bed and wept unhappily.
Gart went to the bed, standing over the crying boy as Romney pulled on his shoes. Orin saw Gart’s bags against the wall and gravitated towards them, only to be warned off by Gart. He cocked a stern eyebrow at the boy, who pretended not to notice the rebuking expression. As Brendt wept, Gart went over to his bags and pulled out an old tunic.
It was threadbare and worn, normally used under heavy armor, and Gart took it over to the bed and draped it on Brendt’s head. The sun immediately shined again as Brendt happily struggled to pull the tunic over his head. Gart stood with his hands on his hips, watching the commotion going on around him. The morning was starting out on a whirlwind.
“Boys!” Emberley was suddenly in the doorway with Lacy in her arms, her lovely face awash with chagrin. “I told you not to bother Sir Gart. What are you doing here?”
Gart turned to her. He’d not seen the woman out of bed in two days and now, here she was and looking absolutely exquisite. Dressed in a stunning yellow, silk surcoat with a neckline that emphasized her delicious figure to a fault, she looked rested and healthy. Gart noted that she had even washed her hair because it was still slightly damp, pulled back from her face with a comb in a very attractive style. Other than a slight bruise to her left cheek, she looked completely normal. He juststood there and stared at her, entranced, as Romney answered his mother’s question.
“Brendt had my shoes,” Romney told her. “He would not give them back.”
He was pointing to his feet. Emberley gave Brendt her best motherly scowl, but the boy was having too much fun playing with Gart’s tunic.
“Brendt,” she scolded. “I told you that it is not nice to take things that do not belong to you. Are you listening to me?”
Brendt’s blond head was peeking out from the arm of the tunic. He nodded seriously at his mother. Then he grinned brightly. “Ooo-nic, Mama!”
Emberley shook her head in resignation. “You mean tunic, sweetheart,” she said with a sigh. Then she turned to look at Gart for the first time since entering the room. She smiled at the man. “I am sorry if they disturbed you.”
He returned her smile, feeling himself go weak and giddy.
“They did not disturb me,” he said. “But I am sorry if they woke you up. I have spent the past two days trying to keep them from upsetting you.”
Her smile broadened and the baby squirmed to be set down. As Lacy toddled over to the bed where Brendt was frolicking, Emberley focused on Gart.
“You have been an angel, Gart,” she said softly, her dark blue eyes warm with appreciation. “Had it not been for you, I do not know what would have become of me and the children. I do not know how I can adequately thank you for spending your precious time with us.”
Gart was caught up in a storm of warmth and excitement. He could feel the lightning flash every time their eyes met. He wanted to reach out and take her hand in the worst way but he held himself steady, reminding himself that it would not beappropriate. So he dipped his head gallantly in response to her statement.
“My time has never been so well spent,” he told her, looking her over. “Are you sure you feel well enough?”
She nodded. “I feel fine,” she said. “My ear is a little sore but for the most part, I feel very well thanks to your kind attention. You make a fine healer.”
He wriggled his eyebrows. “Perhaps,” he said modestly.
She gazed at his handsome face, realizing for the first time that he was without any clothes on from the waist up. She tried not to let her eyes drift to his naked chest but she couldn’t help herself. The man was muscular and sculpted, with a broad chest, narrow waist and enormous arms. He was spectacular. The sight was enough to set her heart to racing somewhat and her cheeks to flush, and she struggled to overcome her reaction to him. She felt like that giddy young girl again, the one who used to follow Erik and Gart around with adoration in her eyes. She was feeling that adoration again and it frightened her.
“Will you be leaving us now?” she asked, not knowing what else to say and hoping he didn’t notice her pink cheeks. “Surely you have pressing duties elsewhere.”
Now that she was looking away from him, he took the opportunity to let his gaze drift over her body. Even though she had given birth to four children, the woman was magnificent. She had full breasts and a slender torso, and he could only imagine that what was covered by layers of fabric was just as luscious.
“I do not, at least at the moment,” he said, his gaze moving back to her delicate profile. “In fact, I was hoping you could help me to that regard.”
She turned to look at him. “How?”
He lifted his big shoulders, noticing from the corner of his eye that Orin was back over with his bags. Rather than scold the boy, he called to him.
“Orin,” he said in his deep, bass voice. “Look down into the bag in front of you. There is a dark blue tunic. Can you please bring it to me?”
Orin gleefully did as he was told as Gart returned his attention to Emberley.
