“Sebastian,” he said. “Take that animal over to our stall. There are some old stocks back behind it. Put him there.”
Sebastian’s ruddy face lit up. “The old binders?” he repeated gleefully. “One of them is broken, I think. I believe that is why they no longer use it.”
“Then chain him to it,” Mathias said. “That fool will not be free to roam as long as these ladies are in town. See to it.”
With a smile on his face, Sebastian picked the muddy, lice-ridden brute up by the neck and dragged the man across theavenue towards the smithy shop down the way. People were dodging to get out of his way as he hauled the man behind him, singing a song very loudly about bearded women and knights with no libido. It was a song better suited for a tavern but Sebastian didn’t care. He was happier than he had been in a long while, beating up on someone.
Mathias watched him go, fighting off a grin when he saw his father stick his head out of their smithy stall at the sound of Sebastian’s voice. The shock registering on the man’s face was priceless. Justus was, physically, the toughest man in England but he had a habit of showing his thoughts plainly on his face. That could make him rather vulnerable, but it also made him very humorous. Mathias had to turn away before his father saw him grinning. His expression was straight by the time he turned back to the women.
“He will no longer be a threat, I promise,” he said, his gaze moving over Cathlina’s features but trying not to be obvious about it. “Mayhap I should wait with you until your father returns to ensure your safety.”
Cathlina shook her head. “I am sure that will not be necessary, my lord. You have already done so much for us. I do not wish to keep you from your duties.”
Mathias essentially ignored her. He gestured in the direction of the wagon, a few dozen feet away. “Allow me to escort you to your wagon.”
Cathlina eyed the man who was not only their savior but now determined to play their escort. He was enormously built and several inches over six feet with shaggy dark hair that had a bit of curl to it. His features were even, very handsome, and his square jaw was set with determination. But it was his eyes, rather large orbs of dark green that conveyed… something. She wasn’t quite sure what she saw within the guarded green sea, but there wassomething there lingering just below the surface. She sensed great mystery in the searingly masculine depths.
“You are too kind, my lord,” she said, pulling her clinging sister with her. “We owe you a great deal of thanks for the regard you have shown us.”
Mathias herded the pair across the busy avenue, stopping short of touching her in any way, as a polite escort would have. A proper attendant would have taken the lady’s elbow to show both protectiveness and guidance, but given the circumstances of their meeting, Mathias didn’t think they would have taken any manner of physical contact too kindly. Therefore, he basically shepherded them to the wagon and watched Cathlina, who was hardly larger than a child herself, lift her sister up into the wagon bed.
Abechail crawled up underneath the bench seat and rolled up in a dusty oil cloth that was there. It was evident that she wanted to hide away from what had just happened. Cathlina watched her sister as the girl pulled the blanket over her head. She shook her head sadly.
“She was so excited to come to town,” she said with quiet sorrow. “More excited than the rest of us. After this happening, she will never want to leave home again.”
Mathias folded his big arms across his chest, his gaze moving from the swaddle-bound child on the wagon to the exquisite creature standing next to him. He wasn’t one for idle chatter. In fact, he kept to himself most of the time. He was rather quiet and introspective. But something about that lovely face made him want to engage in conversation. He hadn’t done that with a woman in years.
“Did you come far?” he asked politely.
Cathlina shook her head. “Not really,” she replied as she looked up at him. “We live at Kirklinton Castle. Have you heard of it?”
Mathias nodded. “It is a well-regarded fortress,” he replied. “It is to the north if I recall correctly.”
Cathlina nodded. “It is,” she confirmed. “It belongs to the Earl of Carlisle. My father, who is the earl’s cousin on his father’s side, was appointed the garrison commander last year. Before that, we lived in a small tower near the Roman wall further north. In fact, our home was a Roman castle hundreds of years ago and before I was born, my mother was told about a local legend that bespoke of a Roman commander and his Saxon love, the Lady Cathlina Lavinia. My mother named me for the Saxon lady of legend. She thought it would bring me good fortune.”
So… she is de Lara’s cousin, he thought. He was wondering how, precisely, she was related to the great Tate de Lara and now he knew. It was a sad thought, indeed, but something he wouldn’t waste the energy to dwell on. He’d never had a real romantic interest in his life and realized he wasn’t in danger of having one now, not with the knowledge that she was a de Lara. It was too bad, too, but he pushed the disappointment aside to focus on her sweet voice, husky and honeyed. That was a much more pleasant thought.
“Has your name brought you good fortune, then?” he asked.
“Up until today it has.”
It was a cute turn of humor and they shared a small chuckle. Mathias thought he might actually be blushing but he wasn’t about to touch his face to see if it was warm. He could only pray it wasn’t. He’d never in his life met a lady that so easily extracted emotion from him in so short amount of time. He labored to keep his control and not look like a giddy fool in front of her.
“I am sure the events of today will not sour your good fortune,” he said. “I suspect you still have many years of blessings before you.”
Cathlina was still smiling at him but as she lingered on her sister’s near-abduction again, her smile began to fade. She was still quite shaken by the whole thing.
“What do you suppose he wanted with my sister?” she asked hesitantly. “I have never heard of a man simply walking up to a woman and trying to steal her.”
Mathias shrugged, trying to make light of the situation because it had ended well when it could have ended so tragically. He thought it was perhaps best not to dwell on what could have been before he had intervened.
“Mayhap he wanted someone to come home with him and cook him a meal,” he said, mildly teasing as he skirted the subject. “Or mayhap he simply wanted a wife.”
Cathlina turned to him, rather surprised. “Steal a wife?” she repeated. “I have never heard of such a thing.”
“’Tis true. Those things happen.”
She could sense his humored manner and it was difficult not to give in to the mood in spite of the serious subject matter. “Do you speak from experience, then?”
