The tension burst from her muscles. “A hen?”
“Aye. See, as wee lads, there was a baby chick who lost her mother to a fox,” Alec explained. “My brother, bein’ the tender soul, saved Ruthie before the fox ate her for the second feast, then nurtured the wee chick.” Alec punched Aonghus in the shoulder good-naturedly and gushed, “Ruthie was in love from there on.”I know the feeling.“There was nae separating them – where Aonghus ventured, Ruthie was peekin’ at his heels. I know your seedy wee mind there, my lady.” Alec winked. “Aye, Aonghus has shown more than one lassie a different meaning of the term tall cocks…”
“Alec.” The older brother’s tone was one of warning.
“Aye, aye,” Alec raised his palms, “but I bestowed the title as Ruthie considered Aonghus the flock’s leader.”
Keirah’s smile took ear to ear. “What became of Ruthie?”
“Our sire needed a stew and grew tired of hen shite markin’ up the great hall, so two birds, one stone,” Alec divulged.
Keirah gasped.
“Aye, ’twas a very sad moment – Aonghus cried a half fortnight.” Alec giggled.A lumbering Scotsman giggled.“Callum bestowed another title to my brother after all the weepin’…”
“You eager for your lesson, my lady?” Aonghus broke in quickly to ask.
Her knight’s cheeks no longer hidden beneath the beard, he was crimson as the apples in the basket they passed resting by the kitchen’s entry. “Very,” she replied.
They reached the tiny training area where Sir Brayden had found a nook near the granite curtain wall. A guard yelled from the bustle at the far gate: “Take the blanket off the cart!” Her eyes looked over to spot a quaking lad who popped off the cart like it was on fire to do the bidding. Aye, the strain from war looming was present.
Her attention came toward the task at hand and…oh, by all the saints, poor Sir Brayden. The shy knight was sweating profusely through his auburn brows.Go with a smile.“Good morrow, once more, Sir Brayden.”
Well,thatdidn’t work; he looked right at her dress’s hem to mutter in an obscenely low whisper: “Morrow.”
Drastic. They needed a drastic measure, right now. She stood on her tip toes, speaking into Aonghus’s ear, his shoulder leaning over to aid her quest for privacy. “Ragin’ hell, this ismost dire.” Her hushed voice was for his ears alone. “Lady Maise’s hand is being sought by Sir Sean; if she is to be for Sir Brayden, we must act in utmost haste. I may have to press with an extraordinary measure to release the beast hidden within Sir Brayden’s soul seeking her hand, or all will be lost.”
She leaned back, finding Aonghus looking like he was biting the inside of his cheek to keep from grinning wider; he gave her a brief nod in reply.
“Excellent,” she retorted, then released her husband’s arm and walked straight up to Sir Brayden.
The three Scotsmen gave a collective hitch in breath when she took the bashful fellow’s jaw with her hands, raised up to his face, and leaned forward, promptly placing a bold kiss on each of his cheekboneshighabove his beard’s shadow.
“The purpose of this midday lesson is to offer a means for my defense from any Northman who dares cross my path once more,” she declared toward the bulgy look cast at her from shock at her lack in decorum. “You are the dearest of knights to aid a lady in need of instruction. This was the very topic of discussion in court this mornin’ between Lady Maise and myself. She was quite taken with the consideration a knight would chip time from his duties to offer such a generous tutelage in its stead.” She paused before finishing, “There is a matter I must know before we commence.”Time to test his affections.“What shade are Lady Maise’s eyes?”
“A deep brown, same as a gentle doe.”
Look at that! Without hesitation.For one so shy, he had to have braved his fears to look up at Lady Maise.
“Why such a query, Lady Keirah?”
“Devotion is in the details. ’Tis a strong detail you just gave with a most lovely compliment. I happened to be walking by Sir Sean with Sir James this mornin’ and inquired the same question under the guise I needed to know how to recognize Lady Maise in the throne room. The detail escaped Sir Sean, one which tells me youseeher, Sir Brayden,trulysee her.Thischarms a lady, not flashing your blade about as a pompous windbag like Sir Sean. Lady Maise is quite taken by your deeds as well.”
She held the broad jowls strong in her grip, ensuring his bright green eyes stayed locked on hers.
A layer cracked in the knight’s shy shell. “The lady was taken?” Sir Brayden inquired, awestruck.
“Very much!” She confirmed the conversation earlier: “You face death or the imminent threat of it with only your sword in hand. You arefierce, Sir Brayden. How could a brawny warrior such as yourself be afraid in a quest for a lass or lady after such a dangerous feat?”
Ahem– his throat cleared. She bit her lip to hide her grin when he straightened his shoulders at the challenge and compliment.Look at him summoning his inner Adonis.Wonderful!
“Nothing, Lady Keirah. Shall we begin?” he asked, resolutely.
Her grin appeared. “Aye.” Let the hopeful filled garden begin to be planted!
***
“Tall cocksman, how did you ever claim a lady so much more worthy than yourself?” Alec jested, standing beside Aonghus at a distance while Keirah gathered momentum on her own quest foremotional independence. “Look at Sir Brayden, moments in her presence – this is the first time I have ever seen the knight meet a lady’s look, much less…” Alec squinted his eyes, appearing to concentrate at the pair now speaking over the target. “Shite, I believe I just saw him grin in a lady’s proximity, or is that the face he makes when looking to pass wind?”
