Catalina stood up. “Of course not,” she said. “And what are you doing here? I told you that I did not wish to be followed.”
Lance’s gaze moved to Essien, his eyes narrowed menacingly. “It is a good thing I did,” he said. “I told you that there were men about and it was not safe. Now I find you sitting with al-Kort in a darkened corner? What would your father say?”
“Nothing,” Catalina snapped before Essien could reply. “He would say nothing because he has betrothed me to Sir Essien. The man is to be my husband, so it is his right to speak to me alone in the dark if he wishes.”
That statement brought Lance’s rage to an abrupt halt. The anger drained from his face, replaced by surprise. Perhaps even shock. Whatever it was, Essien could see the transformation right before his eyes.
The man was stunned.
“Betrothed?” Lance finally repeated. “You have been betrothed?”
“Aye,” Catalina said, perhaps a little more gently. “My father and Lord Hereford have come to an agreement regarding me and Sir Essien, so there is no need for your intervention. I do not require, nor do I want, your assistance. When I ask you to leave me alone, I meant it.”
The man stared at her, stiffening in indignation. The shock was quickly wearing off, replaced by something darker. Without another word, he spun on his heel and headed off into thedarkness. Essien watched him go, fading off into the bailey and the open gates beyond.
“I must say that your words to him were rather sharp,” he said, turning to look at her. “Is that how you treat all of your father’s men?”
There was something disapproving in his tone, and Catalina caught on to it. “Nay,” she assured him. “I believe servants and soldiers must be treated with respect. But you must understand that Lance le Kerque has been trying to woo me since nearly the day he came to Eckington. He is persistent and annoying and tries my patience because he will not accept my refusal. That is what you saw, my lord—my insistence that he stop his pursuit of me, once and for all. He seems to think that, somehow, I will change my mind, but now that he has heard of the betrothal, he will have to accept it.”
Essien’s focus lingered on her for a moment before returning to the bailey, where le Kerque had been. As if somehow he could see the man who was now evidently some kind of competition. Perhaps he was even a threat, though Essien couldn’t know that for sure. Not now. But time would tell if le Kerque accepted his loss like an honorable man or if he was going to make something out of it.
Something told Essien that he would have to be on his guard.
“I will accept your explanation,” he said. “Mayhap I should be plain with you—I do not treat my servants or men poorly, nor does my brother. To do so shows a lack of moral character.”
He was telling her what he expected of her, and Catalina wasn’t stupid. She understood. A glimmer came to her eye. “You behave like a prince,” she said, a smile tugging on her lips. “You are benevolent to all, and that is admirable. I will say that I have never treated a servant or soldier poorly in my life, and if you do not believe me, you may ask any of my father’s men. But do not ask le Kerque. Due to his relentless pursuit, my only choice wasto be brutally frank with him, and even then, he probably would think I was flirting with him. The man does not know when he is not wanted.”
Somehow, Essien believed her. He didn’t know her, but he believed her. Time would tell, of course, and he thought he very well might ask one of her servants what kind of mistress she was, but for the moment, he was satisfied. He’d known enough scheming, dishonorable people in his lifetime and she simply didn’t seem the type.
“It is difficult to chase a woman when she does not want to be chased,” he said after a moment. “I do not know le Kerque well, of course, so I cannot speak to the man’s relentless pursuit except to say that I do not blame him. He saw something of great beauty and set out to claim it. You cannot blame a man for trying.”
She gave him a quirky smile. “Areyouflirting with me?”
He shrugged coyly. “If you do not know, then I must be terrible at it,” he said. “Either that, or you are impervious to men’s charms.”
“Do they have any?”
He burst out laughing. “I would hope that I do, but if you must ask, then I must be a failure at that, too.”
She chuckled as he continued to laugh. “You are not a failure,” she said. Then she glanced up at the sky again, noting the rise of the moon. “And I fear I must return to my children. Ines usually awakens an hour or two after going to bed because she becomes thirsty, so I must be there when she awakens.”
“May I escort you?”
“I believe that is your right.”
“Right or not, I am asking permission.”
It was her turn to give him a coy expression. “Granted.”
Essien extended his elbow to her, as a mannerly man would, and she accepted. As they began to walk across the bailey,heading toward the gatehouse, he was feeling exceptionally pleased to have this glorious woman on his arm. She was witty and beautiful, not to mention uncommonly brave, and that was something that impressed him. His first encounter with her had been interesting, to say the least, but his second encounter was enlightening.
He was definitely looking forward to the third.
“Where is your encampment?” he asked.
They were approaching the open gatehouse and she pointed off to the right. “Almost right on the edge of the competitors’ encampment,” she said. “The blue, yellow, and white tent is my father’s, and there is a fortified carriage where my children are sleeping.”
He couldn’t really see it, but he took her word for it. In fact, he was rather enjoying the walk with her to the point where he slowed his pace a little. He didn’t want it to come to an end. They were nearly to the gatehouse when someone ran into him from behind and big, hairy arms went around his shoulders. He was being jostled about, so he tried to protect Catalina from the buffeting going on even as he turned to see who had crashed into him.
