Page 12 of Ladybird

“A fake identity? Who would you make the others believe that I am?” The only way he’d even step foot inside the walls of Shrewsbury again would be in disguise. He didn’t want to be around so many nobles knowing he was a commoner. A mere thief-taker. Plus, there was always the chance someone there might recognize him as Robert’s grown son.

“You’ll be the falconer’s new assistant,” said Robin, almost making Hunter laugh aloud.

“Falconry?” Hunter crossed his arms over his chest and made a face. “I’m not sure about that. You see, all I know about birds is how to kill and eat them for dinner.”

“Nay! You won’t be killing any of my birds,” ground out the woman.

“Your birds?” Hunter’s curiosity was really piqued now.

“Yes. My sister is our falconer,” explained Robin.

“Master Falconer,” Regina so smugly reminded her brother.

“Yes, Master Falconer,” said Robin, glancing at his sister and then returning his attention to Hunter. “You’ll be disguised as a noble and working with her in the mews.”

“Really.” He perused the woman once again, liking the idea of working side by side with such an intriguing and feisty beautiful woman. Especially since he discovered the way she kissed a stranger held so much passion. That only made him wonder what else she could do. Or what she might be willing to do. “I’m…not sure.” Perhaps sidling up with a noblewoman wasn’t a good idea. It would most likely only cause him trouble.

Hunter’s answer seemed to surprise Regina. Her head snapped upwards.

“Not sure?” she asked. “What is there not to be sure about? You will be living the life of a noble, eating the best foods and sleeping in a bed instead of on a dirty pallet on the cold floor.” Her eyes roamed back to his pathetic sleeping arrangements. “How could a commoner say no to that? It is a chance of a lifetime for someone like you.”

Chance of a lifetime indeed. Hunter was tempted but at the same time disturbed by how he was being treated. “I have a nephew who I am sure you’ve already met outside,” said Hunter. “I am his guardian and won’t leave him while I live at the castle. Luke goes on every job with me.”

“Yes, we’ve heard,” said Robin. “That is why we brought two cloaks with us. Your nephew is welcome to join you.”

“He is?” Hunter didn’t expect this at all.

Just then, Luke walked in the door wearing a long cloak lined in ermine. It was too big for him and dragged on the ground behind him in the dirt. He held his sword in his hand and raised it up, getting it caught on the cloak until he shook it loose.

“Look, Hunter,” said the boy. “I have a cloak like a noble now. Things just keep getting better and better. Now when I kill someone with my sword, I will be just like the knights of the castle.”

“The boy calls you Hunter instead of Uncle?” asked Regina as if she didn’t approve of the fact. It was scary how her voice raining down disapproval on him sounded so similar to Mary’s voice in his head, coming to him from the grave. “My, he sounds bloodthirsty too.”

Accepting this job went against everything Hunter believed to be good for the boy. How could he expose poor Luke to so many haughty nobles? They would never fit in, not even wearing a disguise and he knew it. It would be like selling his soul to the devil to put himself and Luke through this. Hunter wanted to say no, but something made him nod in agreement. Perhaps it was because of the way the wench looked at him and her condescending tone. Aye, it was only to rile her since he knew she didn’t really want him at the castle at all and he knew it. If he was going to be uncomfortable then by all means, she should she. “All right. We’ll take the job,” he said, noticing a small fuzzy feather clinging to the girl’s hair. He reached out and picked it up with two fingers and held it out to her. “A feather from your pillow perhaps? Spending too much time in the bedchamber?”

“Nay. It is from my birds,” she snapped. She slapped his hand away and scowled at him through narrowed eyes.

“I am at your service, my Lady Falconer,” he told her with an amused chuckle. Aye. This was going to prove to be even more entertaining than anything he had ever done in his life.