Chapter Three #3
If Jeniver or Courtly read anything into his slightly droll statement, they didn’t comment on it. They seemed fixed on the situation itself and on Tiberius’ bravery.
“It must have been terrifying,” Courtly said with concern. “Lady Douglass was indeed fortunate to have you there to protect her from such ruffians.”
Next to Courtly, Douglass cleared her throat softly.
“When he says fighting and yelling, I believe he means me,” she said, smiling weakly when everyone looked at her with varied degrees of surprise.
“I am afraid that I was not very kind when he first came to my aid. I thought he was one of de Montfort’s men and, well…
I hit him on the head with a piece of wood and tried to beat him unconscious. ”
Courtly burst out in sharp laughter but quickly slapped a hand over her mouth, looking apologetically to Tiberius. Jeniver was only marginally better in concealing her humor. She was struggling not to smile and losing the battle. Tiberius, his ego somewhat damaged, lifted his hands.
“Go ahead,” he said. “Laugh all you want. She tried to fight me all the way to Isenhall. Why do you think she wanted to remain in the bailey? She was convinced I was one of de Montfort’s assassins and the moment I took her inside the keep, I would either molest her or lock her in the vault.”
By now, both Courtly and Jeniver were grinning broadly. It was clear that Tiberius’ pride was damaged by what was apparently a difficult rescue attempt with an unwilling lady to save. As Jeniver shook her head at what she felt was the humor of the situation, Courtly turned to Douglass.
“Tiberius is not an assassin, I assure you, my lady,” she said. “He is a true and noble knight. You are in very good hands.”
Douglass’ pale cheeks mottled a faint red. “I can see that now,” she said, although it was difficult for her to admit it. “At the time, however, given that men were trying to kill my brother and father, I had no way of knowing that he was telling the truth.”
It was probably as close to an apology as she was going to come, at least at the moment.
Tiberius could see that, much like him, she had pride.
She also had spirit and was unafraid to protect herself against a man more than twice her size.
Taking his wounded pride out of the equation, Lady Douglass de Moray was becoming more intriguing by the moment.
She is betrothed, you idiot, he told himself, but it didn’t seem to matter much.
Perhaps he could still count her among his many conquests before she went on to her husband.
Such things, in his world, had happened before.
He’d been known to steal women from the men who had been expecting their purity.
But there would be no conquest made unless the situation between them was smoothed over or even warmed.
Tiberius was particularly good at warming a woman when the mood struck him and the mood, at the moment, was striking fast.
“No need to feel badly about defending yourself, my lady,” he said, rubbing the back of his head. “Men bigger than you have tried to knock my head off. I am sure yours will not be the last attempt.”
Jeniver and Courtly giggled as Douglass cracked a smile. She had a lovely smile with straight teeth and slightly prominent canines. In fact, her smile was quite alluring. It had Tiberius’ full attention.
“I am very sorry that I knocked you down and tried to beat you,” she said. “Did I hurt you much?”
So she apologizes in full, Tiberius thought, relatively impressed that so prideful a woman would admit her mistakes so readily. He continued rubbing the back of his head, feeling a small knot where she had hit him.
“Not much,” he replied. “But you used the club well. Did they teach you such things at Codnor?”
Douglass’ grin grew and she lowered her gaze, bashfully. “Nay, not really,” she said. “Although, there were times when I was forced to fend off an over-zealous knave. Some men do not like to be refused, in any case.”
Tiberius was enchanted by the woman’s blooming smile but Courtly spoke before he could.
“It seems to me that you have good reason to say that,” she said, a twinkle in her blue eyes. “You are quite lovely, something that would not have gone unnoticed by any man. I would like to hear your stories of over-eager men who have met with your wrath.”
Douglass laughed softly, flattered. “It would be a tale for women only,” she said. “I would not want to offend Sir Tiberius by laughing at his sex’s foolishness.”
As the women giggled, Tiberius shook his head. “I have seen enough foolish men to know that there are plenty in this world,” he said. “You could not offend me with such talk, my lady. I could probably tell you much the same stories from my perspective.”
That drew more laughter from the women. The situation in general had settled down a tremendous amount since Tiberius and Douglass arrived at Isenhall, and Tiberius was thankful.
He was trying to think of something witty to say when the dogs that roamed the entry began to bark and charge towards the door.
Excited servants began to move about, including the majordomo.
The little man with the white hair and bony body stuck his head into the solar.
“More men have returned, Lady de Shera,” he told Jeniver. “There are soldiers entering the bailey.”
Jeniver leapt up as quickly as her swollen body would allow, followed swiftly by Courtly. There was excitement, and some anxiety, in the air. The hope from the women was that Gallus and Maximus had returned and as Jeniver rushed out, she took a quick moment to speak to Tiberius.
“Please take Lady Douglass in-hand,” she asked. “Will you keep her entertained until we know who has returned?”
Tiberius nodded but Douglass rose to her feet. “My lady,” she said, almost pleadingly. “I should like to see if my father and brother have returned. May I come with you?”
Jeniver waved her off. “Please remain here,” she said. “The bailey can become very chaotic and I do not want you injured in the swirl of men and animals. I will send someone to tell you as soon as your father and brother have been located.”
With that, she was gone, leaving Douglass and Tiberius alone in the solar.
Violet and Lily had remained behind because they were enjoying licking the custard sauce meant for the eggs off of their fingers, but they were off in their own little world at the moment as Tiberius stood up, his gaze fixed on Douglass.
Her focus was on the entry where Jeniver and Courtly had so recently disappeared, her expression wrought with apprehension.
But she caught movement out of the corner her eye and noticed Tiberius standing there, watching her.
For a split second, she looked rather surprised to realize they were alone, but that surprise quickly dissolved into a timid smile.
“So you really are a de Shera,” she said. “Forgive me for doubting your word. And forgive me for trying to mash you into a pulp before we were properly introduced. I did not know, after all. I am not entirely trusting by nature, especially in a situation such as that.”
Tiberius grinned. “Aye, I really am a de Shera,” he said. “I am the youngest and most handsome de Shera. Surely you have heard legend of my beauty.”
Douglass laughed softly at his jest. “I have heard legend of you from my brother,” she admitted. “But not of your beauty because I am sure he would not have said such things. However, he tells many stories about the two of you. He says you are quite brave.”
“I am.”
“And quite reckless at times.”
Tiberius frowned. “He lies.”
Douglass laughed again. “I will tell him you said so.”
Tiberius nodded, still frowning, although it was clear that he was not entirely serious.
“You will tell me what he has told you about me,” he said, moving around the table so he wasn’t shouting across the room at her.
Moreover, he found he simply wanted to move closer to her now that she wasn’t threatening him bodily harm.
“Come, now, be truthful. What lies and half-truths has he told you?”