Chapter Seven #2
They bustled about, heading to the hearth with wood and kindling, or heading into the chamber with the wardrobe in it.
One man had a platter with cheese and bread upon it.
That had Juliandra’s attention until she caught sight of de Lara out of her peripheral vision. He was moving into her line of sight.
That was when everything changed.
It took her a moment to realize that Kevin de Lara was truly something to behold in the daylight.
Last night, the lighting had been dim, and shadows were everywhere, and it had been difficult to get a good look at de Lara other than to see that he was big and handsome.
But in the daylight, she could see just how handsome.
For a moment, her breath caught in her throat.
There was something about him that was… clean.
Fresh, strong, stalwart, untouched by evil or the trials of too much war, of seeing men die and of slaying men simply for the thrill of it.
It was difficult to describe. It wasn’t that he was na?ve or untried, because that clearly wasn’t the case.
But there was a look about him, from his cropped hair to his big, booted feet that suggested something honorable and respectable.
The man had an aura about him.
As the servants got busy with the hearth and setting out the morning meal, Kevin addressed her.
“Did you sleep comfortably?” he asked.
Juliandra was jolted from her thoughts. “I did,” she said, hoping she didn’t look like a fool for staring at the man. “It is a fine bed, but I… I do not wish to be any trouble, my lord, but I was hoping to ask a favor.”
“What?”
She looked over at the disheveled bed. “The linens could use a wash and the mattress could use new straw,” she said. “I realize this is great trouble, so I am very happy to do it all myself if you will allow it.”
Kevin’s gaze seemed to be lingering on her more than it should have been. Perhaps he was just seeing her clearly for the first time in the daylight, too. But he tore his attention away from her, glancing over at the bed.
“I must be blind not to have noticed that,” he muttered. “One of my knights has been sleeping here since our arrival. I simply never looked close enough and he never said anything.”
Juliandra looked at him in surprise. “This chamber belongs to a knight?” she said, then thought about all of the clothes she’d just pawed through. “Then the things in the wardrobe are… are…”
He shook his head. “They do not belong to him,” he said. “They do not belong to any of us. This chamber simply has a good view of the road. We can watch everything that is happening from here.”
That was true with the big windows that faced out over the road leading to the castle, but Juliandra was focused on the fact that he had given her his bed.
She had thought it was because she could be watched more closely in the gatehouse, but perhaps she had been wrong.
Perhaps it had been kindness and nothing more.
“You did not have to give me your bed, my lord,” she said. “I could have slept on any pallet.”
Kevin didn’t reply right away. He was watching the servants bring buckets of steaming water into the room, pouring them into the dented copper tub in the small turret room.
He directed the servants to bring more water and to locate soap for the lady to wash with.
When they were scurrying about, he returned his attention to Juliandra.
“I will have fresh linens brought to you, though it may take some time to locate some,” he said, ignoring the bed issue. “This place was not in the best condition when I assumed command because the former lord’s servants had partially stripped it by the time I arrived.”
She cocked her head curiously. “That is strange,” she said. “There is an entire wardrobe full of clothing that I would assume belonged to Lord Breidden.”
Kevin looked towards the chamber she was indicating. “That old wardrobe?”
“Aye.”
“How did you get into it?”
She tried not to look too guilty for essentially breaking it open. “I hung on the door until it opened,” she said, which was mostly the truth. “The hinges were rusted.”
“I know,” he said. “I saw, but I have not yet had the time nor the curiosity to open it. What did you find?”
“Old clothing, old furs,” she said. “Would you like to see?”
He shook his head. “Later,” he said. “Is there anything else you require?”
She thought that was a rather ridiculous question considering she had absolutely nothing of her own.
“There is,” she said. “I have none of my own possessions – no clothing, no personal things. Last night, I told you that I should like to return home for them. I would at least like to have more than one dress to wear and a comb for my hair.”
He eyed her, sensing her frustration. “And I told you that I would supply everything you needed,” he said. “You are not returning home.”
“But why not?” she said, trying not to sound petulant or demanding. “I told you that I would remain with you in exchange for my father’s freedom. I am a woman of my word, my lord.”
He took a long, deep breath, possibly to fortify his patience.
“I do not doubt your word,” he said. “But I also have no intention of sending you deep into Wales where my men and I would not be welcome simply so you can retrieve your clothing. We shall go into Shrewsbury. There is an entire street filled with merchants and I shall purchase everything you need for your stay here.”
“Shrewsbury?” she repeated, dismayed. “All the way there?”
“We can make it there and back in a day.”
“But Pool is much closer,” she said. “My father’s shop is there.
I can get everything I need or could possibly want and it will not cost you anything.
Moreover, with my father a captive, there is no one to manage the shop but a few servants.
I must check in on the shop to ensure everything is as it should be. ”
He nodded, conceding the point. “Very well,” he said. “Do what you must do in order to prepare and we shall leave later this morning.”
Juliandra nodded. “I will. Thank you.”
His gaze lingered on her for a moment longer, as if he wanted to say something more, but he refrained.
Juliandra kept waiting for something more to come out of his mouth, but he remained a silent.
Still, her impression of him that she first had when he entered the chamber remained the same.
There was something very noble about him.
Even though he was technically her enemy, she did not feel threatened by him.
In fact, she felt safe with him, which was an odd sensation.
She couldn’t explain why she felt that way, only that she did.
Without another word, Kevin quit the chamber, making sure to herd the servants out before shutting the door behind him.
Juliandra suddenly found herself alone in a chamber that now had a flyer, a hot bath in the other room, and food on the table.
Kevin had told her to be ready to travel, and she would obey.
With only a moment’s hesitation, her thoughts still lingering on Kevin, she flew into action.
*
“So, I kept her,” Kevin said. “She is in the gatehouse chamber, dressing as we speak. I told her that I would take her into Pool so that she could collect some personal items from her father’s shop, so prepare an escort to be ready within the hour.”
He was speaking to Gareth, Cal, and Bannon.
The four of them were seated at the end of a feasting table in the great hall, which was now devoid of the noise and heat and men that it had seen last night.
This morning, there was only a small fire in that great fire pit in the center of the hall and the only people eating were Kevin and his three knights.
Servants were moving about, sweeping and scrubbing tables, as Kevin and his men shared some warmed wine and bread.
Kevin had called them together so he could tell them about Juliandra.
He explained who she was, and why she had come, and he had further explained why he had made a bargain with her.
The knights knew that her father had died while being arrested for failing to pay the toll, and they did not disagree with Kevin’s reasoning for not telling her, but Gareth in particular was having a difficult time with it.
The Kevin he had come to know would never have lied about something like that, and most assuredly not to a woman. The Kevin he knew was a man who told, and valued, the truth above all, so this situation was most puzzling. But on the other hand, it made sense. He knew exactly why he’d done it.
He just never would have expected it coming from Kevin.
“So you told her that her father’s freedom was predicated on her cooperation?” he clarified.
Kevin nodded. “As long as she believes her father’s freedom is at stake, she will be most complacent,” he said.
But when he saw the look on Gareth’s face, he could feel the pangs of guilt poke at him.
He knew what the man was thinking. “Gareth, I realize this is not the most ethical way to go about things, but I have to think of the greater good.”
Gareth held up a quelling hand. “I know.”
Somehow, Kevin didn’t think he did. “We have been here for months and we have been unable to open a dialogue with the local warlords,” he said. “You know that I have tried, Gareth.”
Gareth was nodding his head because Kevin was starting to get agitated. “I know you have. You need not explain what I already know.”
That didn’t seem to ease Kevin. Gareth’s respect was paramount and he was already having a difficult enough time reconciling his actions to himself, much less a friend.
“I saw this as an opportunity and nothing more,” Kevin said. “Lady Juliandra has lived here her entire life. She knows the local politics, the people we must be wary of. This is an invaluable opportunity to learn what we must learn if we are to be successful at Wybren.”