Chapter Nine #3
“Because I am ashamed she told you that I was agreeable.”
“Why? You’re not agreeable?”
Lista looked at him through splayed fingers. “A woman is not supposed to say that first,” she said. “I am very sorry she told you. If you are not agreeable, we shall speak no more about it. I am content to remain your friend.”
“But I’m not content to remain yours.”
Her hands came away from her face and she suddenly looked quite serious. “I’m sorry,” she said. “I’ve driven you away with my foolishness. I understand.”
He lifted his eyebrows. “You do?” he said. “I am not sure that I understand what you just said because you certainly have not driven me away. Lista, I… I would like nothing better than to court you. If you really are agreeable.”
Her serious expression faded into something of surprise and delight. “I am,” she said. “Are you really agreeable?”
“I am, really.”
“Even knowing… about my mother and my aunt?”
He smiled. Reaching out, he took one of her hands and lifted it to his lips for a gentle kiss. “That means nothing to me,” he said. “I was agreeable within the first five minutes of knowing you, or didn’t you realize that?”
Lista watched his lips as he kissed her hand again, shocked to the bone. But also thrilled beyond measure. “But I insulted you so,” she said. “Julian, I was terrible to you!”
He laughed softly, still holding her hand.
“I’ve had worse,” he said. “You were strong and beautiful and you defended your mother and aunt. It was very admirable. In fact, had you not told that little bird that you were agreeable, I would have asked to court you myself at some point. After I’d worked up the courage.
A woman like you is far too magnificent for a man like me. ”
Lista found herself holding his hand, that enormous warm appendage that was so strong, yet so tender. “You are mad,” she said softly. “But… are you sure about this?”
He laughed softly. “I am sure,” he said. “Are you sure?”
“Never more about anything in my life.”
“That brings me joy like you cannot imagine.”
“And me,” she said, reaching out to take his other hand, which he clutched tightly. “But what of your mother? Will she approve?”
He nodded, now kissing both hands. “She likes you a great deal,” he said. “She will be positively thrilled.”
It was decided. Lista was so happy she thought she might literally burst. All she could manage to do was look at the man, the man who would one day be her husband, and shake her head in wonder.
“Oh… Julian,” she breathed. “Is this real? Is this really happening?”
He grinned. “I am asking myself that same question,” he said. “That a woman like you should be interested in a man like me… this kind of thing only happens in my dreams.”
“And in mine.”
“Then let us dream together.”
Lista smiled broadly. Then, she nodded her head, so firmly and eagerly that she started to laugh.
Julian joined her. Soon, they were both laughing and he kissed her fingers again, finally reaching out a big hand to gently cup her face.
Her skin against his was like velvet against steel.
It was all kinds of joy and excitement, delight that neither one of them could have ever imagined.
They were so busy staring at each other that it took Addington twice before they finally looked at her.
“Julian?” she said. “Julian!”
Julian heard her, barely, and tore his gaze away from Lista. He was immediately frowning at her. “What?” he said, testy.
Addington laughed at her gruff brother. “Do you have something happy you wish to tell me?”
“Nay,” Julian barked. But he softened when he saw Lista giggling. “At least, not until after I speak with the lady’s mother. Until then, keep out of my business or I’ll beat you with a wet rope.”
Addington knew exactly what was going on and she was delighted.
She started laughing, which made Lista laugh, which made Julian and finally Ashton laugh.
They were all laughing but only Ashton had no idea why.
Julian was still holding Lista’s fingers with one hand while drinking with the other until the food began to come in great trenchers and he was forced to let her go so he could eat.
He’d barely taken a bite of his boiled beef when a wet, panicked soldier entered the hall and headed straight for the dais.
“My lady,” he said breathlessly, focused on Lista. “Scots climbing the walls. They’re raiding, my lady.”
The mood of the table vanished and Lista stood up, followed quickly by Julian and Ashton. “Where?” she demanded.
The soldier pointed in the general southerly direction. “Near the vineyard,” he said. “They’ve killed two of the dogs. There must be a hundred or more of them, from what we can see. They came through the trees with torches against the rain.”
Julian looked at Lista, who seemed to be holding herself admirably.
When she caught his eye, she shook her head with great regret.
“As I said, the Scots have raided us on occasion,” she said.
“But never in the midst of terrible weather and never with more than a few handfuls. Hundreds of men… that is concerning.”
Julian could see, in those first few moments, that she wasn’t sure what to do. Amaury had always taken charge of the defenses and she simply followed his lead, so his knightly training kicked in.
This is what he was born to do.
“I know you do not have a commander any longer,” he said quietly but steadily. “Would you like me to take charge, Lista?”
She looked at him, the first real glimmer of fear in her eyes. “You are a guest. I cannot ask that of you.”
Julian waved her off. He also took it as permission. He pointed to Ashton. “Get to the courtyard and make sure the entire thing is secure,” he said. Then, he looked to Lista again. “Tell your men I have command. Hurry, sweetheart. There is no time to waste.”
Lista looked at him in surprise. Not because of the request but because of what he had called her.
Sweetheart.
After a moment of shock, she swung into action.
“Sir Julian will be in command,” she told the breathless soldier.
Then, she climbed onto the table with Julian’s help and shouted to the men in the hall.
“We have Scots raiding the vineyard and gardens and God knows what else. Since Amaury is no longer with us, Sir Julian shall be in command. He is from Pelinom Castle, a de Velt. You know the name. You know that the de Velts are great battle lords, so you will respect his judgment and obey his command!”
The entire room of soldiers were on their feet, now looking at Julian as Ashton rushed from the hall. Julian didn’t delay; he began shouting orders to the room.
“Do all of you have battle posts?” Heads were bobbing an affirmative so he continued. “Get to your posts, then. Who is the senior sergeant? I need a senior man!”
Julian could bellow orders loud enough for the Scots to hear him.
Even Lista was startled by the volume of his voice but, in the same breath, she’d never heard anything so steady and commanding and comforting in her entire life.
Surely nothing terrible could happen with Julian in command.
As she climbed off the table, Julian was already huddling with three older soldiers in the middle of the hall, men she had known her entire life, and those three men had the room moving as Julian filtered out with them.
In little time, the entire hall was cleared and around Felkington, a horn could be heard. The battle horn. Lista hadn’t heard it in a very long time.
“What do we do?” Addington asked.
Lista turned to her friend, reaching out to clutch the woman’s hands. “We make sure the stairwells are secure,” she said. “We make sure that all of the doors with stairs leading into the courtyard are secure and then we start preparing for wounded, if any. Will you help me?”
Addington nodded firmly. “Of course I will,” she said. “I am a de Velt, too, and this is not my first battle.”
She smiled and Lista smiled in return. “Then you are a seasoned veteran,” she said. “Come along – we must hurry.”
Gathering their skirts, the women flew out of the hall to prepare the stairwells while the soldiers were moving frantically below. They presumed it was just another raid until lightning lit up the sky and hundreds of Scots could be seen on the approach to Felkington.
It was starting to look more like a siege.
The night would be a long one.