Chapter 3
“ U ncle William. Aunt Bernadette. So nice to see you again,” said Regina trying to be polite as they entered William’s tailor shop on the streets of Shrewsbury. William had been raised as a brother to her father, Madoc, even though they weren’t blood related. William was thirteen years older than her father and had helped to steal Madoc and his twin sister, Echo, from Blake Castle when they were babies. Although William and his wife were kind people, Regina never fully accepted them. After all, Bernadette had been a mere handmaid and William naught but a pirate and a thief even if he had talent where sewing was concerned.
“Oh, my lady, we haven’t seen you for years.” Bernadette hurried over and took Regina’s hands in hers.
“Aunt Bernadette, there is no need to call my sister, Lady,” said Robin with a chuckle, closing the door behind them. “After all, we are family.”
The shop was small but clean and tidy. There were bolts of fabric leaning against the wall. The wooden floor was swept except for the area around the work table where William seemed to be sewing a gown. Scraps of blue silk and white lace piled up under the table where a black cat played, swatting at the pile. The place had a second floor where Regina’s father had lived while growing up. William had been an apprentice to a tailor at the time named Dion. Dion had been sweet on his and Madoc’s mother—their fake mother. The woman had actually been the wife of a pirate but was living a secret life.
Regina had been upstairs only once. Atop the roof was a coop with some of her father’s birds. This is where Madoc had started training carrier pigeons. It eventually spread to all their relatives’ homes. Coops in each of the places made it quick and easy to send messages back and forth between them. It actually came in handy and kept the family informed of trouble, visitors, and births and deaths on more than one occasion now. Regina respected her father’s clever ideas as well as his skills. Madoc may have been raised as a thief, but because of her Uncle Corbett her father was now a noble, a lord and a knight.
“Robin, I suppose you are here about this missive?” William put down his sewing and picked up a small piece of parchment, carrying it across the room to them. “Madoc said he wants to hire the thief-taker?”
“Yes,” answered Robin. “There have been a string of robberies at the castle lately. I cannot let it continue. I need to catch and punish the culprit. Mayhap even sentence him to death.”
“I see.” William looked flustered as he put the missive into a pouch at his side. Regina figured his reaction was because having been a thief most of his life, the thought of sentencing the robber to death was disturbing to him.
“Have you summoned the thief-taker yet? Where is he?” asked Regina looking around the room.
“I went to his home in the woods yesterday, but he and the boy weren’t there,” explained William.
“He has a son?” asked Regina in surprise.
“Nay,” Bernadette interrupted. “Hunter is guardian to his thirteen-year-old nephew. He takes Luke with him on all his missions.”
“A boy tracking down and bringing in dangerous cutthroats and thieves?” Regina was aghast to hear this. “What kind of a man would purposely put a child in such danger?”
“I often wondered that myself,” said Bernadette. “When our two girls were young, I didn’t want to let them leave my side. It is dangerous in the streets of Shrewsbury, not to mention the rest of the world.”
“Yes, it is,” agreed Regina, not even liking the fact she had to come to town. The streets were filled with trash and feces like most towns were. The stench from that as well as the foul scent filling the air from the tannery sickened her to her stomach. It was amazing anyone could stomach living here at all. Regina had even seen whores strutting their wares down at the tavern where drunkards were always fighting. Life within the castle walls was so different and much safer, not to mention less offensive.
“I left a note for Hunter in his cabin,” William explained. “Our daughters said they saw Hunter and his nephew at the edge of the woods when they were out this morning, so I’m sure he is back by now. I would go to him myself, but I have garments to finish constructing and mending.” William nodded back to his worktable where the clothes seemed to be piling up. The black cat was now atop the table inspecting the wares.
“No problem. We will go to him ourselves,” said Robin heading for the door. He stopped and looked over to some cloaks hanging from nails on the wall. “Are those cloaks for nobles?”
“Yes, they are.” William hurried over and picked one up to proudly show them. “I’ve been getting more and more work orders from nobles lately. It has taken many years but word has spread about my master skills. Now the nobles are coming to me not only for mending or alterations, but to have me design and sew new clothes for them as well.”
“My husband’s talent has always been admired by the nobles, ever since the guild made him a master tailor years ago,” added his wife in admiration.
“My father doesn’t want anyone inside the castle walls to know Hunter’s true identity,” Robin said, still eyeing up the cloaks. “I’ll need disguises for both Hunter and Luke. These two cloaks will work for now. Once they get to the castle, I can give them some of my clothes to wear so they’ll appear to be nobles.”
“You’re saying you want these cloaks?” William’s heart seemed to sink. “My lord, my clients will be here to pick them up any day now.”
“Can’t you make more for them?” asked Robin.
“You sound just like Madoc. He never respected my skills, and thought he could take and use anything he wanted,” complained William. “Because of him, I almost lost my chance to become a master tailor.”
“William, please. You are talking to a noble,” Bernadette gently reminded him.
“We’d be more than happy to pay for the cloaks, of course.” Regina stepped forward, bringing forth coins from her pouch and handing them to her uncle. “Will this do?”
William looked down at the money in his hand. “That is kind of you, Lady Regina, but this is too much.” He ran his thumb over the coins, desire showing in his eyes.
“I insist,” she told him. “Your work is valuable and so is your time. Please, take the money and use it to sew more cloaks for your clients.”
“That is a very thoughtful gesture. We thank you and appreciate it, my dear,” Bernadette thanked her. “Don’t worry. William can make more cloaks before our clients arrive.”
William wasn’t happy about having to remake the cloaks so quickly, but the money Regina paid him did seem to ease the pain. All she wanted was to get back to the castle to watch over her birds.
“Take the cloaks and let’s go, Robin,” Regina told her brother, heading for the door. “I don’t want to be caught in the woods or on the road once the sun starts to set.”
“For heaven’s sake, Regina,” scoffed Robin, taking the cloaks from William. “I’m there to protect you. You don’t have to worry about bandits. God’s eyes, I’m a skilled knight who has fought for the king. I can handle a few bandits by myself.”
“Who said it is bandits that hold my concern?” she asked, walking out the door, wondering who was going to protect her from this man they called the thief-taker.
“Hunter, I found this missive on the table.” Luke ran out of the house holding a piece of parchment as Hunter tended to the horses. They had just returned from their trip to Blackpool after a long journey. All Hunter wanted to do was to sit down and relax with a bottle of whisky in his hand.
“What are you talking about?” he asked the boy, brushing down the new horse that was now his nephew’s. Their cabin in the woods was tiny. It was one room and barely big enough for the two of them. Hunter had constructed it with his father when he was a boy. It wasn’t in town, but then again Hunter didn’t want it to be. He liked his privacy and getting away from the gossipy townsfolk. They only had an open-air structure to stable the horses, but it would have to do. The enclosure was barely big enough for the one horse and he already realized he’d have to build onto it to make it large enough for two.
“Someone was in our house when we were gone and they left this.” The boy held it up to show him. Luke couldn’t read, so he waited for Hunter to tell him what the note said.
“Let me see that.” Hunter walked over and took the missive, realizing it was from William in town. William’s brother was a noble who had once known and befriended Hunter’s late father.
“What does it say?” asked Luke, stretching his neck to try to see it even though he couldn’t decipher a word of it. Hunter had tried to teach the boy to read but Luke had never been interested in learning.
“It’s a request for another job,” he told his son, scanning the missive quickly. “Oh. At Shrewsbury Castle,” he said with a groan.
“We have a job at the castle?” asked Luke, sounding thrilled at the idea. “I can’t wait to go. I want to see the knights up close. Mayhap I can even spar with them since I own a sword, too.” He whipped out the sword and held it up, pretending to be fighting an imaginary knight. “I’m going to learn to kill people the way they do. I want to be the greatest warrior that ever existed.”
“Put that blade away,” scolded Hunter. “I told you, I gave that to you for your protection only. I don’t want to hear you talking about killing anyone.” He had worked with Luke in showing him how to use the sword, but the boy’s strength for such a heavy weapon was still lacking. Hunter wasn’t at all sure that Luke could actually use the blade to protect himself if he got into trouble. It would take a lot more work and a few more muscles before Luke was really able to wield a sword.
“Why not? You kill people,” said the boy in his normally defiant manner.
Hunter felt the knot return to his stomach. True, sometimes he did accept jobs to bring back men dead as well as alive. Or, at least, he used to. Once Luke saw him kill a man, Hunter decided it wasn’t what he wanted a child to every see. Since that day, he only accepted non-killing missions. “We won’t be accepting this job. Now brush your horse. She is your responsibility now.” He shoved the brush into the boy’s hand and headed for the house.
Once inside, Hunter first removed all his weapons. Then he picked up a bottle of whisky, and read the missive once more. Shaking his head, he threw the note on the table. Then he headed for his bed which was naught but a lumpy, dusty old pallet right on the floor. After kicking off his boots, he took a deep swig of the whisky, laying down and sinking back against the pillows. Hunter yawned and closed his eyes, finally about to get the well-needed rest he coveted more than anything right now.
A big or lengthy job like this last one always seemed to drain him. Mainly because of the energy it took. Energy not only to track down the thief but at the same time keep a sharp eye to protect his nephew and keep him from being killed. It would take days for Hunter to feel rested. He thought by giving Luke a sword it would ease his concerns. Now he realized that all it did was make his worries even worse. Luke was a handful to say the least. Hunter was getting to the point where he wasn’t sure what to do with the boy anymore.
He needs someone he can look up to, came the voice of his departed sister in his head once again. This had been happening a lot lately, usually every time he desperately needed sleep. It only made him feel worse than he already did. Mayhap being around noble knights would be good for him.
“Go away!” he shouted, taking another long draw of whisky with his eyes still closed.
“I’d love to, but I’m afraid I can’t leave without you.” This was a woman’s voice but not his sister’s.
“Huh?” Hunter’s eyes snapped open. There in the doorway to his home stood a lovely woman. For a minute, he wasn’t sure if he was dreaming. She had long brown hair tied back in a braid and wore an amber gown trimmed in white lace. Her long tippets or sleeves hung to the ground. Her cloak was fur-lined and elegant and in the color of purple. She had to be a noblewoman to look like this. “Who are you? And why are you at my door?” Curiously, Hunter pushed up on one elbow.
“I am from Shrewsbury Castle,” she answered. “I am looking for the thief-finder named Chase Hunter. Is that you?”
“Yes. No,” he answered, still trying to figure out what was going on. He lifted the bottle and took a swig of whisky.
“Well, which is it? Yes or no?” Her face turned dark as she waited for his answer.
“First of all, it is thief-taker, not finder,” he corrected her with a smack of his lips. “And you’ve got the rest of it backward as well.”
“Backward? What do you mean, backward? You make no sense at all.” She blinked several times, only managing to make her large hazel eyes seem even more alluring if that were even possible. She had to be an angel. No wench ever came to his door since he didn’t have trysts when Luke was around. If Hunter needed a wench, he usually went to her. He hadn’t met a woman as pleasing to the eye as this one in a long, long time now. Then again, the places he inhabited were where one would find whores and beggars, not women of her stature. There was no doubt she was a lady.
“My name is Hunter Chase, not Chase Hunter,” he corrected the mix-up of her words. He swung his legs over the side of the bed, still clutching tightly to the bottle. “If you are here about the job offer, I am not interested.”
“Not interested?” Her eyes narrowed to mere slits. “Why not? Are you looking to be paid more? Is that why?”
“I have no idea what the job pays but neither do I really care.” Hunter never had a job offer from Shrewsbury Castle and neither did he want to go there. He wasn’t allowed to live there after the death of his mother and the lord of Shrewsbury had even relieved his father of his job. No one there had liked him, even though they’d never known him. Nobles didn’t treat people like him well. He didn’t want to go there even for a job and be around such pompous pride. He’d probably do or say the wrong thing and end up in the dungeon with his luck. “Please leave. I’m busy.”
“I can see that.” Her eyes settled on the bottle in his hand. “How about tomorrow when that whisky is all gone and you need money to buy more? Will you be free then? Thief-taker?” she stressed his title in a mocking tone. Then she boldly walked over to the side of his bed, standing there staring down at him with her hands on her hips making him feel like a scolded child.
Hunter didn’t like the fact that the woman was insinuating he was a drunkard when she didn’t even know the first thing about him. Neither did he appreciate the way she looked down her nose at him as if he were not as good or worthy as she. He didn’t have a lot of money and he might not be a noble, but he still had his pride. He’d be damned before he let her take that from him too because it was all he had left. He put the bottle down on the floor and slowly stood, towering over her.
“My, you are a tall one.” She slowly uncrossed her arms, letting them fall to her sides. “And your chest and shoulders are so…wide.” Her eyes trailed upward, meeting his gaze. He would have liked to think she was perusing him in a sexual manner the way most women did, but this wench showed no pleasure in her gaze and held disdain only. The fresh spring breeze drifted in from his open door, bringing her scent of rosewater and cinnamon with it. It assaulted his senses, even if it was in a pleasing manner. Her skin wasn’t as white as most nobles, telling him she was no stranger to the sun and it made him wonder why. Was it by accident or by choice? A rather ruddy tone stained her cheeks, making her seem as if she were blushing. Her turned-up little nose and turned-down pouty mouth made her look sultry, even for a rigid noblewoman.
“What did you say your name was?” he asked, feeling the need to know more about her. He didn’t know anyone from Shrewsbury Castle since he hadn’t stepped foot inside those walls since he was thirteen and seeking his father. Once his father left to become a mercenary, even his father’s old friends inside the castle walls wouldn’t have anything to do with him again. Hunter was sure he had never seen this woman before.
“I didn’t say,” she replied.
“Then tell me.”
“Why do you want to know?”
The girl was feisty and he chuckled inwardly, wondering what kind of game she played. If she was going to invade his home and privacy and make him feel violated and uncomfortable and not even tell him her name, then she had a lot to learn. Right now, all he wanted was for her to feel the same way as he.
Without waiting for her to say another word, he decided to teach the wench a valuable lesson. He reached out and pulled her into his arms and pressed his mouth up against hers in a big kiss.
He had thought that would be enough to make her turn and run out the door with her tail between her legs. Once again, she surprised him. She oddly didn’t try to get away from him. Nay, she didn’t even push him or stomp on his foot or try to knee him in the groin which was what he highly expected from her. The kiss lingered, and with it grew his curiosity about this intriguing stranger. Her lips tasted like honey. The curves of her breasts pushed up against his chest, quickly reminding him that he hadn’t had a wench in his bed in a long time now. Lust grew within him. He daringly let his hands slip lower, not able to stop himself from cupping her pear-shaped backside. Pulling her even closer, he gave her delectable rounded cheeks a quick squeeze. Hunter’s manhood stirred. Damn, was this really happening?
“What the hell are you doing?” shouted a man. “Release my sister at once!”
Hunter dropped his arms to his sides in surprise and quickly stepped away from the girl. A nobleman stood in his doorway with his sword raised high above his head. Before Hunter could even say a word, the girl stepped forward. Her hand shot out and she slapped him hard across the face.
“Ow!” he said, his hand going to his bearded cheek, still able to feel the sharp sting even through all that hair. “What was that for?”
“It was for thinking you had the right to even touch a noblewoman let alone kiss one!” Fury showed in the girl’s eyes along with a tinge of embarrassment if he wasn’t mistaken. Below the surface of her big sparkling hazel orbs, he was sure he saw a scant tinge of…pleasure, too. Hunter had made a living out of reading people. This woman, noble or not, was no exception. Nay, this girl didn’t despise him as much as she was trying to make her brother believe.
“I am not armed and neither am I trying to hurt the wench.” Hunter raised his hands in the air. “Please. Put down your blade.”
“It’s all right, Robin. It’s the truth,” said the girl in a voice that sounded much too sultry to Hunter’s ears.
The man named Robin scanned the room, his eyes settling on Hunter’s weapons atop the table. Then his eyes darted back to Hunter and slowly he lowered and sheathed his sword. “Well, all right. If you’re sure.”
“In my defense, since you wouldn’t tell me your name, I had no idea you were noble,” he bluffed, hoping they would believe it. “My lady,” Hunter added with a smile, bowing to her as was proper.
“Regina, I told you to wait for me before you entered the house,” scolded Robin as he made his way over to them.
“Regina. That’s a pretty name.” Hunter raised a brow. “Although, I must admit I expected more of a warrior name by the way you hit.” He rubbed his jaw to make his point. “Mayhap Ursula or Eydis, or mayhap even Thomasina,” he said with a small chuckle.
“I am Lord Robin Blake of Shrewsbury Castle and this is my sister, Lady Regina,” said the nobleman. He reached out and rested one hand on his sister’s shoulder. The other remained on the hilt of the sword at his side. “Are you the thief-taker named Hunter Chase that my father mentioned?”
“I am he, my lord,” said Hunter bowing to Robin this time. “I beg your forgiveness for my inappropriate behavior with your sister. However, when a woman comes to my door in the woods unescorted, you have to realize that the last thing I think is that she is noble.”
“Nay, it’s not your fault.” Robin glared at his sister. “Regina cannot seem to follow a simple instruction.”
“Robin, don’t waste your time here,” said the girl with her nose in the air again. “This man has already refused the job, so it is time we return to the castle and look elsewhere.”
“Really? You refused to help me?” asked Robin. “My father, Lord Madoc Blake said he was friends with you father at one time and was sure you would take the job.”
“Ah, yes, Madoc.” Hunter chuckled, remembering now why the name seemed so familiar. His father had told him all about the thief who became a noble. And William, the tailor in town was all part of this crazy story too. Still, his father always spoke highly of Madoc. “My lord, I think your sister is confused about what I said.”
“I am not!” she spat. “You told me to my face that you wouldn’t take the job.”
Hunter raised a finger in the air. “That’s not exactly true. I believe my actual words were that I was not interested. However, I might be persuaded to hold interest in your request after all.”
“So, what does that mean? You’ll take the job then?” asked Robin. “We haven’t even discussed your fee yet. How much do you want?”
“That depends.” His eyes settled on Regina again. “I don’t know any of thedetails yet. So mayhap one of you can tell me what will be required of me?”
“Of course we can. There have been a string of burglaries lately at the castle,” explained Robin. “My father and I believe the thief might be someone who lives inside the castle’s walls.”
“And you want me to catch him,” said Hunter with a nod.
“You’d be living at the castle and your identity would be hidden during this time so as not to alert the thief,” Robin continued.
“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.