Chapter Six #8
Gates nodded, smiling because Stephan was.
“An old knight started calling him that many years ago when his beard first came in and he refused to shave it off,” he said.
“He also refused to cut his hair, so between the hair and the beard, he looked like a bear. He is also the size of one, in case you have not noticed.”
Kathalin looked at Stephan, who merely shrugged. “My mother likes me this way,” he said.
Gates rolled his eyes. “Your mother is blind,” he pointed out. “She cannot see anything at all. You tell her what she likes and she simply agrees with you.”
Stephan pretended to be quite insulted. “Women like men with hair,” he said, looking at Kathalin. “Is that not so, my lady? Women appreciate a good beard, do they not?”
Kathalin giggled. “I would not know,” she said. “It all seems rather… bushy to me.”
Gates swung a hand back at Stephan, slapping the man in the shoulder. “Do not ask Lady Kathalin such things, you impudent puttock,” he scolded. “She has spent her entire life in a convent, or did you forget that? She would not know what women like about men.”
Stephan, rubbing his shoulder where Gates smacked him, was properly contrite. “My apologies, my lady,” he said, pulling his gloves on. “Mayhap I should go outside and wait before I say something that will cause Gates to put a fist in my mouth. He is not beyond that, you know.”
As Gates cast him a very nasty look, Stephan moved to the door, making a face at the man when Gates was too far away to do anything about it. He then slipped from the cottage quickly as Kathalin giggled.
“He is very humorous,” she said. “Has he been your friend a long time?”
Gates thought on the life and death he and Stephan had shared together, years of serving de Lara and years of battles.
“Aye,” he said after a moment. “I could not do without him, as foolish as he is. He is a very good knight and a good friend.”
Kathalin could hear admiration in his tone.
“I envy that,” she said, her gaze moving over his handsome face.
“I had a few friends at St. Milburga’s but most of them have left.
Their parents recalled them home to marry when they came of age.
But I remained. I am, in fact, the oldest ward at the priory. ”
Gates watched her as she spoke, the way tiny dimples in her chin formed when she said certain words. It was really quite charming, as was the rest of her.
“Surely there were some women you could speak with or confide in?” he asked.
She shook her head. “Not really,” she said, tearing her gaze away from him to check her pot of bark, now boiling away. “The younger wards are all too young and the nuns… well, they did not really form friendships. They are all very kind but they viewed me as not equal to them in the eyes of God.”
He regarded her. “Yet you love St. Milburga’s,” he said. “You call it your home.”
She nodded as she took an iron spoon and stirred the bark. “It is,” she said. “It is the only home I have ever known. Like any other home, it is not perfect, but it is home.”
He didn’t say any more, watching her as she stirred the willow bark.
The liquid was becoming a deep red; he could see it when she lifted the liquid in the spoon.
Soon, he was helping her take the pot off the fire and pouring it whilst she tried to strain out all of the bark, leaving a steaming red liquid in a bowl.
As it cooled, she continued to pick out pieces of bark, not having any cloth to strain it with, until the liquid was mostly clear but for a few bits of sediment.
When she was finally satisfied, she took a cup and dipped it into the liquid, taking it to the farmer’s widow and explaining that she should have her children drink some tonight, tomorrow, and the next day, for as long as it would last. The willow bark potion should help ease the fever but she explained that they mustn’t drink too much of it at once.
Gates stood back and listened to Kathalin’s kind and careful explanation of what must be done, and the farmer’s widow was so grateful that she took Kathalin’s hands and kissed them, thanking her profusely.
Given that Kathalin had been taught by her order that healing was better without the vanity of gratitude, she was uncomfortable with the woman’s thanks.
She simply nodded her head and moved away from the bed while the mother gave the liquid to the children, who didn’t like the taste, and the grandmother, who drank it right down.
Leaving the family behind, and knowing she had done all she could to help, Kathalin approached Gates.
“I am ready to leave now,” she said as she gathered her cloak off the eating table. “Do you think we will still make it to Hyssington by nightfall?”
Gates reached out to take the cloak from her, shaking it out and laying it across her shoulders. “Aye,” he said, politely helping her settle the heavy cloak as she tied the fastens around her neck. “We should be just in time for the evening meal.”
Kathalin couldn’t help but be very aware of his big hands on the cloak, courteously straightening the hood, as she finished securing it.
She then pulled on her gloves, noticing that the red welts around her wrists were hardly noticeable, but as she secured the gloves over her fingers, she realized that her hands were rather quivery from Gates’ close proximity.
She’d never been so close to a man in her life as she had been to Gates de Wolfe these past few days, literally and figuratively.
When all of the fighting between them had died down, they’d had some very pleasant conversations and he had been quite attentive to her.
But he was only following orders, she knew.
She was quite sure his attentions had not been anything more than that regardless of the warmth she had so recently felt from him.
She was a task and nothing more, and her heart sank just a little bit to realize that.
You are a fool!
It was better not to dwell on such thoughts, for they were dangerous.
Once the gloves were secure, Kathalin gave one last look to the family on the bed before exiting the cottage with Gates on her heels.
His horse was tethered right outside the door and Stephan was standing there, waiting, as were most of the soldiers who had escorted them.
Two of the soldiers, however, were still repairing a section of the barn roof but when they saw Gates and the lady emerge, they hastened off the roof.
As Stephan gathered his own horse, Gates lifted Kathalin onto his saddle.
He gazed up at her a moment before joining her.
“What you did today for that family,” he said, seemingly unsure of his words. “I just wanted to say that it was an honor to witness what you did. You have a good heart, my lady. That is a rare thing in this day.”
More flattery, she thought. But no… it was more than that.
It was a genuine statement of admiration, something she had never really heard before.
And the warmth… it was there again in his expression and she struggled not to give in to it.
You are a duty to him! She reminded herself sharply.
Cease with your foolish and giddy thoughts of the man!
“I did what I have been taught to do,” she replied after a moment. “It needed to be done.”
Gates could see that she didn’t seemed pleased by his compliment; he’d meant to tell her of his esteem but being modest, and without any vanity whatsoever, she didn’t quite understand him.
Or so he thought. To him, the lack of vanity made her all the more charming.
It was a rare thing indeed to meet a woman who didn’t expect flattery or wasn’t swayed by it.
In fact, he’d never met one in his life.
Until now.
“I know,” he said, finally mounting up behind her.
He didn’t try to lift her up this time but left her in the front of the saddle as he simply slid in behind her.
He rather liked it that way better, with his thighs around hers, holding her fast so she wouldn’t move around.
Her left ear was by his mouth and he spoke softly into it.
“But it was still an honor to watch. You have done the de Lara name proud today.”
His hot breath on her ear nearly sent Kathalin into fits.
The heat of it sent a bolt of excitement through her, a hand flying to her ear as if to touch the spot his breath had licked against. She could hear Gates laughing softly, no doubt because he felt as well as saw her quivering reaction.
She should have been embarrassed in her reaction but she couldn’t seem to manage it.
Her response had been unmistakable, the naked thrill of the first time a man whispered to her.
She was certain Gates hadn’t meant to make her tremble, but he had. The entire ride to Hyssington, Kathalin could only think of one thing.
She had very much liked his hot breath in her ear….