Chapter Four #4
Kress could see that. In truth, it was impressive. If the woman had the skills to back up that unruly mouth, then she would be a fearsome creature, indeed. His gaze lingered on her for a moment before turning to Achilles.
“Sit down,” he muttered.
Achilles did as he was told, but he was clearly unhappy about it.
Furthermore, he refused to turn his back on Susanna, so he moved to the other side of the table where he could face her to ensure she didn’t try to move on him with his back turned.
He ended up sitting next to Alexander, who shook his head reproachfully at the young knight.
If there was a fight to be had, anywhere, Achilles was usually in the middle of it.
That was simply his nature. Man or woman, Achilles would not back down from a fight.
But Alexander could see – they all could see – that perhaps Achilles and Susanna were going to have to be watched so they didn’t try to kill each other.
The tension between the pair was obvious.
In fact, Kress was wondering just how closely they were going to have to watch the pair. As Achilles settled down next to Alexander, Kress leaned in to the man.
“I want no trouble out of you,” he said quietly. “Do you understand me?”
Achilles took a deep, calming breath. “Aye.”
Kress didn’t push him, but he was fairly certain Achilles didn’t mean it. His attention moved to Susanna, standing over by the hearth.
“You are under my command, my lady,” he said to her. “Do you understand that?”
Susanna nodded firmly. “I do, my lord.”
“One more infraction against any of us and I will leave you behind. Is that clear?”
It was the first time Kress saw any reaction from the woman. Her jaw tightened, but that was all. Her response was calm.
“It is, my lord.”
Kress studied her for a brief moment, to see if he could spot any hint of rebellion from her, before returning his gaze to Cadelyn.
The woman had just resumed her seat and she was looking at him with a hint of what he thought might have been an apologetic expression.
Kress didn’t further address the situation; for the moment, he let it slide.
But he had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last of it.
“Now, my lady, if we may concentrate on the situation at hand,” he said. “Your betrothed is expecting you shortly, by summer, so I will give you two days to say your farewells and pack your belongings. We have no time to waste.”
Cadelyn stared at him. “Two days?” she said, aghast. “But… but it will take far longer for me to pack my belongings. You cannot ask me to pack up my life in two days!”
Kress tried to be patient. “You have known we were coming for quite some time,” he said. “You should have been at least moderately packed.”
Cadelyn blinked as if surprised he should say such a thing.
In fact, Susanna had said the exact same thing to her, but she wouldn’t acknowledge that.
She wouldn’t even hint at it. She was still muddled from the very moment of coming into the hall and realizing the handsome knight she’d flirted with in Lynn, and given that lewd poem card to, was, in fact, her escort to Chester.
Oh, the foolish luck!
Cadelyn should have been embarrassed about the situation but, in truth, she wasn’t.
She wasn’t sorry she’d given him the poem in the least. If anything, she was coming to realize that she was glad she had.
She took a moment to look him over as she sat there, feeling both contrite and defiant about her packing status.
Kress…
His name was Kress. When she’d met him in Lynn, he’d had his hauberk on, but not his helm, and that had given her a good view of his handsome face.
Square-jawed, with a blond beard covering it, a straight nose and big, blue eyes.
He had lovely eyes. Now that the hauberk was peeled back, she could see that he had cropped, damp blond hair on his head to match his beard.
The man was positively golden with all of that blond hair, and quite attractive.
All that attractiveness wanted her to be packed up in a mere two days.
“I have been at Castle Rising for many years,” she said after a moment.
“My entire life is here. Of course I knew you were coming, but I did not know exactly when, so I have not moved swiftly with my packing. There are things I must leave behind and things I wish to take. Are we traveling with a wagon?”
Kress shrugged, looking to Padraig. “I did not bring one,” he said. “I was assuming the lady would ride a palfrey, but if you have a wagon to spare, she can ride in that with her belongings.”
Padraig looked over at Cadelyn. “What do you prefer, my lady?”
Cadelyn lifted her eyebrows. “The thought of being on a wagon for days and weeks on end does not excite me,” she said. “May I ask Lady Delesse if she can spare her carriage? That would be much more comfortable.”
Padraig waved her off. “It is not as if she ever leaves Castle Rising,” he said. “Ask her. If she agrees, I shall permit you to take it. But I want it returned.”
Kress nodded. “I will ensure that it is,” he said. His gaze hovered on Cadelyn for a moment. “I suppose there is nothing else to speak of at the moment. Do you have any questions, my lady?”
Cadelyn didn’t. She knew she had to pack, now hurriedly, and she knew when they wanted to leave, but she also knew that she had something more to do beyond the packing and bidding farewell to her life at Castle Rising.
There was the small matter of taking Yerik with her, something she’d not mentioned to Padraig or Delesse.
She was fairly certain that Padraig would see no reason why a cleric should accompany her to Chester, and Delesse would more than likely question such a request.
Therefore, Cadelyn thought that perhaps the only thing to do would be to pick Yerik up on the road and demand he accompany her.
As she’d already told Susanna, surely Kress would not object to a man she presented as her own personal priest. A little lie, but she wasn’t beyond that to have the man accompany her.
Cadelyn might have to leave Castle Rising, but she fully intended to bring Lady Dark with her, that last remnant of her life in Norfolk that she very much wanted to continue in the uncertainty of her future.
Struggling to control something in a life that was no longer her own.
“I have no questions,” she finally said, looking to Padraig. “May I go, my lord? I have much to do and little time to do it.”
Padraig waved her on. “You may go,” he said. “Make sure to ask my wife about her carriage so we can prepare the thing if you are to take it.”
Nodding quickly, Cadelyn fled the hall, taking Susanna with her. She was moving unnaturally fast, but given the fact that she had a great deal to accomplish, no one saw that as strange. Once the women were gone, Padraig sent a servant for more wine.
“My apologies about Susanna,” he said, pouring the last of the pitcher into his cup. “She is quite obedient, but she is not the silent type.”
Kress sighed heavily, glancing at Achilles as he did so. “Nor is Achilles the retiring sort,” he said. “The man will fight anyone, man or woman, who issues a challenge. We are trying to break him of that particular habit.”
Padraig smiled thinly. “Just be careful with Susanna,” he said. “After Exelby, she trained at Blackchurch on the Devon coast. You’ve heard of the place, no doubt.”
Kress looked at him strangely. “That is an elite training school,” he said. “She trained at Blackchurch?”