Page 20 of A Dark and Stormy Knight (A Knight’s Tale #3)

W allace spoke to Lord Marshall, but kept an eye on his lady.

She seemed awfully quiet, which was unusual for her, but she seemed to be getting on well enough with Lord Marshall’s new bride.

“How was the ride out?” Lord Marshall wanted to know. “You encountered no brigands or thieves?”

“Only from a distance.”

They discussed how many people would be in their party, how many horses, wagons, and the like. His gaze drifted back to Cara and he wondered if she was feeling herself, or struck with a case of shyness, something he’d never seen in her before.

“I’m not looking forward to seeing the king again so soon, and dealing with his courtiers, but I don’t wish to offend by missing his niece’s wedding.”

Lord Marshall shot him a curious glance. “I would think with circumstances as they are, that you don’t have the need to be there, and might not be welcome.”

Wallace didn’t know Lord Marshall well, but he’d heard the man was blunt, and this certainly proved it.

Wallace gave an uncomfortable shrug. He could give the man an easy answer, and tell him that he was doing it for the sake of the women, but if Lord Marshall could be blunt, he could as well. “Truth. Regardless, I will hound the king until I get another shot at Dinsdale.”

Lord Marshall’s glance was shrewd. “I’d say your chances are not good for a rematch. From what I hear the king let God’s will be done, and as far as he is concerned, it was.” He shot a meaningful glance at Cara.

Wallace’s jaw set tight. He would not argue with the man. He simply said, “We’ll see,” and drank some ale. A moment later he asked. “You saw the joust, then?”

Lord Marshall shrugged. “I was there, but did not witness it. I had my own troubles to deal with. How will you approach the king? I’d not imagine he’ll be receptive after Stirling.”

Wallace gave a shrug. “In much the same way I did the last time. Wear him down until he gives in.”

“Good luck to you on that. King Henry is not the easiest to deal with.”

“Nay, he is not.”

“What of Dinsdale?” Lord Marshall asked. “I saw him fight once, and he is good.”

“Not as good as me.”

Lord Marshall chuckled, “Then I look forward to the fight.” He ate a chunk of chicken with his fingers, and then added, “You know, ’tis the father you have to watch out for. A sneaky, backstabbing weasel.”

“I am aware.”

Lady Marshall instructed the minstrels to play a tune. He met his mother’s gaze, saw the yearning there, and knew she missed their former situation, as much as he did.

The great hall, the well-trained guardsmen, the music. All had been theirs not so long ago, until it had been stolen by the Dinsdales.

Marshall might not have faith that Wallace would be able to get a rematch, but Wallace did.

As far as he was concerned it was a game of chess, and he’d simply lost the last round. The game had reset, and the king was fickle. His head could be turned. He’d done it once, and forced the match against Dinsdale, and he would somehow do it again.

With the exception of his father, what he’d lost, would be regained, and Wallace would hold onto it with a tight grip.

“That is quite the necklace she wears. She comes from wealth?”

“Just the necklace. Though ’twill go a long way toward helping my situation.”

Lord Marshall nodded, but didn’t comment further.

A few minutes later Lord Marshall tried to engage Cara in conversation, and her head dipped shyly.

To his knowledge, she did not have a shy bone in her body. Her demeanor confused him and he wondered if she was somehow frightened by Lord Marshall and wished he was closer so he could reach across the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze.

“Where do you hail from?”

Lady Cara gave a slight shrug, and Lady Marshall was quick to insert, “She’s from Wales.”

“Nearer Cardiff or Bangor?”

Cara glanced at Gillian, and then shoved a piece of bread in her mouth.

Again, Gillian answered for her. “That’s right, sort of in the middle there.”

“Aberystwyth?”

Cara gave a nod and continued to chew, and Lord Marshall glanced at Wallace in slight exasperation, and finally gave up trying.

Wallace stared at Cara for a while longer, trying to discern what caused this change in personality.

Perhaps Lady Marshall had asked her to refrain from engaging her husband?

Was Lord Marshall a seducer then? Had he done something to upset Cara? Caught her in the hallway alone, perhaps?

The thought had sudden anger burning in his chest.

He looked away from Lord Marshall at the musicians so he wouldn’t stand and challenge the other man, regardless of the fact that he’d hoped to travel with him.

He tried to rein in his crazed thoughts, especially when he saw Lord Marshall put an arm around his wife and pull her close and kiss the top of her head.

Mayhap he had the wrong of it, and naught untoward had happened.

But the moment he got Cara alone, if she had the slightest complaint, he would challenge his host, and to blazes with their burgeoning alliance.

After the meal and entertainment were over, cleanup started and the tables were being put away.

Gillian was quick to escort the ladies up the stairs, and when she reached the top, Cara felt a hand at her elbow.

She turned to find Wallace, one step below her, and found she liked that he didn’t have quite as much of a height advantage. “Hi, I didn’t see you there.”

He held onto her as the other ladies went down the hall, and then asked, “Is aught amiss?”

“No, everything is great. Your friends are nice.”

He looked, moody, stubborn, his brows a dark slash. “And Lord Marshall? Did he act in any way untoward?”

It took her a moment to work out that he was asking if the other man had said or done anything to make her uncomfortable. “Lord Marshall? Are you kidding me? His wife has him locked down tight. I don’t think he even realizes I’m alive.”

The hand on her arm relaxed, but she found she wasn’t willing to give up this advantage now that he only had a few inches on her.

She placed her arms on his shoulders and laced her fingers together behind his neck. “Hello, handsome.”

He looked startled at the compliment, and then relaxed a bit more, his big, warm hands coming up to settle on her waist.

“Am I to be taken advantage of, then?”

She chuckled. “Only if you beg.”

He shook his head and she laughed. “Someday, I’ll make you beg, just you see if I don’t.”

He eyed her, but didn’t comment and she glanced back to see Wallace’s family escorted into their room by Gillian, who glanced back at her and gave her a thumbs up before continuing into the room.

Wallace saw it too, and chuckled.

There were now a couple of maids coming up the stairwell. If she was going to take advantage of the situation, she better hurry.

Leaning forward, she touched her lips to Wallace’s, intending a short, sweet kiss, but apparently, he had other plans.

He pulled her close and planted one on her, and after a moment she strained upward, helplessly wanting more. The unexpected possessiveness of his mouth on hers wrenched a moan from her, causing the maids stalled behind them on the stairs to giggle.

Trembling slightly, she pulled back, smiled, and shook her head. “You’ll talk me into staying, yet.”

“I will.”

He said the words so confidently, that she almost believed him. Well, maybe she wanted to believe him, as the thought of going back home and never seeing him again caused her heart to twinge.

She clung to his shoulders before letting go and moving back. “Are you coming with me?”

He shook his head. “If you feel safe enough, I will sleep downstairs with the men.”

“I feel perfectly safe.”

“Unless you want me up here?”

She giggled. “Oh, that would be nice, wouldn’t it? I’m sure your mother and your sisters would love having you in there while we’re getting ready for bed.”

“Mayhap we could get our own room?” The smile he shot her was pure masculine amusement, and in that moment, he was simply irresistible.

She leaned close and whispered, “I’m going to tell your mother.”

He laughed as she backed away, and they both smiled as she turned away and headed for the door to her room.

She could hear the other ladies inside, Gillian in particular chatting and laughing, and paused in the doorway to turn back and look at Wallace.

He was still watching her, and he looked big, buff, and pleased with himself as he leaned against the stone wall and waited for her to go in the room.

She blew him a kiss.

He caught it, and then kissed the top of his closed fist.

Aww. What a heartbreaker.

She was still grinning widely when she entered the room.