Read Online A Year & a Day by Virginia Henley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Virginia Henley
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years, and all save the steward were nervous about the Bmce's frame of mind.
Jock Leslie was at the massive castle doors to welcome the powerful earl, and to provide him with refreshment and to offer whatever services he could render.
"I remember you," Robert said, pleased with what he saw at Dumfries."How long have you been steward here?"
"Over twenty years, my lord."
Robert introduced Lynx de Warenne, who plied Jock with many pertinent questions about Dumfries.
"I understand that sheep mean wealth in the dales. How large is your flock?"
"Aye, my lord. Dumfries had a thousand sheep. The price of their wool would have kept us all year. Unfortunately, Comyn's army took the sheep before the shearing started."
Lynx saw the look of anger on the Brace's face. "Does Dumfries have its own forge?"
"Aye, my lord, we also have a gristmill and a brewhouse. We 54
are usually self-sufficient here." Jock Leslie was both honored and proud to answer the questions and give them a tour of the castle. He was deeply gratified when they praised his stewardship. These intelligent men fully understood the concept that castellans were castle keepers and must serve whoever garrisoned Dumfries. "We would be honored if you would stay for dinner, my lords."
Robert Bruce cocked an eyebrow at Lynx, who nodded eagerly. "Thank you, it will be our pleasure to dine at Dumfries."
******************
Jane's sisters arrived at the cottage, more excited than she had ever seen them before.
"Come, come quick! It's the Bruce himself! He's reputed to be the handsomest man in Scotland,"
Mary cried.
"And the strongest," Kate added. "Women faint at the sight of him!"
Jane saw that Megotta was scandalized by the avid hero worship her granddaughters were displaying and listened silently as Megotta rebuked them soundly. But Jane noticed it had little effect on her sisters and she too was curious. "Let's go and see what the wicked devil looks like," Jane urged Megotta.
They joined the crowd in the bailey to see for themselves the two powerful lords who were visiting Dumfries Castle. As their gazes swept over the two men, one fair, the other dark, it was easy to identify which one was Robert Bruce.
"Who is that with him? He looks like a Norman to me," Megotta said suspiciously.
"Rumor has it he's English, a personal friend of the Bruce," a woman in the crowd answered.
Jane Leslie felt outrage. How dare the Bruce bring an evil Anglo-Norman to Dumfries? Only one person in the crowd did not look at Robert Bruce. Jane's gaze came to rest upon the magnificent man with the tawny mane of hair and brilliant green eyes who stood beside the Bruce. She gasped in disbelief.
He was the living embodiment of her lynx!
55
A YCAK AINU A UAY
As her fingers clasped the touchstone about her neck, she became aware of the pulse beating in her throat. Jane blinked rapidly, knowing the image could not be real, but she could not dispel it. The excited voices of her sisters and the noisy crowd fell away until all she could hear was her own wild heartbeat. Jane was aware of nothing and no one save the powerful male whose tawny-gold mane gave him the leonine look of a lynx.
For one heart-stopping moment, it seemed to Jane that the green eyes looked directly into hers and were able to look into her very soul. In a flash she realized that she knew this man; she had seen him before. In a heartbeat, Jane remembered her dream. It came flooding back to her in explicit, shameful detail.
The memories stopped the breath in her throat. In her mind's eye she watched the lynx transform himself into a human male and that man was here before her today in living flesh and blood. Jane's cheeks grew warm as she remembered how he moved with the lithe stealth of a lynx and before she could either cry out or run, he had held her in his powerful hands. This was the enemy! He was a Norman with evil powers to control her—to control them all.
"Megotta, we don't want him here," Jane
Jock Leslie was at the massive castle doors to welcome the powerful earl, and to provide him with refreshment and to offer whatever services he could render.
"I remember you," Robert said, pleased with what he saw at Dumfries."How long have you been steward here?"
"Over twenty years, my lord."
Robert introduced Lynx de Warenne, who plied Jock with many pertinent questions about Dumfries.
"I understand that sheep mean wealth in the dales. How large is your flock?"
"Aye, my lord. Dumfries had a thousand sheep. The price of their wool would have kept us all year. Unfortunately, Comyn's army took the sheep before the shearing started."
Lynx saw the look of anger on the Brace's face. "Does Dumfries have its own forge?"
"Aye, my lord, we also have a gristmill and a brewhouse. We 54
are usually self-sufficient here." Jock Leslie was both honored and proud to answer the questions and give them a tour of the castle. He was deeply gratified when they praised his stewardship. These intelligent men fully understood the concept that castellans were castle keepers and must serve whoever garrisoned Dumfries. "We would be honored if you would stay for dinner, my lords."
Robert Bruce cocked an eyebrow at Lynx, who nodded eagerly. "Thank you, it will be our pleasure to dine at Dumfries."
******************
Jane's sisters arrived at the cottage, more excited than she had ever seen them before.
"Come, come quick! It's the Bruce himself! He's reputed to be the handsomest man in Scotland,"
Mary cried.
"And the strongest," Kate added. "Women faint at the sight of him!"
Jane saw that Megotta was scandalized by the avid hero worship her granddaughters were displaying and listened silently as Megotta rebuked them soundly. But Jane noticed it had little effect on her sisters and she too was curious. "Let's go and see what the wicked devil looks like," Jane urged Megotta.
They joined the crowd in the bailey to see for themselves the two powerful lords who were visiting Dumfries Castle. As their gazes swept over the two men, one fair, the other dark, it was easy to identify which one was Robert Bruce.
"Who is that with him? He looks like a Norman to me," Megotta said suspiciously.
"Rumor has it he's English, a personal friend of the Bruce," a woman in the crowd answered.
Jane Leslie felt outrage. How dare the Bruce bring an evil Anglo-Norman to Dumfries? Only one person in the crowd did not look at Robert Bruce. Jane's gaze came to rest upon the magnificent man with the tawny mane of hair and brilliant green eyes who stood beside the Bruce. She gasped in disbelief.
He was the living embodiment of her lynx!
55
A YCAK AINU A UAY
As her fingers clasped the touchstone about her neck, she became aware of the pulse beating in her throat. Jane blinked rapidly, knowing the image could not be real, but she could not dispel it. The excited voices of her sisters and the noisy crowd fell away until all she could hear was her own wild heartbeat. Jane was aware of nothing and no one save the powerful male whose tawny-gold mane gave him the leonine look of a lynx.
For one heart-stopping moment, it seemed to Jane that the green eyes looked directly into hers and were able to look into her very soul. In a flash she realized that she knew this man; she had seen him before. In a heartbeat, Jane remembered her dream. It came flooding back to her in explicit, shameful detail.
The memories stopped the breath in her throat. In her mind's eye she watched the lynx transform himself into a human male and that man was here before her today in living flesh and blood. Jane's cheeks grew warm as she remembered how he moved with the lithe stealth of a lynx and before she could either cry out or run, he had held her in his powerful hands. This was the enemy! He was a Norman with evil powers to control her—to control them all.
"Megotta, we don't want him here," Jane
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