Read Online My Valiant Knight by Hannah Howell - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Hannah Howell
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she felt any need to defend Gabel’s actions.
“You have been ransomed before?” asked Elaine, her brown eyes wide with a mixture of horror and fascination.
“Weel, nay. My brother George was held once,” Ainslee replied.
“You must have been terrified. Gabel, how could you be so cruel?”
“Oh, I kenned that he wouldna hurt me,” Ainslee assured the girl.
“And just when did you ken that?” Gabel asked. “Was it before or after you tried to cut my heart out?”
Ainslee intended to ignore him, but then Elaine cried, “You tried to kill Gabel?”
“When he and his men first appeared I did attempt to defend myself,” Ainslee said, briefly casting an annoyed look at a faintly smiling Gabel. “I saw no gain in simply standing there and awaiting my fate.”
“You must have been very frightened. And, mayhaps, you still are, for you eat very little.”
“My appetite is somewhat dulled for I am weary and havena had the time or the chance to clean away the dust of my travels.” She had to bite back a smile when Gabel’s aunt looked at him with a hint of outrage and sternness.
“Gabel,” Marie said, tapping her nephew’s arm with her finger. “Have you no manners? The poor child must be shown to a room immediately. Come, Elaine, you and I shall see that a bath is prepared, and we shall search out some clean clothing for our guest.” As Marie stood up, tugging her daughter up beside her, she added, “Lady MacNairn may stay in the bedchamber Lady Surtelle stayed in last month!”
“You enjoyed seeing me scolded like some errant boy,” drawled Gabel as soon as his aunt and cousin left the great hall.
Ainslee smiled sweetly at him. “Aye, I did.”
“Then I had best take you to your quarters ere my aunt returns and provides you with even more enjoyment.” He stood and held out his hand to her.
“Ye appear to have a multitude of cousins residing with you.” Ainslee hesitated only a moment before allowing him to take her by the hand and help her to her feet. Refusing to touch him would certainly make him suspicious, and she did not want him to guess how much even his light touch affected her.
Gabel nodded as he led her out of the great hall and up the narrow curving steps to the bedchambers. “I have a large family and, at this time, there is a greater chance of advancement here in Scotland or even in England. Then there are the ones such as my aunt who was left a widow and, through the sly work of her husband’s kinsmen, lost all her lands and money. One must care for one’s family. Those my brothers cannot care for are sent here and some, such as my poor aunt, feel a true need to leave France.” He looked down at her as he stopped before a thick, iron-banded door. “Do you not shelter your kinsmen?”
“There arena many who wish to be sheltered at Kengarvey. In truth, most of our kinsmen arena speaking to us, and stay as far from us as they are able. They dinna wish to be dragged down with my father. ‘Tis evident that they were wise to separate themselves for the king himself has now decided that my father must be punished. ’Tis why ye were riding to Kengarvey.”
“Aye. I have made no secret of my purpose,” he said as he opened the door to the bedchamber.
“Weel, I pray ye willna think ill of me if I am not so forthcoming.”
“Ah, you fear you may tell me something that I could use against your father.”
“Aye. I dinna like the way my father acts, am even ashamed of all of the wrongs he has committed, but he is my father. To help ye defeat him would be a great betrayal of my own blood.”
“I understand. I would not ask such a thing of you. I hope you find these quarters comfortable. You are free to move about as you please within the walls of Bellefleur, but ’twould be unwise to attempt escape.”
It was politely said, but Ainslee could hear the cold steel beneath his courteous warning. She smiled and entered the room, inwardly wincing when he shut the heavy door
“You have been ransomed before?” asked Elaine, her brown eyes wide with a mixture of horror and fascination.
“Weel, nay. My brother George was held once,” Ainslee replied.
“You must have been terrified. Gabel, how could you be so cruel?”
“Oh, I kenned that he wouldna hurt me,” Ainslee assured the girl.
“And just when did you ken that?” Gabel asked. “Was it before or after you tried to cut my heart out?”
Ainslee intended to ignore him, but then Elaine cried, “You tried to kill Gabel?”
“When he and his men first appeared I did attempt to defend myself,” Ainslee said, briefly casting an annoyed look at a faintly smiling Gabel. “I saw no gain in simply standing there and awaiting my fate.”
“You must have been very frightened. And, mayhaps, you still are, for you eat very little.”
“My appetite is somewhat dulled for I am weary and havena had the time or the chance to clean away the dust of my travels.” She had to bite back a smile when Gabel’s aunt looked at him with a hint of outrage and sternness.
“Gabel,” Marie said, tapping her nephew’s arm with her finger. “Have you no manners? The poor child must be shown to a room immediately. Come, Elaine, you and I shall see that a bath is prepared, and we shall search out some clean clothing for our guest.” As Marie stood up, tugging her daughter up beside her, she added, “Lady MacNairn may stay in the bedchamber Lady Surtelle stayed in last month!”
“You enjoyed seeing me scolded like some errant boy,” drawled Gabel as soon as his aunt and cousin left the great hall.
Ainslee smiled sweetly at him. “Aye, I did.”
“Then I had best take you to your quarters ere my aunt returns and provides you with even more enjoyment.” He stood and held out his hand to her.
“Ye appear to have a multitude of cousins residing with you.” Ainslee hesitated only a moment before allowing him to take her by the hand and help her to her feet. Refusing to touch him would certainly make him suspicious, and she did not want him to guess how much even his light touch affected her.
Gabel nodded as he led her out of the great hall and up the narrow curving steps to the bedchambers. “I have a large family and, at this time, there is a greater chance of advancement here in Scotland or even in England. Then there are the ones such as my aunt who was left a widow and, through the sly work of her husband’s kinsmen, lost all her lands and money. One must care for one’s family. Those my brothers cannot care for are sent here and some, such as my poor aunt, feel a true need to leave France.” He looked down at her as he stopped before a thick, iron-banded door. “Do you not shelter your kinsmen?”
“There arena many who wish to be sheltered at Kengarvey. In truth, most of our kinsmen arena speaking to us, and stay as far from us as they are able. They dinna wish to be dragged down with my father. ‘Tis evident that they were wise to separate themselves for the king himself has now decided that my father must be punished. ’Tis why ye were riding to Kengarvey.”
“Aye. I have made no secret of my purpose,” he said as he opened the door to the bedchamber.
“Weel, I pray ye willna think ill of me if I am not so forthcoming.”
“Ah, you fear you may tell me something that I could use against your father.”
“Aye. I dinna like the way my father acts, am even ashamed of all of the wrongs he has committed, but he is my father. To help ye defeat him would be a great betrayal of my own blood.”
“I understand. I would not ask such a thing of you. I hope you find these quarters comfortable. You are free to move about as you please within the walls of Bellefleur, but ’twould be unwise to attempt escape.”
It was politely said, but Ainslee could hear the cold steel beneath his courteous warning. She smiled and entered the room, inwardly wincing when he shut the heavy door
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