Read Online Valentine by Heather Grothaus - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Heather Grothaus
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frowned outright.
“You must forgive my sister,” Valentine offered with a rueful glance in Maria’s direction. “She is easily confused. This is her first journey of any length, and she is somewhat of a fool when she is at home.”
At his side, Maria gasped.
But Valentine didn’t look at her, and the traveler laughed. “I have two like that of my own,” he said, but his attention was more concentrated than ever, and Valentine did not like to be marked in the man’s memory. “It is unusual to see a brother and sister who do not compare in the least,” he remarked in a leading tone.
“We are related by marriage,” Valentine said, dropping his smile.
“I see,” the man said, but Valentine could tell that he was unconvinced. The traveler glanced over his shoulder at his companions, who were talking in quiet voices, their eyes seeming to examine Valentine. “We will just avail ourselves of the river then.” He nodded to Maria, and then urged his mount onward to the bank, his friends watching Valentine and Maria brazenly as they followed.
Valentine watched them back.
When the men were a fair distance away, Maria leaned toward him and hissed, “I am not a fool”
“Why do you care what they think of you?” Valentine demanded, picking up his cup. “Perhaps you could pretend to eat something until they are gone? We will talk about it later. No, no—do no turn around to look at them.”
He could tell she was steaming from his reprimand, but to her credit she picked up a cabbage roll and nibbled at it and did not turn around.
Valentine watched the men gather in a close knot to confer with one another, casting glances in his direction the entire time. Valentine sipped his wine and hoped he would not have to kill anyone so soon after leaving Melk, and so close to a main thoroughfare.
But they remounted a quarter hour later, riding close past them again and nodding. “Safe journey to you,” the leader called out. “Perhaps we will meet again. My lady.”
Valentine lifted his cup.
He waited, saying nothing, until the band of riders had dipped below a hill in the road, appeared on the next incline, and then were gone into a stand of trees that enclosed the road perhaps a mile away. Then he got to one knee and began gathering the uneaten portion of what was supposed to have been a romantic meal.
“Get up,” he said. “We must be away quickly.”
“Are we to follow them?” Maria asked.
Valentine paused and looked at her, trying very hard to hold his tongue. “No,” he said. “We do no want them to follow us. Most likely they are waiting for us to pass through yonder trees, and when we do no oblige, they will return.”
“Why?” she asked, placing the items he handed her in the satchel without direction. “To rob us?”
“That, and to perhaps detain me.”
“Why?” She rose to her feet and snatched up a corner of the blanket before following him as he strode to gather the horses. “They can’t possibly know who you are.”
“ Why, why? They are suspicious,” Valentine said, reattaching his satchel and blanket roll to his saddle. “Thanks to you , Maria.”
“Me?” she squeaked as he all but threw her into the saddle. “You told me to follow your lead and I did. It’s not as if I told them our names.”
“You should have let me answer the questions,” he said, adjusting her seat and then handing her the reins. “Surely you have been taught that ladies are to be seen and no heard?”
She gasped her outrage and jerked the leads from him. “Well, I’m sorry! But I’ve not had the experience of lying for my living as you have. You found no fault with my speaking before they arrived, and you were trying to find your way into my skirts!”
He paused then, looking up at her in surprise. “So you are no as innocent as you would lead one to believe. Have you had many in your skirts?”
She kicked at him, but he moved away just in time. “I have been warned of men the likes of
“You must forgive my sister,” Valentine offered with a rueful glance in Maria’s direction. “She is easily confused. This is her first journey of any length, and she is somewhat of a fool when she is at home.”
At his side, Maria gasped.
But Valentine didn’t look at her, and the traveler laughed. “I have two like that of my own,” he said, but his attention was more concentrated than ever, and Valentine did not like to be marked in the man’s memory. “It is unusual to see a brother and sister who do not compare in the least,” he remarked in a leading tone.
“We are related by marriage,” Valentine said, dropping his smile.
“I see,” the man said, but Valentine could tell that he was unconvinced. The traveler glanced over his shoulder at his companions, who were talking in quiet voices, their eyes seeming to examine Valentine. “We will just avail ourselves of the river then.” He nodded to Maria, and then urged his mount onward to the bank, his friends watching Valentine and Maria brazenly as they followed.
Valentine watched them back.
When the men were a fair distance away, Maria leaned toward him and hissed, “I am not a fool”
“Why do you care what they think of you?” Valentine demanded, picking up his cup. “Perhaps you could pretend to eat something until they are gone? We will talk about it later. No, no—do no turn around to look at them.”
He could tell she was steaming from his reprimand, but to her credit she picked up a cabbage roll and nibbled at it and did not turn around.
Valentine watched the men gather in a close knot to confer with one another, casting glances in his direction the entire time. Valentine sipped his wine and hoped he would not have to kill anyone so soon after leaving Melk, and so close to a main thoroughfare.
But they remounted a quarter hour later, riding close past them again and nodding. “Safe journey to you,” the leader called out. “Perhaps we will meet again. My lady.”
Valentine lifted his cup.
He waited, saying nothing, until the band of riders had dipped below a hill in the road, appeared on the next incline, and then were gone into a stand of trees that enclosed the road perhaps a mile away. Then he got to one knee and began gathering the uneaten portion of what was supposed to have been a romantic meal.
“Get up,” he said. “We must be away quickly.”
“Are we to follow them?” Maria asked.
Valentine paused and looked at her, trying very hard to hold his tongue. “No,” he said. “We do no want them to follow us. Most likely they are waiting for us to pass through yonder trees, and when we do no oblige, they will return.”
“Why?” she asked, placing the items he handed her in the satchel without direction. “To rob us?”
“That, and to perhaps detain me.”
“Why?” She rose to her feet and snatched up a corner of the blanket before following him as he strode to gather the horses. “They can’t possibly know who you are.”
“ Why, why? They are suspicious,” Valentine said, reattaching his satchel and blanket roll to his saddle. “Thanks to you , Maria.”
“Me?” she squeaked as he all but threw her into the saddle. “You told me to follow your lead and I did. It’s not as if I told them our names.”
“You should have let me answer the questions,” he said, adjusting her seat and then handing her the reins. “Surely you have been taught that ladies are to be seen and no heard?”
She gasped her outrage and jerked the leads from him. “Well, I’m sorry! But I’ve not had the experience of lying for my living as you have. You found no fault with my speaking before they arrived, and you were trying to find your way into my skirts!”
He paused then, looking up at her in surprise. “So you are no as innocent as you would lead one to believe. Have you had many in your skirts?”
She kicked at him, but he moved away just in time. “I have been warned of men the likes of
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