The Warrior Knight and the Widow Read online

  ‘I’ll leave you to your discussion,’ he said.

  ‘No, I’d like you to stay,’ said the Earl.

  Ellena jumped. She’d almost forgotten her father was in the room and watching the whole exchange. Heat flooded her face as she wondered what her father must be thinking. Had she been over-familiar with Braedan?

  She looked at her father’s face but could read nothing from his craggy features. But wait... Had he just asked Braedan to stay for their discussion? What was about to be said between her and her father should surely remain private?

  The look on Braedan’s face suggested he shared her confusion.

  ‘This concerns you too, Sir Leofric. Please, sit, both of you.’

  A short bench ran along the wall opposite her father. It was the only seating in the room, so Ellena lowered herself tentatively onto it. After a moment’s hesitation Braedan joined her.

  His body took up most of the bench, and although they both held themselves tightly the top of his thigh brushed hers. The brief contact sent an unwanted bolt of desire through her. As surreptitiously as she could, she moved away, but when she glanced at her father she saw he was watching her every move.

  Heat washed over her face and she resisted the urge to squirm. She was a fully grown adult and not a naughty child any more.

  ‘As you know, Ellena,’ her father began, thankfully ignoring her blush, ‘we are holding an afternoon of entertainment today, to celebrate your return home.’

  Ellena nodded uncertainly. She’d expected to talk about her future, not about the festivities this afternoon.

  Next to her, Braedan’s hands curled into fists, and her heart began to slam painfully in her chest. There was more at play here than she’d first thought. What was her wily father planning—and why did she get the feeling that Braedan knew more than she did?

  ‘I understand that you had a problem with Lord Copsi on your way from Castle Swein. And now I’m afraid to inform you that he has been spotted in town. But Sir Leofric has assured me that his best men will watch him at all times, and I’m sure he won’t try and attack you while all our guests are here. He wants to be seen to be good in all of this, after all. We won’t let the man spoil our enjoyment.’

  Ellena twisted her fingers into the folds of her skirt. She’d had years of practice at hiding her emotions, but it took all her effort to say calmly, ‘Lord Copsi tried to kill Sir Leofric and take me prisoner, in order to force me into marriage so that he could take my land. I would call that more than “a problem”.’

  ‘Aye,’ agreed Braedan. ‘The man’s a maniac.’

  Ogmore glanced between the two of them. ‘Even so, we cannot move against him if he has done nothing wrong.’

  Ellena felt Braedan’s muscles tense on the bench next to her. Like her, he must be thinking of all Copsi had done over the last ten days. That didn’t count as ‘nothing wrong’ in her eyes. But from the look on his face she could tell there was no point arguing over this with her father—especially when there were far more important things to discuss.

  ‘The Earl of Borwyn will be here,’ continued the Earl. ‘I think you’ll agree, when you meet him, that he’d be a most suitable husband for you, Ellena.’

  Braedan’s hands were now so tightly clenched the white of his knuckles was pronounced against his dark skin.

  Ellena cleared her throat. She’d been expecting something like this, but would rather not have had any audience when she replied—even if it was Braedan, who already knew her thoughts and feelings on taking another husband.

  Perhaps her father had decided to raise the subject in front of Braedan thinking that his presence would stop her fighting back.

  He was wrong.

  ‘I am not going to marry again, Father,’ she said calmly.

  Her face heated as her father laughed.

  Braedan shifted next to her but said nothing.

  ‘Nonsense,’ said the Earl. ‘You’re a young woman who has been raised to be mistress of a great residence. Borwyn’s estate is huge, and it’s situated near the Wye Valley—a very favourable spot. I’m told he is a handsome and charming man. He will make you a good husband and me a strong ally.’

  White-hot rage pulsed through Ellena, but she forced herself to remain calm. ‘I am not interested in moving. I like the home I have.’

  Ogmore leaned back in his seat. ‘You’ll be bored here. Your mother runs this place like clockwork, and when your oldest brother marries there’ll be far too many women in the place. No, you’ll be better off being mistress of your own home.’

  ‘I am already mistress of a castle. Castle Swein is my home. Ever since Lord Swein became sick five years ago the estate has prospered under my guidance. You must see that...’

  Ogmore shook his head. ‘No, it’s not safe for you to run Swein by yourself. A woman on her own is seen as defenceless. There has already been talk of rival lords moving against you. In a couple of months you’ll be overrun, and I can’t have that. Swein is one of my most strategic outposts. We’d be cut off from the sea without it. Later you’ll meet with Borwyn and you’ll be pleased by my choice.’

  Ellena glanced across at Braedan. All through this exchange she’d hoped he would say something in support of her, but he was so still it was almost as if he wasn’t breathing.

  ‘No,’ she said firmly. ‘I won’t be pleased with Borwyn because my future is in the stewardship of Castle Swein. The estate has already prospered under my guidance. If you’re worried about me being attacked then you could send me more guards, or have my men trained by yours. There is no reason why I cannot continue as I have for the last five years.’

  Ogmore leaned forward in his chair. ‘Ah, but there is every reason.’

  Beside her, Braedan inhaled sharply.

  ‘Sir Leofric is going to take over the stewardship of Castle Swein, so you cannot return there. Isn’t that right, Braedan?’

  Chapter Fifteen

  ‘They are rather magnificent, aren’t they, dear?’ asked Ellena’s mother, trying to engage her daughter in conversation.

  Below their raised seats, knights competed in friendly but fierce competition. It was all for their entertainment, but Ellena was far from amused—particularly as Braedan and his men were among the contestants.

  ‘Mmm...’ she murmured in response.

  Her mother sighed softly and turned to one of the other guests, sitting on her left. A pang of remorse at the way she was treating her blameless mother stirred Ellena, but she refused to be drawn into conversation with anyone.

  She hadn’t said a word since her father had revealed the depth of Braedan’s betrayal and the extent of how alone she really was.

  Her reaction in her father’s study had disappointed her. For months she’d planned her response to her father’s manipulative ways, but instead of standing up to him today she had swept from the room without further comment.

  She had returned to her bedchamber, escorted by guards, her mind feeling peculiarly empty. Aldith had been waiting for her and had tried to encourage conversation while she’d chosen a dress for her to wear at the afternoon’s celebration. Ellena had only stared blankly at the choices, and eventually Aldith had picked a dark blue dress edged with a jewel-studded neckline.

  Ellena hadn’t cared. She could wear a sack and she would feel the same. She had felt so cold on the inside—as if her heart had stopped working. She might even have believed that was possible if the thing hadn’t been hurting with every beat.

  But as Aldith had arranged a golden embroidered tunic over her dress she’d realised she needed a plan for her future—a solid one which her father couldn’t break. And now she was completely alone in the world she knew she needed to do it by herself.

  Unfortunately her brain refused to settle on practicalities, preferring to remind her again and again of how Braedan had taken her trust and completely
destroyed it. And she hated it that despite her anger towards Braedan she couldn’t take her eyes off him now, as he fought at the centre of the group of men.

  She couldn’t understand why, despite her all-consuming rage, she still wanted to run her hands over the muscles that flexed so effortlessly as he disarmed his opponents. She was annoyed at the flicker of worry that flared when she thought about his injury and wondered whether he was making it worse through his actions.

  He’d been right to tell her he hadn’t needed her help that day when she’d fought those men in the woods for him. She’d underestimated his prowess. He was clearly a lethal warrior who was able to take down his opponents easily despite an injury.

  She’d underestimated a lot of things about him. She had thought him straightforward and honest, but all the time they’d been together he’d been plotting to take over her castle. No, he hadn’t been plotting; he had already known he was getting the stewardship of Castle Swein. He hadn’t needed to form any argument because the deed had already been done—probably months before she’d even met him. She’d been such a fool to tell him of her hopes... How he must have laughed at her.

  The ladies around her began to stir, but she didn’t turn her head to see what was bringing about the commotion. She couldn’t tear her gaze away from Braedan, damn him.

  ‘Ellena,’ said her father, obviously the cause of the disturbance as he joined them on the stand. ‘I’d like to introduce you to one of our guests.’

  She didn’t want to look at her father. Right now her anger with him was second only to the rage she was feeling towards Braedan. But she’d been too well-trained to ignore him in public. Besides, although she’d not yet formed a plan, she knew that openly rebelling against her father would not help her at this stage. It would be better if he thought she was compliant; he would have her watched all the time if he suspected she might defy him.

  She tore her gaze away from the fighters below and stood, coolly nodding her head towards her father by way of greeting.

  ‘Borwyn, may I present to you my daughter, Lady Swein? Ellena, this is the Earl of Borwyn.’

  Borwyn took her proffered hand and bowed over it. ‘It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Swein.’

  ‘Why don’t you sit next to Lady Swein so that you can get to know one another?’ suggested her mother, standing and moving away.

  Ellena smiled blandly up at the Earl, who lowered himself into her mother’s recently vacated spot. It really didn’t matter to her family whether she liked this man or not. They would still believe she should marry him. But she had no intention of doing so, so there was no point in her getting to know him.

  Up close, she could see that his handsomeness had not been exaggerated. His light blond hair, so different from Braedan’s unruly locks, framed piercingly blue eyes, an unblemished face and high cheekbones. In another lifetime she might have been tempted by his fine features, but as it was he left her cold.

  ‘I trust you are enjoying the festivities, Lady Swein?’ he said.

  ‘Indeed,’ she said, sounding croaky as she used her voice for the first time in hours.

  ‘Your father’s guards are among the finest in the land.’

  ‘Indeed,’ she said again, turning her attention back to where the fight was drawing to a close.

  There were only three men left now: Braedan, Merrick, and one of her father’s personal guards whose name she didn’t know.

  She opened her mouth to ask the Earl something innocuous, but nothing came out so she closed it again.

  Below her Braedan moved, dodging a blow from Merrick and causing the audience to gasp with delight.

  ‘I understand that there is a little awkwardness attached to our situation,’ said Borwyn. ‘But I hope that we can be honest with each other. I have approached your father because I want to gain an alliance with him. He has suggested a union between us, and for my part it sounds like an eminently sensible proposition.’

  Ellena watched as Braedan easily disarmed Merrick, eliminating him from the competition. Now there was only Braedan and the guard left. The two men circled each other, testing for weaknesses.

  ‘Indeed,’ she said to Borwyn—because what else was she to say? She would never marry him, but he wasn’t to know that.

  Borwyn surprised her by throwing his head back and laughing. She turned to face him, one eyebrow raised.

  ‘I must confess I’m really rather conceited,’ said Borwyn. ‘I expected any proposal of marriage I made to be greeted with enthusiasm. I’ve always believed I’m considered quite a catch.’

  Ellena smiled at the good humour she saw in his eyes, ‘I’m sorry,’ she said. ‘I’m rather distracted.’

  ‘I understand. Your father mentioned you had had a difficult journey from your home. Maybe I shouldn’t have mentioned our union, but I always feel it is better to speak bluntly. That way there can be no misunderstandings.’

  Ellena nodded emphatically. ‘I agree that is a good idea to have complete honesty between two people. Lies destroy trust.’

  Borwyn smiled, and Ellena could see that for the right woman that smile would be devastating. She was unmoved.

  ‘You and I will do very well together, I think,’ said Borwyn, and, taking her by surprise, he clasped her hand in his.

  His skin was warm, and surprisingly callused for an Earl who was more likely to have people under him to do physical work. Before she could remove her hand he raised it to his lips and brushed the lightest of kisses on her knuckles.

  All around her the crowd gasped and she snatched her hand back. But no one was looking at her. Everyone’s eyes were on the events going on below the stand.

  Ellena turned to see what held their attention.

  ‘I can’t believe The Beast has fallen,’ said a woman’s voice to her right. ‘He’s never lost his concentration before.’

  ‘He’s down—but he’s not out yet,’ said another voice.

  Below them Braedan rolled from his prone position on the ground and jumped up into an attacking stance.

  ‘What can have caused that to happen?’ murmured someone else. ‘It’s not like The Beast to show any weakness.’

  Ellena watched, transfixed, as Braedan advanced on his opponent. His fall seemed to have galvanised him and he attacked the guard with ferocity.

  Murmurs of shock ran through the crowd and Ellena held her breath. It almost appeared as if Braedan would kill the other man as he continued to rain down blow after blow, without giving his opponent any time to respond.

  A crushing swipe caused his opponent to stagger and allowed Braedan to rip the man’s sword from his grip. He held it aloft for a moment, while the audience cheered, then flung it down next to the defeated man and stalked away.

  ‘He’s quite a warrior,’ commented Borwyn, as Braedan disappeared from sight and the crowd began to settle down for the next round of entertainment. ‘I wonder if your father would be open to lending him to me for a while. My northernmost borders have been troubling me for some time, but a man like that would soon put an end to it.’

  ‘I believe my father has other plans for Sir Leofric,’ said Ellena, her voice coming out cool despite the white-hot rage flooding through her.

  ‘Of course he does. A man like that is a valuable asset. Are you feeling quite all right, Lady Swein? You are suddenly looking very pale.’

  Ellena raised the back of her hand to her forehead. Inside she felt as if she was burning, but her skin was cool to the touch. Nevertheless, her paleness was a good excuse for her to leave the stand for a while.

  ‘I think I have been sitting in the sun for too long. If you will excuse me I think I will take a short break.’

  ‘Of course,’ he said, standing when she did so. ‘May I accompany you?’

  ‘Thank you, but my maid will be waiting for me at the bottom of the steps. She can escort me back to th
e castle for a moment. I will return shortly—watching the jousting is a particular favourite of mine.’

  She smiled reassuringly at him and made her way past the other ladies enjoying the day of sport.

  Aldith wasn’t at the bottom of the steps, despite having promised to remain there waiting for her. She’d probably taken a moment to see Merrick.

  Ellena didn’t care. She would far rather be alone.

  She ducked under the stand and stood in the shade for a moment. She had no intention of returning for the jousting. She needed to plan for the future, and being surrounded by all those people wasn’t helping. But if she headed back to the castle she would be found easily enough, and would be forced to watch the rest of the afternoon’s entertainment. It was supposed to be for her benefit, after all.

  She tapped her fingers against a wooden pillar and thought. The riverside was the best place to be alone. She’d often escaped down there as a child, when being around her brothers had been too much. She would wait here until the jousting began and then, when everyone’s attention was engaged, she would sneak off.

  She settled down on the ground to wait.

  Two maids carrying trays of food for the guests above approached the stand, their footsteps clattering heavily on the wooden steps. The sound of laughter filled the air as the guests began to pass the food among themselves. Ellena rubbed her stomach. She hadn’t eaten anything today, but for once she wasn’t hungry.

  She heard the maids make their way back down the steps, but instead of moving away they stopped at the bottom, probably waiting to take the empty wooden trenchers away when the guests had finished eating.

  ‘Did you see The Beast fall earlier?’ asked one.

  ‘No, I missed it. But Maud told me it happened at the same time the Earl of Borwyn kissed Lady Swein’s hand.’

  The two maids giggled.

  ‘Have you seen the way The Beast looks at Lady Swein? It’s as if he wants to consume her.’

  Ellena’s heart skittered. She’d not noticed Braedan looking at her at all, and surely his gaze would hold only contempt.