Debra Kay Leland (26 page)

She didn’t know if she could answer from the thudding of her heart in her chest at th
e contact of his hand with hers; yet, she nodded softly.  She didn’t know where the feelings had come from, but she willed them away as they walked on.

He smiled as he noticed the quickening of her pulse at the base of the throat. 
Was it possible that she felt something for him too? 
He could only hope it was so.  They circled the garden once and then she paused at the child’s movement; he slowly lifted his hand and laid it on her without thinking.  He looked down at his hand and smiled. 
“Sarah and I had no children.  I always wondered what it would have been like if we had.”

Miranda stood watching him react to the movements of the child under his hand, his eyes meeting hers, a smile spreading across his open handsome face.  She should have been offended by his touch, but she wasn’t...  Maybe it was the desire to share the wonder of her child with someone else or maybe it was just that she needed a friend; she wasn’t sure but what she did know was that his touch didn’t make her crin
ge as she would have expected.

He laughed softly, his eyes sweeping over her lovely face; a face that would make a man’s knees go weak, and then lifted his hand and stepped back. 
“Need I apologize again, m’lady?”

She shook her head softly
.  “Nay, I—I am not offended.  The child is a wonder, and I have no one to share it with.”

He smiled at her words and found himself wishing even more that she would accept him, but he did not dare speak of it, not yet. 
“Miranda, would ye walk with me each day? Even if it be in the morning, for I enjoy thy company.”

She blushed not knowing what to say, but somehow she found herself agreeing before sh
e even realized what she was doing.

He smiled down at her, then turned back towards the path; talking to her about his day and telling her stories that made her laugh and it pleased him to know that she too was enjoying herself
as much as he had.   It was late when he finally took her back inside again, happy at how their time together had gone.  Edmund was waiting for them in the great hall, he kissed her forehead and bid her goodnight before she took the stairs to William’s chamber with the two men watching.

He waited for the girl to leave before he drew Garrick to the side and handed him a cup of wine. 
“I take it that all went well this night?”

Garrick nodded, well aware of Lydan’s angry eyes from across the room as he did so. 
“Aye, the girl was not offended by my company this night and I believe she actually enjoyed herself.”

Edmund laughed at his nephew’s well chosen words
.  “’Tis progress, and ye fared well at the table this night also, for I noticed that she did not pull the trencher onto thy lap.”

Garrick laughed. 
“Aye, but I was prepared to jump if she had!”

Edmund laughed hardily. 
“As I would have been also.”

The two talked hardly aware of Lydan’s hard scowl at their jesting words or the angry thoughts that swirled in his head.  He didn’t like being made a fool, nor feeling cheated, and that’s exactly how he felt right now!  But before he left this place he would get even with both Garrick and Miranda, they could count on that…!

She lay in bed that night thinking of Garrick’s soft low words, and remembering the feel of his hand upon her.  She was attracted to him, it was that simple—though, she didn’t want to be!  The man was a man much older than she, though that in itself didn’t bother her, for he was a man of strength and honor, and she admired that…  But what did bother her was that in the midst of her thoughts of
Garrick,
her heart realized that she was lying in her husband’s bed thinking of another man…!  She clenched her eyes shut tightly as she whispered.
‘Oh, William, forgive me…’
  And guilt made her promise herself that she would avoid the man as much as she could from now on!

The next day she dressed in a burgundy gown, her long hair lay in ringlets as she always wore it, as she made her way to Edmund’s table again.  Those in the great hall turned to glance at her, she should have been used to it by now—but she was sure she never would be!  Her father-in-law stood and met her half way, the men at the table stood also as she curtsied low and greeted the man who looked so much like her husband that it always made her heart ache.  “M’lord.”

He smiled and lifted her chin to meet his gaze.  “Ye look lovely this morning, Miranda.  Did ye sleep well?”

She nodded and knew then that indeed he had not heard her crying that night.

He seated her aside Garrick again, and again as she looked up she was met with Lydan’s angry scowl from across the table.  In truth, she was not sure if it was better to be seated beside the scoundrel or to have to look at him instead!  She stared at him for a long unblinking moment
, then glanced away more than annoyed with his threatening looks, before she took a drink of her watered wine.  Despite his angry glare, the meal was again pleasant; Garrick bid her a soft good day, but then turned his attention away.  She only nodded in reply; and yet somehow, she found herself listening to his low strong voice and watching his tanned work roughened hands as he picked up his food from the trencher they shared, regardless of her wary thoughts from last night.

He had strong hands, with long straight tapered fingers, hands that were not idle and soft, but hands that knew how to work and protect—but also how to be gentle.  She blushed again at the direction of her thoughts and lowered her eyes, reminding herself of her husband.  She bit her lip and frowned not knowing how she could
love a man so completely and forget him so easily! 
Oh, what was she doing!

As if the men at the table could read her very thoughts, they all turned and looked at her.  She blushed when she realized they had all stopped talking and were staring at her!  She stood abruptly excusing herself with an unsure voice
, before she turned and took the stairs quickly.

She closed the door to
William’s chamber and glanced around it reminding herself that he had not even been gone three whole months!  She sank down onto his chair dropping her face into her hands as she wept, feeling guilty for thinking of another man...and wishing that Garrick would just leave!

Garrick glanced at his uncle as the girl fled from his side wanting nothing more than to go after her, but the older man merely shook his head.   He bit back a curse and forced himself to remain seated despite himself.

Edmund looked down then lifted his cup to his lips with a calm hand. 
“Leave her be.  She just needs time to adjust
.”

The men glanced at each other then back
to their uncle as he resumed his meal as if nothing had ever happened; but truth be told, he had seen the look in her eyes as she glanced at Garrick shyly.  And he knew that the man intrigued her, and so he was sure it was that that had sent her to her room in tears…  Somehow, he could almost read the girl’s thoughts, and though it was hard for him to see her slowly forget his son, he was glad that she was beginning to care for his nephew.

Lydan leaned forward in his saddle, his voice a discreet whisper,
“…Uncle…”
He looked around making sure that Garrick was still occupied with the tenant. 
“Is it right to give the girl in marriage to a man who is so much older than she?  Truly, the girl is only six and ten summers, Garrick ‘tis almost twice her age and he shall be in the grave and leave her a yet a widow again.”

Edmund turned to his nephew with cold intent eyes.  “
If
the girl chooses him, then I shall not worry as to his age and neither should ye.”

“I realize that, but I am far younger, not even ten years her senior.”

“All true, Lydan.  But need I remind thee that by thy own words ye rejected her?”

Lydan scowled. 
“I had not the time to consider the thing rightly, taking a wife is not a thing a man can do in the blink of an eye.”

“’Tis true, but Garrick’s offer still stands.”

“But Garrick agreed without any hesitation!  And if I were thee I would fear because of it, for he did so only to spite me and not for the good of the girl!” 

Edmund looked ahead not commenting on his nephew’s rantings.
  It was true, but yet he knew where Garrick’s heart lay as far as the girl and her child were concerned.  And in truth, he could not be more pleased that his nephew cared not only for the girl, but for her child also—it had been an answer to his prayers though he would not share that with the younger man beside him. 
“I thank thee for thy concern, but I shall worry of Garrick’s motives—ye just mind thy own.”

Lydan hid his scowl and glanced to where Garrick still stood, his hands on hip, his leg cocked in front of him casually as he spoke with the old farmer who leaned against his wooden rake.  Garrick held out his hand to the old man; then turned and walked back to the two men waiting for him
, before he mounted again silently.

Edmund leaned forwards in his saddle and eyed with younger man carefully.  “Ye were long in coming, Garrick.  What did the man have to s
ay that drew thy interest so?”

The younger man’s brows knit together not wanting those who rode with them to notice his concerned look.  His voice was low and controlled as he spoke, “The man said that three Welshmen had lodged with him a few days back.”

“Welsh?!  This far south?!  Are ye sure?”

Garrick nodded.  “Aye, they stayed but one night.”

“Did he tell ye more?!  I would like to know where they were headed…!”

The younger man just shook his head with a concerned look that matched his uncle’s.
“Nay…  They only told him that they were headed towards a settlement not far from here.  And that they had come with some sort of business to take care of…  He tried to inquire more, but they were very evasive with him.”

The two men looked at one another, more than concerned at what they had learned.  One thing and one thing only was on their minds—
Miranda
—though neither of them spoke it aloud.  But they both knew that the Welsh kept themselves from English settlements, knowing that they would not be welcomed here if they ventured this way.  And they knew, that it was no accident that the men had come this far and they were worried!

Miranda got ready for the evening meal without knowing of the things that had taken place that day.  Her thoughts turned again to Garrick as they had all day, despite herself.  She wondered if he would ask her to walk again with him that night, and she knew if he did she should not agree.  In truth, she didn’t intend to disrespect either Garrick or her father-in-law, though she could not allow herself to get any closer to the man than she already had.

But the men were late in returning that night, and Miranda found herself dining with the women in the
great hall seated at the long tables to the side, instead of at her father-in-law’s table on the raised dais.  She frowned to herself wondering at their delay, worried that they had come across trouble...  Through the meal the women only talked of their day, while Miranda’s mind was far from the conversation around her as she ate in silence.

When the meal ended, she was left alone at the table in the
great hall as the rest went to sit before the stone hearth to tell stories and laugh.  She looked down, uncomfortably aware that she were only a mere guest here and that without her father-in-law by her side she had no place even among his own people.  She drew a long sigh and looked around awkwardly wishing Edmund were here, before she quietly slipped from the room…

She hadn’t intended to turn towards the side, nor go down the long hall towards the
bailey that was still busy with those finishing a hard day’s work, but yet she didn’t stop herself as she walked along curiously.  Edmund had not forbid her to go there, and yet he had not given her permission either…  But the sounds that filtered through the open window drew her attention and made her curious all the same.

She
glanced over her shoulder, then stepped out of the doorway and walked towards the busy bailey and smiled to herself knowing that somehow she felt almost akin to those around her, more so than to those in the castle.  She walked along shyly, smiling at those who greeted her with dirty weathered faces—faces that only managed to make her feel homesick again.  But these were her people, and soon she felt herself relax as she walked among them, though she was dressed grander than they, in her heart she was still one of them.  But then suddenly, she felt someone come up behind her and she stiffened as they whispered her name with a Celtic dialect, and pressed something into her palm as they said
, “Not a word…!”
  And then they were gone.

She froze a mere second before she brought
the thing before her with a trembling hand and looked down at the small leather satchel.  She frowned and turned looking at those around her, searching for the person who had given it to her, but whoever it was had disappeared into the crowd and she couldn’t even be sure who it had been!  She swallowed hard and stepped back unsteadily watching those around her with cautious eyes before she turned and hurried towards the castle steps again, glancing over her shoulder nervously as she went.