In Love With A Warrior (Gunn Guardsman (Book 4)) (22 page)

He nodded. It had been a long winter, most of which he’d been confined to bed. James was filled with joy the day his mother and Emlyn allowed him out of it. He used the thick stick his father had carved for him to lean upon. His leg hadn’t healed and he needed assistance to walk. Although it pained him still, he forwent the desire to rest it as he should.

“Grey will be calling me back soon.”

“I suppose he will. I want ye to know that I’m glad you came and that we spent this time together.”

James retook his position by the fence and leaned on it. “There’s no need to explain. I shouldn’t have been so affronted when you came to the keep. You surprised me by risking your life, for many of the Gunns still hold ye in contempt.”

“Let me speak my peace. I did try to kill my own brother and not a day goes by that I don’t thank God I wasn’t successful. He was more a laird than I could’ve ever been. I knew that then and now. And so is his son. You respect him. If you did not, you would not be so loyal.”

“I do respect him. As much as I would return here, I have my duty and I cannot let Grey down.”

Emlyn came from his parent’s cottage. She held a bow in her hands and approached. Her stride intent, he wondered what she was about.

“Where do ye think you’re going?”

“I need to practice if I’m to master the bow. I can’t seem to get it right.” She marched toward the stable. “Your father set a target for me.”

He raised a brow at his father. “You encourage her.”

“Mayhap. I’m off to see what Alys is up to.” His father ambled away with a wide grin on his face.

James trailed after Emlyn and when he got to the stable, he saw the sack sitting on a block of wood afar. Emlyn set her bow and arrow, and she missed the target. He would’ve laughed, but she appeared to take the matter seriously, and he wouldn’t cause her affront. After watching her for five minutes, he grew impatient. “You’re doing it all wrong. Who taught you to shoot arrows?”

“My brother Griffen did. He is the best at it and taught me.”

“If he’s the best, your father’s archers must be …” James groaned, unable to say what he was really thinking. He approached her and stood behind her. His positioned his cheek next to hers. “Forget everything your brother bespoke.”

She turned and her lips were a scant away from his. James wanted to kiss her, but she turned back to face the target. “What do you know about arrows?”

He laughed. “I know a wee bit about it. Now keep your eyes ahead. Set your arrow and lift it until it is in line with your nose. Aye, now you need to lift your elbow.” He’d set his hands on her waist and turned her so she was standing sideways. He nudged her elbow with his hand. James moved closer, pressing his body against hers.

She turned again and leaned her head against his chest. “I fear I will never get the hang of this.”

“You will. Set again.”

Emlyn turned sideways, raised the bow until the arrow was in line with her nose. She raised her elbow and pulled back on the arrow. “Akin to this?”

“Aye, now use your sight to position the tip of the arrow with where you want it to strike. Keep still and pull the arrow back. Release it when you’re ready.”

She did as he instructed and released the arrow. It hit the sack and actually made it fall from its perch on the log.

“Good shot, lass.”

Emlyn turned in his arms and kissed him. It was the kind of kiss he’d wished for in the past few days, and he pulled her against him. James had spent much time considering his dilemma with her and the more he thought of it the more befuddled he became. But she damn well tormented him with her bonny body and sweet lips.

She pulled back and whispered, “I did it.”

“Aye. Just remember what I told ye and you’ll hit the target every time.”

“I will.”

His father approached and shouted. “James, come.” His held his hand above his eyes, shielding the glare from the snowy field and looked far off. “Someone comes.”

James turned and peered behind him. Upon the hillside he saw the riders advancing. Several only approached the farthest wall and one lone rider moved forward. As the man got closer he could tell who it was. “It is Gordy. He must have a message from Grey.”

When Gordy reached them, he continued to sit his horse. “James, I’ve a message for you.”

Emlyn stood next to him, smiling at the young soldier. “Gordy, how goes it?”

“Milady,” he said and bowed his head. “It goes as well as it can. Darned cold though. I’m happy spring is coming.”

“Aye, me as well.”

“Can we dispense with the pleasantries? Where’s the message?” James held out his hand. He would’ve laughed at the young soldier, but kept a serious demeanor.

“Apologies, James, I just can’t help looking at her. Ah, here’s the message.” Gordy handed the missive to him and bowed his head again.

“You can cease looking at her. You’ve your duty and have no time for such cosh.”

“Aye, you’re right. I’ll be off. Good day, all.” He kicked his horse’s haunches and trotted off to the awaiting sentry in the field.

James watched him retreat until he disappeared beyond the hill. He used the wood and leaned on it and hobbled toward the cottage. He sat upon the bedding and pulled the covering aside of the window casement to afford light. Emlyn came inside and sat next to him.

“What does it say? And since when do you know how to read?” She tried to take the missive from him, but he held onto it firmly.

“We learned with Grey when we were lads. All of us, even Duff, knows how to read.” James held the missive up and started to read it. He knew his expression changed, for Emlyn leaned closer and tried to read it, but he kept it close.

“James, please. Don’t keep me in suspense. What does Laird Gunn say?”

“I’m not sure I should tell ye. It will only cause your worry.”

“I don’t worry, James, I take action. Now speak of it.” Emlyn set a hand on his shoulder and squeezed him.

She’d thrown his words back at him and he remembered saying that to her once. James sighed. “Our king is angry that your father did not abide by the pact that Marshall requested. He claims Marshall is offended that he was duped by both you and your father. He deems he will seek retribution.”

“Oh, nay. He must have realized … What will happen?”

James raised his eyes and looked at her bonny face. “War.”

“It is what my father wanted. I won’t hold guilt for it, for he wanted Marshall to come.”

“You see, my lovely, before Marshall was content with the petty attacks and their back and forth plundering. Now it is more than that. His honor is at stake and he want’s retribution and won’t hold back until he is appeased. The attacks will be fiercer and dire. Many will die.”

Emlyn rose off the bedding. “I should return home.”

“What can you do? Do not be ridiculous. I won’t allow you to return home, Emlyn, not to fight the war your father insisted upon. Let him deal with the consequences.”

She turned and looked ireful. “I shall return home. You have no right to tell me otherwise. My family is in jeopardy and it is because of me. I will have to go to Marshall then and make amends, soothe his honor.”

“You’ll do no such thing.” James tried to move off the bed, but his leg pained him and he leaned against the chair. “I will not have you endangering yourself. Is that not why we brought you here to begin with? What we risked everything for?”

“I will take to war. I am a warrior and you should know I hold as much honor.”

James laughed. “You’re bonny when you’re talking nonsense. What know you of being a warrior? Have you ever fought in a war? Do you know what it’s like to actually kill a man with your sword, with your bare hands? How your hand wanes from the weight of him when he meets his maker? How his blood soils you and stays with you for days, weeks. How you know a life was taken for a political dealing that likely wouldn’t affect your life or his?” By the time James finished his tirade, his nose flared with his hastened breath.

She calmly sat upon the bedding, looking at him with a serene gaze. “You deem by saying this it will upset me. It won’t for I know what happens in battle. Aye, I know the cardinal rules of being a warrior and how affected you become. I am not an inane lass.”

“You bespoke of these rules before. Tell me what they are?”

She folded her hands and set them on her lap. “One, a warrior does not show emotion. Two, a warrior does not back down from an opponent unless death takes them. Three, a warrior holds his or her brothers in arms with honor and respect. Four, a warrior does not disobey a command. And lastly, a warrior holds loyalty above all else.”

James wanted to laugh, but he held in such appall. “A warrior always shows emotion. Without it, he is an animal, or soulless.” He pulled her into his arms and tried to kiss her, but she pushed him away.

“I mean what I said. I should go and aid my family.”

“I meant what I said. You should not. I will hear no further argument, Emlyn. I am charged with your care and until I am released from that duty, you will do as you’re told. Your father bade me to allow no harm come to you, and I mean to honor his command, as a warrior should.”

“You had no right to accept his command. And when did my father bid such of you? You never mentioned this. You spoke with him?”

James firmed his lips and decided he might as well speak the truth. “Aye, just before your farewell celebration, he called me to the hall. I met with him. He told me he did not want you given to Marshall. He said to keep you and care for you. Your father paid for our aid with a hefty bride price. Aye, there I said it.”

“You mean he paid you to keep me?” Her voice came out with a dejected sigh.

“Aye, but more than that. He bought you a husband with a fair amount of coin, more than ample payment. That says much about him. He gave you to me.”

Emlyn’s shoulders slouched in defeat. “He had no right to do that.”

James detested seeing the look of despair in her eyes. “Aye, damned right he did. He’s your father. He has given me the right to see to your welfare and I won’t allow you to put yourself in harm’s way for him or anyone.”

“Then there is nothing more to discuss is there?” A lone tear slipped down her cheek.

James flinched inside for he’d never seen her cry. His heart tensed at causing her such misery. “Nay, there is not.”

Chapter Twenty-Three

She spoke nary a word to him the entire ride to the Gunn keep. Emlyn was still wrath with him over his dictate that she not return home, and the fact that her father had bartered her. Now that James was on the mend, she released her heart of the guilt. She could also relieve him of his honor-bound duty. His words hurt deeply, for she hadn’t expected to hear her father paid handsomely for her to be gone. If he hadn’t wanted her, why did he not just send her to Marshall and save himself the trouble of a war?

If he wanted a war, she could’ve stayed home and aided him. Mayhap her father cared not what happened to her. Her heart was in a quandary. As much as she cared for James, she didn’t want her family endangered even if they bore no fond feeling for her. If only Gareth hadn’t told Marshall about her. But then she never would have met James.

She glanced at him, riding in the back of the cart. His leg concerned her because it hadn’t healed properly. He wouldn’t let her tend to it once his arm and back fully healed. She wanted to look at it, but he wouldn’t allow her. Damn his wounded pride.

He used a stick and scratched at a parchment. She tried to see what he was doing, but he held it close to his body and hid it. The man was too elusive, and she wondered if he wrote something about her in it.

The Gunn keep was just ahead, and she knew as soon as they arrived, she’d see very little of him. And once she left, he would want nothing to do with her. They passed the gatehouse and through the bailey. Their keep was well-tended, and a gaiety seemed to be about the clans people. Banners hung on doors and some along the lane. Trees from saplings to a mighty oak set the grounds. A large wall surrounded the great area and insets of stone had various plants set in the hollow of them.

Emlyn was impressed. Her home in no way rivaled its beauty. The Gunn keep appeared to be that of a great clan and beheld wealth. She wondered if they were attacked often for the palisade rose high enough to keep out an enemy.

“You’re quiet this day. Are you still wrath with me?”

She turned to peer at him when the cart stopped. Her heart could’ve stopped beating at how handsome he looked. She wanted to push back his brown locks from his forehead and smooth her hand over his beard. James hadn’t removed his whiskers since he’d been injured and it bothered her not for it suited him and gave him a knavish look.

“Emlyn?”

She shook herself from her thoughts when he touched her hand.

“I don’t want our homecoming filled with angst. Can you not smile? You do know you need to return my sword and dirk?”

Emlyn couldn’t help but grin. She’d refused to give James back his sword when he’d asked for it. He wasn’t happy about it either. “Mayhap I shall return them, one day.”

His eyes grew serious and staid. “I need the dirk. It belongs to Duff and he’ll be wanting it back. And my sword … was made specifically for my hand and no other. Besides, you can barely lift it.”

She reached into her boot and pulled the dirk free. She set the hilt in his hand. “My thanks for letting me use it. My sword and dagger are gone, as is my other satchel. Do you know what happened to it? I shall return your sword when my belongings are returned to me.”

James shook his head and if he was guilty of hiding it, he didn’t look one bit contrite.

“Will you stay with me?”

His request quickened her heart. What did he mean by such a question? She was going to ask, but they were disturbed by his laird who cleared his throat and watched them with mirth.

“Am I interrupting something?” Laird Gunn stood beside the horse, looking confused. “Why are you riding in the cart, James?”

“Gordy didn’t tell you?” James shuffled to the edge of the cart and hopped off, landing on his good foot.

“He mentioned you were injured but were mending. I didn’t deem it was serious.”

“Aye that is the truth. I’m still on the mend.” James used the stick his father gave him and limped along until he reached Grey’s side.

“What’s wrong with your leg?”

“It was broken and is slow to heal. Nothing to worry about.”

She was about to interject and tell his laird the truth, but Grey approached her.

“Lady Emlyn, you’ve our thanks for rescuing James. Gordy told us of your experience.”

She smiled slightly and bowed. “It was my duty, Laird Gunn. I was happy to get him to safety and aid.”

“Grey, call me Grey. My wife will have my hide if a good friend of our clan holds with such proprieties.”

“Very well, Grey. James is being an arse.”

Grey laughed and bent with the exertion of it. “He often is. Come inside and you can tell me what he’s done to incite your ire.”

Emlyn moved forward to assist James, but he wouldn’t allow her. He moved slowly, and she left him behind and entered the keep. She was surprised to find women and children within. The lady who greeted Grey was beautiful with shining golden hair much akin to her sister Suzanna’s. She had an ugly scar on her pretty face, but it didn’t detract from her beauty. The lady, after speaking low with Grey approached her.

“Princess Emlyn, welcome to our home. I’m Bree and these are our children. Sunny is the tall lass.”

The girl curtseyed. “Are you really a princess? You don’t look akin to one.”

Emlyn laughed because she certainly didn’t appear as a princess garbed in her manly breeches and tunic. “Some may say I’m a princess, but I don’t deem to be.”

“Sunny, that is not a question to ask of our guest. The two younger are Grace and Greer. Be careful around them. They often cause ye to lose your footing.”

The children were wee versions of their parents. It had been sometime since Emlyn had been around lads and lasses of such an age.

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Lady Gunn.”

“Call me Bree. I hear you stayed with Alys and Joseph. How are they? I haven’t seen Alys since last autumn.”

“Aye they were very hospitable and are well.” Emlyn was surprised that the lady and James’ mother visited each other. She’d heard there was strife between James’ family and that of the Gunn clan, but she didn’t ask questions since it was none of her affair.

“There is no need to be formal, Emlyn. Come, we shall go where the men’s ears are not so prevalent. And you can tell me this far-fetched story of how you saved James. For I disbelieve it. James is usually the one doing the saving.”

Emlyn turned toward the door and saw James standing there watching her with his deep brown eyes. She sighed before moving ahead when Bree linked her arm with hers.

*****

As soon as James took a seat at the large trestle table, Grey plied him with questions. He was in no mood to placate his laird and was beginning to get a headache.

“Do you wish to see Catherine? Why isn’t your leg healing? What the hell happened? How were you captured? I want a full accounting of the details.”

“Nay,” he said in answer to the first question about the healer. “I don’t need a healer.” James didn’t deem their clan’s healer could do anything more for him that hadn’t already been done. He shook his head and took the cup offered by Bea, the keep’s maid. He gave her a smile in greeting.

Grey cleared the hall with a wave of his hand. Three maids took the children away, but before Sunny departed, she ran to him and hugged him.

He clasped the sweet lass in his arms. “I’ve missed ye, lass. You’re getting taller and look well.”

She released him and smiled as she followed the maids from the hall. Sunny didn’t speak much and still maintained her shyness. She was sired by Greer, their comrade, who died protecting Bree from a foe. Grey and Bree raised her as their own, but she much resembled her father and that made James think of his friend.

Duff entered the hall and held out his hand as he stood next to him. “Give it back.”

James shook his head.

“Nay?” Duff said incredulously.

“I told you I was going to keep it and give to Ranal when he reaches training. Did ye forget?” James threw his bad leg upon the chair next to him with a bang and winced at the shot of pain that reverberated. “I got it right here in my boot.”

His friend laughed and sat across from him. “Aye you’ll be his champion. I did forget you spoke your wish. Ranal could do with no finer champion.”

Duff’s words humbled him and James raised his cup in honor. “I actually forgot about it too until I saw you.” James felt an ease of contentment come over him at being home. He’d missed his friends, the keep, and the land. It was good to be home, but he was a changed man and didn’t know how his life could continue as it had. For he was in no condition to guard anyone, least of all his laird or his family.

Grey pulled on his tunic sleeve. “I take it you didn’t win the lass’ favor?”

The contentment he’d felt was replaced with the frustration he’d experienced in the past weeks when dealing with Emlyn. “Nay I did not.”

“Why the hell not?” Duff asked.

“I told her of her father’s betrothal, and she didn’t take it well. She’d rather be off to war. I’m hesitant to broach the subject of marriage with her.” James would only admit such a flaw to his friends. He wasn’t one to be sullen, but this entire situation caused his apprehension.

Grey chortled and practically spit out the sip of ale he’d taken. “What has you afeared?”

“Her rejection. She will not accept the role of wife to anyone, least of all a man who cannot walk without limping.”

Grey’s face turned grave. “Your injury is that serious? James, you are and always will remain one of the best guardsmen this clan has ever had. It matters not.”

He was humbled again, and shook his head. “But it is not enough to win her or her heart. Aye, it matters greatly to me.”

“What will it take?” Duff asked.

James sighed, for he was damned if he knew. “She wants to be a warrior and to fight with her father’s army against Marshall. There is nothing I can do to win her.”

“Christ Almighty,” Duff said, “I wouldn’t allow my wife to take to arms.”

“Therein rests my problem. She won’t give up on her desire to be a warrior and I won’t allow my wife to use arms. Mayhap I should let her return to her father.” And even as the words left his lips he regretted saying such. He was not wont to let her go. Not now, not ever. But he didn’t have the means to support her now what with his injury and with that of her desire to take to warfare.

“It is not like you to give up so easily, James.” Grey sat back and eyed him curiously.

“There’s no answer to this dilemma. Believe me. I’ve thought long and hard over it for the past few weeks, for that’s all I had to occupy myself. The woman is stubborn and insists only she can save her family.”

“I say take her to the cottage Bree and I use when we wish to be alone. Keep her there until she sees reason. Sometimes you must force a woman to accept your will and in the end they are appeased.”

Both he and Duff laughed at Grey’s remark.

“When have you ever forced Bree to accept your will? Is that what you did to win Bree’s hand? I seem to recall it differently.” James laughed, knowing he spoke falsely for his laird’s wife ruled the keep, but Grey would have it no other way.

“Cosh, don’t remind me. For those were troubling times then and thank God Almighty I was able to convince her to accept me.” Grey finished off his drink and slammed his cup on the table.

“I’ll take ye up on the offer of the cottage.” James wanted to be alone with her and hadn’t been the entire time he was held up at his father’s farmstead. Emlyn avoided being alone with him and he knew why.

“Use it to woo her,” Grey said.

Duff grinned. “Do you need pointers?”

James would’ve laughed, but Duff was not one to jest with and he didn’t want to make banter of his remark even though it was laughable. Besides, Duff had his own troubles wooing his wife Cait, and it took a long time for his friend to accept and commit. “Neither of you are able to help me, I promise you.”

Grey looked up and signaled them to silence when the women returned.

“Have ye heard from Sean or Colm?” James hastily changed the subject.

“Aye. Frances bore Sean a son. His message was joyful. She’s well.”

“That is good news. Nothing from Colm?” James asked.

“Nay, but he’s likely helping Kenneth ready the clan for the planting season. I’m sure Colm will send word when his bairn is born.” Grey sat back and eyed him curiously.

James rose from his seat and went to the buttery and dunked the flagon into the barrel. He limped back to the table and set it down in front of Grey. His laird refilled their cups.

“I would’ve gotten it, James.”

“I needed to stretch. Besides, I can walk, just not afar.”

Emlyn appeared and was dressed in a bonny gown. Her hair was arranged with a golden woven headdress. She looked beautiful and James couldn’t keep his eyes off her. He stilled as she approached, and swore his heart fell from his chest when she smiled at him.

“I’ve prepared a feast in honor of your return, James. I’ve had Gell make all your favorites,” Bree said, and sat next to Grey.