“Mama, he’s come back. Sir Braxton has come back!”
Gray did come to a halt, then. Puzzled, she wiped the sweat from her brow with the back of her hand before wiping her palms on her apron. It was just shy of sunset; Braxton had been gone a little over a day and already he was back. She felt a strange sense of excitement at her daughter’s announcement. But she also wondered why he had returned so soon.
“Where is he?” she asked as the two of them left the kitchen yard.
Brooke was half-trotting, half-walking. “In the bailey. Hurry, Mama. He’s brought gifts!”
Gray froze for a moment, staring at her excited daughter. A bit bewildered and more than curious, she resumed following her bouncing child out into the main portion of the bailey.
Braxton and his men were indeed returned. The five massive wagons were being parked against the southern wall while the bulk of the army was already setting up their encampment. Brooke decided her mother wasn’t moving quickly enough and raced back to grab her hand, tugging her along. Very shortly, they ran headlong into a big black charger with an equally big knight astride it.
“Sir Braxton,” Brooke said excitedly. “Here she is. I found her just as you asked.”
Gray looked up, shielding her eyes from the glare of the setting sun. Braxton was astride his destrier, clad in full battle armor. She’d never seen the man with his helm on. In fact, she’d never seen him in full armor. Every time she had been around him, he had been in various stages of dress – mail only, pieces of plate armor, and no armor at all. He didn’t seem fanatical about maintaining his plate protection at all times as some knights did. Now, clad as if going to war, he looked imposing, powerful, and frightening. He smiled down at her, his blue-green eyes glowing.
“My lady,” he greeted in his soft, deep voice. “This day has you looking well.”
She smiled faintly. “And it has you looking as if you are preparing invade a small country,” she replied, to which he snorted. “Why have you returned? Has something happened?”
He wriggled his eyebrows in response, dismounting his charger. The two squires were there to take the reins, the older one passing a lingering glance at Brooke. The girl looked back. But the adults were oblivious to the youngsters exchanging glimpses as Braxton focused solely on Gray. In the short time he’d spent away, he’d missed the sight of her.
“Plans have changed,” he said vaguely, removing one of his heavy mail gauntlets. “May I be so bold as to ask you to accompany me into your hall?”
Gray nodded while Braxton removed his helm, handed it over to the younger of his squires, and extended an elbow to her. When she looked at him, still puzzled by his swift reappearance, he merely smiled. It loosened her enough to the point where she smiled back. Then she took his arm; it felt solid, reassuring, and safe. She realized she was glad to see him.
Even as he led her up the stairs, there was tremendous activity going on in the bailey. Men were clustered in well organized groups and several of them were offloading wood and other materials out of one of the wagons. That was about all Gray saw before Braxton took her into the keep, yet she could still hear the noise behind her. Once inside, Braxton took her straight into the hall.
Gray recognized Braxton’s three knights, lingering near the massive dining table. Servants were bringing out pitchers of the nasty wine and trays of dried fruits, as it was the only items of hospitality they had to offer. As she drew close, she noticed that there was a myriad of items strewn over the table; bolts of fine fabric, pins, belts, silks, and a box containing spools and spools of thread. Her mouth popped open with astonishment at the sight while Brooke, having rushed in behind her, began to squeal with delight. Brooke was all over the table, exclaiming about the beauty of the items, as Gray stood there with her mouth hanging open. Braxton stood beside her, watching her astonished face.
“I hope these are to your liking,” he said quietly. “I was not sure what women of fine fashion would like, so I asked a merchant in Kendal. He told me that these items were most popular right now.”
Before Gray could reply, Braxton turned to Dallas and muttered something. The young knight went over to a pile of fabric at the far end of the table and drew forth a heavy blue brocade cloak lined with luxurious gray fur. He returned with the garment held high as Braxton pointed to it.
“The merchant assured me that this cloak is the warmest one he had,” he fingered the gray lining when it came near. “I know it seems foolish purchasing a cloak when the weather has been so warm, but winters this far north can be exceedingly bitter. I was not sure if you had something suitable for the approaching season.”
Gray stared at it. It seemed that she was having difficulty speaking. “For… me?” she whispered.
Braxton smiled. “Of course. Unless you do not like it, whereupon I will take it back to the merchant and bring you back something you will like. Or you can keep it and I shall go buy you another one you will like better.”
Hesitantly, she reached out to finger the fur. It was some kind of fox, complementing the beautiful blue fabric. Before she could say anything, Brooke found a cloak for herself in the pile at the end of the table and she hooted with delight. She swung it around her shoulders, delighting in the beauty of it, but couldn’t seem to navigate the fasten. Geoff was standing the closest to her and came to the rescue. With the cloak fastened, Brooke put the hood on her head and skipped about the room in delight.
Gray watched her daughter joyfully parade around. It only reminded her that she had never been able to provide her daughter with such comfort. Brooke had never even seen a fur-lined cloak, much less owned one. The sight brought tears to her eyes. She looked at Braxton.
“My lord,” her voice was choked. “Your thoughtfulness, as always, is beyond words, but these items must have cost you a fortune. I cannot… that is to say, I could never repay you for these, and all of the hospitality in the world would not do just compensation.”
He gazed down at her, the blue-green eyes gleaming. “Standing here with you is enough compensation for a thousand such things.” When she struggled to blink away the tears, he tucked her hand into the crook of his elbow. “Walk with me, madam. Please.”
Dumbly, she followed him from the hall. Behind them, Brooke was still crowing about her cloak. It made Braxton smile to hear the girl’s excitement. He took Gray out of the keep, down the repaired steps, and into the bailey. She kept her head down, struggling not to let loose with an emotional display, as he led her from the fortress and out into the green Cumbrian landscape beyond. The pace was slow, giving her time to compose herself.
“Now,” he said quietly. “Before you become angry with me for the gifts I have brought, you should know that I did it for purely selfish reasons.”
She looked up at him, her pretty amber eyes glistening with moisture. “Selfish?”
“Aye,” he said. “I am hoping to bribe you.”
Her expression turned dubious. “Bribe me? For what?”
He came to a halt, facing her in the light of the setting sun. She was an astoundingly gorgeous creature. “Because I want you to allow me to do good things for you, madam.”
“I do not understand.”
Her hand was still tucked into the crook of his elbow. He took it in his ungloved hand, holding it sweetly. “I have done much in my life that was perhaps not so good. I have killed because men have paid me to kill. I stopped going to confession long ago because the priests said I could never do enough penance to make up for the evils I have done. So I was hoping… nay, I was praying that you would allow me to do good things for you in the hope that it might make up for the wrongs I have done. You look as if you could use good deeds. And I have done many wrongs, madam. Many indeed.”
Her tears had stopped. A look of serenity came over her face, illuminated by the glow of the dying sun. “You have been overwhelmingly good to me and my family since we met you, my lord,” she said softly. “I cannot imagine you committing horrible deeds. You
seem the essence of knightly chivalry, for certainly, you have done more for me in two days than any one person has done for me over a life time.”
His smile returned. “It is not something that comes easily to me, I assure you. But it was a strange day when I met you in the trees.”
“What do you mean?”
He shrugged. “Simply that I wasn’t supposed to be there,” he replied. “My men and I were due in Kendal that very day but we veered off track chasing a hefty buck. It was the same buck that we ate that night at Erith. That animal took several arrows and still refused to fall, so we chased it. It didn’t fall until right before I heard your screams. And then I followed your cries and found you.”
She smiled timidly. “A fortuitous coincidence, my lord.”
He shook his head. “ ’Tis more than that. It was as if… almost as if I was meant to find you there. As if I was meant to save Brooke. I cannot explain it any more than that.”
Gray wasn’t quite sure how to answer him. Their eyes met and she looked away, smiling bashfully. Never in her life had she met a man who had even said the remotest kind word to her. She did not know how to respond.
“In any case,” he continued, enchanted with her dimpled smile. “I do not want you to be angry with me for bringing you gifts. You deserve to be showered in fine things.”
She shrugged and resumed their walk at a slower pace. “You are most kind to say so, my lord, but I must be honest when I say that I cannot, in good conscience, accept your gifts. I know that you are trying to do good for me and for my daughter, and believe me when I tell you that it brings me joy as you will never know to see her happy over something as simple as a cloak, but I am not sure that it is entirely proper for me to accept gifts from… well, from a….”
“Stranger?” he finished, watching her nod in mute agreement. “In faith, I am not so sure that I am a stranger. After all, we spent a good deal of time in conversation the other night. We came to know quite a bit about one another.”
“True.”
“Would you accept gifts from a friend?”
She cast him a glance from the corner of her eye. “I might.”
He smiled broadly. “Good. Then I would be honored to call you my friend. And, if God is good to me, perhaps something more in time.”
She came to a sudden halt, facing him. All of the warmth was drained from her face. “What more?”
He could see the fear in her eyes again. “My intentions are honorable, my lady, I assure you.”
“What do you mean?”
He put his hands on his hips, hoping to lightly diffuse what could build into an unpleasant situation. He could just read the suspicion on her face.
“Can a man not work up the courage to declaring his intentions?” he demanded lightly. “Must I be plain all within the first few days of knowing you? If you must know, then I am a coward. Women frighten me. It is not easy for me to state my intentions right away. I must ease into such a thing. To declare my interest for you all at one time might cause my heart to stop or my brain to freeze. The shock would likely kill me. You would not want that, would you?”
Gray was torn between giggling and the seriousness of the situation. She settled for amazement. “You would… declare your intentions? For me?”
He scowled. “Give me time, you pushy wench.”
A grin joined her amazed expression. “But… my lord, we discussed this the other night. I have nothing of value to offer.”
“And I am a knight bannerette with no property or standing.”
“I am well beyond marriageable age.”
He waved her off. “Are you mad? You are young and beautiful and when I gather enough courage, I shall… well, you know.…”
She could not believe what she was hearing. The astonishment was more than she could bear. “Nay, I do not know.”
Braxton scratched his forehead. In fact, he looked almost nervous. “Must I be plain?”
“I am afraid so.”
He gazed down at her, the sweet curves of her face, the delicious manner in which her amber eyes reflected the dying sun. He could look into her eyes and see a daughter with her exquisite face and his blue-green eyes or a strong son with her sensibility and his strength. He could see his unborn children reflecting in the depths of her amber orbs. Before he realized it, his hands were gripping her upper arms and he pulled her against his chest. His face was no more than an inch from hers as he spoke.
“I mean to marry you, madam,” he rumbled. “But until that time, I intend to spoil you as you were meant to be spoiled, and to shower you with attention as you were meant to know. Those are my intentions, as plainly spoken as I can make them.”
Gray gazed up at him, so completely swept away by his words that, for a moment, she forgot to breathe. There was such power in his grip, such strength in his face. She’d thought so from the moment she first saw him. For the first time in her life, she felt excitement from a man’s touch. For the first time in her life, she experienced the first sparks of true joy. It was the most amazing dream she could imagine. So she said the first thing that came to mind.
“Are you drunk?”
Braxton’s eyes widened. Then he broke out in laughter so strong that he nearly fell over with the force of it. Gray watched him, a smile on her lips, as he wiped his eyes.
“Aye, madam, I am drunk,” he struggled to catch his breath. “I am drunk with your beauty and charm and wit.”
She laughed shyly, watching him compose himself. As much as his declaration struck her, she was equally puzzled. “But… even if all you say is true, the fact remains that traveling is part of your vocation. I cannot wander with you. Even if you were to marry me, my place is here, with my daughter.”
His laughter was fading. “You worry overly. I would never dream of separating you from your child.”
“Does that mean you will live here, with us?”
He could only shake his head. “All I know is that the moment I laid eyes upon you, I knew I had to have you. Beyond that, I have not thought it through. Give me time, madam. I will do what needs to be done, for us both.”
It was a vague answer, but not a frightening one. In fact, now that her shock was wearing off, an odd sense of elation was taking hold. Braxton watched her lovely face for a moment before extending his hand to her.
“May I have permission to court you, then?”
She gazed at his open palm before slowly placing her hand within his. “I will consider it.”
He brought her fingers to his lips, the first kiss between them sending waves of exhilaration through her body. It was a very sweet, very tender moment, in a life that had known none. But her fingers tasted so sweet that he gave a gentle tug, pulling her up against him once more. He held her close, gazing down into her miraculous eyes and wishing he was without his armor. He so wanted to feel her soft body against his. His lips came down upon hers, tenderly. When he felt her respond, his kiss turned insistent and hot. His tongue gently snaked against her lips, tasting her flesh with all of the satisfaction of a man tasting the ambrosia of Heaven. He forced himself to pull away, knowing he would be lost if he did not.
“Please do,” he said huskily.
His passion had left her dazed. She licked her lips, tasting him on her flesh. “What… what if you change your mind?”
“I will not.”
They walked back to the fortress without another word between them. They didn’t have to.
CHAPTER FIVE
Erith was a fortress under construction.
Three days after making his declaration, Braxton had transformed from a mercenary into a Master Builder. True, all of his men carried varied talents and were well paid for their worth, but now they were focused on building something rather than killing people. And the activity around the dying fortress made quite a site.
Braxton had sent Dallas and Geoff into the nearby town of Levens to recruit workers. They had returned with about thirty men to do a hard day’s work at good w
ages. The next day, those men had brought another fifty men with them looking for work, most of them farmers hoping to earn a decent wage. By the third day, there were nearly two hundred laborers from all over Southern Cumbria working on the fortress; repairing walls, rebuilding the stables, and even building a new structure against the inner wall. Braxton called it the barracks and the men were building it in sturdy stones quarried from a small valley three miles to the east. The area had once been a river bed, long ago, and had tons of stone perfect for building.
Braxton had also put the word out over the countryside that Erith was seeking servants for the domestic chores. He swore to Gray that she would never again have to churn butter or mend an apron. In fact, he made sure that those female servants who could sew were already working on garments made from the fabric he had brought. He wanted to see Gray in something lovely, as she was meant to wear. He seemed to be trying to make up for her difficult life all in just a few days. He couldn’t seem to do enough for her fast enough.
As overwhelming as it was, it was also bewildering. Gray struggled to keep her wits about her as Braxton worked to take away all of her troubles. She kept thinking that she was dreaming and that she would soon awaken back to the life she had always known, but so far, each day seemed to improve. There was food aplenty, the fortress was being repaired, and Brooke was the first family member, on the third day, to wear a brand new surcoat with a pretty beaded belt to match. Gray had wept at the sight of it. Braxton had merely smiled.
Through all of the building and sewing and restoration, Constance remained persistently arrogant and existed under a sense of entitlement. As far as she was concerned, Braxton could build Erith into a golden palace and it would be fine with her. She’d not spoken to Gray about it more than to simply voice her approval. Gray, of course, had not mentioned anything about Braxton’s intentions to her mother. It would only serve to bring about some manner of disapproval from Constance. Moreover, Gray wanted to see if Braxton still felt the same by week’s end. He could very well change his mind after a few days, realizing he’d gotten himself into far more than he’d bargained for. So until then, Gray kept their little secret. But it was a deliriously wonderful one.