Chapter Two
“Dear Lord preserve me from such a gruff, ornery captain.”
After a few more grumbles under her breath regarding that certain obstinate mon, Heather forced happy thoughts and went her merry way back to the castle to assist Ahna with more touches to the nursery. Ahna had four more weeks or so if calculations held true. They had organized and prettied up the small room adjacent to Ahna and Royce’s large one, but today Ahna would add the bedding to the crib and pillows to the chairs.
Heather could no’ stop remembering Sir Geoffrey’s smile he had tried to hide any more than she could pick the huge mon up and throw him. It had totally surprised her. The gruff English mon could wound a person with his scorching glare, yet that smile could stop a lass in her tracks and give her heart palpitations. Aye, but he be a handsome, brave warrior. And far beyond the likes of her.
Today, she would draw nearer to completion of the full wall painting she had gifted the proud couple for their first child. She had decided on a forest scene with varied colored horses, dogs, cats, and birds, the noonday sun and a few wispy clouds to add brightness and a calming essence to the room.
’Twas a cozy room where mother, father, and bairn could bond and relax. She could no’ be more pleased for Ahna in her marriage to Royce, though he be English with his regiment of warriors who had been granted to live and rule Dillyglen by his English king. Aye, the English were overtaking the border county holdings right and left, to be sure. But no two people could love each other more. Their road to happiness had been long, full of hurt and pain, secrets and deceptions, but they now had everything. Or would, when the child decided to arrive.
She had accepted the fact that with her deformed left leg and awkward limp she would never know such happiness. She dinna lie to herself, dream senseless dreams, or pretend any man would ever see her any differently than inferior. An invalid. Besides, she did possess quite a number of other flaws and faults as well, according to the nuns.
• ♥ •
“Oh, Ahna, ye should have seen his face when he bellowed at the horse to hold! His face turned deep red. I think people call it red rage. His bellow nearly brought down the rafters, it did. No wonder the mon wins all his battles. His roar be enough to scare the bejesus out of the most feared warriors.”
Heather added a few more brush strokes to the clouds, then switched brushes to fill in some birds while Ahna finished stitching and fastening the ruffle around the cradle. It would be a lovely room, and very handy to the couple’s chamber.
They both laughed and giggled as Heather related the whole episode of finally actually meeting the fearless captain.
“That be him, all right,” Heather guffawed. “He be furious, but he soon came around.” She laughed so hard she had tears in her eyes.
Ahna had to hold her increased waist line she chuckled so much. “He has most likely never met any woman quite like ye. He be probably still shaking his head in wonder.” She laughed again. “I would have loved to have been there to hear and see such a first meeting. I must ask Royce if Geoff tells him anything about it.”
“Will ye share what he tells ye?” Heather could no’ contain her grin as she put her shoes back on. She always felt freer, more expressive when painting barefoot.
“Ye will never change. Ye still have that devilment in ye the nuns tried so hard to banish. But do no’ ever change. I would miss ye terribly.”
They hugged each other before leaving the room to sit for another day until they each added more.
As Heather ambled back to her room to wash out her brushes and change clothes, she wondered if she be so content with her present life then why did she feel a tug at her heart, way down deep when she remembered the slight grin she had witnessed on Sir Geoffrey’s face? She had nearly swooned when she noted how it lent a twinkle to his dark, almost-black eyes. Lord above, the man be far too handsome for his own good.
She had had no’ much conversation or interactions with men throughout her life: an occasional visitation or a quick transaction at the market or wherever, nothing more. It was easy to converse with Royce, as he was more like a brother to her, and several of the serfs or pages she counted as good friends. But she truly had no understanding of most men, and certainly not warriors. That was all right, as she had found a new, happy life here. She had no need of a mon—other than friends.
She would have to ask Ahna why he wore a day or two growth of beard rather than a regular beard, or be clean shaven. No matter the reason, God’s truth, it definitely added to his masculine appeal. She sighed.
He also resembled an angry boar. Maybe an angry bear. They were prettier.
• ♥ •
“You should have seen her. That crazy giant was cozying up to her as he was a newborn kitten, and she his mother,” Geoff spouted to Royce as they stood on the sidelines observing the men training. “He actually sounded like he conversed with her, nodding his mighty head. I tell you, she scared the hell out me. Is she always so illogical as to step in harm’s way so easily?”
Royce laughed at his friend’s frustration. “Heather is a tender-hearted woman when it comes to any animal. Actually, she has a love for all others—especially children—and life in general. But she also has a stubborn streak in her…not bad, just determined. You might say strong-willed. From what I understand, it was a constant battle for the nuns to keep her in line at the abbey, as she tended to do what she pleased if it meant helping others. It seems she spent much of her time on her knees saying prayers for forgiveness and to do penance.”
“She certainly has spirit, I’ll give her that. After I reprimanded her, I felt the heat from the fire in her eyes.” They both laughed, yet Geoff again remembered just how beautiful those scorching eyes were.
“I need to meet with Alfred to go over the books. I will catch you later,” Royce said as he turned and crossed the yard to the keep.
Geoff leaned against the thin birch as he watched several new men show promise against the seasoned ones.
His mind drifted to Heather once more. She confused him. He had heard and seen how most women set their caps for unsuspecting men. Their goal included spending coin faster than it came in, on frivolous things half the time, too. Or influencing their husbands in catering to their every silly or demanding whim. At times, they even forced a war or provoked at least an attack while they themselves sat at home being waited on. Women gave birth, and that marked the one good thing about them, but did a man really need a wife to have a child? Not unless he held a keep or title and needed to pass on his heritage. Geoff had determined he certainly wouldn’t succumb to their flirty ways, only to be cuckolded when he turned his head, or was out doing her bidding.
Not him. He walked a wide berth around most females. Oh, he valued them as being part of the household, for their ability to do tasks and do them well. Birthing, healing, whatever; yet he himself could never quite let down his guard enough to truly trust them not to try to run him ragged or take advantage of him. No, his satisfaction came from being a hard-nosed warrior and protecting all, including those women.
Ahna he valued as a dear friend, almost like a sister. Bertha efficiently ran the keep’s household with an iron fist, while Tessa was the herbalist and healer who, thank God, had treated many of his men. Those three were the best. Royce’s own mother had been a shrew, but had mellowed over the past year, thank the Lord. Appreciating the many servant girls for the tasks they performed, he would nod to them, yet avoided any kind of friendship. He did occasionally seek satisfaction from a wench at the village taverns, but that was entirely different. Women were not necessary in his life.
So why did he continue to think of Heather’s eyes, her smile, her laughter? Disgruntled, he mumbled a few choice words, pushed away from the tree and strode across to the field to join in the workout. That would take his mind off her. That, he could handle with clear thoughts.