Page 19 of Always
Those particular words reverberated in my soul, unlike any compliment I’d ever received. And I’d had plenty of them. In fact, the men at court made a contest out of who could pay the most elaborate and winsome compliments to the women they pursued. As with most of the courtship process, so much focused on the outward appearance. I couldn’t remember any person praising me for anything besides my beauty. Except now with Lance.
But Lance was unlike any man I’d ever met. Not only was he from a different class and from the king’s elite guard, but he seemed to feel and think deeply, two qualities I appreciated and respected.
Over the course of the night, I’d learned about his upbringing in Stefford, another one of the Iron Cities. Although his father was no longer alive, he clearly loved his mother as well as his younger sisters and brothers, all of whom he supported with his income. He hadn’t seen them since he’d turned ten and had been fostered out to begin his knight’s training.
Nevertheless, he had fond memories of his childhood, of going to the smelter and working alongside his father, even if the work had been hard and dangerous. I’d been surprised to discover boys as young as eight worked full days in Mercia’s many smelters and forges, melting down the iron ore in a hot and time-consuming process that extracted the iron from the rusty rocks and produced an iron bar. Lance had explained that the iron was then transferred to the forges where other tradesmen shaped it into the many items that made Mercia a wealthy country.
I hadn’t expected Lance to show any interest in my background and my family. But once again, he’d surprised me by asking questions about my past so that we’d shared long into the night until I’d finally fallen asleep sitting next to him. When I’d awoken later, I’d been startled to realize I’d leaned my head on him and that he’d braced me with his arm.
“To keep you from falling off the wagon,” he’d explained as he rapidly removed his hold and put as much distance between us as the small wooden bench would allow.
At a shifting in the wagon bed, I glanced over my shoulder to see that he’d lifted himself to his elbows and was peering down into Emmeline’s bag. He reached a hand tentatively inside, and a look of such wonder and tenderness softened his countenance I couldn’t contain my smile.
“Watch out,” I said, “or she will hook you and will not let you go.”
Lance looked up at me and smiled. My breath caught at the sight, at just how ruggedly handsome his grin made him, so much so that I couldn’t keep from thinking about the brief kiss I’d given him last evening. When I’d seen him coming toward me, I’d been overcome with relief and had only planned to smooth over his awkward attempts to act like my husband, which I’m sure no one had believed, at least until I’d greeted him with a kiss.
Even so, the moment my lips had touched his cheek, I’d realized my mistake. Lance wasn’t like the men at court who gave kisses the same way they did compliments. He wasn’t one to play games or dole out his affection without merit. Instead, I suspected he’d reserve his affection for one woman who would have to be special to claim his heart.
I forced my attention to the path and the horses before he could see the nature of my thoughts, for he had an unnatural ability to read me. “You must have a pretty lady somewhere anxious to know how you are faring.” I said the first thing I could think of, but once it was out realized how silly I sounded.
He didn’t answer for a few seconds. “I’ve pledged my life in service to the king. I vowed to remain single until death or discharge.”
“Oh.” Somehow, I hadn’t expected his declaration, even though somewhere in the back of my mind I’d been aware such regulations existed.
“And you,” he said after several moments. “You’ve left a man behind, perhaps your intended?”
I shook my head and gave a short laugh. “No. I am not betrothed. Not yet.”
“Then there is someone special.” His low tone was much too serious and drew my gaze to his ruggedly strong face. He met my eyes only for an instant before focusing on my shoulder. I wanted him to look at me as an equal, to do away altogether with his respectful custom of dropping his gaze. But how could I convince him?
I sighed. “I did not cooperate well with the courtship process. I could find no satisfaction in a match centered on outward qualities rather than inner.”
“I commend you for that, my lady.”
“Felicia,” I said softly. “Just Felicia.” Maybe we couldn’t be equals, but that’s all I wanted to be, especially for the rest of our trip. I didn’t know what my future held now that I’d made myself an enemy of the new ruler. I’d certainly not be able to return to court if King Ethelwulf even had a court. I’d likely never be able to visit my home, at least not for a long while. I didn’t know what I’d do or where I’d go once the princesses were safe.
“What will you do after we deliver the princesses to the abbey?” I asked. He’d surely be in a similar position, perhaps even worse. “You will not be able to return to the army, will you?
“No, my lady.”
I wanted to correct him but sensed he’d conduct himself with as much honor as he could, no matter how much I implored him.
“Ethelwulf will slay much of King Francis’s guard as a precaution,” he said somberly. “Those he allows to live will surely be better off dead.”
I swallowed my revulsion. “Do you think any of the men will be able to escape?”
“I pray so.”
In the distance, clouds seemed to gather on the horizon, and I hoped we wouldn’t have to face rain. Already I was weary from the past two days of travel. Rain would surely slow us down and make us more miserable than we were.
When we stopped a short while later, Lance fixed his attention toward Everly. He studied both the sky and the plains, seeming to take in every tiny detail. Finally, he sniffed the air several times, and his expression turned grim.
“What is it?” I asked as I held Maribel and let her finish the last of her bottle. Unlike her younger twin, Maribel was fair, with lighter eyes and a slight layer of silky blond hair on her baby head. I had the feeling she’d favor her older sister more than Emmeline would.
“Someone is on our trail.” Lance rounded the horses, his movements suddenly brisk and purposeful.
My pulse gave an unsteady thump. “Perhaps other travelers fleeing the city like us?”
