Page 31 of Kilty Plea
But when he nodded solemnly, she saw the glint of moisture in his eyes, and knew he was glad for her.
Chapter 6
Payton triedto be quiet as he pushed open the door to the corridor. Normally it wouldn’t matter—not this long after dawn, when the household was likely awake and bustling already—but Flora was still asleep, and he didn’t want to wake her.
Last night had been hard on her, between the celebration, his family, and finding her brother. Nay,findingLenny hadn’t been difficult—it had been bloody near miraculous. But her emotions had been so wrung out, between the tears and tension, that Payton had eventually scooped her up and tucked her in, and the lad hadn’t objected.
Sleeping with her in his arms was a special, wonderful kind of torture.
Not just because apparently she liked to roll and flop about. And she drooled whenever her cheek landed on his shoulder, which he thought was just adorable.
Gross, aye, but adorable. It made her seem…more human. Less like one of those primped and proper ladies at court, and more…Flora.
He was thinking of her—and smiling—when he realized the door he was pushing open was bumping against something. He tried again. And a third time.
The fourth time, he justpushed, then squeezed through the gap and peered around the door.
A very irritated-looking Lenny was sitting on his arse, his knees pulled up and his arms wrapped around them, glaring up at Payton.
“Och, lad, I’m sorry. I dinnae realize ye were sitting there.” Keeping watch, mayhap? Payton offered his hand. “Did ye sleep here all night?”
Lenny glared at his hand until Payton withdrew it. Uncertain how to handle the situation, the large man crossed to the opposite side of the corridor, pressed his back to the wall, and slowly crouched, until he was on the same level as the lad.
“Are ye hungry?” he ventured.
Flora’s brother just continued to glare.
Sighing, Payton scrubbed his hand over his face, then dropped his elbows to his knees. The lad must be scared of his ruined face. Heknew‘twas horrific enough to send small children running for safety, but he’d become used to people at home ignoring the scar, since he’d had it for so long.
It hadn’t occurred to him the lad might object.
“I swear I’m nae monster, Lenny,” he said quietly. “Just a man with a scar.”
To his surprise, the lad blinked, looked startled, then shook his head.
If that wasn’t the reason he wouldn’t speak, what was it? The serving lass last night had said Lenny hadn’t spoken at all, but Payton hadheardthe lad whisper to his sister…
“Would ye like to ken how I got it?” he asked gently.
Lenny hesitated, then slowly lowered his knees to sit cross-legged. And nodded.
Blowing out another breath, Payton shrugged and felt one corner of his lips curl wryly. “’Twas one of my first missions as a King’s Hunter. Ye ken who those are? We’re men who’ve sworn our swords to Their Majesties. More than that, we’re…” How to explain? “We keep the King’s peace. We enforce his laws. We travel all over Scotland, tracking down criminals or rumors of wrongdoing, and the King trusts us to set things right. ‘Tis a powerful trust.”
The lad was staring at him, wide-eyed. Payton wondered if he understood.
“My commander, Drummond Kennedy, believes the newest Hunters should have mentors, and he’d taken me under his wing, so to speak. There was a laird—a small holding up near the Sinclairs—who was rumored to have been cruel and unjust, hurting his people. His Majesty sent us to investigate, and we didnae need to have bothered, because the bastard—”
Payton bit off his words, wondering for the first time if the story was appropriate for a ten-year-old. But the lad was leaning forward, almost eagerly, and Payton remembered the kind of storieshe’dliked when he’d been that age.
He shrugged. “The laird had his men attack us, while he himself wielded a wickedly long dagger, aimed for my commander’s back. While Drum finished the rest of the men, I stepped in front of that blade.” He tapped at his missing ear. “It could’ve taken my eye. Or my life. I ken ‘tis ugly, but I’m lucky to be alive.”
Lenny’s mis-matched eyes were wide, staring at the place where Payton’s left ear used to be. And…there wasn’t fear in that gaze.
So, he just didn’t speak to anyone besides Flora? Was that it? Somehow, it made Payton feel a bit better.
Pushing himself to his feet, Payton offered his hand again. “I’m going down to break my fast. Ye’re welcome to come with me. Then, if ye want, I can take ye out to the training yard. ‘Tis likely packed with snow, but I can show ye how the bastard came at me, if ye’d like.”
When Payton had been his age, and a warrior offered him lessons in the blade? Payton would’ve walked over hot coals for that.
