Page 164 of Feathers in the Wind
Luke allowed father and son to meet in private, but he waited outside the door with the armed escort. The Kinton Lacey garrison watched Farrington’s men from the walls, their weapons primed, for the first sign of trouble from the royalist force outside the gate.
Whatever passed between Sir Richard Farrington and his son concluded in less than fifteen minutes. Luke locked the door behind him and with the escort saw Sir Richard to the gate.
At the gate Farrington stopped. “Thank you, Captain Collyer. You have proved yourself an honourable adversary.”
“We are all subject to the dictates of our consciences, Sir Richard.”
Farrington stroked his moustache. “Maybe.” He inclined his head. “I bid you good day and I hope we never meet again.”
Luke watched by the gate as the man picked up his sword and standard and remounted the horse. He rode away at a gentle trot. He rejoined his troops and the whole body wheeled and rode away.
Luke left his men at the ready, but Farrington had gone and Luke doubted he would return. The campaigning season ended in a few short months. No doubt the New Year would bring fresh challenges and maybe another force to the gates of Kinton Lacey, but he doubted he would be there to see them.
* * *
Deliverance layawake in the thin light of early morning watching Luke sleeping. She had shared a bed with her sister for many years, but a man was different. She smiled. She didn’t mind that he slept on his stomach, sprawled across the bed, leaving her with only a narrow strip on the edge. She liked the comfort of his presence and the gentle rhythm of his breathing.
She flicked the covers back revealing the whole, long, beautiful length of him from his broad shoulders to his narrow hips, firm buttocks and long, lean rider's legs and sighed deeply. It still astonished her that this beautiful man seemed to love her.
She let her finger glide down the length of his spine and bent her head, dropping gentle kisses across his back. When he still didn’t wake, she slapped his rump. He groaned and swore, rolling over to look up at her.
“What did you do that for?”
“It's time for me to go,” she said.
They had received the message yesterday. Gloucester had been relieved, and her father was on his way home. This would be their last opportunity of a night together before Sir John returned.
“We both need to be at our best today,” she said.
Luke sighed. “Toby has been polishing my breastplate for the last two days. I hope your father is impressed.”
Deliverance laid her head on his chest and Luke stroked her face. “He should be very proud of his daughter.”
Deliverance turned her head to smile at him. “And his garrison commander.”
She sat up, her hair tumbling around her shoulders. Luke curled a strand in his finger. “Are you in a hurry?” he wheedled.
Deliverance rolled on top of him and kissed his nose, his chin and his mouth. “I'm sure a few more minutes won't matter.”
They must have slept again as a sharp rap on the door startled them both into wakefulness. Bright daylight and the sounds of a castle at work told Deliverance they had slept too long.
“Sorry to bother you.” Ned's voice came from behind the stout oak door. “But we have sighted Sir John Felton. He's only a mile away.”
Deliverance shot a desperate look at Luke. “He must have been on the road since break of day. Oh no, this isn't how I meant to meet my father.”
No flitting back to her room in the cold light of dawn. She flung herself from the bed and groped for her clothes. She needed to look properly dressed and as if she had been up for hours, not like a freshly tumbled hoyden.
Luke made a poor lady's maid. He seemed to be much more adept at getting her out of her clothes then back into them. As he tied the laces on her bodice he said, “You look fine, Deliverance.”
Deliverance threw back the bolt on the door and shot past Ned Barrett. She didn't have time for pleasantries.
From beyond the walls, she heard a trumpet and drumbeats and a mighty cheer from the garrison, lining the castle walls. Her father had arrived, and she felt like a strumpet who had just climbed out of her lover's bed.
She was a strumpet who had just climbed out of her lover's bed.
In her bedchamber she found Penitence, immaculately dressed in a sober gown of grey wool. Penitence looked at her sister and gasped, “Oh, Liv. You can't meet Father looking like that. Quick, Meg, fetch some water.”
Her plans of greeting her father from the gatehouse abandoned, Deliverance took a deep breath and composed herself. Clad in a gown of dark blue wool trimmed only with plain collar and cuffs, her hair shoved into a neat white matronly cap, she descended with dignity to the Great Hall, her heart beating wildly beneath her bodice.
