Page 12 of Historical Hotties
To his left, Rhori snorted. “I spent most of the night on the wall,” Rhori said. “I really only saw the outside of theplace. Never the warm and comfortable inside where you always linger.”
Cassius fought off a grin. “Did you ever stop to think that Edward is trying to hide you from the good people of England?” he said. “With a face such as yours, he does not want to frighten the women.”
Rhori grinned, but he was slightly behind Cassius so the man couldn’t see him. “There is something on my body that frightens the women, but it is not my face.”
“Now you are starting to sound like de Shera.”
“You are not the only man around here with astonishing physical traits, Cass.”
“Aye, I am.”
That brought snorts from Bose, who shook his head at the ribbing. But this was usual with them. It was how they expressed their love for one another.
“Speaking of women,” Bose said, looking at Cass. “I saw you dancing with that blonde lass back in Doncaster. Did you get her name?”
Cassius nodded. “Amata,” he said. “She said her father is a local baron.”
“She was pretty.”
Cassius cast him a long look. “And she knows it,” he said. “She was most unhappy when I decided to leave with Doncaster. She told me that I should not stay here because of the man’s granddaughter. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I do not believe we saw a granddaughter the last time we were here. I do not even recall being introduced to such a woman.”
Bose shook his head. “Nor I,” he said. “Doncaster is a widower, as I recall, and his only son died long ago.”
“And left him with a granddaughter, evidently,” Cassius said. “At least, that was what Amata said. She also said something strange– she said the granddaughter bears witch’s marks.”
Bose frowned. “What are witch’s marks?”
“Spots, evidently,” Cassius said. “Skin blemishes, mayhap. I am not sure, to be truthful. She accused the granddaughter of being a witch and I told her to mind her tongue. The conversation collapsed from there.”
Bose cocked his head thoughtfully, looking up to the Doncaster standards in the distance. “Curious,” he said, scratching at his neck. “But I’ve seen women with spots before. We all have. On their face or neck, it is not uncommon.”
“Freckles,” Rhori said. “Sun spots, or whatever one wishes to call them. Horses are freckled sometimes, as is fruit, food, and a number of other things. But I know there are superstitious fools that believe they only appear on witches or the possessed.”
Bose looked over at him. “You do not believe that?”
“I do not,” Rhori said flatly. “I believe what I can see. If a woman is evil, then it is in her soul, not because she is possessed by a demon. Demons are a creation of men.”
“You are a pragmatic man, my friend,” Cassius said. “My younger sister, Thora, has a big freckle by the corner of her mouth. She is a beautiful girl and men swarm her. I’ve not heard anyone call her a witch because of it.”
“Would you not kill them if they did?” Rhori asked.
Cassius cracked a smile. “I am an excellent brother,” he said. “Between my eldest brother and my two younger brothers, no one who insults my sisters stands a chance of survival.”
Rhori and Bose snorted. “Are they all as big as you are?” Rhori asked. “I’ve never met your family, Cass.”
“I have,” Bose said knowingly. “And, aye, they are all as big as he is. Bigger, even. You think Cass is tall? His father and elder brother are giants. The two younger brothers are also quite tall. Whatever is in the water in the north makes men larger than life. They grow like trees.”
Cassius shook his head. “In our case, it is the Northman influence,” he said. “I have Scots and English blood on my father’s side, and Scots and Northman blood on my mother’s. Do you remember that I told you about my grandfather, once? He is the King of the Northmen. They call him Magnus the Law-Mender.”
“So you are a god,” Bose said, a hint of jest in his tone. “We are mere mortals and you are the grandson of not only a king, but also the grandson of the greatest knight the borders have ever seen in William de Wolfe.”
Cassius cast him a long look. “Never forget it.”
That brought soft laughter from Rhori and Bose. As they drew nearer to the castle, now looming up before them with great, white-stoned walls mined from local stone that was prevalent to the area, the dog that had been plodding patiently alongside Cassius’ horse suddenly took off, chasing something in the grass. They turned to see a duck rising up out of the overgrowth along the side of the road.
“Christ,” Cassius muttered. “There he goes, that foolish dog.Argos!”
He bellowed at the dog, followed by a piercing whistle, but the big dog was down in the thick grass, heading towards the river. He watched as the dog dashed further and further away.
