Page 14 of Historical Hotties
The dog wagged his wet tail and Cassius frowned deeply. But he was also trying to catch a glimpse of the lady from the corners of his eyes.
She was still standing there.
Cassius wanted to see how she was reacting, hoping that she was softening with his humor and that the dog escapade was a forgivable offense. He finally dared to look at her and he swore he saw her eyes crinkling, as if she were smiling, but the moment their eyes met, she hastily turned for the riverbank.
“I will not beat you nor light your hair on fire,” she said, sloshing through the water. “But Argos had better learn to behave himself. The next woman he jumps on might not be so forgiving.”
Cassius was following her, sort of. He was walking parallel to her, holding out his hands as if to keep her from teetering because she was having difficulty with her wet, heavy skirts.
“I will have a stern talk with him,” he promised. “Are you certain that I cannot assist you?”
She came to the bank. She had to step up about a foot, and the slope was slippery and wet. She tried once and failed, looking to Cassius reluctantly.
“Mayhap you can help me onto the bank,” she said.
He leapt up onto the bank with the agility of a cat, reaching out to carefully pull her up. She was soaking wet and heavy, but he managed to get her onto the shore. She still had the apron up around her face and he peered at her.
“Are yousurehe did not hurt you?” he asked.
Her pale, bright gaze lingered on him for a moment. “I am sure,” she said. She looked at him perhaps a little longer than she should have before tearing her gaze away. “I am well enough. Thank you for your assistance.”
She started to walk away, picking her way through the grass as she headed downriver. Cassius, mesmerized by those brilliant eyes, watched her go.
“May I know the name of the woman my dog sinned against so grievously?” he asked.
She paused, turning to him. “You should tell meyourname so I know who to avoid in the future.”
“Sir Cassius de Wolfe, my lady,” he said without hesitation. “I have the great honor of holding the position of Lord Protector to our king. I have come to Doncaster to relay a message to the duke from Edward.”
Those great eyes flickered, surprised by what he’d told her. “Then you are an accomplished knight,” she said. “I suppose I should be honored that your dog assaulted me.”
“It was not an honor, I assure you,” he said regretfully. Then, he paused. “Are you really going to avoid me now?”
His explanation of who he was and why he was there gave her pause. Now that she knew, her gaze seemed to go from indignant to curious, although it was truly difficult to tell because her face was so covered up. But something in her eyes suggested that she was no longer angry.
Perhaps interested, even.
After a moment, she sighed.
“Probably not,” she said.
He grinned that smile that could melt even the hardest heart. “I would very much like to know your name.”
His smile had the desired effect. He could tell just by looking at her. But she steeled herself against the charm offensive, at least as much as she was able, and lowered her gaze.
“Dacia,” she said, turning away. “Good day to you, Sir Cassius.”
He didn’t try to follow her. In fact, he didn’t say another word. He simply watched her walk away, down the riverbank, until she nearly faded from view. Then, he saw her take a turn and head up the slope towards Edenthorpe. As he watched, she headed straight to the castle.
That told him what he wanted to know.
He was going to be on the lookout for those bright, pale eyes.
*
It was wellinto the evening at Edenthorpe Castle and the great hall was ablaze with light and conversation. It was a big hall with big beams supporting the roof and two enormous hearths, one at each end of the hall.
The hall was built with the same white stone that the castle was built with, but the hearths were made of marble that had been imported all the way from a quarry north of Rome. Italian craftsmen had come along with the marble and had pieced it together expertly, creating an intricate and fascinating work of art. Those hearths weren’t the only things that suggested the overall wealth of Doncaster.
