Page 169 of Historical Hotties
She smiled through her tears, a glorious gesture that set his heart to beating wildly. “My answer is that I would be deeply honored to be yer wife,” she whispered. “For always, I belong to ye.”
He stroked her cheeks with his thumb, never more thrilled about anything in his entire life. “Even to be married to a Sassenach?” he pressed.
He said it with a strong burr, just the way she did, and Carington giggled. “Especially a Sassenach.” She touched his face again, her hands trembling with emotion as she did so. “But why? Why me?”
“Because no one else is worthy of you.”
“I am not a fine English lady.”
The corner of his mouth twitched. “All of the fine English ladies in the world cannot compare with you.”
She smiled, her expression hinting that she was reluctant to believe him. He bent over to kiss her again but voices at the hall entry caught their attention. Creed quickly moved a respectable distance away, eyeing the doorway as Burle suddenly bolted through it as fast as his flabby body would carry him. Creed was concerned by the look on the man’s face.
“What is it?” he asked.
Burle was focused on Creed as if nothing else in the room existed. “Trouble,” he said flatly. “We just received a messenger from Hexham. De Rochefort is calling for aid.”
Creed grabbed his helm and gauntlets from the table top. “We just left de Rochefort’s men in town.”
“I know,” Burle replied. “If they are not back at Hexham by now, I am sure they will be shortly.”
“What did the messenger say?”
Burle looked at Carington, then, still seated at the table. “A raid,” he finally said, refocusing on Creed. “Scots.”
Carington bolted to her feet. “It would not be my father,” she insisted strongly. “He may be petty and belligerent, but he wouldna break a bargain. He is an honorable man.”
Creed plopped his helm on his head, turning to look at her as he pulled on his gauntlets. “No one is saying that it is your father, my lady,” he replied evenly. “There are plenty of other clans on the border who like to rattle our cage once in a while.”
He turned to follow Burle out the door but Carington ran up behind him just before he quit the hall. She grabbed him by the arm.
“Be careful, English,” she dare not say more than that. Already, she felt she was saying too much should someone overhear her. “I dunna want ye returning with holes in ye.”
Creed gazed down at her lovely face and felt his heart lurch strangely. He did not like the thought of leaving her and very much wanted take her in his arms. But he dare not make the move. In the bailey, the troops were shouting as they mobilized and he could hear the war horses being brought about. Before he realized it, James was beside him with additional weaponry to prepare him for battle; the lad just popped up out of nowhere. Creed glanced at his tall, blond squire.
“Get my charger,” he commanded quietly. “Where is Steven?”
“Already with the horse, my lord,” the lad replied. “We are awaiting you.”
The young man handed him an assortment of daggers that Creed accepted and began shoving into niches in his armor. As the lad ran back to the swarming bailey, Carington watched Creed as he carefully placed the razor-sharp weapons in strategic positions on his body. Her trepidation for his safety grew. But before she could comment, he turned to her.
“Go to your chamber and bolt the door,” he told her softly. “Do not leave that room for any reason. Not until I return. Do you understand?”
She nodded, her emerald eyes full of fear. To her credit, however, she said nothing about it; she simply glanced to the activity outside and forced a smile.
“Ye’d better go,” she told him. “They’ll not wait for ye.”
Creed held her gaze for a moment, feeling as if his heart were breaking just a little. It was an odd experience, something he had never before faced. He had never gone into battle leaving someone he cared very deeply for behind. With a wink, he forced himself out into the dusky bailey.
Carington stood there and watched the troops amass. She saw Ryton astride his big Belgian charger shouting orders to the men. She watched as Creed mounted his enormous charcoalsteed and began to carry out his brother’s orders. They were efficient and confident, eventually joined by Burle, Stanton and Jory. As she watched the activity, she suddenly realized that someone was standing next to her. Looking over, she noticed that Kristina had joined her. The pale blond realized that she was being watched and smiled timidly at Carington when their eyes met. Carington smiled back.
“It seems we have a bit of excitement,” Carington told her.
Kristina nodded. “I have been watching it unfold from our chamber.” Her gaze moved from the chaotic bailey to Carington. “How was your shopping trip?”
Carington was distracted from her view of Creed by the question. She stepped back and twirled around for Kristina.
“What do ye think?” she asked.
