Page 187 of Historical Hotties
“Allow it or not, that is my fear nonetheless, Lady de Reyne.”
Carington just shook her head sadly. “Dunna be afraid of him, James,” she told him. “He wouldna lay a hand on ye. But it is right that ye should respect his strength.”
James’ head was lowered as he worked on Creed’s thigh protection. His fingers moved like lightning. Carington watched the lad a moment before returning her attention to her husband.
“English,” she cocked her head as she looked at him. “Do ye not believe it is time for James to become a knight? Young Steven has already been knighted, after all, and he’s not much older than James.”
Creed held on to the breast plate as James fastened straps. “I believe I know my squire’s talents better than you,” he scolded gently. “I will determine when the boy is to become a man.”
She scowled fiercely. “Dunna take that tone with me. ’Twas merely a question.”
He looked at her as James stood up and began fussing with his shoulders. “I am sorry, love,” he said sincerely, though he did not mean a word of it. “I simply meant that James will be knighted soon enough and I do not know what I will do without him as my squire. He has spoiled me to anyone else.”
James blushed furiously as Carington cooled. She looked thoughtful as she watched the squire finish with her husband’s armor.
“I suppose I will go into town with ye,” she said, unwinding her legs and standing up. “I want to shop for the bairn.”
Creed rolled his eyes and opened his mouth to speak but thought better of it; a strangled grunt came out instead and he quickly pretended to busy himself with his gauntlets as Carington turned a suspicious eye to him.
“Did ye have something to say to that?” she demanded.
He fussed with a glove. “Not really,” he said casually. “But do you not believe the baby has enough things right now? He has more possessions than I do and he is not even born yet.”
Her lips moved into the familiar pout and Creed put up a gloved hand in surrender. “As you wish,” he said quickly. “Wait a moment and I will escort you home so that you can retrieve your cloak.”
She waved him off and began to carefully descend the stairs. “No need. I will meet ye in the bailey.”
He watched her dark hair until it disappeared down the stairwell. With an annoyed purse of the lips, he caught his squire looking at him.
“Mind that you remember that women, in general, are mysterious things.”
“Aye, my lord.”
“Do you plan to marry?”
“Aye, my lord.”
“Make sure she is docile.”
“You did not, my lord.”
Creed eyed him a moment before breaking out into a smirk. “Nay, I did not,” he shook his head. “And my life is richer for it. Forget what I said, then. Make sure she is full of spirit and you will never know a dull moment.”
“I want a Scots wife just like your lady wife, my lord.”
Creed groaned. “God help you, lad.”
James finished dressing him with a grin on his face.
Down in the outer bailey, Carington was strolling across the ward towards the inner bailey. She could see Burle across the bailey, running about a dozen new recruit soldiers through a drill, while Steven, Creed’s former squire, was on sentry duty up on the wall walk. With Ryton and Jory’s deaths, they had quickly promoted the young man and he was proving an excellent asset. All seemed peaceful and bright and Carington was thinking about the fabric she would purchase for the baby when a shout suddenly echoed off the walls.
She looked back to see Steven lifting a hand to Burle, who in turn left his recruits to run to the wall. He disappeared inside the gatehouse only to emerge up on the wall walk. Carington came to a pause, watching curiously.
By this time, Creed and James had emerged from the armory and Carington watched as her husband and his squire jogged across the bailey towards the gatehouse. Following the same path that Burle had taken, they emerged from the tower onto the wall walk above. After a few minutes of discussion, whereupon Carington grew bored and began to resume her path back to her cottage, Creed suddenly emitted a piercing whistle and the bailey came alive.
Soldiers emerged from the barracks against the north wall and began running. Somewhat startled, Carington scurried outof the way, standing near the gate to the inner bailey as she watched the activity. She was so busy watching the soldiers run back and forth that it took her a moment to realize that Creed had come down from the wall and was heading towards her. She watched him cross the ward, his powerful strides and determined stance. Her heart did a little dance, as it always did when she watched him. There was a time once when she thought he sucked up all of the air surrounding him; it was still true, but now in a good way. The man could positively make her heart sing.
He was upon her in a flash. “Go into the keep, honey.”
