They took pictures of themselves, heads bent close. Was he turning his face to hers? Slowly, methodically, seducing her without abusing his power? She turned as his breath touched her ear. Should she kiss him? Of course not. But her heart defied her.
“My lord?”
Nicholas pulled away glaring at one of the castle soldiers.
“What is it, Barnet?”
“Forgive me, my lord,” Barnet said nervously, “your king seeks you.”
Nicholas was correct then. The king was summoning him. Should she go with him, or stay here with her life in his hands?
“I’m coming with you.”
“This king can be very much like a weasel, digging where few have gone before.”
She rubbed her hands together. “I can be a cat or a kitten. Don’t worry. I’ll handle him.”
He aimed his half-smile at her. “I do not doubt it.”
“Now, when do we leave to meet the historian?”
“Kestrel,” he said, stepping around her to resume his trek to the castle. “I do not think—”
“Please.” She remained close. “I want to go with you.”
He stopped refusing and nodded. “Very well. We will go as soon as I can get away from Richard again. Be ready.”
“I will be,” she assured him.
They covered their feet again when they reached the end of the shore. While they walked the length of the wall, she captivated his attention by telling him what it felt like to look out the window of the plane she took to Scotland. “We were in the clouds. It was quite exhilarating.”
He stared at her and shook his head. “If what you speak about is not real then the Lord gifted you with an extraordinary imagination.”
“It’s all real.”
“I have never known anyone like you, Kestrel.”
“Of course, you haven’t,” she grinned at him. “I’m not from around here.”
Just before they reached the castle doors, he stopped her again. “I’m going to tell Richard that you are…that I am…ehm…in love with you. ’Twill keep his wayward hands off you.”
In love with her? “Of course.” She could have kicked herself for that saying again.
“Will he respect that?” she asked.
“He will fear me leaving his side. It always comes back to that.”
“Aye,” she said as the doors opened, and a man stepped out with an entourage of men all around him.
King Richard. She recognized him by the golden crown he still wore and the pompous tilt of his chin.
He watched Nicholas bow and Kes follow suit with a curtsey.
“I was wondering where you had disappeared to, Commander.” He turned his sinuous smile on Kes. “Now, I understand.”
She wondered if his irises seemed almost black because of the evil he had done in his life. She knew of most of the accusations against him, and there were many. They were grievous but unproven. Still, he was an unlikable man with all his airs.
“Your Majesty, may I present Miss Kestrel Locksley of Bridlington,” Nicholas introduced her. “I discovered her near a battlefield in Bridlington. She had been injured and has lost most of her memory. I brought her back with me. Elia has been seeing to her. As have I.”