“Elia,” he turned to look at her. “Find a place for Reg and his little army to live. Not too close. I will pay whatever is necessary. I want him out of here.”
“Aye, Nicholas.” Elia smiled at Kestrel. “I’m leaving you in the best hands I know besides the Lord’s”
“Thank you,” Kestrel told her.
Kestrel looped her arm through Nicholas’ as Elia left. She smiled when he looked at her. “What gives, Nicholas? Why did you look paler when I mentioned love than I did when you mentioned marriage? Are you afraid of love?”
“Likely not as much as you are,” he remarked with a slight, but playful smile. “I have not been in love in…hmm, I do not think I have ever been in love.”
They reached the stable and he began saddling a separate horse for her.
“No.” She stopped him. “I want to ride with you.”
He nodded, liking the idea but finished saddling the horse. “You will ride this one out a mile or two, until we can no longer be seen from the wall. And then you will ride with me.”
“All right,” she gave in easily and let him help her mount.
She appeared anxious in her saddle.
“You can do it. Be confident. Help the horse trustyou.”
She smiled and nodded. “Are we going to see Walter?”
“We will see where the wind takes us.” He took up his reins and smiled at her. “Aye?”
“Aye,” she agreed happily, taking up her reins, as well.
They rode out of Scarborough Castle, past the walls and the small village. They rode on until anyone standing on the castle walls, looking over, could no longer see them.
And after Nicholas checked and double-checked to make certain they weren’t being followed, he took Kestrel from her horse and set her gently between his thighs and against his chest.
After he secured her horse’s reins to his, they set out again.
“Nicholas? About the things we said—”
“Aye, we were convincing.”
She let out a breathless little laugh. “Yes. Very.”
She moved around on his lap to settle in deeper. He wanted to hold her, caress her, protect her from every harmful thing.
“So, do you still doubt my tale is true?”
He drew her in closer with his hand on her belly. “If I accept it,” he said against her temple, “then I must also accept that I could lose you at any moment.”
He felt her tight gasp at his words. She turned in his lap and kissed his scruffy jaw. He dipped his head and took her mouth with desperate need that matched her own. They stopped riding for a while and just kissed and touched against a tree in the grass.
“What should we do?” she asked him while she rested in his arms under the tree.
“About what?” he closed his eyes and leaned his back against the trunk.
“Us,” she clarified.
“I like us,” he admitted, closing his arms around her.
“So do I. But if troubles come, I would rather you weren’t associated with me.”
“’Tis too late for that.”