Lord Of Lyonsbridge

“Are you going there today?”

“As soon as I finish here. You may help me transport some of this, if you will.”

Connor wrinkled his face in a scowl. “’Twould sit ill. These things belong in the church.”

“They’ll be in a holy chapel.”

“But no longer accessible to the people, only to those the Normans choose to invite.”

Father Martin sighed and struggled a bit to boost himself to his feet. “Leave it be, Connor. ‘Tis not something you’ll miss, after all. You won’t be taking sacraments at either place.”

Connor bent to help his brother lift the heavy box back into a chest. “Nevertheless, I’d as soon not be a party to the looting of God’s church, if you can find other assistance. But I’ve come to ask a favor of you.”

Father Martin lifted his eyebrows, aware, as was his brother, that Connor Brand asked favors of no man.

Connor hesitated. Next time, she’d said. She’d promised that the next time they rode together, it would be a contest. Indeed. He was afraid the true contest would not be between their two mounts, but between his own reason and his unruly impulses. When she’d dropped into his arms at the end of their ride, it had been all he could do to keep from clasping her closer. The urge had been that strong, against all good sense. The lass had bewitched him, and he simply couldn’t afford to succumb to the spell.

“What would you have of me?” Father Martin asked as the silence stretched out.

“’Tis not for me, really,” Connor said, looking away from his brother. “’Tis for the safety of the lady herself.”

Father Martin’s eyes gleamed. “I assume you’re speaking of the lady Ellen?”

“Aye. You must tell her and her cousin that she needs an escort if she’s to travel around the countryside.”

“Are you hoping for the post?”

“Lord, no. I’m hoping to avoid having to leave my own duties to nursemaid her, as I was forced to today.”

“Ah.” Father Martin slowly unrolled the sleeves of his robe, watching his brother out of the corner of his eye. “Did you find the duty onerous, then?”

Connor’s face reddened. “You may well guess that I did not, brother. But you yourself warned me about the dangers of such proximity.”

The amusement faded from the priest’s eyes. “Aye, brother, I did. I do. And I shall speak to the lady myself today.”

Connor nodded, his face stiff. “You’ll not tell her that ‘twas I who sent you?”

His brother’s voice became gentle. “Nay, brother. I’ll not tell her.”

“I’m in your debt, Martin,” Connor said. He cleared his throat awkwardly, then turned toward the door saying, “I’d best get back.”

Father Martin’s eyes were troubled as he stood watching his brother until his tall form had disappeared through the door back to the courtyard.

Chapter Five (#ulink_444220bd-ee12-5071-93fc-07850ae2894c)

Father Martin’s words had not had the desired effect Two days following their ride to the village, Lady Ellen appeared once again at the stables, alone.

Connor had two of the village boys helping him to repair a stretch of rotten fencing in back of the stable. Both the boys stopped work to stare at Ellen as she approached, and Connor found himself hard-pressed not to follow their example.

“Master Brand,” she called. “I’ve come for our race.”

The lads looked up at Connor in wonder. He tried to keep his reply casual, belying the sudden acceleration of his pulses. “Good morrow, milady.”

Heedless of the mud, she made her way around the corner of the stable toward where they were working. “Are you up to the challenge, horse master?” she asked with a smile and a defiant tilt of her head.

Connor took in a deep breath. “I’m in the middle of fence mending today, milady. I thought you were going to find another escort for your travels abroad.”

She stopped a couple of yards from him. “I was well satisfied with my escort of the other day. I’d engage his services again.”

“Jem and me’ll be fine by ourselves, Master Connor,” said one of the lads. “’Tis an easy enough task for two.” As if to prove his words, he single-handedly hoisted in place the final railing.

Ellen clapped her hands. “There, you see? Your crew no longer needs you. You’re dismissed. And it’s a fine day for a ride.”

In this, at least, he had to agree with her. He’d not ridden in two days, separated by two nights of restless tossing in his bed. It would be good to feel Thunder underneath him and go hurtling across a green expanse of lush English countryside.

He met her eyes. They shone with challenge. “Very well, milady,” he said. “We’ll have our race.”

And he’d not be responsible for the consequences.

They’d agreed to visit the cooper’s family first, and during this visit Ellen felt much more at ease, though perhaps it was simply the contrast between the friendly warmth of the cottage and the icy tension of the ride there. She’d seen yet another side of the horse master. He was neither the audacious servant nor the charmer she’d seen in glimpses. Instead, he appeared to be almost angry, holding himself in readiness against some unknown foe.

But as soon as they entered Agnes Cooper’s home, his demeanor changed. The twins came running to them, and he scooped them up in a double embrace. Sarah’s pale face flushed at his greeting and John’s brightened with a big smile.

To Ellen’s surprise, the widow was sitting up in a rocker by the fireplace. “You are better today, mistress?” she asked her.

“Aye, milady. No doubt thanks to the physic you sent.” She struggled to stand up, but Ellen motioned for her to remain where she was.

“I’m so pleased to hear it,” she said.

“Sir William himself brought it, milady,” John added. “Everyone in the village is talking about it.”

Ellen was gratified, though a little surprised to hear that the bailiff had been so diligent in personally carrying out her instructions. “We shall see you continue to get it until you’re on your feet again,” she told the woman.

She hadn’t noticed that one of the twins had crawled out of Connor’s arms and crept up beside her. The child was carefully tracing the gold-embroidered pattern on Ellen’s overskirt with a single tiny finger.

“Karyn, leave the lady’s dress,” Sarah admonished.

The girl looked straight up, her blue eyes meeting Ellen’s with a tentative smile. Ellen felt that same warm rush again. “It’s fine,” she said. She crouched down and spread her skirt out in front of her. “You see?” she said to the child. “It’s a dragon, but it’s not a fierce one like the creatures at the ends of the earth. Mine’s a friendly one, don’t you think?”

The girl bobbed her head, her eyes still fixed on Ellen’s face.

“You can trace its tail, if you like.” She grasped the girl’s hand so the two could feel the pattern together. Karyn turned her attention to the skirt and carefully followed each bump of the beast’s tail, then she looked up again at Ellen, her smile brilliant.

Ellen had a strong urge to hug her, but she wasn’t sure how the embrace would be received, so she merely said, “I’ll bring you a dragon of your own one of these days.” When the girl’s eyes registered some alarm, she added, “A wooden one, not a real one, cherie. Another friendly one, like the one on my skirt.”

Once again the girl looked up, and this time her eyes held something akin to adoration.

“She says thank you, mum,” said her twin brother, who still stood clasped in the kneeling Connor’s arms.