Never If Not Now - Madeline Hunter Page 0,32

It is all over my legs.” Such lies thieves told when they were caught with their fingers in the wrong purse.

She felt him watching her.

“I trust you have not been playing the whore.”

She pretended she did not understand what he was really asking. “If I were, we would be eating better. Become suspicious when I serve you beef or pork, not when you are eating soup.”

He crossed his arms, not leaving.

“Please turn away,” she scolded. “Leave me my modesty, at least.”

He turned and looked out to the north. “If we are invited again to the castle for a meal, I will ask Lord Yves to sit you beside me. I saw Sir Alexander on your right again. I’ll not have the man feeding you lies.”

“He fed me nothing.” Except an incredible morsel of swan once. “He barely spoke to me. All of his attention was on Lady Judith. She is a wealthy widow with rich lands.”

For some reason, that annoyed him. “You were the loveliest lady there, and all could see it. Rich lands are not everything.”

Actually, they were. Elinor would cherish tonight forever, but she had no illusions about Zander. He would marry a woman with a dowry that would establish him in ways Elinor of York could not. Either Lady Judith or one of those girls brought here to find a husband.

“All the same, I don’t want him near you.”

“Do what you will. It matters not to me where I sit. Now leave me. I must finish here so I can sleep in comfort.”

He hesitated, then walked around the tent.

CHAPTER EIGHT

His dream shook. No, not his dream. The real world. He opened one eye to see a young page at his bedside, grasping his shoulder.

“What do you want?”

“My lord requires your attendance in the solar.”

Zander told him to leave, then swung his legs so he sat on the bed’s edge. He wondered if Lord Yves had learned about Elinor and was going to get paternal or priestly about it. More likely, he had noticed Lady Judith’s discontent this morning and wanted to advise him to grab those lands while he could.

He had left the lady in the early hours, after much laughter and dodging on his part and bawdy innuendoes on hers. He did not think his resistance had discouraged her. Rather the opposite. If he wanted marriage and those lands, he could not have devised a better plan. She’d concluded he was saying, in not so many words, “If you want me, you will have to marry me.”

He dressed and began mounting the stairs to the solar. He would have to go out to the camp after this and prepare for a challenge this morning. He also needed to tell Angus to do a few things for him.

A page escorted him into the solar. The big window was open, permitting a fresh breeze to flow. Lord Yves sat in a fine chair in front of them. Standing to the side was Sir Hugo.

“Join us, Sir Alexander,” Lord Yves said. “I’ve a decision to make, and you should be here when I do.”

Zander advanced until he stood in front of Lord Yves.

His host pointed to his left. “Sir Hugo has come to request a challenge against you.”

“He had only to go to my camp and tell my squire.”

“It is not that simple. I must approve certain challenges for personal combat. Those à l'outrance, for example, which is what he demands.”

Zander turned on Sir Hugo. “This is madness.”

“I’ll let God decide that.”

“Men favored by God die in battle all the time. It is the same at tournaments.” He turned back to Lord Yves. “You must refuse him this request.”

Lord Yves made a steeple out of his fingers, with the tips on his mouth. He thought about that. “He has a strong argument with you. I cannot ignore his accusations.”

He repeated what Sir Hugo had said, while Sir Hugo stood there glowering. Zander had heard it all before and was tired of the lies.

“Tell him the truth, Sir Hugo. That was not how it happened, and you know it.”

“It is. Do you now also insult me by saying I am lying?”

“Not lying. Just being forgetful.”

“My memory is good enough to remember treachery such as yours.”

Zander turned to Lord Yves. “We were getting him out. I was helping him. Then he broke away and ran back. We had passed a group of fallen Saracens and some had helmets and swords decorated in gold. He wanted the spoils and left us