giving him leave to attend to his wound. Though they used blunted swords, accidents were common in training—something they shared with their southern neighbors. Indeed, with the exception of Alex’s unusual training methods, many of the customs she’d encountered here were the same.
But that didn’t mean she had met anyone quite like Alex before.
“You’ve been trained well,” he said, sheathing his sword.
Clara did the same, smiling at the compliment.
“I’ve never met a woman who can wield a sword,” he added in an undertone.
Her hand froze on the handle of her weapon. She stared at him in shock, wondering if she’d heard correctly.
The sound of clanging metal rang in Clara’s ears as she considered how to react. Was he guessing? Had Toren or Juliette told him? Nay, neither of them would have willingly revealed her.
“Come with me,” he said. And then to the men, “I leave your fate to Gregory here.” He clapped a red-headed man on the back.
“Shall we dine among the trees or retire to the keep for the midday meal?” Gregory bellowed.
The men’s smiles indicated it was a rare boon. Indeed, they took a light repast with them most days, so an extended break would likely be welcomed by most of them. But Clara couldn’t think beyond what Alex had said.
A woman.
If he had guessed, would the others? She would be forced to leave, for as Gilbert had said often enough, her boys’ clothes and new identity were all that shielded her from a prison cell. Or worse.
“Then I say we stay. The men may as well be English, they’re so weak,” one man called out. Clara winced at the insult. She’d heard it often enough, but it still rankled when everyone laughed in agreement.
To her surprise, Alex’s smile faded.
“I’ve no love for our southern neighbor,” he shouted for all to hear. “But the lad here cannot help that his parents were born on the wrong side of Hadrian’s Wall.”
The man who had hurled the insult immediately apologized to her.
“I meant no offense, Alfred.”
“’Tis as I would expect,” she said, loud enough for only his and Alex’s ears.
Alex’s mood turned light once again as he said to the others, “I give you leave to dine and meet me afterward to finish training within the castle walls.”
A cheer was raised, and before it had faded, Alex tugged on her arm. “Come,” he said once again.
He led her toward the river, and suddenly she knew. This was the exact spot where she’d bathed.
“You were there,” she choked out.
“Aye lass, I was there.”
There was no mistaking his expression as he turned and once again made for the water’s edge.
He had seen her. All of her. She should have been embarrassed or panicked. Instead, a rush of pleasure coursed through her as she thought of him watching her that day. As she realized that mayhap he had been watching her with interest these past days.
Alex walked toward the water and bent down to it. Turning, he gestured for her to do the same.
Did she have a choice?
He splashed water onto his face, drying it with the edge of his loosely hung tunic.
She swallowed, knowing what he wanted from her. She shook her head.
“You owe me this much,” he said. “Deceived by you, my brother, and the new lady of Brockburg.” His jaw clenched. “I wish to see your face in truth. And,” he added, “you will remove the hat as well.”
Clara’s heart pounded. The last person to see her without her disguise had been Gilbert.
Even during her meetings with Lady Juliette, she’d remained in the guise of a boy.
But Alex would not be dissuaded. His expression told her as much, and although she was appalled at the thought, terrified of doing the one thing Gilbert had told her never to do, part of her wanted to do it. She wanted him to see her as she really was. She wanted him to know her.
Without another word, Clara bent down next to him and cupped the water as he’d done. It took a bit of scrubbing to remove the dried mud. Once she did, Clara mustered enough courage to look at him.
His expression had not changed.
His. . . maleness was so powerful, every part of his body exuding pure, unbridled strength. But Clara knew, despite the fact that she’d lied to him, Alex Kerr would not harm her.
She reached up and pulled out the slim ivory pins that Gilbert had purchased for her at great expense.
One by one, she took them out from