A Lord for Haughmond Read Online Free

taste, as he is more accustomed to the ways of warfare and warriors.” She gave a brief smile. “Now if you will excuse us—” Hiking up her sagging tunic she took hold of Anne’s arm and propelled the younger girl along beside her and set out toward the east.
         Simon stared at them, but a snicker from one of the knights remounting his charger brought his slack jaw shut.
         “Ye can’t leave!” He bolted after them.
         Behind him the two knights exchanged glances and nudged their mounts forward.
         Katherine forged into the tangled vegetation. “Why not? Sir Rhys has deserted us. We can manage on our own.”
         Simon stepped lively to keep apace. “Me master hasn’t deserted ye. He only returns for the baggage we left behind when we stumbled on the Welsh encampment.”
         “More reason we should not inconvenience him in his endeavors. If it appeases his conscience tell him we’ve deserted him .” Katherine marched on, prodding her sister with an urgent hand. “At any rate, we cannot be far from the London road.”
     
    *  *  *
     
         “Where are your charges?” Rhys kept his tone polite, knowing the answer before Simon jerked his thumb toward the underbrush.
         He frowned. “Fool, you told them the direction of London?”
         “Nay!” Simon was quick to defend himself. “The Lady Katherine seemed ta know her way.”
         “You told them I would champion their cause?”
         “Aye, but ’twould appear the lady doesn’t fancy a champion.” Simon shoved his newfound dirk into his worn leather belt.
         Remembering the disparate attitudes of the two young women, Rhys bit back a smile. “Did you not try to detain them, for the sake of the younger sister? For the sake of her trusting eyes?”
         The squire scowled darkly.
         “Poor Simon.” Rhys looked toward the direction of London. In his mind’s eye, he yet saw her frantically grab for Katherine. Though she’d broken her sister’s fall, she’d lost her own balance in the process. Together, they’d toppled to the ground. Both were long-limbed and trim of figure, a stirring sight to a man long without a woman. If Lady Katherine weren’t so angry he would have relished the view of her face, for she possessed lovely features, with finely arched brows and expressive eyes, and the thickest brown curls a woman ever possessed. Perhaps ’twas her dissatisfied mouth that had forestalled his intercession. For shame, he had sat like a statue, enjoying the view of tangled arms and dark sweeping tresses, intrigued by her stormy face gone suddenly soft and sweet in repose.
         Returning to reality, Rhys cleared his throat. “Helpless?” Never before in his travels had he come across so intriguing a damsel. “I think not.” He nodded toward the hillock. “Settle camp on yonder ridge. A wager says I’ll be back before you’ve reached it.”
         With a firm shake of his head, Simon climbed on his stocky cob.
         “Not willing to be drawn into another bet, my cowardly friend?” Rhys chuckled. “Forsooth, your coins grow too precious.”
         “’Twould spare me bones if I could get me a better steed than this ancient nag.” Simon shifted his seat with a grimace. “An’ ’twas a warmin’ fire at Much Wenlock’s priory last eventide.” He shot a sulky glance at Rhys. “I’d be grateful for another night’s ease instead of pursuin’ this reckless vengeance.”
         “So you keep reminding me.” Rhys’s irritation seeped into his sharp reply.
         “Think ye’ll wrest Myton Castle from Sir Geoffrey’s clutches?”    
         Rhys punched the air with his fist. “Do you doubt it?”
         “Well—his reputation in the lists—”
         “Silence your maw!” His squire took liberties with his good nature. “I won’t forego my vengeance. Just because I plucked you out of a miserable existence