Besieged and Betrothed

He gave her an eloquent look. ‘You did, my lady. Yesterday when I asked what difference a week would make to the siege and you said that it was all you needed. I assumed you were expecting reinforcements.’

She cringed, inwardly berating herself for her own stupidity. She’d muttered something to that effect under her breath, but she’d never imagined he might have noticed. How could she have been so thoughtless? He’d remembered what she’d forgotten herself. In all the upheaval of the past day she hadn’t even thought about Stephen!

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’ She tried to feign innocence.

‘In that case I admire your loyalty, but the castle still needs to be ready just in case.’ He jerked his head in the direction of the smithy. ‘I thought your men might need some weapons’ practice. You never know when they might be called on to fight.’

‘For Sir Guian?’

‘I’m afraid so. I told you last night, if they want to stay here then it’s their only choice. Perhaps you’ll allow me to show you whilst my horse is resting?’

His gaze locked on to hers, his eyes seeming a whole different shade suddenly, their granite depths shimmering like crystalline violet in the sunlight. No, she warned herself, she ought to say no. It wasn’t just a bad idea, it was a dangerous one. Reckless. Imprudent. Completely irresponsible. No matter how thoughtful he’d been, they were still on different sides in a war. He was her enemy, sort of. Then he extended an arm and, for a moment, she forgot to breathe.

Chapter Thirteen

Juliana stared at Lothar’s elbow, taken aback by such an incongruous gesture. He seemed too big, too austere, too much the soldier to behave in such a courtly fashion. Especially considering the first time they’d met. There hadn’t been anything gallant about that! She wasn’t accustomed to acting the lady either—couldn’t even remember the last time a man had offered her his arm—and yet somehow she couldn’t resist the temptation.

‘Very well.’

She placed a hand on his bicep, twisting her face away as a thrill of excitement raced through her body, building in strength as it went. She had to place her spare hand on her stomach to try to calm it.

‘This way, L

ady Juliana.’

They crossed the bailey in silence, following the same path they’d walked the day before, though she could hardly believe it had only been that long. She felt as if she’d known him for longer. So much between them had changed. When they’d first entered the castle she’d been afraid of what he might do to her, but all of her fears had turned out to be completely unfounded. Now she was scared in a whole different way, of herself as much as of him. She didn’t understand why she responded to him so acutely, but she couldn’t seem to help it either. Not that it meant anything on his part, she was certain. She was deluding herself to think that a man like him would ever look twice at a woman like her. Even if it seemed as though he already had.

‘There they are.’

She jumped as they rounded the corner of the smithy, so deep in thought that the sound of his voice, not to mention its close proximity to her ear, actually startled her. She turned to find his face leaning in towards hers, so close that she could feel the heat of his breath against her cheek.

He gestured ahead and she looked, excitement turning to horror as she saw a group of his black-clad soldiers bearing down on her thin, emaciated-looking ones. No! She took half a step forward, seized with a rush of panic. Her men were weak and tired, no match for his warriors. They weren’t evenly matched!

She opened her mouth to protest and then closed it again, her panic gradually ebbing away as she started to make sense of the scene before her. There was no antagonism or aggression about it. On the contrary, there was an air of camaraderie, as if the soldiers were sharing advice rather than blows. A stranger would never have guessed that they’d been facing each other as enemies just two days before.

‘Sparring, not fighting.’ Lothar’s tone was reassuring.

‘Yes.’ She let out a sigh. ‘That’s a relief. It would hardly have been fair.’

‘No, but your men are well trained. I’m sure they’d make worthy adversaries.’

‘I wasn’t talking about them. Though yours aren’t bad either.’

‘Not bad? They’re some of the finest soldiers in the Empress’s army.’

‘As I said, not bad.’ She bit her lip, struggling to keep a straight face. ‘But you know my father raised me to have high standards.’

‘So it seems.’ The coals behind his eyes seemed to spark with amusement briefly. ‘He was a fine soldier. One of the best tacticians I ever met.’

‘A good teacher, too. He was always patient with me.’

The muscles in his arm seemed to flex slightly beneath her fingertips. ‘He taught you to fight?’

‘Of course. He believed that a woman ought to be able to defend herself.’

‘Did he think that you’d need to?’

‘I don’t know, but I suppose he thought that I should be prepared just in case. He taught me to use a sword and a bow like the rest of his men.’