Read A Knight for Love for Free Online Page B
Authors: A.M. Westerling
curls.
Alyna could take no more. She tossed the soap and cloth in his general direction, flung herself about and ran to the door, heaving it open with such force that the leather hinges were well-nigh torn in two. She darted out into the gathering darkness.
“Alan!”
Warin’s cry made her stumble and slow but she pretended she hadn’t heard it. She couldn’t finish the task, couldn’t face his nakedness, couldn’t face her undeniable attraction to him.
An attraction leading to nothing for in a day or two, she and Warin would part. He’d already told her that, that he couldn’t take her with him.
Alyna ran as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. However, several weeks of near starvation had taken its toll and that, coupled with a belly full of stew and bread, soon slowed her frantic pace to a walk. She wandered beside the river until she found a grassy spot to sit. The cool night air soothed the fevered skin of her cheeks while she watched the murky brown water.
Swollen with the recent rainfall, the river seethed and spiraled, eddied and ebbed, hissed and hummed against a logjam on the opposite shore. If her emotions could be seen, she thought sourly, that’s how they would look.
Alyna closed her eyes, clenching them shut, willing her mind to calmness. It was futile. Her thoughts burst free.
How had she got herself into this ? What imp had taken control of her tongue so that she had remained silent? Warin appeared a reasonable, kind man, a knight raised to the code of chivalry. Surely, he would have guarded her virtue if she had divulged her identity. Yet, she hadn’t and events had come to such a pass that the scandal that would doubtless ensue if it was discovered that she had aided a man un-chaperoned, daunted her. She must avoid that at all costs. As difficult as it would be, she must leave Warin and continue on her own.
A shame, for Warin would have provided safe passage for a time at least. The thought of being alone again wasn’t appealing. As well, there still remained the problem of finding her way home to England. Warin had indicated that he couldn’t help her on her journey, but somehow she sensed that he wouldn’t just abandon her.
And when she returned home? That was an eventuality that she hadn ’t even considered yet. Would she be welcomed? Or turned away?
Mayhap she should be less worried about this evening’s incident and more worried about what would be said, in fact, had been said, over her hasty , unplanned departure from Caperun Keep. Her Aunt Philippa could be cruel.
Alyna shook her head. That could not be foreseen. Better to concentrate on the present, on Warin. Truly, she could see no way to ease herself out of her predicament. To reveal herself now would be too embarrassing.
Nay, she would creep out early on the morrow, completing her charade as Alan.
To be sure, she could leave at this very moment, but the prospect of one night beneath the welcome shelter of a roof was too irresistible. As was the prospect of one more night in Warin’s company.
She ro se and walked back to Ada’s hut, stopping only to pick a few late primroses to join the daffodils on Ada’s table. It was the only thanks she could think of.
*****
Warin watched his young companion charge out into the evening leaving the door swinging open back and forth. Bemused, he glanced down in time to see the soap sink and disappear into the murky grey bathwater.
He couldn ’t deny his initial instincts any longer – Alan was simply too girlish. How would the lad ever grow up and fit into the world of men? As much as he felt obligated to help the youngster, Warin had no idea what to do with him. He should cut ties with him sooner rather than later and be on his way to the monastery. Perhaps he could leave the lad here with Ada. Perhaps she needed an extra set of hands to help her with brewing of the ale.
And then there was the troubling matter of his sudden erection. The sight of Alan’s
Alyna could take no more. She tossed the soap and cloth in his general direction, flung herself about and ran to the door, heaving it open with such force that the leather hinges were well-nigh torn in two. She darted out into the gathering darkness.
“Alan!”
Warin’s cry made her stumble and slow but she pretended she hadn’t heard it. She couldn’t finish the task, couldn’t face his nakedness, couldn’t face her undeniable attraction to him.
An attraction leading to nothing for in a day or two, she and Warin would part. He’d already told her that, that he couldn’t take her with him.
Alyna ran as if the hounds of hell were on her heels. However, several weeks of near starvation had taken its toll and that, coupled with a belly full of stew and bread, soon slowed her frantic pace to a walk. She wandered beside the river until she found a grassy spot to sit. The cool night air soothed the fevered skin of her cheeks while she watched the murky brown water.
Swollen with the recent rainfall, the river seethed and spiraled, eddied and ebbed, hissed and hummed against a logjam on the opposite shore. If her emotions could be seen, she thought sourly, that’s how they would look.
Alyna closed her eyes, clenching them shut, willing her mind to calmness. It was futile. Her thoughts burst free.
How had she got herself into this ? What imp had taken control of her tongue so that she had remained silent? Warin appeared a reasonable, kind man, a knight raised to the code of chivalry. Surely, he would have guarded her virtue if she had divulged her identity. Yet, she hadn’t and events had come to such a pass that the scandal that would doubtless ensue if it was discovered that she had aided a man un-chaperoned, daunted her. She must avoid that at all costs. As difficult as it would be, she must leave Warin and continue on her own.
A shame, for Warin would have provided safe passage for a time at least. The thought of being alone again wasn’t appealing. As well, there still remained the problem of finding her way home to England. Warin had indicated that he couldn’t help her on her journey, but somehow she sensed that he wouldn’t just abandon her.
And when she returned home? That was an eventuality that she hadn ’t even considered yet. Would she be welcomed? Or turned away?
Mayhap she should be less worried about this evening’s incident and more worried about what would be said, in fact, had been said, over her hasty , unplanned departure from Caperun Keep. Her Aunt Philippa could be cruel.
Alyna shook her head. That could not be foreseen. Better to concentrate on the present, on Warin. Truly, she could see no way to ease herself out of her predicament. To reveal herself now would be too embarrassing.
Nay, she would creep out early on the morrow, completing her charade as Alan.
To be sure, she could leave at this very moment, but the prospect of one night beneath the welcome shelter of a roof was too irresistible. As was the prospect of one more night in Warin’s company.
She ro se and walked back to Ada’s hut, stopping only to pick a few late primroses to join the daffodils on Ada’s table. It was the only thanks she could think of.
*****
Warin watched his young companion charge out into the evening leaving the door swinging open back and forth. Bemused, he glanced down in time to see the soap sink and disappear into the murky grey bathwater.
He couldn ’t deny his initial instincts any longer – Alan was simply too girlish. How would the lad ever grow up and fit into the world of men? As much as he felt obligated to help the youngster, Warin had no idea what to do with him. He should cut ties with him sooner rather than later and be on his way to the monastery. Perhaps he could leave the lad here with Ada. Perhaps she needed an extra set of hands to help her with brewing of the ale.
And then there was the troubling matter of his sudden erection. The sight of Alan’s