Honor & Roses (12 page)

She kicked once, twice, sending a shower of droplets into the air. She laughed in pleasure. How lovely, to be alone in the forest. No demands. No one telling her what to do or how to look. She was free and weightless. And Alric was somewhere nearby to keep her safe.

Thinking of Alric, she looked around the clearing, half fearing that he would peek. She saw nothing, however.

“He wouldn’t,” she told herself. She closed her eyes and concentrated on floating, only moving her arms and legs every few moments.

After a few more minutes, she decided that she ought to leave the water before she took a chill. Though she trusted Alric with her life, it would not be wise to linger with any man alone in the woods.

She waded out of the water. At the shore, she stopped when she heard a slight rustling sound. Cecily felt horribly exposed, naked and unarmed without even her little knife, which lay near the pile of clothes. But she heard nothing else, and she decided she only startled a creature of some type. She dried off and put her shift on.

Now clad decently, she called out “Alric! Are you there?”

A few moments later, he emerged from the green. “Cecily?”

“I am done swimming,” she said. “If you like, I will walk away so you can swim as well.”

He shook his head. “No. I’d not leave you undefended.”

“What will happen?”

“Who knows? I’d rather not find out too late. A swim isn’t worth it.” But he looked longingly toward the water.

“Listen,” said Cecily. “I must dry and rebraid my hair. I’ll sit right around the side of the hill here. I’ll turn my back, but still be close enough to call or run.”

“No peeking,” he said, with a sly smile.

“I wouldn’t dream of it,” Cecily said, turning her nose up at the suggestion.

She walked over to the spot she chose. A thin outcropping of granite blocked the view to the pool. She sat in a patch of sun, and then called, “I am here, and shall stay here till you come for me.”

Alric didn’t reply, but a moment later she heard a splash.

Cecily intended to wait patiently for her hair to dry, but curiosity crept over her. She stepped as silently as a doe to the edge of the outcropping. He’d be in the water, she told herself. Very likely she’d see only his head, if she saw anything at all.

She leaned a little to peek, and then her mouth dropped open.

Alric stood on the edge of the ridge where the water tumbled down from the creek into the pool. He must have climbed up, and he was preparing to dive back in.

And he was, naturally, completely naked.

Cecily should have turned back instantly. She should never have peeked in the first place.

But she did.

He was a sight for Cecily, who had very little knowledge of men. And she could only assume that he was a perfect man, because she could find no fault with his appearance. Long, strong legs rose to taut buttocks and a narrow torso. His body widened again, his back well-muscled to the big rounded shoulders. His arms were all muscled, clearly used to swinging a sword for hours. He was tanned from the sun, and there was only a faint line at his waist to mark where he stripped off his shirt to work or train each day. His skin looked smooth, a light layer of darker hairs on his legs and arms. She had a sudden desire to touch him and learn how he would feel. Hot and dry from the sun, or cool and wet from the water? Both?

He turned his head slightly, and she caught his profile. For just a second, she saw him as she remembered from years ago, a young man who took everything seriously, even a dive on a summer afternoon. But then he shifted his whole body slightly, and Cecily saw him as never before, a
grown
man. She bit her lip, just catching sight of his broad chest and, well, lower down, before she squeezed her eyes shut.

After a second, she dared herself to open her eyes, and saw him in motion, his body long and lean as he dove headfirst into the deep waters.

As soon as he disappeared under the water’s surface, she whirled around and rushed back to her seat, her heart pounding. If he ever knew she peeked she’d be mortified.

She could never think of him the same way again, now that she knew the beautiful body under his ordinary clothes. If she’d known that when he kissed her in the garden hut…what might she have done? Perhaps nothing. But she felt less innocent every time she looked at him.

Thank all the saints, she calmed down by the time she heard Alric’s footsteps coming near.

“So you’re safe and sound,” he said in approval. “But your hair isn’t braided at all.” He was fully clothed. Of course he was fully clothed. He was proper. She was the one who peeked.

“It takes quite some time to dry,” she said, standing up nervously. “Did you enjoy your swim?”

He nodded. “I should come back here every chance I get.”

“I think it’s time to move on?” she asked, thinking of him repeating his dive.

“There’s no need to rush,” he said, not sharing her agitation. Indeed, his good mood seemed completely restored after his swim. “Sit and let your hair dry. I don’t suppose you thought to bring a comb?”

“I hadn’t planned on a swim,” she admitted.

“Next time,” he said.

“Next time?”

“Well, you said you go to Meaholt every fortnight to help the sick. So we may be passing by this pool more than once before the weather cools.” He closed his eyes, letting the sun warm his face and head.

“I suppose it was foolish,” she said. “But truly, no one in Meaholt would ever hurt me.”

“Not in Meaholt. They worship you there. That was clear enough by how they all protected you and your women.” He opened his eyes again. “But Cecily, traveling to and from Meaholt is dangerous. Miles each way in the woods, with no one to see if bandits or whoever decide that a party of women would be easy prey.”

“I’m sorry,” she said. “I only thought of evading Theobald’s notice, not the other dangers.”

“There’s no harm done, thank the saints,” he said. “But you’ll not go alone again. Not while I’m here.”

Without another word, he reached out to touch her hair. He wrapped a little bit around his finger and an expression crossed his face that Cecily couldn’t read. Then he seemed to recall himself, and withdrew his hand, saying, “It feels dry enough now, my lady.”

She combed through the strands with her fingers, then braided it as best she could. Agnes was far better at the intricate patterns. But this would do.

“Do I look acceptable?” she asked.

“Barely,” Alric said, though the way he looked at her made her feel more than acceptable.

“What is it?” she asked.

He paused. “Nothing.”

“What?”

“I shouldn’t say. Let’s get the horses and move on.”

“Alric, please! You’ll drive me mad with curiosity now.”

He turned away. “Your curiosity will get you into trouble, Cecily. And despite your station, you’re
not
entitled to every thought I have, my lady.”

Cecily heard the rebuke. Ducking her head, she marched to where the horses waited, nickering to each other.

But naturally, she needed Alric’s help to mount up. He lifted her up easily, without even straining. He mounted his own horse a second later.

Before he led the horses back to the track, he looked over. “Forgive me, I shouldn’t have said that just now.”

“But you were right,” Cecily said. “Just as you were right about the risk. I’ll be guided by you in the future.”

“That would be a miracle,” he said. “Now let’s return home and convince your uncle not to put Meaholt to the torch.”

Alric wished they could fly
back to Cleobury. Every moment alone with Cecily was a test for him, one he’d inevitably fail. She had no idea what effect she had on him, and that was the only thing that kept him silent. But she was far too dangerous to be around, even when she wasn’t deciding that she wanted to
swim
in the middle of the forest when only he was there. Cecily might still be as innocent as she was when they were both children, but he wasn’t so sheltered.

Alric had tried not to look, he truly had. But he was only mortal, and the sight of Cecily undressed was too much to resist. Now he was left with the indelible image of his lady looking like a nymph, gorgeous and untouchable.

He was an idiot to invite such temptation. His role was to protect her, not lust after her.

Despite his inner turmoil, they rode at a steady pace. The drowsy noonday peace of the forest helped to calm him. As they rode closer to the town, they spied the occasional house or hut. Not wishing to alert the whole shire that he was escorting Lady Cecily alone, Alric chose to skirt the town proper, leading the horses along the track that went around the outer walls. Cecily was quiet for most of the journey, her thoughts veiled.

Less than an hour later, they reached the manor gates. The bustle inside was outwardly the same as every other day. If anyone was concerned about four women missing, or wondered where a contingent of men-at-arms might have gone, they didn’t raise any alarm.

After helping Cecily down and handing the horses off to a groom, Alric escorted Cecily inside to seek her uncle.

Theobald was easy to find. He was in a good mood when Cecily entered his receiving room with Alric at her heels, but once he learned of what happened that morning, his mood went sour.

“Are you telling me,” he almost spat, “that when you went to Meaholt, my niece was there?”

“She was, my lord,” Alric said. “I was as surprised as you, and I took her away as quickly as I could.”

“So Meaholt is not yet vacated and destroyed?”

“My lord, I thought it best to return here. But yes, I disobeyed your orders.”
Then I watched your niece swimming naked. Which of those transgressions would lead you to kill me faster?
Alric wondered with sudden and most inappropriate levity.

Theobald was too busy chastising Cecily to notice Alric’s distraction.

“Tell me, girl,” Theobald was saying. “What possessed you?”

“A sense of honor,” she said, simply.

“A sense of honor?” Theobald repeated, as if he’d never heard the word. “Explain yourself.”

“I am the lady of Cleobury, and technically of Meaholt as well. These people reside on my lands.”

Theobald’s mouth dropped open.

“I have a responsibility for them,” Cecily went on.

“You want Meaholt to remain standing? To be a nest of bandits?” he asked. “In God’s name, why should you know or care, Cecily?”

“They are not bandits!” she protested.

“How do you know?” Theobald looked to Alric. “What stories did you tell her?”

“I told her nothing,” Alric said. “Lady Cecily reports what she saw with her own eyes.”

Then of course, she had to tell him all the details of what transpired. Theobald’s face went black when he learned Cecily had visited the place more than once.

“You mean to tell me you routinely visit lepers?”

“Only a few have true leprosy,” she said. “Most are merely sick or weak or crippled.”

“You say that to appease me?” Theobald roared. “I’d have taken you away immediately.”

“So I did,” Alric interjected. “Once I saw Lady Cecily among the inhabitants, I made certain to always have her in sight or call.”

“That’s true, Uncle.” Cecily added, “Sir Alric made it quite clear that I was in the wrong to go to Meaholt with no men-at-arms along.”

“God’s wounds, he’s right!” Theobald’s fists were balled up. “To think of you at the mercy of some vagrants.”

“The inhabitants are well aware of Lady Cecily’s worth,” Alric said. “They showed great deference to her and the other women who accompany her. I don’t think she was ever in danger at Meaholt.” He deliberately left out his opinion that she had been in danger on the way there and back.

“Perhaps,” Theobald said. He glared at Cecily. “I should not even have to say it, but you’re not to return!”

“They need me!” she protested.

“Not for long. I ordered Alric to burn the place to the ground, which he’ll do forthwith.”

“In fact,” Alric said, “I ordered the men to repair the fences and patch the roofs today.”

The older man looked at Alric with narrowed eyes. “Is that not the opposite of what I ordered you to do?”

Alric stood firm. “Yes, my lord. But you feared Meaholt was held by bandits. When I saw  the situation was different, I followed Lady Cecily’s orders to assist the inhabitants.”

Theobald shook his head. “Cecily, Cecily. Always striving to save fallen sparrows, and now bringing a knight to aid you in your quest.” He sighed. “I cannot allow Meaholt to stand.”

“Why not?” she asked. “Alric has just told you it’s not a threat to us.”

“Not yet. But it could be.”

“The fact that it’s there keeps all the lepers away from other towns,” Alric argued. “Lady Cecily is right. It makes the people of your lands safer.”

“I’ll decide that,” Theobald snapped.

“It’s not as if the hamlet serves some strategic purpose,” Alric pressed on. “If Meaholt doesn’t exist, then the sick will merely go to other towns, where they will put a strain on the people there. Meaholt is their home. Let them keep it.”

“Please, Uncle,” Cecily added. “I’ve seen how content they are at Meaholt. You cannot drive them out. It wouldn’t be charitable or right.”