Part 7 (2/2)
Cat stiffened in his arms. ”Julia? Bryce? What are you doing here? Dressed like that?”
Bracken looked down to the bow in his hands before he spoke in a sarcastic tone. ”It appears a.s.saulting your friend. I suppose some things never change.”
Again Catarina laughed. ”I would expect no less from the likes of you. But why are you here in France?”
”We”--he indicated the other two along with himself--”are outlaws. If I return to England, King Henry will demand our lives.”
”What? I don't understand.”
Bracken sighed before he put the arrow in the quiver that was slung over his back and draped the bow over the opposite shoulder. ”My father took up with the wrong sort and was denounced as a traitor. Our lands were confiscated along with my armor and horses, my father was executed, and we were offered the choice between banishment or beheadedment. Obviously, we chose the former.”
Lochlan snorted. It was rare for that choice ever to be given. Usually the king's justice was extremely swift and final. ”Henry must have been in a good mood that day.”
Bracken sneered. ”If you say so.”
Catarina ignored the ice and venom in Bracken's voice. Not that she blamed him for it. He was more than ent.i.tled to his hostility over such an injustice. ”So you're just traveling about now?”
Bracken shrugged. ”There wasn't much choice in the matter, so we took a page from your book. I mean, I have tried to find work, but no one wants to hire a disgraced n.o.bleman whose only experience is on a tourney field. I don't even know how they can tell what I am. I never mention it to them when I ask for work. It's as if they can smell it on me somehow.”
Not really. There was an imperious bearing to the man that no one could mistake. Not to mention his French was formal and tinged with an English accent. 'Twould be obvious to anyone that this man was more at home running the town than working in it.
Catarina glanced down at Bryce who still held Lochlan's sword in his hands. ”Why did you stop us?”
Bracken gave her a devilish grin. ”I was planning to rob you.”
Catarina shook her head and tsked at him. ”You've taken to thievery?”
”Better than hungry.”
She cast a chiding stare at all three of them. ”I am so disappointed in you, Bracken.”
”You don't understand, Cat,” Julia said defensively. ”Bracken hasn't eaten in three days. He's been giving his portions to us and still we're all starving. If Bracken doesn't eat soon--”
”Enough, Julia,” Bracken said between clenched teeth. ”She doesn't need the sordid details of our lives.”
Lochlan opened his saddlebags with one hand and tossed a small wrapped parcel to Julia. ”'Tis meat and bread for you.”
Her eyes lit up instantly. ”G.o.d bless you.”
He inclined his head to her, then tossed a small bag to Bryce. The youth opened it to find several gold marks.
Bracken cursed as he saw it, then s.n.a.t.c.hed it from Bryce's hands. He stalked toward them with his eyes snapping fury. ”We don't need charity.”
Lochlan arched a brow at his untoward behavior as he refused to take the coins back. ”But you were going to steal it?”
”I would have earned it that way.”
While he might fault the man's reasoning, he could almost respect it. He didn't like taking anything himself unless he earned it either. ”Fine then, ride with us and consider that payment.
We're being chased by the king's men and I'm trying to reach a tourney in Rouen. I could use an extra pair of hands to fight should the guards find us again.”
Bracken scowled at him. ”Why are you running?”
”My father wishes me to marry.”
He looked as aghast as Lochlan must have the first time he'd heard her say that. ”Would that be so bad?”
Catarina stiffened. ”For me, aye. And well you know it. Now if you don't mind, we needs be on our way. With you, or without you.”
Lochlan was amused to know she didn't reserve that imperious tone strictly for him. It was nice to see it directed at someone else for a change.
Bracken hesitated before he turned his head to Julia. ”Fetch the horses.”
She let out a delighted squeak before she ran to get them while Bryce returned the sword to Lochlan.
”Sorry,” the boy said before he retreated to Bracken's side.
In no time the three of them were mounted and all of them were back on the road. Bryce and Julia shared the meat while they rode.
Bracken refused, saying he'd rather see them full. Instead, he rode abreast of Lochlan while the other two followed behind. ”How many guards are in pursuit?”
”Around a score.”
”Good number that.”
Lochlan didn't respond to his sarcasm.
Julia galloped her horse to Bracken's side and again held out the meat to her brother. ”Please eat something. You're going to be ill if you keep going without food.”
”She's right,” Lochlan said. ”We'll stop in the morning for supplies.”
He could see the reservation in Bracken's eyes and he admired the man's loyalty to his siblings and his sacrifice on their behalf.
”Please, Bracken. I can't stand the thought of losing you, too.”
That small plea must have weakened his resolve. Bracken took a small portion. ”Now you eat the rest and quit pestering me.”
She offered her older brother a bright smile. ”Very well, Lord Churlish.” Then she fell back to ride beside Bryce.
Bracken swallowed the meat before he turned his attention back to Lochlan. ”I still don't know who you are.”
”Lochlan MacAllister.”
”He's their laird,” Catarina added.
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