Brotherhood: The Warrior Part 8

Bracken averted his gaze. "I see." His tone was empty and yet speculative.

Catarina cast a frown at Lochlan before she looked to Bracken. "What do you mean by that?"

"Nothing."

"Lochlan, what does he mean by that?"

As if he had a clue. But he was curious enough himself to pursue it. "By your tone, I can tell there's more to that statement. Don't worry about offending me. I have four brothers who tutored me well on patience."

Bracken glanced back at Bryce as if he understood completely before he spoke again. "I met your father a couple of times when I was a young squire at Henry's court."

With those few words, total clarity was his. "Ah."

Bracken nodded. "Exactly."

Cat stared back at forth as the two of them appeared to be speaking in code to one another and she wanted to be let in on this great secret. "What does that mean?"

"Nothing," they said in unison.

Cat rolled her eyes at them. "Men," she said to Julia. "They are ever a blight on our gender."

Julia giggled as she licked her fingers.

Letting out a frustrated sigh, she returned her attention to the men. "So what is this he met your father that brings mutual understanding to the two of you?"

Lochlan gave her a gimlet glare. "You're not going to allow me peace from this are you?"

"Not until I have an answer."

"Fine. My father had a bit of a reputation at the English court."

"Reputation for what?"

"Cruelty."

"Oh," she whispered, feeling guilty now that she'd pursued the issue. "I'm sorry, Lochlan, I shouldn't have pressed."

"It's fine, la.s.s. It isn't as if it's a secret." He indicated Bracken with a tilt of his head. "Many people are well aware of what my father was."

Even so, she shouldn't have pried. Such things were personal and no doubt he had scars from the experience. If his father was cruel to strangers, then he was most likely the same way to his family and that made her ache for him as she wondered what other secrets Lochlan kept locked inside himself.

They all fell quiet as they traveled in the darkness. Cat listened to the rustle of the wind through the trees. There was a bit of a chill to the air, but the close proximity of Lochlan's body chased it away. The scent of him and feel of his muscles around her went a long way in keeping her warm, too.

Lochlan stiffened, in more ways than one, as Catarina laid her hand on his arm before she tucked her head under his chin and relaxed against him again. Even though it was a purely platonic touch, there was something so intimate about it that his blood fired.

But the worst was that it awakened a longing inside him that he'd never felt before. He'd never really been at ease around women. They were too conniving and fragile for his liking. He didn't like tears or melodrama, and they seemed to bring an abundance of both. Case in point, his quest had been frustrating but peaceful until Catarina crossed his path. Not once had he pulled his sword out or had anyone shoot an arrow at his head.

The minute she came into his life--chaos.

Yet the sensation of her in his arms...it was heaven. And he found himself wondering what it would be like to have a wife. To have someone who could tease him and who wouldn't make him uncomfortable by wondering what game she played or how she was conniving to win his hand.

His sisters-in-law were perfect matches for his brothers. They treated them with respect and loved them in a way he'd never thought possible. Each one had literally saved his brothers' lives.

Surely he deserved as much? But as soon as that thought went through him, he silently scoffed as he remembered his father's bitter words. Deserving has nothing to do with anything, boy. Get that out your head. The world owes you nothing and I owe you even less.

His father was right. If deserving had anything to do with anything, his brother Sin would have been laird. Sin was the eldest, not Lochlan. But his father had never claimed Sin and where was the justice in that?

Nay, life wasn't about justice and earning a future. It was about negotiating and taking charge.

Even so, it took all his willpower not to rub his cheek against her hair and savor the softness of it on his skin. Images of her naked in his arms tormented him. It would be so easy to place his lips on her throat...

Stop. Any more and he might very well turn mad from the heat in his body. She was a cousin of his sister-in-law who had saved Ewan's life. As such, he would protect and honor her. There would be nothing more than that.

Bracken rode up beside him. "Is she asleep again?"

Lochlan glanced down to see she was completely relaxed against him. "I think so."

"Interesting. I've never known her to trust anyone except Bavel that way."

Yet she didn't seem to hesitate collapsing against him. It was odd and almost insulting that he bored her to such a state that she constantly fell asleep around him. He didn't normally elicit such a response from anyone. Most people were extremely reserved in his presence.

"How long have you known her?" he asked Bracken.

He smiled as if the memory warmed him. "We met as children, here in France. Paris actually. I'd come here with my father and was at court, and she was visiting her father that summer."

Amus.e.m.e.nt radiated from his eyes. "She was livid at being forced to stay in the palace and made to wear finery. Every few minutes, she'd kick off her shoes and tear the wimple and veil from her hair. She said she was suffocating from the weight of her gown. I thought her poor nurse would have apoplexy from dealing with her."

Lochlan could just imagine her tantrum. "Her father tolerated it?"

The humor fled from his face. "Not a bit. They would whip her and she would laugh, even while there were tears in her eyes from the pain. `You can't make me wear it,' she'd say bravely. `You can beat me until I turn blue, but you'll never make me wear it.'"

"Why didn't they give in to her and just let her be?"

"Prince Philip? Now king?" Bracken asked incredulously. "Do you honestly think he'd ever cede any point, especially to a willful child?"

It was true. Philip was known for his iron will and inflexibility. The only opinion that ever mattered was his own. "So what happened?"

"Her uncle stole her away in the middle of the night and took her back to her mother. After that, they left their home and traveled about so that her father could never again command her back to his lands and her station."

That had been a daring move on their part. It was a wonder Philip hadn't dragged them back to Paris in chains. "I wonder how he found her this time?"

"There's no telling. But I doubt she went to him voluntarily."

Lochlan smiled at the understatement. "You seem to know each other rather well for people who only met once as children."

Bracken gave him a pointed look. "Is that jealousy I hear in your voice?"

"Hardly. I barely know her myself."

Still suspicion hung heavy on Bracken's brow. "Since my father knew and liked her mother greatly, he extended an invitation to them to come stay with us during our annual spring festival.

For years, they would visit and stay at least a month at our castle in England."

Now there was a p.r.i.c.kling of jealousy inside him. There were years of history between the two of them. He didn't know why that one fact bothered him, but it did. "No wonder you know her well then."

"Not as well as I think you mean. Cat has no interest in being tied to any man and she never has.

She values her freedom more than any person I've ever known."

But the life of a gypsy was no life for a princess. Traveling with no real home and having been alienated from her father must have been hard on her and her mother. He couldn't imagine the hards.h.i.+ps they must have faced.

Bracken cleared his throat. "I'm surprised you haven't asked me of my lands and t.i.tles."

Lochlan gave him a sheepish glance. "I thought it might be a sore spot best left undisturbed."

"Aye, it is. Can you imagine losing everything in the blink of an eye?"

Lochlan looked over his shoulder at Bryce and Julia. In his opinion, Bracken hadn't lost everything--he still had quite a bit with him. "Aye, I can. I've lost one of my brothers."

Bracken crossed himself. "Then you know what I mean. My deepest condolences."

"And mine to you as well for your father."

Bracken inclined his head to him in mutual respect before he let his horse drift behind so that he could ride abreast of his siblings. Lochlan looked down at Catarina, who had one hand tucked none too comfortably against his groin while the other rested in her own lap. Her perfect lips were parted and if they'd been alone, he wasn't too sure he wouldn't have sampled them.

But with the others nearby...It would only be a fantasy of his. Dear G.o.d, she was beautiful in his arms....

They rode in silence for the rest of the night. It wasn't until daybreak that they found themselves approaching a small farm.

Bracken came abreast of his horse again. "Have you any more coin?"

"Aye."

"Then let us see if the farmer would mind putting us up in his barn for a bit. What say you?"

Lochlan had to stifle a yawn. "I couldn't agree more. Sleep would be most welcome at this point."

He handed Bracken a few coins.

Bracken rode ahead while they stayed back so as not to frighten the farmer or his family.

Generally the sight of so many n.o.bles at a French peasant's home boded ill and they were ever on their guard against foul play.

After a few minutes, Bracken returned with a leg of salted lamb, a jug of mead, and two loaves of bread. "We can sleep in the barn so long as we don't disturb their animals."

Lochlan snorted. "I don't plan to disturb anything more than the hay as I lay myself upon it."

"I hear you." Bracken pa.s.sed the meat and bread to his siblings.

Julia paused as she started to tear a piece. She held the loaf out toward him. "Would you like a bit to eat, Lord Lochlan?"

"Just call me Lochlan, my lady, and I'll pa.s.s. You eat your fill."

He saw the grat.i.tude in her eyes before she tore her loaf in half and gave it back to Bracken.

Lochlan watched as Bracken walked away from them to eat it, but he didn't miss the way the man tore into the bread like a starving beggar. He ate it so quickly that Lochlan was amazed he didn't chew his own fingers in the process.

Sympathy for them welled up inside him. No one deserved the misery that had been dealt to them. They appeared to be decent enough people. All they needed was a chance.

"You know, Bracken," he said as he joined him, "I can always use another trained knight in my company."

Bracken scoffed as he remounted his horse and led them toward the barn. "I have no sword or armor. I only have a horse because I stole mine back from the king's own company. What good would I be to you?"

"Retaking what belongs to you is no crime in my book. The offer stands. Armor and swords can be bought."

Suspicion clouded Bracken's eyes. "Why would you do such a thing?"

Lochlan met his gaze levelly as he struggled to keep the pain out of his voice and eyes.

"Because no son should be held accountable for the actions of his father. Nor should he be judged by them."

Bracken gave him a hard stare and Lochlan was sure the man understood that he was talking about his own father as well as Bracken's. "What of my siblings?"

"You'll need a squire. Bryce appears to be of age for such and my mother would be most delighted to have a young lady to train and dote upon."

Bracken glanced to Julia and the love and relief in his eyes was almost tangible. It was obvious he'd been more than concerned about her welfare on the road. Even so, he wasn't about to subject them to complete charity. "We will pay our way."

"Of that I have no doubt."

Bracken held his arm out to him. "Then I'm your man."

Keeping Catarina cradled against him, Lochlan shook his arm and nodded. "Welcome to the MacAllister clan."

Tears glistened in Julia's eyes. "We have a home again? Truly?"

"Aye, love," Bracken said, his voice breaking. "It appears we do."

She let out a squeal before she ran to Bryce and hugged him. "Did you hear that, brother? We have a home!"

"I heard until you screamed in my ear. Now I fear I shall never hear again."

She shoved playfully at him. "Oh shush, Lord Grump. You're just as excited as I am and you know it."

A small smile from the moody adolescent confirmed it before he mumbled under his breath and walked away.

Bracken held Lochlan's horse while he slid to the ground with Catarina in his arms. She didn't even stir. "I swear this woman could sleep through most anything."

"Aye. She'd be the perfect mate for a man who snores."