And her eyes...
Vibrant and warm, they had sparkled with vitality and intelligence. They had...
They had been too bold, he realized with a start. No servant met a lord’s gaze, and most especially not his with such pride and unyielding directness. She hadn’t cringed from him, which meant she obviously didn’t know who he was.
There could only be one person at King Henry’s court who wouldn’t recognize him.
The Scotswoman.
And she was headed for the back gate.
Cursing, Sin bolted after her.
Callie stopped abruptly as a group of knights came between her and the gate. There were six of the demons to be sure. Six of them armed from training and on their way into the castle.
Of all her unfortunate luck!
Jamie’s hand trembled in her own. She gave a gentle squeeze to comfort him.
They would simply have to try and brazen it out. Aye, with any good fortune at all, the knights would pay her no heed and would let her pass without thought.
Lowering her gaze, she skirted the men and made for the gate.
“Well, well,” one of the men said as she drew near. “What have we here?”
“A fine serving wench,” another responded. “One to serve our needs finely.”
The others laughed. “Ah, Roger, you truly have a way with words and with the peasants.”
Callie quickened her steps.
One of the men cut her off.
She stopped dead in her tracks and dared a quick look to see the hunger burning in the man’s brown eyes.
“Forgive me, milord,” she said, the title sticking in her throat. It was not in her nature to grovel or cower, and if not for her brother, she wouldn’t deign to do so now.
But she had to get them out of here.
“I’ve work to be aboot.” Callie cringed as she heard her brogue slip.
“Aye, that you do,” he said, his voice low and husky. “And I definitely have a need for you to tend.” He reached down with one hand to adjust the sudden bump in his chausses.
Callie clenched her teeth in frustration. She was caught now.
Still, she wouldn’t give up without a fight.
The knight grabbed her and pulled her close for a kiss.
Before his lips could make contact with her own, she kicked him hard in the little bulge he seemed so very proud of.
He let go of her with a curse.
Her only thought survival, Callie seized the hilt of his sword and pulled it free of the scabbard.
The men laughed at her. “You’d best be putting that down before you hurt yourself, little girl.”
Callie rotated her wrist and spun the sword expertly around her body. “They only thing I’ll be hurting is one of you.” This time, she didn’t bother disguising her accent. “Now I suggest you remove yourselves from me path.”
