The man quickly guided Elora to the woman. She opened the door wider, allowing them entrance and closing it behind them.
Two children, a boy and a girl, sat huddled in the corner with round, frightened eyes. Elora’s gaze anxiously swept the simple home. A table with some trenchers on it, a pot simmering over the fire in the hearth. Breathing hard, Elora swiveled to the woman. Her dark hair was pulled back from her face, and she wore a cotton dress, her brow creased with worry. “Thank you,” Elora said sincerely.
“Are ya hurt?” the woman asked.
“No,” her rescuer answered. “Thank you for allowing us shelter.”
“No good could come of a tournament this large,” the woman whispered, moving to her children. She smoothed the girl’s brown hair comfortingly. “I told me Albert, me husband, that. And now… now I am worried about him.”
“Where is he?” Elora asked.
“He was in the market selling leather.”
Elora looked at her rescuer. For the first time, she realized he had a sword strapped to his belt. He was a knight! Her breathing slowed slightly. Knights took an oath to defend the innocent. He would take care of them, she knew. He had already protected her. A stray ray of sunshine beamed in through a broken plank on the door, illuminating his glimmering, determined blue eyes.
“I’m going back to find your friend and her husband,” he announced.
Elora’s heart tightened, and the hair on her nape stood up. She reached for his hand, gripping it tightly. She didn’t want him to leave her.
“Wait here,” he instructed, backing to the door.
“Wait!” she cried.
Their entwined hands stretched as she refused to release him.
He returned to her, clasping her hands and staring into her eyes with sincerity. “I can’t leave them out there. I’ll be back for you.” His hand was warm and strong as it surrounded hers. He looked at the peasant woman. “Take care of her.” He bent his head and pressed a kiss to Elora’s knuckles before releasing her and moving toward the door.
Elora’s skin tingled where he had touched her. She wanted to beg him to stay, but Sarah was out there amidst all the fighting men and their savagery. She nodded, trying to convince herself all would be fine.
His lips turned up in a half-smile, and he disappeared out the door.
Her trembling heart surged. How brave! How very chivalrous and courageous he was. It was only a moment later that she realized she did not even know his name.
Chapter Five
Julian dashed down the street towardthe main road and the brawl. He was looking for two people. He had caught a glimpse of Sarah earlier and figured she would be frightened and hiding. It could be very dangerous for her if she were caught up in all the fighting. The leather maker should be unhurt, possibly even involved in the brawl, with a load of leather goods.
He stopped at the entrance to the rowdy main road, scanning the area. To his left, a man with a ripped tunic grabbed another male and flung him to the ground. To his right, a different highlander with a long, dark beard tried to grab another about the waist as his victim threw punches at him. Around Julian, thunks sounded as fists slammed into flesh, and incoherent calls echoed. He stepped out of the way as one male pushed another into a building. Julian tongued the cut on his lip, not interested in getting involved in the brawl. He had to find Sarah.
He spotted a pocket of open space and raced across the street, all the while looking for a woman huddled in a corner or pressed against the wall for protection. Right next to him, someone jumped onto a merchant from behind.
It was chaos! A farmer bumped into Julian. He shoved him away and hurried on. When he heard a woman’s shout, he paused to scan the area for the origin. A female with brown hair clung to a man’s back, pounding his head and shoulders angrily with her fists.
“Sarah!” Julian called, unsure if it was her or not.
She didn’t look up, and he hurried closer, skirting a squire who huddled on the ground with his hands over his head. “Sarah!”
She looked up at him, pausing her attack.
The man whose back she was on reached over his head and seized her shoulder. He flipped her off of him and into the dirt of the street. The man lurched to go after her, but Julian grabbed his tunic and shoved him into two brawling men, who then turned their attention to the newcomer.
Julian rushed over to Sarah and bent before her. “Are you hurt?” he asked, holding a hand out to her.
She took his hand just as someone bumped into him. Losing his balance, he stepped over her lest he fall on her. He yanked her to her feet and grabbed her arm, hurriedly leading her through the maze of battles toward the side street. “Are you Sarah?”
“Yes! How did you—”
They sidestepped two fighters locked in an embrace and struggling. “Your friend was worried about you.”
