Page 44 of A Knight for Gwenllian

She turned to Alexander, deciding it was time to go. She’d had what she wanted—and more. She’d been proven that he had not forgotten her in a spectacular manner. They had made love, he had returned her mare and proven his generous nature and genuine interest in her. It was rather a lot for one day, she should be happy with that.

And she should leave, take a moment to put some order to her thoughts.

“Will you come with me to Sheridan Manor?” she asked, wanting to prolong the moment despite herself.

Alexander hesitated. Should he go with Gwenllian? Was it a good idea? Did he dare go see her uncle, who was a rather formidable man, at the risk of betraying their forbidden intimacy? Matthew Hunter might well take one look at them and guess what his neighbor had done to his niece earlier in the woods. But how could he refuse to accompany her? Not only did she need an escort to ensure that she was not attacked again, but she needed help to manage the two horses, now that he had returned Gwlithyn to her. Yes, but perhaps he could send Edward or Peter with her. He winced inwardly when he imagined telling her he would not go and she would have to make do with his squire or his groom instead. It would feel like a dismissal.

But Alexander really didn’t think he could face Gwenllian’s uncle right now, as he suspected that the expression on his face when he looked at her made his feelings clear. Feelings he was not comfortable with.

“Did you come here alone?” he asked to buy himself time. “It was very ill-advised of you.” Didn’t she remember how they had met?

She smiled. “No, I didn’t come alone. Alasdair came with me and helped bring Buttercup back.”

Of course.

“Where is he?” She had definitely been on her own leaving Audley earlier. He knew because this had given him the opportunity to pounce on her. Why had the man abandoned her?

“He went…”

Instead of finishing her sentence, she blushed. Alexander frowned. What was going on? Why was talking about the man making her flustered? Come to think of it, why had the Scottish squire come all the way to England? They’d needed men in the retinue, but why him instead of seasoned Old Murdo or reliable Angus? Then he remembered Gwenllian asking if Alasdair would travel with him and William the day he had announced his departure. The question had taken him by surprise. Had she been worried that the man she had her eye on to replace him in her bed would leave as well? It was possible. She had gone to Scotland with the intention of having “an adventure,” as she’d put it. Why not have two adventures while she was at it? The squire was handsome, even Alexander could see that, and he would not fail to attract female attention. Had he drawn hers?

“I see,” he said through gritted teeth. “Perhaps you did find your Scot, after all.”

“No!” She sounded horrified that he should think such a thing. “I did not… Alasdair and I have never… He would never… How can you even suppose… After what we did in the forest earlier…”

There was no doubting her sincerity. She was not interested in the handsome squire. Still, there was something she wasn’t telling him, something that involved Alasdair, he was sure of it.

“What then?” He could not let it go.

“I-I’m sorry, it’s not my secret to tell.”

Just then, hooves were heard clattering on the drawbridge, heralding the arrival of two riders. A moment later, as if he’d heard their discussion, Alasdair himself appeared in the bailey, followed by Sir William.

Alexander was pleased to see his new friend. He and Matthew Hunter’s former squire had become quite close during their ride from Scotland, but he wasn’t quite sure what to make of Alasdair’s presence by his side. He had no idea the two men even knew one another. Had they run into each other outside the walls, like he and Gwenllian had done earlier? The thought caused a smile to bloom on his lips, because he doubted the men would have done quite what the two of them had done against the beech.

“Welcome. What brings you here?”

“Alasdair and I are on our way to Sheridan Manor. We stopped here in case Lady Gwenllian needed an escort back,” William explained, jumping down from the saddle with ease. He was smiling broadly. In fact, Alexander realized, he looked happier than any man had the right to be.

Puzzled, he looked at Gwenllian, who was beaming at her uncle’s former squire. Then her gaze met the Scot’s and, in turn, the man broke into a wide smile. What the hell was going on?

“Why are you going to Sheridan Manor?” he asked, the only one scowling in the middle of all the inexplicable mirth. He felt as if he was the only one who didn’t understand something, and he didn’t like it.

“We are going to tell Laird Campbell that his squire is not going to ride with the retinue to Esgyrn Castle, or indeed back to Scotland afterward. He will be staying with me at Redhill for a while.”

Forever.

The word was not said but implied.

Just like that, everything became clear in Alexander’s mind. When Gwenllian had asked him if Alasdair would be riding with him and William, she must have known the two men had developed feelings for one another. This was why everyone was smiling. This was the secret that wasn’t hers to tell. And indeed he saw that he had nothing to fear, she was not sharing the Scot’s bed. Someone else was.

A smile broke on his lips, because now he was not so sure Alasdair and William had not had their own scandalous encounter out in the woods.

“I see,” he said evenly. “I’m glad to see England had managed to weave its charm on a Scot. I’m told it is rare.”

“Very,” the Scot said, throwing an adoring glance at William, who returned the glance. “But I could not resist.”

As happy as he was for his friend, Alexander seized on the easy escape the two men offered him. He had been looking for a way to avoid meeting Matthew Hunter without compromising Gwenllian’s safety, and here it was.