Page 9 of An Earl for the Archeress

Robert righted his posture, tugging the hem of his coat to straighten it.

“Sire,” Wesley croaked. “You misunderstand my preferences—”

“I misunderstand nothing,” Robert said dismissively. “’Tis an unspoken fact and an act I once saw you heartily engaging in. You were too distracted to notice I’d come to the buttery in the middle of the night, and I made a hasty retreat upon seeing you.” Wesley ducked his head, his face red. “That’s right. You and the blacksmith’s apprentice, so don’t lie to me now. I’ll not turn you in for it. It makes no difference to me who you bugger. But you cheated. You cheated me out of a fair game, and you cheated that girl—” He caught himself. “That girl’s brother out of his half of the winnings. Hand over my accounting ledgers. You’ll get the honor of such a position back when your sennight of discipline is complete. I value your skill, and you are indeed sharp with numbers. But I cannot abide cheating. This lesson you must learn well, for if I cannot trust you to conduct yourself honestly, then I’m afraid you’ll need to find a new household to serve.”

Wesley averted his eyes, stood, and handed over a leather portfolio.

“The midday meal is served and I’m famished. After you, sire.” Robert gestured, motioning to the door.

He tried not to fume as he marched down the stairs into the great hall behind Wesley. But his officials needed to learn that dishonesty was met with his disdain. “Elmer” had been sent off with nothing, and thanks to his other officials’ jesting upon their return to Huntington the day before, he had learned the truth of it. He hadn’t beaten the girl. He had tied her. She should have been awarded accordingly.

He stepped upon the dais and made his way to his seat when he felt himself roll his eyes like “Elmer” at the tournament. God be damned, but Lady Anna was already there, watching him with a smile upon her lips. He wanted to attack the pea-and-mutton stew sitting in steaming dishes, not fight off her unsolicited attentions. Sitting down, he tucked into the table and shoved a mouthful into his gullet so he could say nothing when Anna greeted him with a flirtatious, “Hello, sire.”

The woman placed a hand on his arm. He looked down the table at Will, who shrugged, chuckling. A lot of help the sod was. He took another bite quickly to replace the first, when the doors to the main hall were suddenly thrown wide. He swallowed, watching his guards drag a scrawny lad down the aisle between two of the trestle tables. A wary prickle raised the hair on his arms.

“My lord,” presented a guard, ripping back the lad’s hair to lift his face to the earl, and lo, but it was… “A thief caught in your woods last night, cooking a hare without your permission to even hunt one. What should we do with the urchin?”

“Elmer?”

His mystery woman looked more like something the dogs had fought over the night before.

“Release her.” He jumped to his feet, yanking his arm free from Anna.

“But, my lord―”

“I said release her!” He bolted down the dais, around the tables, onto the main floor.

The hall fell silent.

“’Tis a him, sire, not a her,” said his guard with confusion.

“’Tis a young woman,” snarled Robert. “Unhand her. Now!”

They did so, and Robert caught her before she hit the floor as the men and women eating abandoned their tables to crowd around and gossip.

“Wa…water…please…” the woman begged.

“Hold steady, sweeting. Get the pitcher,” he directed the nearest serving girl, who snatched the wine off the dais and thrust it into his hand.

“Wine first, Elmer, to give your humors a boost,” he said, kneeling so he could set her upon the floor and cradle her head upon his knee.

He nodded to the maid to fetch water from the kitchens then brought the wine vessel to the girl’s lips. She drank as if she had never tasted anything so sweet, only to sputter on the alcohol moments later, so that it ran down the corners of her mouth like blood. The water arrived and he replaced the wine with a wooden goblet.

She drained it.

“Elmer?” questioned his guard.

“Yes, my competition at the archery contest, the one who almost bested me,” Huntington said, reaching to the thongs tying her hair into a tight nub and pulling loose the tie. Her hair, kinky from being knotted, fell loose into a curtain of golden barley. “I’ve been looking for her. She went by Elmer, though ’tis not her name, obviously.”

“You should have reported her as a cheat,” the guard scoffed. “You knew she was a woman?”

Huntington nodded, his anger renewed. “Ah yes, there were cheaters there, but she was not among them.” He glared at Wesley, who was picking at his food at the end of the dais.

“Women are barred from participating in such sport,” another argued.

“It matters not to me,” Robert said. “The woman can shoot like a master. Why didn’t you declare a prisoner sooner?” he demanded, hoisting her into a cradle, now limp. He stood.

“I didn’t think it mattered,” defended the guardsman. “You were already abed last night after skipping the festivities, and we thought it best not to disturb you.”