Page 52 of Picking Up the Gauntlet

“Lady Raven has asked me to make her a set of armor.”

“What?” Rook’s eyebrows raised and then he burst out laughing. “What in God’s name does she want that for? It’s not like she’d ever really need to use it.”

“She didn’t say why she wanted it, my lord. However, it seemed very important to her. Should I deny her request?” He’d already started making it, but wasn’t in a hurry to tell Rook that part.

“Nay, not at all,” said Rook with a careless wave of his hand through the air, sounding as if it was too trivial to take his concern. “Go ahead and do it, by all means. Let her live out her addled fantasies now, while she still can. As soon as the tournament is over and we’ve secured a proper husband for her, it’ll be that poor man’s job to put an end to all Raven’s silly antics. Then you will be free of her once and for all.”

“Aye, my lord,” said Jonathon, feeling unsettled about how things had taken an odd turn. He didn’t think feeding the girl’s interest in something she shouldn’t have or do was a healthy alternative. Still, he couldn’t deny the orders of the lords of the castle either. He also felt upset by Rook telling him he’d be free of her once and for all. He didn’t want to be free of Raven. The last thing he wanted was to have to give her up to another man. The knot in his stomach became larger.

“Is something wrong?” asked Rook. “You look as if you’re bothered by something.”

“Nay, my lord. I was just wondering if Lord Corbett will not find this all... improper?” he asked.

“Oh, of course, my father will think it’s not right for my sister to joust or have her own armor, but he’ll get over it, I assure you. I will convince him that whatever it takes to get my sister to the altar is well worth it. Right now, all that matters is that you pacify her and keep her away from the potential suitors so she doesn’t scare them off before the wedding day. The competitors usually arrive well before the day of the tournament, to pitch their tents outside the castle and to have time to become familiar with the area where the competition will be held.”

“Aye,” said Jonathon, opening the door to the keep for Lord Rook.

“You’re doing a fine job, Jonathon.” Rook patted Jonathon’s back. “Keep it up and you’ll be rewarded greatly when this is all over, I promise.”

Jonathon followed Rook into the great hall, feeling uncomfortable and on edge. He didn’t see that being paid more as a potential reward for him in the end was a reward at all. The more time he spent with Raven, the more he had feelings for her. Just the thought of her having to marry a noble like Whitehead or Belmouth made him ill. She was a beautiful woman, and much too young and full of life to have all her dreams and desires smothered by the likes of them. Raven deserved someone better for a husband. Or at least someone she half-liked. He actually felt sorry for the girl and wished for her sake that things could be different.

Or mayhap he was really only feeling sorry for himself, since he wished he could be the one marrying Raven. That, he supposed, was a fantasy of his that he needed stifled, since they would never be allowed to marry. She was of noble blood and all he had running through his veins was the soot from the forge.

* * *

“Raven, I miss ye since ye’ve been away so much lately,” said Lark to Raven the next morning. “I came to England to spend time with ye, and it seems we are never together lately.”

“Well, you will be seeing a lot more of me now that Jonathon has refused to train me anymore.”

“I think it’s a good thing,” said Lark, opening the shutter on the window and letting the fresh air and sunshine into the bedchamber. “Ye should be here to greet the knights and nobles as is expected of you. The competitors will be starting to arrive for the tournament any day now.”

“Why would I want to greet the knights or even talk to them at all?” Raven sat up in bed and yawned, stretching her arms above her head.

“Raven Blake!” snapped Lark, turning around and putting her hands on her hips. “You are a lady, and lucky enough to be gettin’ married to a titled man. Dinna ruin this for yerself with yer bad attitude.”

“I’m known for my bad attitude, so why change now? And for your information, I truly wish I could ruin it for myself.” She slid to the side of the bed and put her feet on the floor.

“Ye need to spend time with yer potential husbands for the next few weeks and get to ken them.”

Raven shuddered. “Don’t refer to them as my potential husbands. I don’t like that.”

“Well, it’s true. Ye’re goin’ to have to marry one of them, so get to ken them now.”

“I don’t want to get to know them.” She stood up and started to dress. “None of them will be to my liking, so why bother?”

“Dinna say that,” scolded Lark, hurrying over and helping her dress. “There has got to be a man who is to yer likin’ somewhere.”

“There is.” Raven smiled and looked up at the ceiling in thought, and then pulled the gown over her head. “Jonathon Armstrong is to my liking.” Since her head was covered, her voice was muffled as she spoke.

“I couldna hear ye, Cousin. Ye sounded like ye said Jonathon is who ye like.”

“I did,” she said, sticking her head out of the top of the gown. “Lark, I think I am starting to have feelings for the man. I like spending time with him, and I also enjoy being with his family.”

“Nay,” said Lark, shaking her head. Her eyes became wider. “That is wrong. It canna be. Ye canna fall for him, Raven. Ye need to find a nobleman instead. It is important.”

“I want Jonathon. I don’t want any of those stuffy nobles.”

“Ye’re about to marry one of those stuffy men, in case ye’ve forgotten.”