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William cocked an eyebrow at her tone and went stiff with jealousy when Andrew ate it up. Andrew’s brown eyes met Jordan openly.
“Thank you, my lady, and may I say you are indeed worth fighting for,” he said smoothly in his deep voice, tearing his gaze away for a moment to glance at William. “My lord, my physician is tending your wounded. Apparently your physician has more than he can handle. I did not want you to be concerned if you happened to glance back and saw a stranger attending to your men.”
“Thank you,” William said evenly.
Andrew nodded to Jordan as he dismissed himself, and she smiled brightly at him, watching him as he rode back along the column. With a dreamy sigh, she faced forward once again.
“What,” William asked deliberately, “was that all about?”
“I dunna know what ye mean,” she replied, bored, then turned around to seek out Jemma. “Jemma, did ye see the Red Fury? He had the most gorgeous red hair I have ever seen.”
Jemma caught the twinkle in her cousin’s eyes and immediately took to the game. She enjoyed teasing William because he was ever so serious.
“Aye, I did,” she declared. “And handsome, too. Lord, his skin is fairly borne of buttermilk and cream. He has a better complexion than most women.”
“And his voice. Like the smoothest wine,” Jordan agreed.
“Did ye see him off his horse?” Jemma asked. “I shall wager he’s a tall one.”
Jordan opened her mouth but William pulled her to face forward again, locking her into an iron grip.
“That will be enough from you,” he announced quietly.
Kieran reined his horse next to them. “William, I want that man banned from the castle.”
William nodded. “I have a better idea. Let’s gut him now. He leered at my wife and I will not tolerate it.”
Kieran nodded sharply. “Agreed.”
“Ye’ll not gut him,” Jordan cried defensively. “He is so handsome and there are very few handsome men in this world. Leave him be, English. I demand it.”
“You do?” William was amused. “Did you, perchance, enjoy his leer?”
She shrugged and didn’t answer, glancing at Jemma with a smirk.
“I will kill him now and hear no more of this,” William said decisively. “I would have no man stealing my wife.”
She laughed at him, spoiling her own joke. “As if he would want me. I am fat, pregnant, and already have two children. What man would want me?”
“Me,” William said softly.
“And me,” Deinwald replied, a little behind them. “Michael?”
“Aye, I’d have her,” came the answer. “I’d have her with missing teeth and bald. Marc?”
The red-headed knight nodded vigorously. “I’d take her with no legs and….”
William shut them up with a raised hand. “Enough! No one will have my wife but me and I will hear no more of your lust for her,” he said, bending down to her ear. “There, are you convinced that every man who meets you would have you? Now, no more flirting with d’Vant or I really will kill him. Understood?”
She turned slightly and flipped up his visor, pecking him on the bridge of the nose. “I love ye, English.”
He squeezed her gently. “I love you, too.”
CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT
The wall had been completely rebuilt by the time they returned from Scotland, thanks to the peasants who had pitched in and worked nonstop. Adam had been extremely pleased at the loyalty of his vassals and promised a massive celebration feast in thanks.
The feast had been going on all day and into the night. Countless pigs and sheep were roasted over open pits in the outer bailey and in the outer village, feeding a multitude of peasants and soldiers. Wine flowed and barrels of ale were continuous. There had been so very little to be happy over as of late that Adam was going all-out to return Northwood to a sense of normalcy, a sense of pride and strength.
