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“Lochwood, I was just going for a walk with Lady Willow if you’ll excuse us,” said Bedivere.
He reached for Willow, but she quickly clasped her fingers around Conrad’s forearm. “I’d like you to take me back to my chamber now, Sir Conrad.”
“You would?” Conrad sounded surprised.
“Lochwood, get back on the field or the match will go to me,” shouted Lord Beaufort.
“You’d better go,” said Bedivere. “I can escort Lady Willow back to her bedchamber. After all, you can’t disappoint the earl.”
“Nay, she’s my responsibility. I’ll take her.” Conrad’s words caused Willow to draw a breath of relief. “You take my place on the practice field, Bedivere.”
“Aye,” said Willow. “Perhaps, Sir Bedivere, you can get in some practice, holding your sword after all.”
Bedivere gave her a disgruntled look and ducked under the lists, making his way to spar with the earl.
Conrad escortedWillow through the courtyard, and then up the stairs to her chamber.
“I’m surprised you wanted my protection from Bedivere when you so blatantly slapped me again earlier.”
“Me? Oh, that,” she said, sounding as if she’d almost forgotten all about it.
“What happened between you and Bedivere that had you so spooked?” He’d seen Willow in action. She wasn’t one to shy away from any man. If she was running from Bedivere and straight into his arms, there was a reason.
“Nothing happened.” She flashed a smile.
“You were playing with fire again, weren’t you, Willow? If you keep that up, eventually you will get burned.”
“For your information, I was doing nothing of the sort. I was merely watching you practice when Lord Bedivere put his hand over mine and made a crude suggestion.”
“What?” He stopped in his tracks, a vein throbbing in his neck. “Tell me what he said and I’ll have his head, I swear I will.”
“Conrad, calm down. Nothing happened. That is all that matters.”
“Nay! What matters is that men are lusting after you, and I don’t like it.”
“Lusting?” She blinked her eyes, her lashes like the wings of butterflies as they flitted up and down. Even that was graceful about her. “Is that what you think?”
“It’s what I know. Every man here only wants one thing from you, Willow. And with the way you lead them on, you are going to get yourself into trouble.”
Her hand slipped from his arm, and her face became stone-like. “Is that why you kissed me? Do you lust after me as well?”
“Nay, that’s different,” he tried to explain, although it wasn’t looking good for him.
“How is it different? I don’t see it as being anything other than lust just like you are accusing the other men of doing. You are no better than them.”
She reached for the door, but Conrad stopped her with his hand on hers. “Willow, I might lust for you, I’m not going to lie. You are a beautiful woman, and no man in his right mind wouldn’t want you. But I’m not like the others.”
“Like the others?”
“They only want to take you to bed. They don’t care about you the way I do.”
“You only care about me because my father has made a deal with you.”
“Nay that’s not true. I’ve known you for a long time, and these men haven’t. Yes, I’ve sworn to protect you, but the other men are different.”
“I don’t see it.”
“Open your eyes, Willow. They want you for pleasure only, not to marry.”
