As the hours grew late, she glanced back toward the hall and sighed. “I had a lovely time with ye, but I really should be going. If my father found us alone out here…”
Leonidus nodded gently. “I understand.”
She bit her lower lip while brushing the hay from her skirts. “Good night, Leonidus.”
“Goodnight, my lady.”
The hint of a smile crossed his lips as Leonidus watched Rebekah leave.
She was not at all what he’d expected, but was delighted to find she was more than he could have ever hoped for. Rebekah was kind and generous, but she was also gentle. She was even funny if the circumstance called for it. It broke his heart to know how much she was suffering from the loss of her brother. Part of him longed to hold her, kiss her, comfort her, and make her forget all about the pain.
He’d never met anyone like her.
Most ladies enjoyed getting dressed up and being the center of attention. Yet, she was more like him—she understood the value of solitude and quiet. They were kindred spirits in a way. Not many people in his own family understood that about him, but she did. It was difficult to explain, but it struck a chord within him just like music.
Once Rebekah had disappeared, Leonidus stood and went back to join his men inside the great hall.
“Leo, where have you been?” Caius scolded when he saw him.
“Forgive me, I was sitting with a beautiful girl outside. We were talking and the time got away from me.”
Bentley chuckled at that and knocked him playfully in the shoulder. “And did you finally tell Lady Maxwell who your family is?”
“No, it didn’t come up in the conversation.”
Daniel balked at him. “You’re just going to let her think you’re one of the guards? Why wouldn’t you tell her the truth?”
Leonidus sighed and took a seat. “Don’t worry about it, Daniel. I have my reasons.”
“What am I supposed to do?” Caius asked him. “The poor girl almost thought I was her intended. You need to tell her what’s going on. She obviously likes you.”
“I hope you’re right, but just humor me a while, will you?”
“Why? This doesn’t make any sense. It was an honest mistake, but now the joke is over.”
Leonidus shook his head. “If I reveal myself now, she would be embarrassed. Besides, it’s too good an opportunity for me to pass up.”
“An opportunity?” Bentley scoffed. “She’s a person, Leo. This isn’t the time for another one of your games. Stop this, or at least give a compelling reason as to why you haven’t told her. I’m still racking my brain trying to figure out why you accepted in the first place.”
Leonidus’s smile faded, thinking back to the moment in her father’s solar. He’d been going over it again and again in his head. There was something so genuine, so vulnerable about the way she looked at him that the words came pouring out of him without him even realizing it. After he’d accepted the proposal, a feeling came over him of such certainty that he couldn’t bring himself to regret it. His heart and soul acknowledged her, whether he wanted them to or not. She was the one he was supposed to be with.
“You know what it’s like to be a De Wolfe,” he told Caius simply. “Once they hear our name, it changes everything, you can even see it in their eyes. I have a chance to get to know her without intimidating her with my title. We spoke so freely together, and I want more time to discover our similarities before she’s expected to call me lord and husband.”
A look of understanding crossed his brother’s face as they stared at each other from across the table. “I know what you mean.”
“Then you understand how important this is to me. I didn’t intend for it to happen, but now that it has, I would be foolish not to welcome it. We had a moment earlier, a real connection. That’s something I never would have experienced otherwise.”
“You don’t know that,” Bentley argued.
“Perhaps not, but I don’t want to risk her looking at me differently. Please, just allow me these three days. That’s not too much to ask, is it? I just want Rebekah to know me as Leonidus, and not Sir Leonidus.”
Caius chuckled. “All right, Leo. I’ll play along. You really like her, don’t you?”
“I do.”
Bentley groaned and sat back, putting his hands behind his head, “You’re an idiot. You know that, right?”
“Promise me,” Leonidus insisted.
“I promise. It’s good to know you’re at least taking this arrangement seriously.”
“Of course, I am. I’m not a monster.” He glanced at the rest of them, making eye contact with each man. “I expect all of you to do the same. She’s is not to hear a word of it, understood?”
The men grumbled their acknowledgement and settled back into their chairs. Leo turned back to Caius and said, “We should probably get some rest if we’re going to be setting out first thing in the morning.”
His brother nodded. “I agree.”
Leo stood. “I believe there are several beds that have been prepared. I’m going to find one and collapse in it immediately. I suggest you do the same.”
“I will,” Caius reassured him. “Goodnight, Leo.”
He acknowledged them with a nod and then excused himself from the hall. One of the Maxwell servants was kind enough to show him to one of the rooms, and he eagerly climbed into the bed. The sheets were clean and it smelled of fresh hay as he laid his head against the pillow. Leo closed his eyes, thinking about Rebekah and their conversation at the stables.
He didn’t like deceiving her, but felt it was the only way she would ever truly know him. The way she spoke to him without the nervousness of most maids, was a gift.
He imagined her wrapped in his arms and the feel of her shapely body pressed against him.
What would it be like to kiss her?
She spoke with such a lovely Scottish brogue and he wanted to taste it on his tongue. The thought of it brought a smile to his lips.
Soon, he thought to himself. Soon he would be able to tell her everything.
Chapter Seven
Rebekah didn’t think she would be able to sleep, but after her pleasant conversation with Leonidus, she drifted off easily and had the best night’s sleep she could remember in a long while. It was a deep, dreamless sort of sleep that left her feeling refreshed.
Suddenly, leaving home didn’t feel quite so terrifying.
The morning sun finally crept in through her bedroom window, and she threw off the covers with a sigh. The De Wolfe warriors would be getting ready to leave soon.
She sat up and threw her legs over the edge of the mattress. Her feet were cold when they hit the floor, and she pulled a warm shawl up around her shoulders. She eyed her trunk in the corner. In a way, it seemed as if her entire life had been boxed away and set aside. Soon enough she would be known as Lady De Wolfe.
Rebekah walked over to look out her bedroom window. The sky was illuminated with hues of pink and orange as the sun crested the hill. Mist swept over the hillside, and down in the courtyard, she could see the servants collecting eggs and going about their daily tasks. The rooster crowed, and she glanced down to see Leo speaking with Lord Caius.
She smiled at the sight of him. His hair was carelessly brushed to the side and he wore the same clothes as the day before, but she was completely entranced. Her eyes drifted to his mouth as she watched him speak and reached up to the fabric of her shawl. Even though she didn’t want to admit it, he was incredibly handsome.
And those lips made such sweet music from his flute…
They looked so soft, and she wanted to know what it would feel like to have them pressed against her skin.
Rebekah shuddered and quickly banished the thought from her mind. But, as if he could sense her gaze on him, Leonidus glanced up at her and the edge of his mouth lifted into a smile.
There is was again, the flutter in her stomach.
Why did this keep happening?
She smiled b
ack at him, raising her hand to wave. Rebekah pulled up her shawl and looked away. There was a knock at the door, and Rebekah finally exhaled the breath she hadn’t even been aware she’d been holding.
“Come in,” she called.
Lottie opened the door to find her already up and nodded approvingly. Her maid had finished packing for both of them the day before and seemed excited about the journey. “Good morrow, lady. Are ye ready fer me to help ye put on yer surcotte? The men downstairs are anxious to get started on the journey, and ye’re father will want to have a word before ye go.”
Rebekah nodded. “Aye, Lottie. I would have done it myself, except I can’t reach around to tie the laces.”
The maid picked up the gown that had been laid out for her the night before. “Ye seem in much better spirits today.”
Rebekah smiled as she pulled the material over her head and slipped her arms into the sleeves before Lottie started lacing up her back. “I am,” she agreed wholeheartedly. “I’ve decided to listen to yer advice and be hopeful about this marriage.”
“Oh, mistress, I am so glad to hear it. It’s been too long since I saw a smile on yer face. Now come and break yer fast. Ye’ll need yer strength fer the journey ahead.”
Leonidus squinted against the sunlight as he watched the Maxwell guards load trunks into the back of his wagon. He’d slept surprisingly well, considering the interesting turn of events. When he saw Rebekah at the window earlier, she looked so beautiful, he’d almost forgotten how to breathe. The way the sunlight hit her hair, and the way she looked at him…it was enough to be his undoing. She understood him in a way that made him feel like he was being seen for the first time.
Unfortunately, she’d disappeared too soon, and he was left yearning for the next time he would see her. If this is what an arranged marriage would be, then Leonidus could not have been happier with the turn of events. Meeting her was like having a long drink of water after a drought. He didn’t realize he was thirsty until tasting it, and now that he had, there would never be enough.
He was enchanted with her, utterly and completely. She was lovely and well-spoken, and clearly adored by everyone in her household. He knew within an hour of meeting her that his mother would approve.
A sudden commotion at the edge of the tower drew his gaze. He looked over to see Rebekah emerging from the hall. She wore a simple tunic for travel and her Maxwell tartan around her shoulders. Clearly, her family legacy meant a great deal to her.
As she spoke with one of her maids, Rebekah glanced over at him again. Her cheeks flushed as their gazes met.
“Good morrow, sir knight. I trust ye slept well?”
Leonidus bowed to her politely and said, “I did, your ladyship. And, please, call me Leo.”
“Very well…Leo.”
She turned her attention toward his stallion, “Good morn to ye, too, Shadow. Do ye remember me?” The horse sniffed her hand and then snorted in response. Rebekah laughed and patted Shadow on the side of his head, before turning back to Leo. “He’s a beautiful horse. Ye’ve obviously taken good care of him.”
Leo grinned. “I think he likes you.”
“I wanted to thank ye fer being so kind to me,” Rebekah said.
“The pleasure was all mine, your ladyship. I can’t remember a more pleasant evening.”
Her smile widened. “Nor I. But…I suppose we should be leaving soon. Did Matthew bring down my things?”
Leonidus gestured to the wagon. “Yes, my lady. They should be secure and ready to go whenever you are. However, your father is not yet down, and I feel we should wait for his blessing until we depart,” Leonidus told her.
She nodded, looking around at them uncertain. “Aye. Perhaps ye could introduce me to yer men again. I ken we met before, but everything happened so quickly, I’m afraid I dinnae remember any of their names.”
“It would be my pleasure,” Leonidus said as he guided her toward the cart. “This is my friend, Bentley, he is the greatest swordsman I’ve ever met. You can trust him to protect us on the journey.”
Bentley bowed to her. He had long black hair and a shaggy beard. His shoulders were almost as wide as the cart itself. When he straightened, Bentley cocked a brow at Leo. “You flatter me, but we both know Caius is far more talented with a blade.”
Leonidus grinned at him. “Perhaps we’ll have to find out when we get back to the Wolfe’s Lair.” Turning back to Rebekah, Leonidus added, “He has a three-year-old daughter at home, and another babe on the way. I’m sure you’ll meet his wife, Elanor, soon enough.”
Bentley nodded and smiled at Rebekah. “It is a pleasure to meet you, lady.”
She curtsied and then followed Leonidus to the second gentleman. “My lady, this is Daniel Kerr. He’s another talented swordsman, but his true skill lies in training horses. He has a way of communicating with them that would astonish and amaze you.”
The man grinned at him. “You just have to listen to what they’re telling you. The creatures are eager to please their master, if they will only pay attention.”
“That’s incredible,” Rebekah told him. “How is it that ye came to work with horses?”
“My father is the stableman at Rule Water Castle, and his father before him. I was raised around these creatures my entire life. It brings me great joy.”
“That’s wonderful,” she told him. “Ye will have to teach me a thing or two.”
“I would be honored, lady.”
Leonidus watched her carefully as he moved from one man to another, introducing her to each of them. She seemed genuinely eager to know them, which made him swell with pride. As the introductions were being made, Laird Maxwell entered the courtyard and started walking toward his daughter. When he reached her, they embraced, and she rested her head against his shoulder.
“Rebekah, I feel as if I am losing ye,” he told her while choking back a sob.
She wrapped her arms around his neck. “Oh, Da! Ye ken how much I love ye. There is nae way ye could ever lose me.”
Laird Maxwell turned to Leonidus. “I ken that ye’re on a schedule, but might I have a few moments alone with my daughter? I wish to say goodbye to her in private.”
“Of course.”
Rebekah glanced back at him before walking away with her father. Leo watched her go, and Bentley walked up beside him. “The horses are ready, Leo.”
He nodded in approval. “Excellent. Is the wagon loaded?”
The man nodded, crossing his arms over his chest. “If we tie them down any tighter, the straps are likely to break.”
“Good.” Leonidus chuckled, glancing over at his bride-to-be while she spoke quietly with her father. Her hair was elegantly pinned on the back of her head, and the red tartan complimented her coloring.
He felt a strong urge to embrace her and reveal himself then and there, but he remained determined to stand by his decision. Traveling on horseback would give them time to talk and enjoy each other’s company before joining themselves in the eyes of God.
He searched her face as she was saying goodbye to her father, and only found love reflected there. She had an innocence about her that was nigh impossible to ignore. She was lovely and sweet, and the knowledge that one day soon she would be his wife, filled him with pleasure.
Suddenly, Rebekah’s gaze flicked over to him. She left her father’s side and joined Leo. Her eyes misted with tears. “Shall we be off?”
Despite the brightness of her voice, he could see the pain of leaving her father and home on her face. He had to admire her bravery and steadfast resolve—she had the true makings of a De Wolfe lady.
Leonidus bowed. “Of course, my lady.”
With a wave of his hand, the other guards guided her over to one of the horses. Rebekah’s maid, Lottie, was already seated in the front of the cart. They walked past the wagon and to the mare Leonidus had set aside for her. It was the gentlest creature he could find.
“It’s a three-day journey to the Wolfe’s Lair,” Leonidus told her
. “So, I took the liberty of selecting a horse I thought would make the trip more comfortable.”
“Three days? I thought it was only two.”
Bentley cleared his throat as he glanced back to Leonidus. “It would be, lady, but there has been some trouble in the lower villages.”
“Oh, I was nae aware of that.”
Leonidus glanced over at her. “We’ll have to take the mountain pass to avoid the scurry.”
Rebekah nodded. “If ye think that’s best, I will nae complain. Ye ken the road to get there better than I.”
“Farewell, my sweet lass. I will miss ye terribly.” her father told her. “Be sure to send word as soon as ye’ve arrived.
“I will, Da. I love ye.”
Chapter Eight
Leonidus’ horse jostled him in the saddle as they travelled through the hillside. It was nearing midday, and his stomach ached from hunger. There was still a long way before they could rest for the night. Leo repositioned his hands along the reins and glanced over at Rebekah. She gazed out across the landscape in wonder, her wide, brown eyes taking in everything around them. The trees were tinged with red and yellow, bringing the entire mountainside to life.
The red tartan wrapped around her shoulders lifted in the breeze as she guided her mare up the narrow path.
Leonidus smiled as he admired her noble bearing in the saddle, her back straight and chin lifted. Even her mussed hair, which had escaped the confines of her pins.
So beautiful, he thought.
Her gaze drifted over to him eventually, and when she noticed him staring, her cheeks flushed to an attractive shade of pink.
“Why are ye looking at me like that?” she questioned.
Leonidus chuckled. “Because I can. Does it bother you?”
Rebekah shook her head and smiled, her dimpled grin so charming, he couldn’t help but smile back at her. “Nae, I was actually getting lonely. Would ye come and ride with me?”
De Wolfe in Disguise: De Wolfe Pack Connected World Page 5
