Falling for Her Captor (5 page)

The Captain’s glance fell on the dress, lying over Aline’s arm. He pulled it from her and held it up. Then he turned to the youth, an expression of disbelief on his face.

‘Jack? Do I understand clearly what you have done? We are in the process of abducting the heir to Leavingham, trying to be discreet, and you go buying her a
dress
?’

‘I thought… I didn’t… She needs…’ the boy spluttered, his voice beginning to crack.

‘No! You
didn’t
think,’ the Captain bellowed, bundling the garment and throwing it to one side.

Furious at his behaviour, Aline stepped in front of Jack protectively. ‘He didn’t mean any harm,’ she declared, in as firm a voice as she could muster.

‘Stay out of this, my lady!’ the Captain shouted.

He tried to sidestep round her, but she moved again to stand in his way.

The Captain balled his fists and Aline feared he might strike her. She drew a sharp breath.

At the sound he ran his hands through his hair, gripping his skull. He gave a growl. ‘Save me from soft-hearted women!’

‘Captain…my lord…I—’ Jack protested, but the Captain cut him off with a wave of the hand and a snort of annoyance.

‘
What
did he call you?’ Aline interrupted in astonishment.

The Captain’s eyes blazed as he looked at her. ‘Nothing you were intended to hear, my lady. Though I am sure Jack will be more than happy to answer your questions in my absence. I’m going to scout the area. We’re in wolf country now.’

He turned and stormed off through the trees, swiping at the undergrowth with his fist.

Duncan ambled up the road. He rolled his eyes at Jack.

‘I told you he’d do that.’

Aline stooped to pick up the dress and turned to Jack, who was standing as though rooted to the ground. ‘Jack, you called him “my lord.” What did you mean?’

The two men exchanged a glance.

‘Duncan, tell me!’ Aline ordered. ‘Please,’ she added.

Jack opened his mouth but Duncan spoke first. ‘Of course there is no reason why you should know, but I’m surprised he hasn’t told you. He calls himself Captain but he’s really Sir Hugh of Eardham. He’s Duke Stephen’s cousin, and second in line to the throne.’

Chapter Five

S
ir Hugh!
Aline winced as she thought how she had taunted him by calling him common born.

Duncan smiled at her expression.

‘You didn’t suspect?
Ha!
He’ll be most put out when I tell him his innate nobility didn’t shine through,’ he crowed.

‘And who are you two? The Lord Chancellor and the Keeper of the Duke’s Keys?’ Aline asked witheringly, still not entirely sure she was being told the truth.

The old man snorted. ‘No, my lady, just a couple of soldiers looking for a quiet life.’

‘
He
really is a knight, though,’ Jack added.

Given the temper in which the Captain had stormed off, Aline was amazed at how indifferent the two men seemed. Just who
was
this man who hid his rank and title and whose men seemed unconcerned at his anger?

‘Lad, best get that fire started before the night draws in,’ Duncan barked to Jack, and the boy scurried off.

The old man ambled over to the large rock and sat down, leaning his back against it. He cocked his head towards Aline, who followed and sat alongside him. She folded the blue dress neatly and laid it on the rock, the joy of it crushed by the quarrel. Duncan was following her actions carefully and she gave him a sad smile.

‘He’ll not mind when he’s had the time to stamp his mood off,’ the old man said.

Aline didn’t need to ask who he meant. They watched as Jack expertly struck a spark with a flint and blew on the flames until they caught.

‘Sir Hugh’s mother and Duke Stephen’s father were brother and sister,’ Duncan offered, although Aline had not asked. ‘Lady Eleanor fell in love with her father’s steward and they married, despite the difference in rank. Oh, I know what you’re thinking,’ he said, with a wave of his hands to forestall Aline’s interruption. ‘It sounds unlikely, but somehow they persuaded her father. I think he knew he’d never get any peace from Eleanor until he consented, and of course she was only a daughter. She certainly passed on her strong will to her son!’

It was on the tip of Aline’s tongue to ask from whom the Captain got his bad moods, but she held back, eager to hear the rest of the tale.

‘Until he was seven Hugh was the only child born to either side of the family. His aunt had baby after baby, but none of them survived more than a few weeks. Duke Rufus—that’s Stephen’s father—adored his nephew. He decreed that Hugh would become Duke and he was raised as such.’

‘The son of a steward?’ Aline asked, raising her eyebrows in surprise.

‘Aye, that might be strange, but some would say a granddaughter taking the throne would be unusual, too.’

Aline conceded the point with a smile.

‘When everyone had given up hope Stephen was born, and overnight Hugh lost his position.’

Aline’s heart gave a twinge of sympathy for the disinherited boy. ‘As I gained mine when my brother died,’ she commented. ‘A birth or a death can change so many lives!’

She watched as Jack finished preparing dinner and buried the pot in the flames. Rummaging in the back of the cart, he produced a bottle of wine and three mugs. He broke the wax seal, poured a good quantity into the pot and joined Aline and Duncan. The three companions sat together, peacefully drinking, watching the sun as it set behind the mountains and listening to the distant howling of a pack of wolves.

The old man continued his tale. Aline learned how everyone had naturally expected Duke Rufus to focus all his affection on his heir. There had been surprise and pleasure when he had continued to treat Sir Hugh as a second son. The boy had had the finest tutors, travelled to other provinces and inherited his mother’s land and wealth. The two children had grown up as brothers.

‘Rufus died two years back and Stephen became Duke,’ Jack interrupted.

Jack and Duncan exchanged a glance, and the younger man suddenly looked wary. ‘There were those,’ the old man said darkly, ‘who would have preferred his older cousin to take the throne as he had once been expected to.’

Aline would have pressed Duncan for more information, but the peace was broken by the return of Sir Hugh.

He strode into the camp and inspected the horses, pausing to stroke Bayliss’s soft nose and scratch the carthorse behind the ears. His hair was damp with sweat and he held his jerkin under one arm; his tunic was unlaced at the neck. He had obviously been walking hard.

Determinedly ignoring Aline and the men, he walked to the fire and prodded a couple of stray branches back with his foot. He took the lid off the cooking pot and sniffed the contents, then gave them a stir. Seemingly satisfied, he found himself a cup from the cart and finally joined the three by the rock. His face was stern as he held his cup out to Jack, who filled it.

Eventually he looked at Aline and spoke. ‘I see you aren’t wearing your new dress,’ he remarked, raising his eyebrow.

The statement was so unexpected that Aline burst out laughing. She shook her head, ‘No,
Sir Hugh
, I am not.’

At the mention of his title the Captain looked sharply at Jack, who paled, then at Duncan, who merely shrugged.

‘Jack, I should have brought your old mother instead of you. She’d have kept a confidence longer,’ Sir Hugh remarked sternly, though Aline saw an unexpected glint of humour in his eye. Sir Hugh’s gaze travelled to the folded dress. ‘I would have chosen green,’ he said, half under his breath.

He refilled his cup and held out the bottle to Aline, who declined.

‘Jack, you’ve got a kind heart but a soft head. Fortunately it seems your gift-buying did not attract any suspicion so we can sleep easily tonight.’ He turned his attention to Aline, his clear blue eyes regarding her carefully. ‘I know that is no consolation to you, Lady Aline. I’m sure you would much rather a rescue party was heading this way. But if you give me your word you won’t try to leave I will allow you to sleep unchained tonight. Can I trust you?’

Aline nodded and Sir Hugh smiled, his blue eyes crinkling. He walked to the cart and withdrew the crossbow from the rack underneath.

‘For the wolves, my lady,’ he explained. ‘They won’t often approach travellers this low down, but I saw their tracks and it’s best to be prepared.’

Feeling uneasy, Aline drew a blanket around her and watched the fire until the sky turned black.

* * *

Aline woke with the sun on her face and stretched drowsily, enjoying the warmth, not quite remembering where she was until the sound of voices dragged her back to reality.

Sir Hugh wandered over with a smile.

‘I hope you’re a good walker. Once we get high the cart will need to be as light as possible and we’ll be on foot. Today we cross the mountains and enter my lands.’

‘Your lands or the Duke’s, my lord?’ Aline asked, raising her eyebrow archly. It was the sort of barbed quip she might make to Godfrey, but the flash of hurt and anger that crossed Sir Hugh’s face made her regret it instantly.

‘No… I’m sorry, I didn’t mean…’ she began, but he turned and walked off without a word.

‘That was unkind, Lady Aline,’ Duncan said reprovingly.

He was sitting by the cart and Aline had not noticed his presence. Her cheeks flamed as she stared after the departing Captain, shame at her words flooding over her. He had been friendly, and for no good reason she had rebuffed his attempts.

Duncan came to stand by her side. ‘I know you’d not think it, given the way you’ve met him, but he’s an honourable man and plays the hand he’s been dealt as best he can,’ he said. ‘In fact, my advice is that you’ll have an easier time in the citadel with him on your side.’

The thought of everything that implied hit Aline like a fist to the chest. ‘I didn’t ask for advice, Duncan,’ Aline said sharply, biting down the fear, ‘and I don’t need anyone to protect me.’

Duncan folded his arms and stared at her. ‘The advice was freely given, my lady, and don’t be foolish— everyone needs allies.’

Aline stared at the Captain, now pacing back and forth next to the cart like a restless animal. His dark hair was swept back off his face and three days’ growth of beard lent him a rakish air. His expression was belligerent and his reaction stung her unreasonably. So what if his smile caused her throat to tighten? He was rude, bad-tempered and seemed to have no awareness of how to behave towards a lady.

‘Trust
him
? I doubt it very much!’ she muttered under her breath, wrapping her arms tightly about herself.

By late morning they’d reached the foot of the low mountains that acted as a natural border between the provinces. The road became a steep uneven track, which made for slow progress. As Sir Hugh had predicted, the single carthorse struggled to pull the cart, and the other two were hitched to the front to help, Sir Hugh muttering about how such a task was beneath Bayliss. The travellers loaded themselves up with as much baggage as they could carry and pressed on.

Aline walked between Jack and Sir Hugh, determined to keep up with the pace the men were marching at. Her dress caused her to stumble on more than one occasion, which added to her misery.

‘Lady Aline—wait.’

Aline was lost in thoughts of home, and the voice made her jump. Sir Hugh had not addressed her directly since her joke had misfired. He was still clearly offended as he had spurned all her attempts to make conversation.

‘Let me,’ he said.

He lifted the pack Aline had been carrying and hefted it with ease onto his back, along with his own.

Aline started to speak, but he cut her off curtly. ‘Don’t thank me. I want to reach our destination before midnight and we won’t if you hold us up.’

He strode on ahead, leaving her standing.

‘I wasn’t going to thank you,’ Aline called after him. ‘I was going to tell you not to treat me as though I am incapable!’

He turned back to look at her and cocked his head. ‘Then we can all walk faster, my lady.’

His lips curled into a smile and Aline could not tell if it was mocking or not. She stalked past him with her head high and a flounce of her skirts. After that Aline caught him looking at her more than once with something in his expression that she could not identify.

The temperature increased hourly. They’d reached the high point by mid-afternoon, but as they began their descent down through the pass it became uncomfortably hot. The travellers were all irritable and bickering at the slightest provocation when they came upon a tarn, deep and clear, set into an outcrop on the hill. The pool looked so invitingly cool that Aline longed to dive in.

Clearly Aline was not the only one who found the water calling to her, because with Sir Hugh’s consent the men stripped off their shirts and boots and plunged into the water. Aline stood by the cart, enviously watching.

Duncan waded to Sir Hugh. The men had a brief exchange, then Duncan climbed onto the bank and escorted Aline down to the water, suggesting she swim, too. She had a brief internal battle about the appropriateness of undressing in front of her captors and almost refused.

‘We’ll close our eyes while you get in!’ Jack yelled good-heartedly.

Aline laughed, her resolve wavering. She glanced at Sir Hugh, but he had turned away and was wading to the middle of the lake in confident strides. In the end the overpowering heat and the need to wash away the grime of the past three days won out over modesty. She discarded her boots and thick stockings and then, turning her back on the swimmers, unlaced her bodice and slipped out of the torn and filthy dress. She quickly waded into the shallows in her undershift.

Ah, the water was wonderful! Revelling in the sensation of the cool water around her body, she unwound her hair from its braid. Closing her eyes, she lay back and floated. For the first time in days she felt peaceful, forgetting her captivity and the man who waited at the end of the journey.

* * *

Sir Hugh stood waist-deep in the tarn, watching his prisoner as she lay in the water. Her pale hair drifted around her like a cloud of smoke and her face was serene. It had been an impulse to let the men cool off and a risk to allow Lady Aline to do the same. But then, what harm could it do? The journey had been difficult and she seemed exhausted—a marked contrast to the spirited woman who had so fiercely fought him. Since that first escape attempt she had caused no difficulties, and the likelihood of her attempting anything reckless was slight.

Though he would have denied it utterly, if questioned, he had developed a grudging respect for the woman. Most fine ladies—and if it came to that some men he could name—would have crumbled in such circumstances, but she remained unafraid. Even her swipe at his position had shown spirit.

His mind drifted back to his first sight of her, lying barely conscious and helpless against the odious bastard he’d dragged off her. His fists clenched in anger as he remembered the obscene propositions the groom had made regarding the unconscious woman. Hugh’s temper had flared, and when the brute had lunged at him with the knife he had lashed out. The blow he’d delivered had sent the groom’s head back against a tree trunk with a crack of the neck, his body falling lifeless to the floor. Seeing it again in his mind’s eye, he knew he had been right not to trouble her with those particular details.

Aline was standing now, with her back to him, running her fingers through her dripping hair. Hugh could not tear his eyes away from her. The fabric of her shift clung to her slim form, outlining the contours beneath, yet temptingly veiling them. It had been weeks since he was last with a woman, and he was shocked at the way his heart leaped as he imagined his lips travelling down the slender curve of her spine. The memory of their struggle on the forest floor was vivid. He felt himself stirring at the thought of her body held fast against him, not fighting to escape but with desire matching his own.

She’s
not for you,
he told himself sharply.

He dived under the water and swam a few strokes, hoping the chill would bring him to his senses. Surfacing, he threw his head back to shake the water from his eyes. A ripple of surprise coursed through him as he saw Aline was watching him intently. For a moment they held each other’s gaze. A deep blush began to spread across Aline’s creamy throat and she glanced away hurriedly. This was too much! Could the woman see inside his very thoughts?