After a good run, as fast as the trees permitted, Raine drew to a halt and jumped from his horse. Catching the reins, Alyx slid forward into the saddle and got her first glimpse of what was going on. A pretty woman with big brown eyes, wearing a beautiful dress such as Alyx had never seen before, was flattened against a tree, looking with terror at three men from the camp as they brandished knives and swords at her.
“Get out of here, you scum,” Raine growled, tossing first one man, then the other aside.
The woman, shaking in fear, looked up at Raine in total disbelief. “Raine,”
she whispered before closing her eyes and starting to slide down the tree.
Raine caught her in his arms, lifted her, cradling her to him. “Anne,” he whispered. “You are safe now. Alyx, fetch some wine. There’s a pouch on my saddle.”
Somewhat in awe of the scene before her, Alyx dismounted and took the hard leather container to him as he sat down on a fallen tree, holding this woman close to him.
“Anne, drink this,” he said in a sweet, gentle voice, and the woman fluttered her lashes and began to drink. “Now, Anne,” he said when she was fully awake. “Tell me what you were doing this deep in the forest.”
The woman certainly didn’t seem to be in any hurry to remove herself from Raine’s lap, Alyx thought, as she looked with absolute wonder at the woman’s dress. It was of deep, deep red silk, a fabric she’d only seen in church, and it was embroidered all over with tiny hares, rabbits, deer, fish, all sorts of animals. The square neckline was very low, exposing a great deal of the woman’s ample breasts, and about the neckline and waist were trims of gold and red, sparkling jewels.
“Alyx!” Raine said impatiently, handing her the bag of wine. “Anne,” he said with great tenderness, holding the full-grown woman as if she were a child.
“What are you doing here, Raine?” she asked in a soft voice.
Can’t sing, Alyx immediately thought. No strength in her voice and just a hint of a whine.
“King Henry has declared me traitor,” Raine said, one dimple flashing.
Anne smiled at him. “After your money, is he? But what have you done to give him reason to take your lands?”
“Roger Chatworth has taken my sister Mary and Stephen’s new wife.”
“Chatworth!” she exclaimed. “Didn’t that woman Gavin was so in love with marry a Chatworth?”
“My discreet brother,” Raine said in disgust. “The woman is a whore and one of the worst sort, but Gavin could never see it. If nothing else, my brother is loyal. Even after he married Judith he still loved Alice Chatworth for a while.”
“But what has this to do with why you are here?”
Why doesn’t she stand on her own feet, Alyx thought. Why does she so calmly sit on his lap and talk as elegantly as if she were in some nobleman’s hall?
“It’s a long story,” Raine said. “Through an accident, Alice Chatworth was badly scarred, and what little there was of her mind went with her beauty. Her brother-in-law cared for her since she was a widow, and perhaps the woman poisoned his mind, because later Roger challenged my brother to a fight, the winner to get the wife King Henry promised Stephen.”
“Yes,” Anne said. “I remember now. There was a great deal of property involved.”
“Stephen’s Bronwyn is a wealthy woman, yes, but Stephen wanted the woman as much as the land,” he smiled. “But Chatworth could not stand losing and he has taken prisoner my sisters.”
“Raine, how dreadful. But how did King Henry—”
“I was taking some of the king’s men to Wales when I heard of Mary’s being taken and I turned and went after Chatworth.”
“Leading the King’s army?” she asked, and when he nodded, she grimaced. “So Henry has some reason to declare you a traitor. Is that why you are dressed like a farmer and roaming about these dreary woods?”
“Aye,” he said, looking at her. “You look well, Anne. It’s been a long time since—”
With that she jumped off his lap, standing before him, smoothing her dress, a gown Alyx longed to touch. “You’ll not seduce me again, Raine Montgomery. My father has promised to find me a husband soon and I’d like to go to him as pure as possible so I’ll stand for no more of your lovely words.” Turning, she looked at Alyx for the first time. “And who is this lad who stares at us with his mouth agape?”
Immediately, Alyx closed her mouth and looked away from the both of them.
“This is my squire,” Raine said, his voice full of laughter from Anne’s words. “I may have to live in this forest, but I do have some amenities. He works hard and can read and write.”
“I take it no one was able to drive that knowledge into your thick skull,” she snapped. “Raine! Stop looking at me like that. You’ll get nowhere with me. Now you, boy, do you have a name?”
“Alexander Blackett.”