Ask Her
Dieter let out a long, slow breath. The confrontation had gone more smoothly than he could have hoped. He watched Blythe go off with her family, happier than he had ever seen her. When he heard the demand for entry, he knew the belligerent visitor could only be Blythe’s father. He was not afraid of the man’s justifiable anger, but this arrival filled him with dread. It signaled Blythe’s approaching departure.
Dieter entered the hallway in time to see Blythe run into her father’s arms. Watching the tearful reunion confirmed she had been raised in a loving home, and he again felt terrible remorse for having abducted her. He had brought this family nothing but anguish and still could not forgive himself for bringing her to Köln. He suddenly felt bereft, an outsider.
He saw the fury on Sir Caedmon’s face when the man noticed him. He expected and understood it, and braced his shoulders as the Englishman strode over to where he stood. Though no longer a young man, this grey-haired knight was obviously still a force to be reckoned with.
Dieter wished he could put such a smile on Blythe’s face. If only she cared for him. He longed to be enfolded in her embrace, so he could bury his face in her lovely breasts, make her cry out with joy as he—
He shook his head and leaned heavily on the banister. What had become of the cool and collected Dieter who eschewed marriage? It had to stop. She would be leaving soon. She did not love him and that was that. He had important things to accomplish for his duke. Heinrich hadn’t yet been sent packing from Saxony. He pulled himself together and hurried to the kitchens to make sure all was in order for the evening meal.
* * *
Caedmon, Aidan and Blythe clung to each other in the larger of the two adjoining chambers prepared for the men.
“I was sewing when I heard your voice, Papa. I couldn’t believe it. I hoped you would come.”
Caedmon arched a brow. His daughter hated sewing.
Aidan put his hands on her shoulders and looked into her eyes. “Has he harmed you, Blythe?”
She shook her head. “No, Aidan, he’s a noble man. He would never harm me.”
Caedmon did not understand. “Is he not the person who abducted you?”
Blythe averted her eyes. “Yes, he is, but I was not the intended hostage really. It was part of an unsuccessful plot to kidnap Matilda.”
Aidan snorted. “Why didn’t he let you go when the plot failed?”
Blythe moved away, fidgeting with the lace of her sleeves. “I don’t know. At first, I thought he planned to sell me into slavery, but I know now he would never do such a thing. So, I surmised he would ransom me to my family, and here you are.”
Caedmon scratched his scalp, not sure what all this meant. “He hasn’t asked for a ransom.”
His daughter was obviously surprised by this news. “He hasn’t? I don’t understand.”
He put his arm around her shoulders. “Neither do I, daughter. Mayhap, after I speak with him, things will be clearer. I learned a long time ago not to jump to hasty conclusions. What’s all this talk in the streets about him being a hero?”
Blythe smiled broadly. “He is a hero, Father.”
As she described Dieter’s pivotal role in the victory of Köln over the emperor, Caedmon noticed how glowingly she described the exploits of a man she should hate for what he had inflicted on her. “You seem quite impressed with his bravery.”
She blushed and looked away. “Well, he’s a brave man. I can’t deny that.”
Aidan was furious. “Brave men don’t kidnap innocent girls.”
Blythe frowned, seemingly at a loss to know how to respond. Then she changed the subject. “Why not summon a bath for each of you to wash off the dust of your travels, and I’ll meet you later? I’m so happy you’re here. I’ve missed everyone at home. How are Edwin and Ragna? Is she still a hellion? Is mother well?”
Caedmon did not press her. He answered her questions, then bade her leave so he and Aidan could bathe.
“What are you thinking, Father?” Aidan asked after she had left. “Are we going to kill him for what he has done?”
“If we kill him, I’m thinking the person most likely to be distraught about the deed would be your sister.”
* * *
After bathing, his father asked Aidan to find Blythe and distract her with a walk in the garden, expressing a desire to confront the count alone. Strolling arm in arm with his twin in the chilly winter air, Aidan was curious about how she had survived her ordeal.
She smiled. “At first, it was an ordeal, I agree. But Dieter is a charming and gentle man. He has tried to make me comfortable. He really is a hero, and in truth I’m the one who has made it an ordeal for him.”