At that moment, Janice would have given anything to be in the strong, capable arms of the man standing before her. He was one of the most beautiful men she had ever seen, with the afternoon sun streaming through the windows picking out golden highlights in his light brown hair. In this light, there was more gold than green in his hazel eyes, whose gaze was now fixed on her. Like most women, she admired the height and strength of big men, both of which gave them a feeling of safety and security. It would take a very brave man to fight his way past Bernard Taggart!
Bernard watched her as she went in through the big oak doors to the great hall, then he turned away, thinking about what a remarkable woman Janice was. He had never before seen such compassion from a member of the upper classes to one of the lower. It was extraordinary.
She is a person!
The words Janice had said rang in his ears as he moved out to stand in the courtyard and look over the surrounding countryside. He was so hungry that his stomach was beginning to rumble, but he needed a few more moments to think before he went down to the kitchen to eat.
He sympathized with William, who hated formal gatherings and always made his excuses to be away as soon as he could so that he could go to play cards with the guards or chess with Bernard. Carousing with maidservants was not one of his favorite pastimes, although he did like their company.
However, the growling in Bernard’s stomach had become too loud to ignore, so he turned to go down to the kitchen, where he knew something hot, tasty, and filling awaited him.
That was the moment that Janice chose to run full tilt back toward him and collided with him with such force that he stumbled backward and almost fell down.
6
Bernard hit the parapet of the turret, which struck him just under his shoulder blades, sending a jet of agony across his shoulders, upper arms, and all the way down his back. Something hard had also hit him just under the ribs, although the pain was nothing like that which he was experiencing on his back.
He screwed up his face, then he knelt down, groaning in anguish, and when he opened his eyes he saw Janice kneeling beside him, her face mirroring his distress. She was rubbing one of her hands with the other, and he realized that she had hurt herself too.
“I am so sorry.” Her voice was trembling as she laid her hands on his and squeezed them. “I am as bad as my brothers. Are you all right?”
Men were not supposed to weep, but as Bernard shook his head, he found that tears of pain were coursing down his cheeks. He was acutely embarrassed, but he could do nothing about it.
“I will fetch the healer,” Janice said desperately, beginning to stand up. However, Bernard caught her arm, shaking his head.
“Wait. I will be fine in a moment,” he assured her. “I have suffered worse, and I don’t think anything is broken. I have broken my arm before—andthatis painful!”
He breathed deeply, in and out, for a while. Janice looked into his face, her expression one of deep concern. She would never forgive herself if anything bad happened to him. She sensed that not only was he extremely good to look at, but there was an air of wholesomeness about him, a sign of a good heart.
By this time some of the guards were gathering around and looking worried.
“A’ right, big man?” Billy Mearns asked anxiously. “Can we dae anythin’?”
“No, Billy, I will be fine in a minute,” Bernard replied, smiling painfully. “Thank you. It is just a bump.”
“I am so sorry,” Janice said again. She was almost weeping herself. “It was so clumsy of me.”
“Don’t distress yourself, mistress,” Bernard murmured, still wincing painfully. “It was an accident. But what caused you such distress?” Then he looked at her keenly. “Were you running away from something? You look very upset.”
Janice’s grey eyes once more darkened with anger. However, she realized that there were half a dozen men around them, all of whom were listening eagerly to what she was saying. Instead of answering his question, she enlisted their help to haul Bernard to his feet.
“I will speak of that later,” she muttered, so quietly that only he could hear.
He nodded and allowed himself to be pulled upright.
Now, as she stood back and watched him swaying slightly, Janice put a hand on his upper arm to steady him and blinked in astonishment as she felt the unyielding hardness of his muscle. The only substance she could compare it to was saddle leather, which was so tough it could stop arrows. She knew she was being fanciful; of course his arms could not stop arrows, but it was the only comparison she could think of at that moment.
She had to consciously stop herself from gazing at him as two of the guards escorted him to his room. However, when they arrived there, he refused to go to bed.
“I have hurt my shoulder and my ribs,” he said grimly. “Nothing is broken, and I am not an invalid.”
Despite his denials, Janice was still worried. “Shall I have some willow bark tea sent up?” she asked.
She was concerned about what she thought was his show of bravado, afraid that he might be trying to conceal his pain so that she would not think he was weak.
“Thank you,” he replied. His stomach chose that moment to express its indignation by giving a mighty grumble. “And if you don’t mind, I would like some food.”
He looked embarrassed, and Janice chuckled.