Shadowmoor (de Lohr Dynasty #6) (23 page)

So he has noticed the way Glennie has been looking at him!
Liselotte pretended to be cool in considering the matter but, truth be told, she wasn’t hard pressed to agree. Being naïve in the ways of romance as she was, all she could envision was the dream of pretending she and Daniel were a couple. She didn’t go so far as to imagine her shattered heart once the pretending was over. If she and Daniel pretended to be a pair, then Glennie would leave him alone and she wouldn’t be forced to strangle the woman. She didn’t even care about Easton and whatever interest Daniel imagined from the man; all she cared about was pretending that she and Daniel were together. Perhaps something inside of her would be satisfied if she did.

A dream that may never become a reality.

“I am willing,” she said. “But are you certain about this? About Lady Glennie and Lord de Royans, I mean. Are they really hunters?”

Daniel nodded seriously. “They are, indeed,” he said. “Therefore, I will make it clear that you are spoken for – and so am I – and mayhap this alliance we are attempting to establish may not be ruined, after all. But I should at least like to get a message off to my uncle before Glennie’s heart is crushed and Easton challenges me for your hand.”

He said it somewhat humorously and Liselotte couldn’t help but giggle. “God’s Bones,” she exclaimed. “What if he does challenge you? What will you do?”

Daniel grinned, without humor. “Run like a rabbit and leave you to his lascivious intentions.”

She laughed louder. “You would not fight for me?”

“To pretend with you is one thing but to die for you is entirely another.”

“Then I am shocked and scandalized. You had better amend your thoughts or I will tell Lady Glennie that you secretly lust for her.”

Daniel’s eyes widened. “You threaten me to tears, lady,” he said. Then, he sighed with great exaggeration. “Very well. I will fight Easton if I must but know it gives me no pleasure. And if he kills me, I will haunt you from the grave.”

Liselotte snickered into her hand. “I believe you.”

Daniel moved closer to her, enchanted by her laughter. He realized it was the first time he’d really seen her laugh freely. She had a beautiful smile and enchanting laughter. Reaching out, he took the hand that was covering her mouth and brought it to lips, kissing it in the same place that touched her own lips. When he saw the look of astonishment on her face, he kissed it again for good measure.

“There,” he said, his voice low. “That is what betrothed people do. Now, I will see you to your chamber and then return for your brother. You will sleep well this night, Lady Liselotte. You have a warm bed and my protection. Sleep without fear.”

In the wake of Daniel’s kiss, the humor was gone from Liselotte’s manner. She was left trembling from his kiss, unable to reply when their banter had been so recently lively. Daniel must have caught her quivering lips because he took them as an invitation; quivering and sweet, he was on her in an instant, kissing her with a warm and swift mouth, suckling her lips as she collapsed in his arms. He kissed her until she could hardly breathe and even when he removed his mouth from hers, he simply stood there and held her, feeling her soft slender body pressed against his. It was the most magnificent thing he could have ever experienced.

The bachelor’s soul began to shatter completely.

“Come, now,” he whispered, releasing her from his embrace and holding on to her arm when she couldn’t seem to catch her balance. “Take your food with you. I will return you to your chamber now.”

Stunned by his kiss, Liselotte did as she was told, grasping her half-finished plate of fruit and cheese and bread as she allowed Daniel to lead her back to her borrowed chamber. He was very proper about it, opening the door for her and ensuring that she entered, and then bolted the door, before he left. As she stood just inside the door, trying to catch her breath and listening as his boot falls faded away, she could have never known that as Daniel headed back down to the hall to collect Gunnar, his heart was beating just as fast as hers was.

He felt the magic, too.

But he calmed himself, trying to pretend it really didn’t matter. He’d had literally hundreds of kisses so this one was no different… at least, that’s what he tried to tell himself. But he knew it was a foolish attempt. This kiss had been very, very different, more than he could put into words.

But thoughts of the kiss were pushed aside as he entered the hall. Easton was there, waiting for him, and Daniel turned the missive over to the man that was to be sent with the messenger. After that, he sat up a good portion of the night with Easton, drinking good wine and speaking on a great many things.

All thoughts of Liselotte’s sweet lips faded for the moment as Daniel came to know the father of his hated enemy as a man of humor, of gentleness, and of great wisdom, and more and more he began to feel pity for the family who had lost a son and didn’t yet know it. It was the drink causing him to feel such things, that was true, but it was also human decency. Brighton’s foolish actions were to have a lasting effect.

Daniel began to feel anger towards Brighton, different than the anger he’d felt before. Brighton had been intelligent and skilled without a doubt, but he’d forced his hand as a stubborn and spoiled man, and now his family would feel the terrible grief at his death. A death that didn’t have to happen.

The more Daniel spoke with Easton, the more he was fairly certain he could never tell the man what he knew. All risks aside, and in making an enemy out of the House of de Royans in general, he wasn’t sure he could bring such pain on a man who was seemingly quite generous and normal. When, and if, Easton was ever told of Brighton’s death, it would not be from Daniel’s lips. He couldn’t bring himself to do it, for a variety of reasons.

Deep into the night, the wine finally caught up to Easton and the man excused himself to sleep as Daniel did the same. Pulling Gunnar from the pack of dogs, he carried the boy back to their shared chamber and put him to bed. Stripping down and climbing into his bed, thoughts of Liselotte returned. He couldn’t seem to shake them.

When he finally dreamt, it was with visions of women with bronze-colored hair.

CHAPTER EIGHT

“D
aniel!” Gunnar was
yelling. “Look! Look at me!”

It was early morning on the day following their arrival at Netherghyll and Daniel, having finished yet another conference with Easton and Caston as the men broke their fast in the great hall, was heading out to the stables to check on Ares. He was just inside the stable yard when he spied Gunnar in the midst of several goats that were quite happily frisking him for food. Gunnar giggled and twitched, pushing the goats away, but it was clear that he was as happy as a lark. Daniel shook his head reproachfully at the boy although he was grinning.

“Are those your new clothes that those goats are eating?” he called out. “You are nothing more than a goat yourself, Gunnar l’Audacieux.”

Gunnar laughed happily. “They like me,” he announced. Then, he pushed through the crowd of goats and ran at Daniel. “Can we go back to town today so I can have my goats from the livery? Can we take them home with us?”

Daniel reached out, putting a big hand on Gunnar’s blond head. “You would like that, wouldn’t you?”

Gunnar nodded enthusiastically and Daniel chuckled at the lad. This morning, in his new clothes and having slept on a full stomach, he was happy and rosy-cheeked. He looked like an entirely different boy from the one he had rescued from Bramley only a couple of days before. He nearly looked normal, without the weight of starvation hanging down upon him. It made him sad to think on the suffering the young boy had endured. Daniel’s smile faded and he removed his hand from Gunnar’s head.

“We will, indeed, return to town this morning,” he said. “We left the stores I purchased there and we must return for them. In fact, after I have checked on my horse, I will rouse your sister and we will return to town and then on to Shadowmoor.”

Gunnar simply turned around and ran back for the goats as if to get in all the time he could with them before Daniel dragged him away. His four-legged friends greeted him happily and Daniel could hear the boy giggling as he continued on into the stable. Immediately upon entering, he could see at least three stable boys crowded around the last stall that housed a big black horse. Daniel fought off a grin as he approached.

“Well,” he said, watching the boys jump at the sound of his voice. “What are you doing to my horse?”

Ares nickered softly at the sound of Daniel’s voice and when the stable boys turned around, Daniel could see they had various food items in their hands. One lad seemed to have a bucket of half-eaten grain while another had carrots. The third lad had bread crusts. All three looked startled and, upon closer inspection, rather guilty.

“We are feeding him his morning meal, my lord,” the lad with the grain said. “He seems to be very hungry this morning.”

Daniel grinned as he pushed past the boys and into the stall, slapping his big horse on the neck affectionately. “He is always hungry,” he said flatly. “Look at the size of him. He eats an enormous amount.”

The boys nodded in unison and the boy with the grain went back to feeding Ares, who stuck his nose into the bucket, crunching and snorting. Daniel, meanwhile, ran a practiced eye over his animal and, seeing that all was well, gave the horse one last pat and left the stall.

“See that he is fed and then saddled,” he said. “I will return within the hour.”

The boys nodded eagerly and returned their attention to the horse as Daniel headed out of the stable. He was just to the entry when a body appeared in his way, blocking his exit. Daniel had to step aside quickly or risk crashing into Caston, who jumped back when he realized that he had nearly run headlong into Daniel.

“Forgive me, my lord,” Caston said. “I nearly bowled you over.”

Daniel snorted. “It was not as easy as all that,” he said, jesting. Then, he threw a thumb over his shoulder, back in the direction of Ares. “I came to check on my horse. I will be departing back to Siglesdene as soon as Lady Liselotte is ready to depart. I believe I mentioned to you this morning that we left a great many stores meant for Shadowmoor back in town. I must return them to the fortress today.”

Caston nodded; he’d shared the morning meal with Daniel a short while earlier and had come to know a little about the knight from the great and mighty de Lohr family. Daniel was quite congenial, very bright, and quick of wit. He seemed to have a joke for everything. They had discussed a few things that morning, including the tournament in Skipton, and Caston was coming to think that Daniel had decided to compete although the man had given him no real confirmation. It was just a feeling Caston had.

In all, he was coming to like the wandering de Lohr son just a bit and his father was already enamored with the man, so much so that Caston was now on a mission for his father. When Daniel spoke of returning to Shadowmoor on this day, Caston held up a hand as if to beg the man to reconsider.

“I know,” he said. “In fact, that is why I am here. My father and I were talking after you left the hall and my father thinks that you should leave the lady and her brother here. Since Lord Bramley seems so apt to harass Shadowmoor, it might be safer for the lady and her brother to remain here where Bramley cannot find them. Even if he discovered she was here, we have the army to protect her. Do you think the Lord of Shadowmoor would consider this?”

Daniel gazed at the man that he, too, was coming to like. Caston was a good deal like Brighton, or at least what Daniel had seen of Brighton, but he didn’t seem to have that aggressive streak in him that his brother had possessed. Caston seemed more thoughtful, less antagonistic, but, of course, Daniel had only known the man a day or so. Time would tell if he was really less belligerent than his brother.

“That is a very kind offer,” he said. “In fact, I am in agreement with you. It would be safer for them both to remain her. Caston… I cannot tell you the poverty that Shadowmoor has faced because of Bramley. Have you noticed how attached the lady’s young brother seems to be to the dogs and the goats?”

Caston nodded. He had passed the young l’Audacieux lad on his way to the stables. “Indeed I have.”

Daniel cocked a serious eyebrow. “That is because those at Shadowmoor have been forced to kill and eat all of the animals in order to survive, dogs and goats included,” he said. “Bramley has contained them so much that they live on what wild grains they can gather and have eaten all of the livestock. I have no idea when they last had cheese or meat. I am sure the Lord of Shadowmoor will be very grateful that his children will, once again, be enjoying a steady diet in the safety of Netherghyll.”

Caston was frowning at the thought of so much poverty. “I am ashamed that we did not know any of this, truly,” he said. “They are our neighbors and we knew nothing, but as my father said, Shadowmoor has always kept to themselves. I am not sure there was any way we
could
know what was going on with them.”

Daniel conceded the point. “Now, you know,” he said, “and I am sure your assistance will be greatly appreciated until my uncle arrives. Your father said that the missive went out this morning.”