soldier.â
âIs that all?â Kitâs voice rose with indignation. âA competent soldier? Weâve heard tales in Northumberland about Rupertâs bravery in battle, his prowess withââ
âHas Sir Rupert ever seen your face?â
âWhat has that to do with anything? Naturally heâs seen my face. We grew up together. Weââ
âI mean without that amusing coating of grime.â
âWhat coating ofâ? Oh.â She raised her chin a notch. âRupert knows me as well as he knows his sisters.â
Another rude grunt.
âRupert told me that as soon as heâs given leave from court, heâll come for me. Donât you see, Gerhart?â she asked earnestly. âThatâs the reason I had to try to get back to Somerton. Rupert wonât be able to find me if Iâm away from home. Heâs the only reason I had for staying.â She turned to look at him and found his face only inches from hers. He was scowling again, but Kit couldnât help but notice how beautiful his gray eyes were, framed in thick black lashes. The realization was unsettling. Her gaze dropped to his mouth.
âWeâre going to the king, Lady Kathryn. Donât you suppose youâll see Sir Rupert in London?â Gerhartâs voice was harsh. He didnât like having her unwavering gaze trained on him. She was too direct for a woman and her eyes, at least the uninjured one, were altogether too distracting.
Kit shook her head and looked away. âI donât have any idea how to find him. By all accounts, London is huge and Rupert might even now be on his way to Somerton for me.â
At least it was an explanation for the previous nightâs misadventure, although it riled him unexplainably. Somehow, it didnât seem fair that Lady Kathryn should be fretting and risking her neck over Rupert Aires, a man who had some of the most beautiful, as well as the most faithless women in England at his beck and call.
If Aires had some commitment to Kathryn Somers, he had a fine way of showing it. Wolf knew that all of Henryâs guards had been given liberal leaves upon their return from France two months ago. Apparently Aires hadnât seen fit to travel to Somerton to claim his bride. Perhaps if he had, Henry wouldnât have deemed it necessary to send Wolf all the way to the north country to collect this naive chit of a girl.
âNone of Henryâs guard are on leave now,â he offered. He wasnât certain that was true, but if it reassured Lady Kathryn so that sheâd quit trying to run back to Somerton, the small lie was well worth it.
âAre you sure?â
âRelatively.â
âThatâs a relief,â she said. âNow Iâll just have to think of a way to find him when we reach London. If ever we reach London. You still havenât told me why we are not heading south.â
âWeâre not going directly to London.â
âWeâre not? Where are you taking me?â
He was not accustomed to being questioned by anyone, particularly a ragged, impertinent, insignificant girl. He let out an irritated sigh and gave her a curt response. âWindermere Castle.â
âWindermere! But thatâs in Cumbria! Miles out of our way!â
âThank you, my lady, I am very familiar with the location of Windermereââ
âBut that will take ages. And Rupertââ
âIâm beginning to see merit in Baron Somersâ disciplinary methods.â
âWhy didnât you go to Cumbria first and come for me last?â Kitâs exasperation, at the very least, matched Wolfâs.
âBecause that would have contradicted my orders.â
âWhy?â
âThe king was quite specific. He wanted you in my custody as soon as possible.â
âBut why?â
âTake a nap.â Kit didnât mistake his gruff tone nor his now-familiar scowl, and knew