Medieval 01 - Untamed

had been as seductive as thesideways glances from lustrous black eyes. Next to them, the women of the northern marches seemed as pale and uninteresting as cotter’s cheese.
    Except for one green-eyed girl, and she had fled him as quickly as her shapely legs could take her. The memory of it still angered Dominic.
    God’s blood! Since when does a gentle caress send a wench running?
    â€œIndisposed, is it?” Dominic said silkily. “Nothing serious, I trust.”
    â€œHer father is ill. Surely that is serious?”
    â€œI am her future husband.” Dominic’s teeth showed in a thin curve of white against his black beard. “Surely that is serious?”
    The cold white gleam of his teeth made Eadith shift her feet uneasily. The motion sent ripples through the worn woolen folds of her tunic.
    â€œOf course, lord.”
    â€œTake my greetings to Lady Margaret, and my most urgent wish to meet my future wife,” Dominic said distinctly. “Simon, the gift.”
    His brother hesitated.
    Dominic raised his left eyebrow in a silent warning.
    Simon nodded curtly, scooped aside Dominic’s discarded clothes, and opened the small chest. He picked out a piece of jewelry that rested on top of the gleaming heap, Dominic’s choice as a gift for his reluctant bride.
    â€œTake that to her,” Dominic said. “A small token of my regard for my betrothed.”
    At Dominic’s careless gesture, Simon stepped forward and dropped a brooch into Eadith’s hand. She gasped audibly as she felt the weight of the gold and saw the fine green gem that was larger than her thumbnail.
    â€œWhy, ’tis the exact color of Lady Margaret’s eyes!”
    Instantly Dominic thought of the maid in the mews. His eyes narrowed in sudden speculation. Meg had been too proud and quick-spoken for a cotter’s child. He would have realized it sooner had he not been blinded by the sensuous curves of her lips and breasts.
    â€œIs that common among Blackthorne vassals?” Dominic asked idly.
    â€œNay, lord. None but she and her mother before her had such green eyes. ’Tis the mark of Glendruid blood.”
    Dominic’s eyes narrowed even more.
    Simon watched his brother uneasily. He had seen that look of cold assessment many times before, in the instants before a battle was joined. Yet there were no armed enemies here, no war horns calling knights to defend God’s city.
    â€œSo heavy, my lord,” Eadith said. “’Tis a fine gift any lady would be proud to wear.”
    The handmaiden’s fingers caressed the brooch with an envy she couldn’t quite conceal.
    Dominic looked to Simon and nodded slightly.
    Without a word Simon turned and went to the chest once more. For a moment or two he fished about in the contents. The faint, unmistakable sound of gold coins and chains rubbing over one another whispered musically in the silence.
    Simon grunted as he found what he sought. He turned toward his brother and held up another brooch.
    Impatiently Dominic nodded.
    Simon stepped forward, took Eadith’s empty hand, and dropped the bit of jewelry onto her palm. There was no gemstone in this brooch, but its weight testified to its value. Startled, she looked up and met Dominic’s cold silver eyes.
    â€œFor you,” Dominic said.
    Eadith’s jaw dropped.
    â€œPlain enough to see that the keep and its people have not been blessed with plenty of late,” Dominic said as kindly as he could manage to the girl whose pale eyes and thin smile he had disliked on sight. “The widow of a brave knight should have a few bright bits of jewelry to please her vanity.”
    Eadith closed her hand around her brooch so fiercely that one edge cut visibly into her flesh.
    â€œThank you, Lord Dominic.”
    â€œIt is nothing.”
    He saw the direction of Eadith’s eyes as she bowed her head to him. Her pale blue glance was drawn to the chest like iron to a lodestone. Simon noticed too. He shut the chest with a casual gesture even as he gave his brother a hooded look of disapproval.
    â€œWill there be anything else you require?” Eadith asked.
    â€œNo. Just take the brooch to Lady Margaret with my greetings. And send my squire in with supper.”
    Simon watched the handmaiden hurry through the doorway as though afraid of being called back and forced to give up the brooch. When he was certain he couldn’t be overheard, Simon turned back to his