Page 53 of The Knight’s Reward

The lady rushed forward and swept Neill into a hug before pulling away to look him over from head to toe as a mother or a sister might.

“You are a boy no longer,” she exclaimed, her voice as bright as her visage.

And then the lady’s eyes fell on her. It felt as if she’d walked into the sun, an awareness of her own shortcomings nearly choking her. How could this woman in men’s breeches exude more grace than the finest of ladies at court?

“Geoffrey, Sara,” Neill said, smiling back at her, “may I present Lady Kathryn Wyld, daughter of the late Sir Richard Wyld. She is to be my guest at Kenshire.”

Sara took her hand, apparently a common gesture for this family.

“Richard,” Lady Sara beamed. “That was my father’s name as well.”

Instead of asking how she’d come to be his guest or inquiring about the circumstances that had led to their visit, Sara winked at Kathryn. “We will leave you to your reunion,” she said to her husband. “Come—” she tugged Kathryn’s hand, “—I’ve something to show you.”

“Show me?” she asked in bewilderment.

The countess did not know her at all, let alone why she was here, but none of that seemed to matter to her. With a final backward glance at Neill, who met her eyes and smiled encouragingly, she followed Lady Sara around the great keep, past tower after tower. The castle was bustling, with knights and servants milling around every corner.

Lady Sara had released her hand and was now climbing a set of stairs built into the side of the inner curtain wall closest to what appeared to be a guardroom. When they arrived at the top, Kathryn, beyond curious now, looked out and immediately knew why Lady Sara had taken her here.

They stood above a most spectacular view of the North Sea. Below them, a steep drop of grass and rock gave way to taller blades of grass waving in the breeze, and then sand. Beyond it, the sea. The sound of its waves did not reach them here, but Kathryn could easily imagine its song.

Kathryn spun in all directions, taking in the view. To their left, nothing but fields, farmlands most like. Behind her, beyond the retaining walls, she could even see the village they’d passed on their way to the castle. Her eyes finally came to rest again on the ocean.

“’Tis breathtaking, Lady Sara.”

“Sara. And aye, it is that.”

Kathryn looked at the other woman in surprise. “My lady?”

“I am not one for formality.” She nodded down, toward her attire. “As you can see. Most especially with a woman who has captured the heart of my brother-in-law.”

This woman was full of surprises.

“Oh, no, my lady, ’tis not that way at all.”

She wished to ask the other woman why she’d formed such an impression, but the Countess of Kenshire made her uncharacteristically shy.

“Sara.”

Kathryn relented. “Sara.”

“And if I may have leave to call you by your given name?” Sara prodded.

“Of course!”

“Then I would be so bold to ask, Kathryn . . . how is it between you and Neill?”

“I . . . that is . . . we . . .” In truth, it was a good question, one she was wholly unprepared to answer, especially to a stranger. Even if she was Neill’s sister-in-law.

“I see. Well, luckily, this will not be my very first foray into a complicated relationship. It seems this family has no shortage of them.”

“There is . . . we are not together, my . . . Sara.”

Kathryn didn’t understand her own impulse, but under the warm summer sun, along the ramparts of what was one of the loveliest places she’d seen in her life, she found herself sharing her story with the countess.

She began at The Wild Boar. She told Sara of her plan, one that seemed rather foolish now that she’d shared it aloud, twice. She told her of her father too, although the recounting was no easier than it had been when she’d told Neill about his death.

“I am very sorry for the loss of your father,” Sara said when she finally finished. “I understand how painful it is to lose your only parent. Your mother?”