If Not For The Knight, Debbie Boek [electronic reader TXT] 📗

much money. Calder had more respect for this boy, as he had the courage to admit to the deed he had done.

“And you,” he said, his voice lower, his weariness causing it to be raspy as he spoke, “what have you learned?”

“I’m sorry I threw the rocks, but I don’t want to work in the stables or with the smithy.” His voice trembled as he spoke but, even in his fear, he forced himself to look at Calder.

“Why are you sorry about the rocks?”

The boy looked at him quizzically for a moment. “Radolf din’t never do nothing to me. I shouldn’t of hurt him like that.”

“I see,” Calder replied, not sure if the boy was sincere or just saying what his parents had told him to.

“Will you give me your word that you will do nothing like that again?”

“Yes, M’lord. I give you my word.”

“Will you be apprenticing for anyone next spring?”

“No,” he answered sadly and Calder knew the reason why. Most masters required a fee be paid before taking on an apprentice, and the boy’s family did not have the money.

“When the Keep is ready, I will have need of a page. Do you know what that is?”

“No, M’lord,” the boy answered cautiously.

“You would do work around the Keep itself, replacing rushes and doing other menial tasks. I will sometimes need you to run errands or do special services for me. After you are old enough, if you prove yourself worthy, you might become a squire, such as Skeet,” Calder said, indicating the lad standing nearby.

“Then your duties would become more involved and my men and I would begin to train you with arms, so that one day you might become a knight in his majesty’s service. Does that sound like something you would like to do?”

“Aye, M’lord,” the boy responded, his eyes shining in anticipation.

“Talk to your parents, and then come see me in the spring,” Calder told him, hoping he was not getting the boy’s hopes up for nothing. He was not sure how these Saxons would react to one of their own becoming a knight for a Norman king.

“Aye, M’lord,” the boy said, a grin stretching across the width of his face as he sprinted from the room.

After the boy left, Calder sat back in his chair and lifted the large tankard to his mouth again. He was thoroughly drained now and did not even care if he ate before seeking his bed.

“Is that it, Draco?” he asked hopefully, noting that there were still several people sitting in the Hall.

“One more, Milord,” Draco replied in his gravelly voice. His pale blue eyes studied his leader with concern. He knew how hard Calder had been pushing himself and could see that the physical work, as well as the pressure of ensuring that all was going well within the village, was starting to wear on him.

Calder’s fatigue was evident in the dark circles under his eyes and the way he held his body. It angered Draco to see these ungrateful peasants give Calder nothing but further aggravation, when he was killing himself seeing to their safety.

“You’ve asked the Saxon carpenter, Wallis, to speak with you this evening,” he said. Coming to a decision about something that he knew he had no business in, he added, “I must run a quick errand now, Milord. Good evening to you.”

“I completely forgot about Wallis. Call him forward before you leave, if you please.” Calder said absently, too tired to even be curious about where Draco could be going at this time of night.

Wallis came forward, a fairly young man with intelligence shining through the dark brown eyes of his handsome face. He was slight of frame, but Calder had witnessed his surprising strength while working with him on the castle.

“Wallis,” Calder said with a nod, “thank you for coming.”

“My honor, Milord, thank you,” he said, his nervous hands grasping the large tankard of ale placed in front of him. He had never been called before the Overlord before and worried about what it might mean, particularly with what he had witnessed earlier between Lord Calder and Filbert.

“I have been very pleased with your work at the castle, Wallis. You are a fine craftsman and you put in many more hours than are required of you. I was wondering if you would be interested in working for me fulltime. Over the winter, no work can be done on the outside. We have most of the Keep done and the exteriors to several outbuildings. I thought, mayhap you, and whatever men you select, could work on the interiors of those buildings until spring. I am anxious to have it all done as soon as possible.”

Wallis stared at him in stunned silence.

“I will pay you handsomely for the work that you do,” Calder said, misreading his expression. “Although, you will be required to work closely with me.”

“Yes, Milord,” Wallis replied, smiling in gratitude. “I would be honored to work for you. I will do everything that I can to get it ready.”

Calder was pleased to see the excitement and anticipation on the carpenter’s face. This was one Saxon that he felt he could work well with, and respected Wallis for his ability to solve any problems that arose. He always made sure to check with Calder before making any changes, but Calder had agreed with all that he proposed and felt he could rely on this man’s judgment.

“Good,” Calder said, raising his tankard of ale to Wallis. “Let us drink to our new arrangement. Will you join me for dinner?”

Feeling overwhelmed, Wallis mumbled an answer and, before long, full trenchers were placed before the two of them. While enjoying the food and ale, they discussed at length the work that would, hopefully, be accomplished before the snow melted in the spring.

The other villagers had all left while they were eating and when Wallis took his leave, Calder wearily made his way up the stairs to his chambers. A fire burned brightly and he crossed to it, mesmerized by the flames as he soaked up the heat emitted by the great fireplace.

Suddenly, he felt soft feminine arms wrap themselves around his waist and, with a wave of relief flooding through him, turned and pulled Regan into his arms.

“How did you know I needed you so this evening?” he whispered against her hair.

“A rather large birdie told me,” she answered softly, brushing her hand across his brow, and then trailing her fingers along his cheek. “One who now sits with our son, so that I can try and ease Milord’s troubles for a short while.”

She removed the belt from his waist, letting it fall to the floor, then pushed his tunic up and let her hands slide across his chest as she pulled it over his head. His breath caught in his throat as she knelt in front of him, slowly, tortuously slowly, loosening his breeches and lowering them, again letting her fingers brush against his skin as she did so.

His hands wrapped themselves in her hair, drawing her even closer as she took him in her mouth. His heart almost thundered out of his chest and he thought his knees might actually buckle as he relished the incredible sensations coursing through his body. All fatigue was miraculously washed away as he closed his eyes and enjoyed the moment.

Feeling his body fast approaching the point of no return, he pulled her to her feet and carried her to his bed. He teasingly ran his lips and tongue over every inch of her naked body until she writhed uncontrollably. With both hands holding her face as his lips tenderly caressed hers, he lowered his body and entered her.

They moved against each other in a slow, seductive dance until their bodies took over and the thrusts became deeper and faster, carrying each of them to a fulfillment so intense that they cried out their release, and their bodies quivered and shook in the aftermath of the passion they had shared.

Holding her tightly while stroking her smooth skin, feeling completely satiated and relaxed, he lay there quietly, savoring the feel of her in his arms. “I am so happy that you are here,” he whispered, nibbling at her ear.

“Draco is worried about you, as am I,” she said, turning in his arms so she could look into his incredible blue eyes and run her hands over his hard, furred chest.

“Although, I don’t necessarily think Draco expected this to happen,” she said with a giggle, waving her hand at their entwined bodies. “I think he expected that you just needed some comforting.”

“Oh, I am surely comforted,” Calder replied with a lazy grin. “I think I should worry the two of you more often.”

“Your stamina is noteworthy, Milord,” she said with a mischievous smile. “I was told that you worked so hard this week that you were exhausted. I must have been misinformed.”

“I think not, Milady,” he answered quietly, and she saw that his eyelids were getting heavy, although he tried his best not to let them close. “Will you stay awhile longer?”

“Yes, Calder, if you wish,” she answered, running her fingers over the deep lines in his forehead until they relaxed and then through his hair until his eyes finally closed and his breathing became deep and regular.

She laid with him until just before dawn, watching him sleep in the flickering firelight. When he moaned or murmured in his sleep, she would caress him until he quieted again.

“Good-bye, Milord,” she said, kissing him lightly on the lips before leaving his bed. He startled her by grabbing her hand and turning her back around to face him.

“Thank you, Milady, for coming to me. You help me keep my sanity amidst all this madness,” he said softly, with a vague wave of his hand.

“I am glad, Milord,” she replied with a warm smile, but then her expression sobered as she looked down at him. “I must go now, it is getting light. Take care of yourself, Calder.”

She