She straightened her shoulders and took her seat. “Good afternoon, Lord Hugh,” Eleanor said, reaching for her goblet of wine. She could not—would not—look into his eyes.
Had the strong and fearless Lady Eleanor actually blushed? This undertaking will be over soon, he promised himself. What a child! She was obviously at a loss for how to deal with him. Not so he! He would tell her his plan, command her to carry it out, and be gone from Wykeham tomorrow before matins. He had heard from his knights that William of Litchfield was to arrive the next day, and he did not want to meet with William just yet, most particularly on someone else’s grounds. He would meet him on his own terms at Wykeham—not here at Strathcombe.
“Milady,” Hugh drawled. He hid a smile and reached out, intercepting her hand just as it touched her goblet, drew it to his mouth, and brushed his lips across it. Eleanor started and drew her hand back, almost as if from a fire. Soft and warm, he repeated silently.
“Yes, Lord Hugh,” Eleanor said, trying to compose herself after feeling the touch of his lips on her skin. She reached again for her wine goblet, taking a sip. Marry, but she could almost feel the heat of him sitting next to her—or was it the blazing fire in the hearth behind them, giving out such warmth? She had to regain her composure, she scolded herself. Too much was at stake, and Hugh had accorded her little respect.
“I have a plan,” Hugh said, leaning toward her. What scent was in her hair? He could not place it, and it tugged at his senses. He had to stop, now, he commanded himself.
Steeling herself, Eleanor turned to face him full on. Her green eyes flashed. “Yes?” she asked, cuttingly. “And am I to be privy to this plan?”
By my troth! Hugh wanted to exclaim. What a bold one she was! She took him by surprise. He set his jaw. “Lady Eleanor,” he went on, struggling to ignore his mounting anger, “I will return in a fortnight. I will set my foresters to watch and wait, and you will yours, as well, and I guarantee you that we will have some names of criminals to arrest for the assize. Now that I have returned and will take charge, you will discover that people will be more forthcoming with information. There are ways to loosen lips, and my foresters will have my permission to so do. I’ll also have my own chief forester watched by one of my knights, and I advise you to do the same with your chief forester, unless,” Hugh narrowed his eyes, “unless you have your own private reasons for looking the other way at his actions.”
“Oh!” Eleanor gasped, flushing a deep red. Did Hugh guess at the feelings she feared Osbert held for her? Did Hugh think she actually returned them?
Hugh congratulated himself. He had scored a mark on that one. Fortunately, some of his knights had passed on to him the common talk about Osbert and his yearning for the Lady Eleanor that they had heard from the Strathcombe foresters, and he sought to make good use of it for his own purposes. He folded his arms and waited impassively.
“Nay!” Eleanor said, her eyes full of fury. She clenched her fists. “You are a knave, indeed, sire, to make these accusations!” She looked about for some of her knights. How she would love to have him escorted from the Great Hall! Reluctantly, she admitted to herself that it would cause not only a great scene, but quite possibly start an armed conflict. Truthfully, she felt she was already embroiled in an armed conflict!
To her great dismay, Hugh smiled at her. A smile! How condescending! She could have easily thrown her goblet of wine at his smug face.
“Calm yourself, Lady Eleanor,” Hugh said, reaching out a hand to touch her arm. Against her will, Eleanor looked down at his strong, sinewy hand, the knuckles dusted with black wiry hairs. An image of his hand stroking the nape of her neck and then pulling her close to him assaulted her. She gulped. His touch seemed to burn through her sleeve to her very skin.
Hugh continued, “That is what I hear, but your reaction would seem to prove that rumor false, unless you are as practiced a dissembler as you are stubborn.” Which could very well be the case, he reminded himself, and he would not be deceived again. He withdrew his hand from her arm. Such warmth and softness, he thought, fleetingly. He would find that sort of solace elsewhere, he commanded himself. “But,” he went on, his visage growing stern once more, “you can’t turn your head from what is happening under your very nose. Your Osbert,” he sneered, making Eleanor’s eyebrows raise and her mouth drop open, “is playing you for the fool, and I will not stand for his playing me for the fool into the bargain!” He stared at Eleanor from under lowered brows.
“We shall see, Lord Hugh,” Eleanor said, curtly, summoning all the strength she had. “I will agree to your plan, but I insist that you treat Osbert with the same respect that you do your own chief forester, de Bretton.”
Hugh laughed. “’Twill be easy, Milady,” he said. “I give de Bretton little respect. I can do the same for your chief forester. I give no man respect who does not earn it. ”
“Or woman?” Eleanor blurted out.
Hugh raised an eyebrow. “Or woman,” he
