‘You’re in luck that I am here.’ Will grinned.
‘Heaven help me...’
‘As I said before, you need to allow your lady to get used to you, but in the meantime you can use sweet honeyed words and talk yourself into her affections.’
Hugh frowned. ‘Sweet honeyed words?’
‘Better still, deploy a minstrel or a troubadour to bleat on about your chivalric qualities, or mayhap compose a poem of courtly love?’ Will stepped forward and struck his weapon out. ‘Apologies. Not words of love but words of...trust, was it not?’ He smirked. ‘Courtly trust—well, there’s a novel idea.’
‘You believe this to be a jest?’ asked Hugh.
‘On the contrary.’
‘Flowery words are not going to affect Eleanor.’
‘Very well—what about a gift for your lady?’
‘A gift? For an heiress?’
‘Really, Hugh, what is the matter with you? All women like to receive gifts,’ Will said, attacking again. ‘A jewel, a trinket, or a ribbon for your lady’s hair?’
Hugh stopped momentarily and with his quarterstaff raised the leather cord with its silver and ruby pendant from around Will’s neck. ‘Like this little trinket? Remind me who gave this one to you of your many paramours?’
A dark shadow flashed across Will’s eyes before he smiled and shook his head. ‘A gift given in thanks and I’ve always liked it.’ He shrugged. ‘But it wasn’t from any paramour. Anyway, we’re not talking about me, but you.’
‘Are we?’
‘Yes. I am thinking that you should give a gift to your heiress—call it a wedding gift.’
Hugh’s brows furrowed before he lifted his head and nodded. ‘Much as I hate to admit it, it’s not a bad notion.’
‘Glad to be of help.’
‘Not a jewel or a trinket, though but possibly...animals.’
‘Animals? Seriously?’ Will shook his head. ‘I give up...’
In one single fluid movement Hugh swiftly turned, fell to his knee and swiped his quarterstaff at Will’s ankles, taking his legs from under him. Then he got back to his feet and kicked Will’s quarterstaff away, pointing his at Will’s chest.
‘You should.’ Hugh panted as he made a mock bow. ‘My thanks, old friend. It is always a pleasure to thrash you. Now, do you submit?’
Will grimaced as he rubbed his arm. ‘I allowed you to win, you know. I wanted you to look good in front of your lady wife.’
‘Of course you did.’
‘By the way, your arm is bleeding.’
Hugh shook his head dismissively as he helped Will to his feet and turned to face his wife.
Yes, he needed to woo her.
Eleanor’s breath hitched in her throat as she watched in secret admiration as Hugh strode towards her after his victorious sparring with Sir William.
She had on many occasions watched men train in combat with keen interest, secretly learning different techniques. The male form was hardly a novelty, and held little surprise for her, and yet she had to admit that a thrill had run through her at the glorious spectacle of her husband and Sir William stripped to the waist and training with so much skill.
They had been evenly matched, both as strong and athletic as each other. But even so Eleanor had never, ever seen a man so well built and muscular as Hugh. A sheen of sweat glistened on the bulging golden muscles that rippled across his chest, his back...and, Lord above, his arms! Oh, but his arms were so...
‘Good morning to you, Eleanor.’
Hugh bowed and smiled that lop-sided smile that managed to send butterflies to her stomach.
‘Hugh.’ She nodded, her mouth suddenly very dry. ‘Congratulations, that was well fought.’
His grin deepened, revealing a dimple. Had she missed that? Yes, it was more than likely, since Eleanor hadn’t dared to look at him properly.
She glanced away, only to notice a trail of blood down his left arm. ‘That needs to be cleaned up.’
‘It’s nothing, really.’
Eleanor wanted to insist, but found it hard to get the words out. Really, there was so much of her husband on display she didn’t know where to look.
‘Your friend Sir William seems nice,’ she said.
‘Nice?’ Hugh laughed, raising his brows. ‘Gallant, chivalrous, courageous or even valiant are amongst Will’s favourite epithets.’ Hugh raised his voice so that Will would hear.
Eleanor smiled. ‘You seem close.’
‘He’s like an annoying younger brother but, yes we’re close. Both of us poor landless knights. Well, I mean that is until recently for me...’
Eleanor looked away, feeling a little embarrassed, and was relieved when Sir William finally caught up with them, fully clothed now and sketching a formal bow, breaking the awkward silence.
‘Good morrow, Lady Eleanor, how fine you look.’
Eleanor inclined her head. ‘And how finely you fought, Sir William.’
Will smiled graciously. ‘But, alas, not finely enough. However, gallant, chivalrous and courageous I may be I can never better Hugh. Your husband, my lady, is a legend amongst men.’
‘A legend, you say?’
‘Indeed.’ Will grinned as Hugh turned and glared at him. ‘And his talents are not restricted to the tourney or the battlefield, oh, no...’ Will shook his head. ‘His courtly manners are appreciated far and wide.’
‘I’m sure they are, Sir William,’ Eleanor said, trying to suppress the bubble of laughter that was forming at Hugh’s reaction. His eyes were firing daggers at his friend. She decided to join in with the teasing. ‘In fact, I have witnessed the extent of Hugh’s exceptional skill in dancing.’
‘Ah, yes, so nimble and light.’ Will chuckled. ‘And have you heard Hugh’s singing voice, my lady? No?’ he exclaimed, when Eleanor shook her head. ‘But you must. It is a voice that would make a troubadour renounce his talent.’
‘Stop talking all this nonsense, Will!’ Hugh snapped.
‘A modest man, you see, and one with so many hidden talents. One day you must ask him to recount the verses he has scribed, my lady.’
‘Take no notice of him, Eleanor,’ Hugh said, rubbing his shoulder.
‘What was it again, Hugh? Ode to the Heartless Thief? Or was it Ode to the Greenest Leaf? I cannot remember.’
This time Eleanor could not contain her laughter.
‘Haven’t you got somewhere you need to be, Will?’ Hugh growled.
‘Indeed—I must break my fast.
