Scanning the area, Jude saw nothing out of the ordinary. He looked to the windows and the corners of the castle before settling his eyes on Cleo’s window. There was no doubt now whether Cleo was watching. She had her book in her lap and her eyes locked on his for a moment.
Suddenly, tiny fingers were on Jude’s ribs. Unable to resist the tickling riding up his sides, Jude dropped his sword.
“Ha! I win,” Hugh said triumphantly as he dropped his hands from his father’s side and stepped back. “Biscuits for dinner tonight. And ye have to go talk to Cleo.”
Jude’s mouth dropped as he turned his attention back to his son. Hugh crossed his arms over his chest and giggled, lifting one hand he tapped his head.
“Mind over matter, right faither?”
“Well, I’ll be,” Jude said.
“Go on then. She’s been askin’ about ye.”
Jude’s heart fluttered in his chest and he felt a strange squeezing sensation in his throat. It was as if Hugh’s words were choking him. He could face down battalions of men without sweating and yet the thought of going to see Cleo made him more nervous than he had been in a long time.
Swallowing the lump that was forming in his throat, Jude rolled his shoulders back and pulled in a deep breath.
“Daenae forget, biscuits for dinner,” Hugh shouted as Jude made his way to the castle.
11
Ouch.
Pain shot through Cleopatra’s leg as she shifted her weight and she sat on the plush chair next to the window.
Will I ever be able to squish my toes between the soft soil again?
Dropping her shoulders, she scanned the room. Everything about her new home, caused her heart to sink. It was as if she was trapped back in her father’s home yet again, with nowhere to go and nothing to do.
Her only delight that she found these past three days in Jude’s castle was watching him play with his son outdoors. She couldn’t wait to be on the mend so that she could join them. She missed the sounds of the birds chirping and watching the grasshoppers jump from blade to blade in the tall grass that surrounded the castle grounds.
Turning her head, she glanced out of the window to find Hugh and Jude scrimmaging with blunt blades in the courtyard below her. She smiled at the sight of them playing together and couldn’t help feeling a bit of admiration for Jude, for he was showing his son more love and affection than her father ever did her.
Glancing down at the book in her hand, she pursed her lips, forcing the thoughts of her childhood out of her mind. Suddenly, a loud rapping at the door caused Cleopatra to jump.
Whipping her head to the door, she gasped as her hand flew to her chest. In the depths of her soul, she wished it were Jude at the door for she had not spent much time with him since they had arrived at the castle.
It couldn’t possibly be…
“Yes?”
“May I enter?”
Her heart fluttered as she heard his muffled voice through the door. Glancing around she knew there was nothing she could do about the mess in the room. She slowly pulled her leg off of the footstool and heat from the wound screamed up her calf to her thigh, as she tried to put her weight on it.
The door opened and she realized that it was who she had hoped. Jude stood in the doorway, his eyes gaping as she slowly bowed to acknowledge his station.
“Of course,” Cleopatra answered as the door slowly drifted open further. “And what brings you here at this hour?” For a moment Cleopatra didn’t know whether or not to stare at Jude or to just let him take a gander at her.
The silence stretched on as she kept her eyes locked on the grains in the wood on the floor. With each passing moment her leg seared and she wished to sit to ease it.
I must not show I am hurt. He will never let me leave this room. Stay strong.
“I have come to check on ye,” he said as she felt his gaze linger on her longer than expected. “I must admit, I’m pleased to see ye’re doin’ better.”
“As well as can be expected. All thanks to your kindness,” she answered slowly, drawing her eyes to him as she chewed on her lower lip. She wondered what it was he was doing here. It been three days since the last time she spoke to him in private.
“T’was nothin’,” he said. “Pleased to see ye’re standin’.” Jude’s voice was rough, almost strained as he spoke to her. For the life of her, she couldn’t understand why he seemed so rigid. Coming from her father’s lands, Jude seemed like a different person.
Of course, he would change now, he is the Laird of this castle. Certainly, that comes with obligations. But he seemed much more open and softly spoken. Far from the man I see before me now.
“Well,” Jude said clearing his throat. “If there’s anythin’ I can do to help ye, let me ken.”
“Actually, there is one small thing I would like,” Cleopatra said as she stepped closer to him.
“Aye, name it,” Jude answered and seemed to gravitate closer to her.
“I’d love it if we could take a stroll outside,” she said, batting her eyes. “It’s been days since I’ve been able to do that. And I thought perhaps if you were with me, you’d see I’m capable of walking on my own.”
“Ye can do whatever ye like.” Cleopatra thought she heard Jude mumble under his breath, but she wasn’t sure. “Of course,” he said straightening his shoulders as he curled his arm out and bowed to her. “If it pleases ye.”
It surprised Cleopatra to find Jude so open to her suggestion. She had thought she’d have to negotiate or plead with him much like she had to do with her father
