Page 59 of Katherine the Vixen

“Yes. You heard me right,” Siaspar said, coming to a halt as well.

“Whatever for?” She imagined her family’s bewilderment at seeing a lord on his warhorse come to the cottage and then handing her down from a beautiful palfrey. They had been shocked to see her dressed in lady’s raiment the other day. This would lead to endless questioning and might well prove impossible to justify.

“Well, for one, I imagine that you want to see them but will not dare go without permission again,” Siaspar answered in the reasonable manner she had come to associate with him. “As to Lady Malpas giving you this permission, we both know that she would sooner kiss me on the lips.”

Katherine reddened at the idea of him kissing his wife—and the notion that once again he wanted to be agreeable to her. “Yes. But they will be… they will…”

“Whatever it is you are thinking of, yes, I rather think they will,” Siaspar agreed, as unruffled as ever. “Still I expect they will survive the shock for the pleasure of seeing you. Will you lead the way please?”

He waited for her to nudge her horse forward before moving himself. Seeing that he would not relent, she did.

“Why do you really want to go and see my family?” Katherine asked in a low voice. He had said that one of the reasons was to provide her with the opportunity for a visit, so there had to be at least another.

“Because there is something I need to ask your father.”

She was stunned. What could a Welsh nobleman have to ask a blacksmith so far away from home?

Siaspar saw the astonishment on her face and smiled.

“You’ll see why when we get there,” he said, answering her silent question. “Now lead the way please. I still don’t know where we are going.”

“It’s…” She hesitated.

“Don’t be embarrassed about your parents’ home. Remember who my grandfather was.”

This was easier said than done. Even if he was a brewer’s grandson, he had always lived like a lord. What would he make of the dark, smoky cottage her family lived in? It was nothing like his castle in Wales.

But he was giving her no choice, so she rode on.

When they arrived no one was there to see Siaspar hand her down from the horse, for which Katherine was grateful. His hands at her waist were tight, and she was sure he had consciously allowed her body to slide against his. Even if he had not, she knew she would look flushed at his proximity.

“Ready?”

She nodded and turned to face the cottage. Just then a blonde woman emerged from the door.

“Katherine! It’s you.”

Her mother started to run to her then checked her first impulse when she saw the tall, elegant nobleman behind her. It was clear from her expression that she could not fathom who he could be and why he was here with her daughter.

“Mother.” Not so intimidated, Katherine fell into her arms. “I have missed you.”

“So have I. But… What are you doing here in the middle of the day? How is it that you have been allowed to leave your employ to come to see us again? And what exactly is your employ?” her mother asked, holding her at arms’ length so she could see the green velvet dress better. “I see that Annette and your father were not exaggerating when they said you were dressed like a grand lady. I thought they were jesting with me. But what is the meaning of this?”

“I…” Katherine faltered. There were too many questions to be answered at once and she had only been there a moment. And what could she say? What was her employ?

“I asked your daughter to bring me here,” Siaspar cut in smoothly. “I’m sure that my wife can spare her for a day.”

More questions flashed in her mother’s eyes. This man was none other than the Welsh lord who employed her daughter? What was he doing here?

“My lord.” She dropped into a clumsy curtsy when she finally recovered from the shock and almost fell to the ground.

Immediately, Siaspar was at her side. “Please. There is no need for that. I trust you are feeling well?” he asked, helping her up. “Have you recovered from the birth of little James?”

“Little James? I… Why, yes… I have, thank you.”

Unused to Siaspar’s easy manners, the blacksmith’s wife was stunned to be treated like a lady at court and asked about a babe he shouldn’t even know about. Katherine looked at Siaspar, talking to her mother as naturally as if they had been old acquaintances, and something flipped inside her chest.

Her heart.