Page 9 of Silent Knight: Alexander

“I . . . feel it is the least I can do. Pay respects, I mean. After all, Lady Mowbray was so kind to invite me to the Christmas festivities when she doesn’t even know me.”

“Then follow me,” said Claire, leading the way. Charlotte and Alex walked together as Claire led them. Claire moved fast, and it hurt Alex’s leg, but he tried to keep up. It wasn’t comfortable with two swords banging against his sides every time he took a step.

Charlotte noticedthat Alex was having trouble walking quickly in the snow. She didn’t want to embarrass him by telling Claire to slow down, so she did the only thing she could. She pretended to have a stone in her shoe.

“Oh,” she said, stopping and bending over.

“What’s the matter?” asked Alex.

“I seem to have a stone in my shoe and need to stop and take it out. You go on ahead without me.”

“Nay, I’ll wait with you, my lady,” he said, just like she knew he would. Alex took her arm and guided her toward a stone bench. Claire went on without them. They got to the bench and were about to sit down when Alex stopped her. “Wait,” he said, reaching down and brushing the snow from the seat with his hand. Then he removed his cloak and laid it over the bench and nodded. “It should be fine now. Your gown won’t get wet.”

“Thank you.” Charlotte liked the way Alex treated her. Never had Roger, her late husband thought to brush off a bench for her. And the last thing Roger would have ever done is to put his own cloak down, exposing himself to the cold. Charlotte sat down and started to take off her shoe, but Alex’s hand shot out, resting atop it. She felt his icy cold fingers, realizing he gave up his warmth for her.

“You don’t need to remove your shoe because I know what you are doing.”

“What do you mean?”

He moved his swords to the side and sat down beside her. “There is snow on the ground and no possible way to get a stone in your shoe, Lady Charlotte. I appreciate what you did, but I wish you wouldn’t have done it.”

She waited for a second and decided there was no reason to deny it. If she did, he would think she was a liar. “I only said that because sometimes Claire can be very insensitive.”

“She’s young,” he said, causing her to feel old. Her eyes went down to her lap, and she folded her hands. “And foolish,” he added. “But I am sure she is a wonderful young lady with a very big heart.”

“You seem to see the best in everyone,” she told him. “Even when Lord Dreyfis treated you poorly, you still held your composure and stayed calm. You are a gentleman.”

“Sometimes, my lady, looks and acts can be deceiving.”

“So, you’re not gentle?” she asked, looking up into his dark brown eyes. They held a certain sadness that she didn’t understand.

“Enough about me,” he told her. “I would like to know more about you, Lady Charlotte. Where do you come from?”

“I’m from Yorkshire. Where are you from, Alexander?”

He hesitated, his eyes flashing over to the small garden and graveyard next to the orchard. Lady Summer walked with her arm around her daughter as they made their way to the keep. Charlotte saw Summer wipe a tear from her eye.

“Everyone calls me Alex,” he told her. “You can do so, too. I have traveled a lot in my lifetime. My father’s job kept us moving.”

“Oh, yes. He was a guard, wasn’t he?”

Alex’s head turned to look at her, no expression at all on his face. “I think I’d like to go to the great hall now if you don’t mind. The wind is picking up and making my leg cramp.”

“Of course.” She stood up and collected his cloak, laying it over his shoulders. “You must be cold since you aren’t wearing your cloak.”

He looked down, tying his cloak around him. “I am disabled, not a child,” he told her. “I appreciate what you’re doing, but I am capable of taking care of myself. I don’t need to depend on anyone.”

She didn’t know what was bothering him but didn’t think it was the fact she laid his cloak over his shoulders. She noticed the way he looked over to the graveyard. He didn’t show his emotions much, but she got the feeling something disturbed him. Perhaps, it was only the fact his father had passed away days ago. Charlotte wanted to know more about it but didn’t think it was the right time to ask. So, as they walked to the great hall, she made small talk instead.

“I helped Lady Regina make a mulled, spiced wine,” she told him. “It’ll warm anyone’s bones on such a cold day. I added a little extra cinnamon because I am so fond of the spice.” She looked up to notice him looking over his shoulder at the graveyard.

“That sounds nice,” he said, seeming as if he were in deep thought about something else. “I could use something to warm my bones.”