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Maira’s eyes shot over to the boys. “Tommy? Alf? How do you boys know Jacob?”
“Sir Jacob lived here at one time,” explained Alf.
“He was the late Lord Durham’s Captain of the Guard,” said Tommy. “I was only five when he left, but I’ll never forget how kind he was to me and how he even took me for a ride atop his horse once. Everyone loved him.”
“We miss you, Sir Jacob,” said Alf. “It’s not the same here without you.”
“I miss you boys, too,” said Jacob. “Now, will you two keep watch and let us know if anyone comes?”
“Aye, my lord,” said Alf, going to the door along with Tommy as lookouts.
“You shouldn’t have come,” Maira whispered.
“I wasn’t sure if you’d return to see me again in the woods. I didn’t want to take the chance that you wouldn’t.”
“Let’s talk up there,” said Maira, motioning with her head to the hayloft.
“All right,” he said, curiously, wondering why she would suggest being alone with him.
They climbed to the hayloft together. Jacob stood right behind her and held on to the ladder, blocking her body with his so she wouldn’t fall. Once they reached the top, Maira pulled him to her forcefully and covered his mouth with hers. Now he understood why she wanted him up here in private. She didn’t want the boys to witness their kiss.
“That’s nice,” he whispered, pulling back and running his fingers lightly over her jawline. “I must say I didn’t expect it. Why did you do it?”
“It is my way of apologizing.”
“For what?”
“For this.” Then she did something else that surprised him. She reached out and slapped him hard across the cheek.
Jacob took a minute to try to figure out what had just happened, not understanding any of it. “Why did you kiss me if you were only going to slap me afterwards?”
Her face was in shadow, but he could still see her scowl from the light of the lantern filtering up through the slats in the floor.
“Why didn’t you tell me you once lived at Durham Castle and were Captain of the Guard? You failed to mention you are a noble.”
“You didn’t ask,” he told her with a lopsided grin. “Besides, it doesn’t matter. I no longer hold a title thanks to the High Sheriff.”
“What happened?” she asked, sounding as if she were truly concerned.
“He framed me for the death of a bishop,” Jacob told her. “And then he had the pope excommunicate me.”
“Oh, that’s awful.”
“Maira, he took from me not only my title, but my chance of being High Sheriff, not to mention the Lord of Durham someday.”
“You? Why would you be lord of the castle or High Sheriff?”
“Because,” he answered, not wanting to tell her everything. “Let’s just say this all would have been mine but thanks to your betrothed, I am naught but an outcast. I live the life of a thief in the night, always hiding for fear of being found and slain.”
“And that is why you want your revenge?”
“Isn’t it enough?”
“I don’t know. Planning on attacking and killing a man and seizing his castle – that doesn’t make you any better than Sir Gregory, does it?”
“Either you’re for me or against me,” he growled, not having patience for this right now. “Which is it?”
She took a minute, and then she nodded and dug her dagger out from under the hay. “I’ll help you however I can, but I won’t fight for or against you. My weapons are only to protect those I feel are in danger.” She dug her sword out next and strapped it on her back.
