A Daring Sacrifice (26 page)

I gave a soft laugh but then winced at the pain the motion caused in my chest.

His smile faded, replaced by a seriousness I hadn't witnessed in him before. He reached out and grazed my cheek. The simple caress sent a jolt through my body, stopping my heartbeat and my breathing. “I've been wild with worry over you,” he admitted with an agonized whisper. “I should have thought to shoot the knife out of Edgar's hand first.”

I silenced him with a touch of my fingers to his lips. “It's not your fault. You did everything you possibly could. If not for you, I'd be dead for certain.”

He grasped my hand, opened my palm, and then brought his lips against the sensitive skin there. The warmth of his kiss, the heat of his breath, and the urgency of his hold sent another sizzling bolt into my middle. “Oh, Juliana,” he breathed.

I longed to comb the hair off his forehead and to pull him closer. But I knew neither were appropriate, especially since we had a roomful of onlookers.

As if remembering the same, he released my hand and moved back. “I've been doing everything I can day and night to help your people. We're building them homes, providing them supplies for winter, and even helping many of them locate jobs.”

A lump rose again in my throat. “You're a good man, Collin Goodrich,” I whispered. “And I regret the day I accused you of anything less.”

He met my gaze then, probing deep into my heart as if attempting to read all that was written there. I hoped he could see the truth, that I was sorry I'd sent him away.

“If I'm a good man, it's only because of you,” he said. “You've shown me what it means to be a kind leader, to truly look at the needs of my people, and to show them compassion.”

“You've always had those qualities. You just needed someone to help bring them out of you.”

The longing upon his face was palpable, but with the utmost restraint he pulled back and stood. “As soon as I'm done overseeing the building of the homes here on your land, I'll be returning home so that I can make sure my own poor tenants are well-equipped to weather the coming winter.”

I wanted to tell him not to go, to stay with me forever. But I knew I couldn't do that any more than I could have asked him to stay in my forest home with me. He belonged on his land, being a good lord to his own people.

“Whatever can I do to repay you for your kindness to me?” I asked.

He was silent for a long moment. His face was shadowed and much too serious.

Having watched our entire exchange, Sir Bennet stepped to Collin's side and clamped him across the shoulders. He squeezed as if in sympathy for his friend before looking at me. “Lady Juliana, I believe there is only one way you can ever repay your kindness to my dear friend Lord Collin.”

“Anything, sir. I will do anything for him.”

Sir Bennet smiled, and the motion was so fluid and beautiful, it would have taken my breath away had I not had eyes only for Collin.

“Then you must put him out of his terrible misery.”

“Terrible misery?” I asked, noting that Collin's head and shoulders had slumped with dejection. What had happened now to cause him such misery? “And how may I do that?”

“You must agree to marry him.” Sir Bennet slapped Collin across the back.

Collin's head shot up and mortification thundered across his features. He punched his friend in the arm good-naturedly. “You know she doesn't want to. And that's all right. At least we can be friends and neighbors, can't we?”

He turned his gaze upon me.

My heart welled with love for this man, this kind, sweet, funny man. Bulldog had been right; if my father had been there, he would have approved whole-heartedly of Collin. The problem was, Collin was too noble to ask me to marry him again. Even if he'd glimpsed love in my eyes that day of the battle, when I'd said my silent good-bye, he was determined to spare me further embarrassment.

If I wanted to marry Collin, I would have to take the offer Sir Bennet had so kindly placed before me.

“Sir Bennet is right,” I said nervously. “If you're in such terrible misery, then I must do my part to help you. I must most certainly save you from such extreme desolation.”

After a quick intake of breath while his eyes searched mine, a grin tugged at his lips.

“Besides, I don't really want to be neighbors with you.”

His left brow quirked. “Are you saying that if I tossed you over my shoulder and carried you back to my castle, you wouldn't run away this time?”

“I promise, I'll never run away again, except to be where you are.”

His lips curved into a full smile that reached into his eyes and set them glimmering with all the glory of sunshine. “Then I promise to never go anywhere unless you're by my side.”

I reached a hand to him. He captured it and bent to place the softest of kisses on the end of my fingertips.

“I love you.” I whispered the words that reverberated through every corner of my heart.

“I thought you'd never say it.”

“I can't wait to say it to you every day for the rest of my life.”

He slipped again to his knees at the side of my bed. “I shall indeed be the happiest man alive to hear it.”

My chest ached with the need to hear his declaration, to know with certainty that he'd forgiven me for rejecting him and to know that he loved me in return.

He reached into the pouch at his side, tugged at it, retrieved something from its depths, then held out his hand. “I once told you that I wanted you to have this.” He opened his fingers. There in his palm was his thick silver ring emblazoned with the cross of diamonds.

“I don't deserve it,” I whispered.

“I never stopped loving you,” he said softly, seriously. “And I never will. I will always love you. No matter what.”

His declaration poured over my soul, chasing away the anxiety and making me love him even more.

He slipped the ring onto my thumb, back where it belonged. “Even though I'm a nobleman, will you do me the honor of marrying me and becoming my wife?”

I pressed the ring against my heart. “You're the noblest man I've ever met. And because of that, I can do nothing less than give you my whole heart, soul, and body.”

“Is that a yes?”

“Yes.”

He rose and gave a whoop that filled the chamber and filled my heart with overwhelming joy.

Chapter
21

“Keep your eyes closed,” Collin said, his tone laced
with eagerness.

I smiled and pressed my eyelids together tighter, even though his hand over my eyes was enough.

My robe swirled above my wedding gown, and the thick fur gloves warmed my fingers against the frosty morning air. The late autumn sunshine poured down upon my loose hair like a blessing from heaven. I had no doubt that blessing was from my father looking down upon me, happy for me on my wedding day. I was about to join my life to the best man in the whole kingdom, and I knew my father would be deeply grateful that someone like Collin Goodrich loved me and would take vows to cherish and keep me all the days of his life.

“Just a little farther,” Collin said, his breath near my neck making me shiver with delight.

We'd had to wait several weeks for both of us to fully recover from our wounds, and now that we were fully healed, we'd planned the wedding to take place outdoors in the forest that spanned both of our lands. We'd invited all the peasants that I'd lived with for so many years.

To show his appreciation to my people for rising up and helping me fight Lord Wessex, Collin had planned a feast so
lavish for them that his cooks and mine had been busy for days baking in preparation. And of course, he'd planned an archery contest for afterward, to prove once and for all which one of us was the better archer.

“Ready yet?” I asked with a smile, leaning back against the solidness of his chest and relishing his nearness, not nearly ready for the moment of closeness to end.

“Almost.”

I could hear the grin in the word, even if I couldn't see it.

He finally stopped. He pressed a gentle kiss against my ear and then followed it with a whisper. “My lady, your wedding present.”

With that, he dropped his hand away from my eyes.

I blinked against the bright sunshine and then my gaze came to rest upon a breathtaking sight. There in front of me stood a beautiful white palfrey. Its immaculately groomed coat and bright eyes shone in the morning light. It tossed its head and neighed to greet me.

My heart swelled with unspeakable delight and brought a tremble to my lips.

“So . . . what do you think?” Collin asked, studying me, his brows arched with anticipation. “It's not quite a pony, but it's close.”

I could only reach for his hand and intertwine my fingers through his and squeeze. “Oh, Collin,” I managed, my eyes flooding with sudden tears.

He was the sweetest man I'd ever met.

At his grin, I knew he understood just how deeply his gift had moved me.

Nearby, in a clearing in the woodlands, stood my companions. Some sat on rocks, others on logs. A few of the children had even climbed into the trees to watch the wedding. Their faces were wreathed in smiles.

The Duke of Rivenshire stood in the center of the clearing, smiling at us. Beside him were Collin's two closest friends, Sir Bennet and Sir Derrick.

Closest to the palfrey stood Bulldog and Thatch. They were adorned in new tunics, cloaks, and finely tailored leather boots. Their faces were scrubbed clean and they wore fashionable felt hats. They too grinned at me, their eyes shining with pride.

At Collin's suggestion, I'd put Bulldog in charge of my estate. He and Thatch would live in and manage my castle, using it as a refuge for anyone in need. I'd appointed Bulldog to make sure that no one on my land would ever again be in want.

Of course I would still visit my holdings and help in the ruling. But I'd been gone from my estate for so long, and after the pain I'd suffered there, I was all too content to live with Collin in Goodrich Castle. I was ready to start over, to make a new life for myself, to rule with benevolence and kindness next to Collin.

Lady Irene had insisted that Collin send her to live in a convent, at least until she could recover from the terrors of all that had happened. Fortunately, Mistress Higgins and William had been rescued with minimal damage. Apparently, Thatch's torture had given my uncle all the information he'd needed, so except for being sorely frightened and slightly starved, Collin's loyal servants had survived unscathed.

“I have one more wedding gift for you,” Collin said, drawing me into the crook of his arm. “At least one more gift for now. I'll have plenty more later.”

I laughed softly. “You know I don't want anything. I have everything I need in you.”

His arms tightened around me. “But I adore spoiling you.”

“You adore spoiling everyone.” I'd learned his generosity to those in need knew no bounds.

“Well, I especially enjoy spoiling you.” He motioned at two young peasant girls who approached me carrying baskets. They were adorned in pretty pink gowns, likely the finest they'd ever seen or owned. I had no doubt Collin had ordered them made for the girls especially for the wedding.

They came before me with shy smiles and curtsied at my feet. Then they each held their baskets toward me. “For you, my lady.”

I bestowed smiles upon them and took one of the baskets. I tugged off the silver-threaded linen, and there inside were dozens upon dozens of strawberries, fully ripe and beautifully red.

I gasped. “Where did you find these at this time of year?”

“I had to search far and wide.” He picked up a plump berry and held it up. “But it was worth it, because they're my favorite fruit.”

“And your atonement for your long-ago insult?” I teased.

“Yes, my way of begging you to finally forgive me, sweetheart,” he replied playfully. “Don't you know that whenever a young boy teases a girl, it's only because he likes her?”

“You must have
really
liked me.”

“I still
really
like you.” His voice dipped low and did funny things to my stomach. “And I love your hair.”

“I forgive you,” I said rather breathlessly. “As long as you promise to give me a basket of strawberries every year in payment.”

Gently, he turned me so that we were facing each other. He combed his fingers into the long curls of my strawberry-red hair that the wind teased about my shoulders. “Promise.” The one word held so many possibilities, and promises of laughter, friendship, and days of ruling our people wisely together.

He brought a fistful of my curls to his lips and kissed them. His eyes also promised many more kisses, and my knees
grew weak at the thought. “I have searched far and wide,” he whispered, “and have finally found the one my heart desires.”