Page 14 of Fletcher

Lark didn’t want to think about him, or the way he had looked at her, as if she were strolling around the castle naked. Even if she had, with her small stature and lack of curves she doubted anyone would give her a second glance. Lawrence had certainly never once looked at her the way Fletcher had. Probably because he’d been too busy thinking about the next time he could sleep with Kate.

They’re on my honeymoon right now. No, their honeymoon. He probably took her to the islands so they can both work on the most important part of their relationship: their tans.

Realizing she hadn’t given her runaway groom or her ex-friend a single thought for days made Lark almost trip over her own feet. Maybe she had been traumatized to the point of having temporary amnesia. But as she walked down the last passage toward her room, she had to be honest with herself.

I really don’t care what they’re doing.

Losing Uncle Matt had hurt Lark so much she’d sobbed herself to sleep for weeks. She’d begged her godmother to let her stay with her, tearfully promising she would behave if she would just keep her. Even the very distant memory of being told her grandmother had died by a nurse at the hospital brought back a terrible ache inside. Although she had been too young when her parents had died to recall anything about them, she had always teared up whenever she looked at their photos. She’d carried the pain of all those losses with her for years.

If Lawrence or Kate had really mattered that much, she wouldn’t have been able to stop thinking about them or crying over their betrayal.

Did I ever really care about Lawrence? Lark thought dully as she reached her room. Or was I just kidding myself because he said he loved me, and I was so alone? Am I doing the same thing with Fletcher now?

A big hand reached out to stop her from opening the door, and a delicious warmth engulfed her. “Lass, a moment, please.”

“It’s fine.” She was a mess, and after what had happened downstairs she didn’t need another lesson in twelfth century chauvinism. “You don’t have to say anything else. I got the message.”

The seneschal took his hand from the door, but followed her inside. “I wish only protect you.”

Lark went to the bench where she did her sewing, and eyed the small wooden box with the thread, needles and shears one of the maids had brought her. Since what she’d sewed had offended him she wanted to shove the supplies in his hands and tell him she didn’t need them anymore, but then she’d have nothing to do all day.

Why does this hurt so much? I’m not involved with him. He’s just the guy who pulled me out of the water.

“You told me that I’m safe here, so I don’t need your protection.” She sensed him coming up behind her, and squared her shoulders. Time to set boundaries so she didn’t let another man make her look like an idiot. “I won’t scamper around in my new dress. Excuse me, my new shift. You can go back to doing whatever it is you do.”

“I wish stay with you,” Fletcher said, his voice low and soft. He didn’t touch her, but he stood close enough for his body heat to warm her again. “In truth ’tis all I think on since you came.”

Her pride told her to move and put some distance between them, because if she didn’t she was going to do something stupid. She really didn’t know this man, and he knew next to nothing about her. He’d already treated her as if she were an idiot, and that humiliation still made her face burn. Hadn’t being left at the altar taught her anything about domineering, self-absorbed jackasses like Lawrence?

The rest of her didn’t agree. The rest of her thought that Fletcher was completely different from her runaway groom. Doing something stupid with the seneschal might turn out to be wonderful. She’d never had such a direct, unwavering physical attraction to anyone. Despite everything that just happened she wanted him to kiss her again. How could she think something like that about a man she only met a few days ago? The same man had just embarrassed her in front of everyone.

She had hit her head pretty hard, Lark thought, tired of herself now.

“Shallnae you look upon me, then?” Fletcher murmured.

Lark turned around to face him, to tell him off, to stand up for herself and make it clear that she absolutely didn’t need him. A faint hint of woodsmoke came from his clothes, but beneath that was the warm, slightly musky scent of his skin. Compared to the men in the city, most of whom wore too much cologne, Fletcher smelled alive and male and wonderful. Looking up into his eyes, all the desire building inside her suddenly stomped out the last of her anger.

“I wanted to see you.” That sounded petulant and childish, but it was the truth. “Why didn’t you just come by and talk to me?”

His throat moved as he swallowed. “’Tis unseemly, a man intruding on a lady’s bed chamber when she’s alone.”

So it was another twelfth-century rule of some kind. She wondered why she had been hiding in her room when she might have gone looking for him.

Because I’m too shy to do anything.

“Do I really look so terrible in this?” she couldn’t help asking.

The seneschal’s gaze shifted over her, taking in everything. “’Tis a lovely thing, lass. I reckon ’tis why I scolded you. I couldnae bear the notion of other men looking upon you, and imagining you bare beneath the dress. I dinnae wish anyone see you thus but me.”

He wanted to see her naked. He had been thinking about her naked. Lark wondered if he were joking.

“Thank you for not calling it a shift.” She glanced down at the linen skirt. “If I dyed the fabric another color, would that make it more acceptable as an garment?”

Fletcher made a vague sound as he stared at her lips.

“I want to be respectful of your customs.” That was true in theory, but right now she wanted to take off his tunic so she could see his chest. “If you’ll be patient with me I will learn what’s okay in this time, and what’s not. All you have to do is teach me.”

“’Tis best ask Lady Valerie.” His hand touched her upper arm, and skimmed down her skin to her wrist, which he cuffed with his long fingers. “I might teach you more than you wish learn.”