Warwolfe (de Wolfe Pack Book 0)(95)

He was dreading the moment when it did.

“How does the leg look, Gate?” he asked Gaetan.

Gaetan was watching the old woman finish up her careful stitches. “Not as bad as I thought,” he said. “There was so much blood it was difficult to see, but it is not as bad as it could be.”

The old woman was on her final stitch. “It will heal,” she croaked in that odd Latin that Antillius also spoke. “The lady must stay still. She must rest until it heals.”

Ghislaine made out most of what the old woman said. She looked to Gaetan in distress. “I cannot stay still until it heals,” she said. “You must go to Tenebris and I must go with you. We cannot wait more than a day or two at most.”

Gaetan patted her hand. “You will not worry about that today,” he said. “Today, you will rest all day. Tomorrow, we shall discuss this further.”

Ghislaine wasn’t so sure. As she sat there and fretted, there was movement at the door and she looked up to see three young women approaching. Téo and Aramis, also by the door, caught sight of the young women and they immediately stood back so as not to crowd the timid women. Also, they were inherently interested in them. The women were, by all accounts, young and quite pretty.

But the young women were fearful of the big knights as they huddled near the door, eyeing the warriors while trying to gain sight of the old woman inside.

“Pullum?” one of them called. “Pater has sent us. He has told us to help you with the injured lady.”

The old woman finished with the last stitch and sat there, surveying her handiwork. But she paused a moment to wave the young women in, and they darted into the tiny hut in a frightened bunch.

“Aye, I will need your assistance,” she said. “This young woman has a wound that must heal. After I wrap the leg, you will assist the lady in bathing and cleaning herself. She is quite dirty and, I would presume, wishes to be comfortable. Will you tend her?”

The girls nodded, looking at Ghislaine, who was gazing back at the three of them somewhat warily. Ghislaine had very few female friends, given the fact that she had been a warrior most of her life, so female companionship was rare in her world.

In truth, it was also somewhat unwelcome. She didn’t like silly women and their petty problems. But she also knew she couldn’t refuse the hospitality being offered. As her gaze moved from the young women to Gaetan to see what his reaction was to all of this, the first young woman spoke again.

“I am Lygia, daughter of Antillius,” she introduced herself timidly. “These are my sisters, Verity and Atia. What is your name?”

Ghislaine looked at them fearfully before her gaze moved to Gaetan. Odd how she was quite fearless in the face of men and battle, but being approached by three young women had her tongue-tied. He smiled wearily at her.

“Tell them your name,” he said. “They will not bite you.”

Ghislaine’s focus moved back to the young women but when she spoke, it was hesitantly. “I am Ghislaine of Mercia.”

Lygia was a pretty girl with soft blonde hair and a big-toothed smile. “Welcome, Ghislaine of Mercia,” she said, sensing the woman’s standoffishness. Without anything more to say, she turned to the old woman. “We will go and gather what we need and return shortly.”

The old woman waved them off and they fled the hut, passing by Téo and Aramis as they did. They were the recipients of some rather interested expressions. In fact, Téo was still looking at them as they disappeared into the neat clusters of rock homes and only when they were out of his view did he return his focus to what was happening inside the hut. He thought one of the sisters, a tall lass with copper curls, was quite lovely, indeed, but he forced his thoughts away from her to focus on the situation at hand.

“Gate,” he said, “will you have us post a guard where the lady is to be housed?”

Gaetan watched as the old woman swabbed the stitched wound with vinegar and then packed moss on top of it before beginning to bind it.

“Aye, but only on the outside,” he said. “She has Cam inside to protect her and he has proven himself most worthy in that aspect. We will simply stand guard outside and be vigilant as to who comes and goes.”

Gaetan patted the dog affectionately as it lay beside Ghislaine. Aramis spoke up.

“I will take the first watch.”

Both Gaetan and Téo looked at him. Gaetan was becoming increasingly displeased with Aramis’ boldness towards Ghislaine, struggling to keep the situation in perspective. He said he would beg off and allow me to pursue her, he thought. But it didn’t seem that way.

“Very well,” Gaetan said evenly, “but I will remain with her at present. You and Téo must go and see to the men and to your horses. I will send for you when it is time for you to stand guard.”

He was effectively sending Aramis away. Téo, concerned what would happen if Aramis refused to obey, reached out to put a friendly hand on Aramis’ arm to encourage him.

“Come along, mon frère,” he said, trying to lighten the mood. “Let us see to the horses, as he says. That was quite a ride over here and I must make sure my horse didn’t suffer from the terrain.”

Aramis didn’t say anything but his gaze lingered on Gaetan, who was staring back at him without blinking. In fact, there was hazard in Gaetan’s face. Aramis could see it but, somehow, his pride wouldn’t let him back down. Still, he didn’t want things to escalate, at least not in front of the lady. He turned as Téo pulled at him, moving away from the hut and heading back to the area where the rest of the men were gathered.