Forbidden: Claude (Second in Command #2)(18)

“I will take the nursemaid with us so there will be no chance for idle gossip,” said Rose.

“What?” Evelina looked up in surprise. The last thing she wanted was to have to go along as a spectator with those two. “I have to look after Harry,” she said, splaying out her hand to the little boy sleeping on the bag of wool.

“We’ll take my squire instead,” Claude blurted out, giving a sideways glance to Evelina.

“I’ll watch my son,” said Isobel. “Evelina, ye go along with Rose in case she needs another female.”

“Yes. We’ll take your squire as well,” Rose told Claude. “That way, Evelina will have someone to talk to.”

The look of disturbance on Claude’s face almost made Evelina laugh. But he didn’t say a word against the idea. Instead, he forced a smile and patted his hand atop of Rose’s.

“Whatever you wish, my lady,” Claude answered. “I will have my squire make the preparations right away.”





Chapter 6





Claude directed the horse toward the coast. Rose sat on the bench seat next to him, looking as beautiful as ever with the sun making her golden hair glow. It was a sunny day and quite warm. A walk near the ocean would feel nice. Claude enjoyed his time alone with Rose, but what he didn’t like was the fact that they’d had to bring his squire and the nursemaid along.

He glanced over his shoulder to see Felix sitting on the back of the open wagon, dangling his feet over the edge. Evelina sat with her back against the sidewall, clutching the basket of food in her arms.

“Where would you like to stop to eat?” Claude asked.

“Anywhere,” grumbled Evelina. “It is so bumpy in the back of this cart it is making me feel ill.”

“I was talking to Lady Rose,” Claude told her.

“Oh.” Evelina threw him a disgruntled look and turned her head the other way.

“Stop up ahead, just under that large tree.” Rose pointed to where she meant. “It is where Toft and I often have an outing. I wish he could be here with us today, don’t you, Claude?”

“Aye,” he answered, hearing Evelina release a puff of air from her mouth from behind him.

Claude stopped the wagon and put his hands on Rose’s waist to help her from the cart while Felix took the basket of food from Evelina and headed over to the big oak tree.



Evelina wasn’t used to riding in the back of carts. She stood up just as the horse moved and she almost fell.

“Oh, Claude, help Evelina from the wagon as well,” said Rose.

“I don’t need help,” she spat, taking a step forward, getting her foot caught on the hem of her gown and almost falling again.

“Squire, get over here and take care of the horse,” Claude shouted, stomping over to the back of the wagon and holding out his hand. “Come,” he told her.

“I said I don’t need help,” Evelina repeated.

“Lady Rose asked me to help you and so I will. Besides, if I don’t, you might land flat on your face. You act as if you’ve never ridden in the back of a wagon before.”

She had ridden in the front of wagons, but the back was always for servants. If her father knew she was dressed in a coarse, brown, woolen gown and riding in the back of a hay wagon, he would be furious. Then again, if he knew she was working as a servant, he’d be madder than hell.

She wondered if her father had his men out looking for her and how long it would take him to figure out she had stowed away with a mercenary to England.

“Come on,” said Claude impatiently, closing his hands around her waist and lifting her from the cart.

“Oh!” she cried out, holding on to his strong shoulders so she wouldn’t fall. He set her on her feet. When she looked up, he was staring down at her mouth. His hands lingered on her waist. Mayhap it was only her imagination, but she felt as if he wanted to kiss her. A shiver of desire swept through her. This was the second time he had touched her and, both times, she felt a heat spiraling through her with his contact. She didn’t understand it at all. Memories of yesterday filled her head of how she thought he was going to kiss her then, too. Then she remembered how foolish she felt when he hadn’t. She didn’t want to go through that again.

Quickly removing her hands from his shoulders, she stepped back, biting her lip and looking at the ground. “Thank you,” she said in a breathy whisper, barely able to talk.

“Of course,” he mumbled. She thought he would leave her then but, instead, he stayed with her. Her eyes lifted in question.

“Was there something you wanted to say, my lord?” she asked, wondering why he hadn’t walked away.

He hesitated before he answered. “Nay. It’s just that you have a piece of straw in your hair.” He reached out and plucked the straw from her unbound hair. The ride in the back of the wagon had been windy and she had lost her wimple. Then, the ribbon holding back her hair came untied, and she lost that during the ride, too. “That’s better,” he said, showing her the piece of straw and dropping it to the ground. The wind picked up and blew her hair across her eyes. To her surprise, he brushed the hair from her face, gently tucking a strand behind her ear.

Their eyes interlocked and at that moment, the world stood still. As she stared into his eyes, her heart beat faster. He was looking at her like a lover, not like a man who didn’t want her in his bed. Perhaps, he had lied yesterday when he turned her away. But his eyes didn’t lie now. What she saw was a man’s interest in a woman, and it wasn’t Rose. It was her this time. He skimmed his fingers lightly across her cheek as he moved his hand away.