Candace C. Bowen - A Knight Series 02 Read Online Free PDF Page B

thanks.”
    Hearing Albin coming up the hall, Lecie rushed to pull the covers down as he strode in with her father in his arms. 
    Plumping up the down pillows on the bed, she stood back as Albin gently eased him down. 
    Gasping weakly, her father closed his eyes with a contented sigh.
    Albin glanced at her as he followed Talan out of the room. Covering her father with a thin wool blanket, she heard them speaking in low tones in the passage.
    Brushing the hair from her father’s forehead, she bent to place a kiss on it. 
    His breath coming in shallow pants, he did not stir from his uneasy doze.
    Straightening, she looked up to find Albin staring at her from the doorway. “I believe he will rest easier now, Sir Albin.”
    “May I have a word with you in private, Lecie?”
    Closing the shutters to darken the room, she stepped past him into the passage. Hearing Talan’s booted tread on the steps, she calmly met Albin’s gaze. “Please speak freely.”
    “Edric is in a great deal of pain,” he hesitated. “More than he lets on. Her ladyship Reina may have something to make him rest easier. If you would allow it, I will send a messenger to Castell Maen.”
    “Would you do that for me, Sir Albin?” Lecie’s eyes lit with hope. “I shall be forever grateful to you.”
    “Aye, Lecie,” he admitted softly. “I would do more than that for you.”
    Searching his eyes, she felt a flutter low in her stomach. “I shall forever be indebted to you.”
    Clearing his throat, he looked away. “Right, well. I was wondering if you would do something for me in return.” 
    “Anything,” she whispered. “What is it you would like?”
    “Show me how to make ale?”
    “I fear if I instruct you on how to make ale, I shall never see you again,” she teased with a smile.
    Gazing down at her, he returned her smile. “You have nothing to fear on that account, lass.”
    “Why is that?” she asked breathlessly.
    He shrugged. “Even with ale of my own, I shall still have need of a place to stay when I journey to Rochester.”
    “Oh.” To hide her disappointment, she turned on her heel towards the steps. “In that case, we best get started.”
    “Lecie?”
    Turning back, she waited with slanted brow.
    Exhaling heavily, he shook his head. “Never mind, it is not important.”  Moving towards her, he gestured for her to precede him. “Let the instruction begin.”

THREE
     
    Forget Father Godfrey’s vision of hell, Albin was in his own personal version of it. Perched on a stool set close beside Lecie’s in the small brewing shed, Albin watched her go about the chore of making ale.
    “Sir Albin?” Lecie repeated.
    “What was that you said, lass?” Yanking at the wet collar of his tunic, he longed for some fresh air to slake his lustful thoughts.
    “Would you please hand me the ladle behind you, along with the straining cloths?”
    Reaching behind him, he passed the items to her around the boiling vat of brew. His eyes riveted to a bead of perspiration on Lecie’s temple as it tracked down her face to her neck before soaking into her thin linen chemise.
    Albin watched in torment as Lecie leaned forward to stir the vat, her breasts straining against the fabric of her brown kirtle. Shifting uncomfortably on the stool he perched on, he vowed to show more appreciation for the work that went into brewing ale. 
    Glancing over at him, Lecie paused in her task to straighten. “Is it too hot in here for you, Sir Albin?”
    “Nothing I cannot handle.” Swallowing hard, he shook his head. “I rather hoped there would be something more I could lend assist with, however.”
    “Brewing is a more time consuming task than a strenuous one.” Lecie wiped the back of her hand along her beaded brow. “After soaking the barley for several days I drain the water to germinate the barley. Once that is done the malt is dried and ground, hot water added, and the wort drained off.” With a sly smile she added, “Only then is yeast