The Falls of Erith Read Online Free PDF Page B

steady her as she stumbled back. “My
apologies, my lady,” he said with genuine remorse. “Did I injure you?”
    Gray
rubbed her nose where she had bashed it against his chest. “Nay, my lord,” she
said, feeling her nerves and anxious to return to the safety of the keep.  “I…
I was hoping to find you and thank you for the flour and other provisions that
your men brought.  It was quite unnecessary, but very generous nonetheless.”
    Braxton’s
blue-green eyes fixed on her. “We carry more rations than we can use.  If you
do not use them, they will rot, so in a sense you are doing us a favor.”
    She
smoothed the hair from her forehead in an edgy gesture. “It was a kind deed, my
lord. We should have quite a feast in about an hour.”
    “We
are looking forward to it.”
    Though
his expression was unreadable, the blue-green eyes were intense. Strangely
unsettled, not to mention strangely intrigued, Gray dipped in a curtsey and
respectfully moved around him.
    It
wasn’t that he frightened her, but he certainly had a disquieting effect on
her. There was something in his eyes that was warm and alarming at the same
time. Not knowing the man, she did not trust his motives.  She’d spent her
entire adult life protecting her emotions, first from her domineering mother
and then from an abusive husband.  She knew of no other way but to continue
that inclination. No mere knight, no matter how kind, was going to change that.
    As
she moved towards the rotted steps leading into the keep, Gray could not help
but notice that there were several of Braxton’s soldiers taking tools to her
steps. She slowed her pace, watching them curiously. Several rotted boards had
been pulled off and a two of the men were using a plane on them, shaving off
the rotted portion. The others were ripping up the rusted iron nails and
replacing them with fresh ones. Curiosity turned to bewilderment. She went to
one of the men and peered over his shoulder.
    “What
are you doing?” she asked.
    The
soldier looked up at her; he was older, with a sun-kissed face and calloused
fingers. “Repairing your stairs, m’lady,” he said. “You have several rotted
boards. Sooner or later, someone will fall through and hurt themselves. Sir
Braxton does not wish it to be you or your daughter.”
    Gray’s
mouth fell open in surprise, but she quickly shut it. “So you are fixing my
steps?”
    “We
are repairing what we can for tonight, my lady,” the man replied. “Tomorrow we
shall go into the woods to seek out strong new wood in which to rebuild the
stair case. This entire flight needs to be replaced before someone breaks their
neck.”
    Did
they think she could pay them for this work? Clearly, the steps were in bad
repair, but it was not for lack of notice. It was for lack of funds to fix
them. Panicked, Gray turned on her heel and rushed back to the last place she
had seen Braxton. Frantically, she her eyes scanned the area, spying his blond
head several feet away. He was standing with his knights. One of the men saw
her as she approached and he nudged Braxton. He turned to her just as she came
upon them.
    “My
lady,” he greeted her, the warmth still lingering in the blue-green eyes. “How
may I be…?”
    She
cut him off, not intentionally, but it was a rushed gesture. “My lord,” she
didn’t seem to quite know what to say; all she knew was that she had to say it
quickly so he could stop his men on the stairs. “Your men are… that is, may I
speak you in private, my lord?”
    The
three knights standing with Braxton immediately excused themselves.  Braxton
crossed his thick arms, allowing his gaze to move over her luscious blond hair,
the sweet shape of her face.  She had deliciously delicate features. But he
quickly focused on her eyes, a magnificent brownish-gold color, and waited
patiently for her to speak. She stood there and fidgeted uncomfortably for
several long moments before commencing.
    “Your
men are… are fixing my steps, my