The Knight and the Dove Read Online Free PDF Page B

the other servants, but she was no closer to getting inside the castle than she had been the first day. Each day she worked in the creamery, but was never chosen to deliver the butter, cheese, or cream to the kitchens within.
    Not that it would have done much good. It seemed that Bracken was still away. Megan struggled with her anger nearly every day over the way her mother had dismissed her. Her intended had obviously been expecting her on a certain day, a day her father surely must have known about. Megan’s head told her that her mother, too, had known this all along, but her heart refused to believe it.
    The work was just beginning. Eddie came out of the creamery then and found Megan just staring up at the castle. On the first day and even the second, Eddie would have ordered her back to work, but no longer. No servant had missed the way Arik kept his eye on this woman. The lack of comb for her hair and the simple homespun cloth of her dress made it clear that she was just a servant, but there was certainly no harm in this knight losing his heart to a servant girl.
    In truth, they were all rather pleased for their castle giant, whose odd ways had caused many of them to wonder at times if he was even human. Arik seemed unaffected by the cold and heat, and few had ever seen him eat. He spoke so few words to anyone that the castle folk were not entirely sure what he saw in this red-haired maid, but they were happy for him nonetheless.
    Megan finished her inspection of the castle and would have turned to go back to the creamery but a shout came up from the wall. Although she was in no danger, she stepped back as the gates were opened and a large group of riders came inside. There was quite a stir and it didn’t take long, with the way the castle folk responded, to see that Bracken was among them. He stood out in coloring, height, and breadth, and Megan studied the proud tilt of his head from a distance.
    Megan suddenly drew a deep breath. There was now a very real reason to gain entrance to the castle, but how would she do it? With a bit more thought, the inner bailey still in upheaval, Megan returned to the interior of the creamery. The day was early yet; she would find a way.

     
    Bracken scanned the inner courtyard of Hawkings Crest with pleasure. It was good to be home. He spotted Arik at a distance, but something in the man’s stance told him not to approach. He would like to have questioned him as to the keep’s operations in his absence, but Arik could be mule stubborn.
    Bracken could see, even from across the courtyard, that he didn’t care to converse, and he knew from experience that nothing would provoke him to do so against his will. With a shrug, Bracken moved to the castle. In the meantime, he would question Barton, his steward, and deal with Arik later.
    Bracken gained the great hall. As always his heart swelled with fulfillment. This had been his childhood home. His parents had run the castle well, and now that it was his, he took great pride in the way he had continued to work at its beauty and efficiency.
    Many elaborate tapestries hung from the walls, and Hawkings Crest shields graced the stones over both of the massive fireplaces. The trestle tables and benches were of the finest wood, and Bracken knew that his staff could have a feast on those tables with an hour’s notice.
    Many knights and servants alike spoke to Bracken, nodding their heads in respect as he made for the wide, main staircase. By the time Bracken entered his bedchamber, a hot bath waited before a freshly laid fire in the hearth. Steam rose from the copper tub, and Bracken spoke to his vassal, Kent, as he undressed.
    “Have you been on the field much?”
    “Yes, sir,” the ten-year-old replied proudly. “Every afternoon you were gone.”
    Bracken smiled. “Your father will be proud to hear it. I saw your parents while I was in London, and they asked after you.”
    Kent was bent over, scrubbing Bracken’s back with a