Page 13 of Ladybird

Chapter 4

By the time the traveling party got to the castle it was already sunset and the day was just about over. Hunter felt all the eyes on him as they rode through the gates into the courtyard. Sitting atop his horse dressed in the cloak of a noble, he felt like such a fake. A big liar. He glanced over at Luke. The boy was smiling from ear to ear, enjoying every minute of this immensely. That concerned Hunter.

Robin dismounted quickly and immediately two stable workers ran over to him. One was old and the other young.

“We’ll take the horses, my lord,” said the boy who seemed to be about Luke’s age. The older man with him eyed up Hunter suspiciously.

“You have guests, my lord?” asked the man as Robin helped his sister dismount.

“We do,” Regina answered for him. “Please take their horses for them.” Even though this was her brother’s castle, Lady Regina wasn’t afraid to give orders as she saw fit. She was nothing like a normal lady who would be silent and seen but rarely ever heard. Robin glared at his sister but didn’t reprimand her in front of everyone. It made Hunter wonder if he refrained himself out of respect for his sister or because he was afraid of the wench. That amused him more than anything.

“Nay!” protested Luke when the boy tried to take the reins of his horse. Luke had dismounted and grabbed the reins back. “No one is going to take my horse since I just got her.” Luke looked over to Hunter for help. “Right, Hunter?”

“Hunter?” The older man cocked his head. “That name and your face are familiar. Don’t I know you from somewhere?”

“Nay, you don’t, Alfred,” said Regina much too quickly. “These are nobles from…from afar.”

“Really.” Alfred took the reins of Regina’s horse. “I could have sworn I’ve seen him somewhere. Mayhap in town.”

Hunter realized the man must know him from his job of being a thief-taker. After all, the last time Hunter was here he was not more than a child and now he was an adult. This man, being a groom, probably traveled to town often. Hunter decided he had better say something quickly to remedy the situation. His nephew already ruined his alias by calling him Hunter aloud.There was no sense in hiding his real name now.

“I’m sure you might have seen me around,” Hunter told the old groom as he got off his horse.

“What are you doing?” whispered Regina, scowling at him, obviously wanting him to keep his mouth closed.

“So, we have met before, my lord?” asked Alfred. “When and where?”

“Alfred, people call me…Lord Hunter. My name is Hunter Blake. He decided at the last minute not to use his real surname.“This is my nephew, Luke.” He shot Luke a look to stay quiet, having told him earlier that they couldn’t reveal to anyone who they really were.

“Hunter Blake,” repeated Alfred with a hand to his chin. “Then you are related to Lady Regina and Lord Robin?”

“Well, actually he’s not—” Regina started speaking but Hunter cut her off.

“Yes, I am. However, I’m not closely related. I am a distant…cousin. On their mother’s side.”

“What?” squeaked Regina, looking horrified at the story he was concocting.

“Her mother’s side?” Alfred scratched his head. “And yet you use the surname of Blake, my lord? I don’t understand.”

Damn, he hadn’t thought things through clearly because he was still too tired from his last mission. “Yes,” he said, clearing his throat, hoping to hell he could come up with a tolerable excuse. He hated the fact that once again in front of his nephew he was lying. “It was because their mother’s sister, yes that’s it, she married their father’s half-brother. From his second marriage. It’s complicated.”

“I’ll say,” mumbled Robin under his breath.

“Do you remember me at all, Lord Hunter?” asked Alfred.

Hunter’s heart sped up. The man was testing him and no one could come to his rescue now. “I’m sorry, I don’t,” he answered, hoping this would be the end of the conversation. Hunter noticed that the younger stableboy seemed to be about thirteen or fourteen years old, a bit older than Luke. His guess was that the boy was born here because he seemed very familiar with the job and stables. “Is this your grandson?”

“Yes. How did you know?” asked Alfred.

“A lucky guess. What is your name?” Hunter asked the boy.

“My name is Alfred,” answered the child.

“An excellent name.” Hunter looked back at the old man.

“You can call me Al and my grandson, Fred,” the older man suggested. Everyone around here does. It avoids confusion.”

“Well then, Fred. Would you be kind enough to care for my horse for me?” Hunter spoke to the boy.