Page 88 of Rogue Knight
“Aye, he still loves you, Emma. And, yea, he wants you with him at Talisand.”
Emma whirled. There before her, stood the knight of her dreams, tall and strong—alive. “Geoffroi!”
He opened his arms and she ran into them, no matter that Sir Alain and Mathieu stood on either side of him wearing amused smiles.
“You came!” she exclaimed as he showered her face with kisses. The tears fell, she could not stop them.
Seeing the huge knight and the squire turn away their faces, she felt her cheeks heat and started to pull from Geoffroi’s arms, but he held her fast.
“You did not think I would allow you to be persuaded by your father to go to Scotland, did you? Nor would I allow you to cross the mountains and rivers alone. Nay, I shall escort you to Talisand myself. You will come?”
“Aye, I will come. But we must persuade Inga.”
“I will leave that to Sir Mathieu.”
She looked at the squire. “You have become a knight?”
“Aye,” he beamed.
“I am not surprised,” she said. “You have acted the knight many times in my presence, risking your own life for others.”
Just then an impatient Magnus whimpered for Geoffroi’s attention. He reached one hand down to ruffle the fur on the hound’s head while holding on to her with the other.
“He still seems to think the sun rises with you,” she said with a small laugh.
“I always thought him an intelligent beast,” he said with an answering chuckle, never taking his eyes from her. He brought his hands to her arms and gently squeezed the slight flesh. “You are too thin.”
“The north is starving, Geoffroi. We may have little to eat, but at least I am alive.”
“You are indeed.” His blue eyes sparkled as he drew her close and kissed her. She welcomed his mouth on hers, welcomed his embrace. His kiss was an elixir to heal the wounds of the war, to chase away her fears.
He pulled his head back to gaze at her face and her eyes caught a movement behind him.
Over Geoffroi’s shoulder she saw her family and friends coming toward them still some distance away. He turned to follow her gaze, as did the two knights beside him.
“You know most of them,” she told him, “the twins, Sigga and Artur, Inga and her new babe, my villeins, Jack and Martha, and a family of freemen who have joined us.”
“All are welcome,” he assured her, drawing her close as they watched the approaching entourage. The burden she had carried for so long lifted.
To Emma, Geoffroi whispered. “If I can have you by my side, I would open my doors to all the rebels in Northumbria.”
She brushed his cheek with a kiss and spoke softly into his ear, “You shall have me, sir knight.”
The twins broke from the group and ran toward them, coming to an abrupt stop in front of Geoffroi. He let go of her to sweep Finna into his arms. She looked over at Mathieu who was now a knight and smiled.
Ottar leaned into Geoffroi’s side and Magnus ran circles around them and the two knights flanking them.
With Finna in one arm, Geoffroi wrapped his other arm around Emma. “It seems I have a family.”
Emma could not resist the smile that spread across her face. “A larger one than you know, sir knight.”
***
That night, talking around the low burning fire, they agreed to depart for Talisand the next morning. Even Inga had decided to go with them though Emma did not doubt that Sir Mathieu’s comforting presence had something to do with the young woman’s final decision, for the young knight held Merewyn while Inga sat next to him eating her dinner.
Geoffroi had anticipated their needs and brought food for them as well as two carts to help transport them and their possessions to Talisand.
Sigga made hare stew and all their bellies were full when the bowls were gathered at the end of the meal.
