Pembrokeshire, Wales
In the Reign of Henry II

Chapter 1

        Sir James de Barnard was happy to be approaching home at last. Well ‘tis not exactly home, is it?
        Since his mother had remarried and his brother, John, had become lord of Edensmouth, Jamie no longer had a place to truly call home.
        The muscles of his back tightened as he thought of his recent visit to his Cumbrian birthplace. As usual, he had fought bitterly with his brother. Jamie never really liked John overmuch, and he could not yet forgive him for allowing Mother to marry…a troubadour. A quiet laugh suddenly escaped Jamie’s lips. As if John could have stopped her. Amye de Barnard did what she pleased.
        Anxious to see his mother, Jamie clicked his tongue and his horse began to trot instead of walk. Abelard had been a gift from his Aunt and Uncle when he had gone into service with King Henry. Specially trained in Spain, the big white destrier was able to follow voice and hand signals as well as the usual rein and leg commands.
        As long as Jamie could remember, the only person Lady Barnard deferred to had been his father. But when Thomas de Barnard had died in Outremer, his mother had been devastated. At one point, Jamie thought she had given up the desire to live. That was when he had decided to become a great knight. To fill the part of his father’s boots that John hated and his mother loved.
        Jamie turned a bend in the narrow rocky road, and Cilgerran Castle came into view. He took a deep breath, unsure if he was more happy or angry. He had never met Lord Cilgerran. His mother’s husband was not much older than he. What she sees in him, I do not ken, but if she is happy I suppose I can abide the man.
        Thick clouds began to gather, turning the sky a dull gray. Apparently normal weather for this time of year in Wales. Not a day had passed since he crossed the border that he hadn’t spent some time wet from a downpour. Hoping to make it to the castle before rain started to fall anew he urged Abelard to a faster pace.
        Accustomed to the smooth gait of the horse, and certain that the mount knew to keep to the road, Jamie pondered the offer that King Henry had made to him before he left the court at Avignon. In exchange for two more years of service, Jamie could have land of his own. How he could come by enough gold to build a fortification was another point, but at least the grant was…Jamie’s attention jerked back into focus as a woman burst from the trees along the side of the road. She glanced behind her as if being pursued and as she was not looking where she was going, nearly ran into the horse’s flank. Jamie quickly wheeled the horse away, as the woman fell to the ground. Had he not been so well trained, Abelard surely would have trampled her.
        She wore a green kirtle covered by a dirty tan tunic. Strands of reddish brown hair had escaped from a braid that fell nearly to her waist and her face was smeared with dirt, giving her the appearance of some wild forest creature. But Jamie could see the beautiful woman beneath it.
        She quickly came to her feet and backed away from him, not uttering a sound.
        “Wait. Are you injured?” Jamie slid from the horse’s back and stepped toward her.
        She turned to run into the wood and came face to face with two large brigands.
        “Caught you at last.” The taller of the two reached out to grab her, but she twisted away from him and backed closer to Jamie. After carefully eyeing the two sides, she apparently decided that he would be her safest choice and moved to stand behind him.
        “What business have you with this young woman?”
        “I just want to take my sister back home.” The words were English, but the thick accent marked him as a Welshman.
        “You lie.” The girl looked at the two, venom spewing from her eyes. “This man is no relative of mine. He wants to take advantage of me, my lord.”
        The girl was obviously not Welsh and not a commoner. She spoke the English as clearly as he did. Jamie drew his short sword and pointed it at the one who claimed to be the brother.
        “You must consider me a fool if you think I believe this woman is your sister. She is much too pretty to have come from the same stock as you.” Jamie smiled at the woman then turned back to the men standing across the road.
        They glanced at each other, then at the woman behind him. “We just want back what she stole from us,” the leader shouted.
        “And what is it that she is claimed to have stolen?”
        “That would be none of your business, Englishman.”
        Jamie’s anger began to rise at the man’s insolence but he did not want trouble with the folk of his mother’s domain, so he held his temper. “With no proof, I’m afraid I will have to ask you to be on your way.”
        They looked at Jamie as if sizing up their chances against him. The ‘brother’ jerked his head and the other turned and ran back into the wood from whence they came.
        “I’ll take care of you later, whore.”
        Jamie crossed the road and had the man on the ground before the cur could turn away. “‘Tis never a smart idea to threaten a woman in the presence of a knight. One never knows how chivalrous that knight might be.”
        Aware that the other watched from the trees a few yards away, Jamie hauled the man to his feet by the neck of his tunic so his toes barely touched the ground. “Apologize to the lady for lying about her and offending her sensibilities with your foul speech.”
        “She be no lady,” the man spat out as he struggled to twist out of Jamie’s grasp.
        Jamie quickly brought the edge of his sword to the man’s throat. “I said apologize.”
        Words spewed from the man’s mouth quick as water in a spring stream. “Beg pardon, if I’ve done you offense.”
        Jamie looked at the woman standing half hidden in the tall grass on the other side of the road. “Is that acceptable to you?”
        She looked at him, eyes wide as if surprised by his question. “Aye, my lord.”
        He turned back to his prisoner. “What are you called?”
        “Llwyd.” The fear was evident in the tremble of his voice.
        “Is that true?” Jamie asked of the woman.
        “As far as I know, my lord.”
        “Lid, if I hear you’ve been threatening women again you’ll need to have conversation with my blade.” Jamie released his hold and the man scampered into the wood to join his companion.
        “I thank you, sir knight, for your aid.” The girl curtsied in a formal manner that belied her churlish appearance, further convincing Jamie that this was no common woman.
        “Where is your father—”
        “Dead and buried, I hope.” The words came out with such vehemence that Jamie stepped back as if she had slapped him.
        “Your husband, or brother then. A pretty maid like yourself should not pass through these wilds without escort?”
        “I am a free woman and in this land need not tell you…unless you intend to force me–”
        “Nay, girl. That was ne’er my intent. Only to see you safe-”
        “They will not soon return after their encounter with you. Again I thank you for your service, but I am overdue. My mistress will be worried. I must be off.” As she turned to go, Jamie noticed the smooth curves of her figure lingering just beneath the simple tunic.
        “Wait!”
        She turned, staring at him with eyes bluer than a summer sky.
        “A knight usually receives a boon for his services.”
        The corners of her full mouth turned down in an irritated frown and she tromped back toward him. “I have only a coin or two left. Those varlets took the rest.”
        From the neck of the shift she pulled a small pouch attached to a string. Jamie’s attention was drawn to the soft white skin of her throat.
        “I want not your money.” He reached out to wipe a smudge from her cheek.
        She drew back and cocked an eyebrow. “What then, sir knight?”
        “Your name. If, being a free woman, you might tell me your name.”
        One corner of her mouth turned up in a mischievous half smile that made her even more appealing. “Ales.”
        “Alice,” Jamie repeated.
        “And now good knight, I must be off." She stepped into the forest and was gone in a blink.