“it’s just a cut, really.” Restel
Isoldehad no idea what was in store when she had first decided to spend the preciousmoments of free time she had that day in the kitchens with Thomas Reston. Notthat she had in so many words even realized that such a thing was her intent—shewas certain that she was coming to visit with Annie—and yet all thoughts of acasual quiet early morning of conversation flew out of her mind the moment hereyes fell upon the scene in the kitchens.
A screamfell from the woman’s mouth and the basket of fresh-picked apples she had beencarrying clattered to the floor as she took in the terrifying vision of TomReston leaning heavily upon the table in the center of the kitchens, the entireright side of his usually pristine shirt stained a deep and terrible red. In apace she rushed over to the man, terror in her eyes as fluttering hands touchedat his face, his chest, hoping to the gods above that he was not dying beforeher eyes.
“MisterReston!” She exclaimed as his eyes opened and gazed upon her with some mixbetween relief and guilt. “Whatever has happened to you?! Was there anaccident? Were you attacked? Shall I call for the guards?”
Tomsomehow managed to still flush a soft pink even with how pale his face hadbecome, fumbling about for some vague noises of explanation. Yet before hecould manage to put together a single thought, Annie burst in, nearly out ofbreath for how she had been running.
“He’srun off into the woods, Mister Reston—Oh… Hello Aunt Isolde.”
Thewoman slowly looked between Tom and her niece, feeling the blood rushing fromher face as well. “Who has run off, Annie? And what was he running from?”
“Now,Miss Martel, I don’t—“
Isoldecut Tom off with a look before turning her uncharacteristically intense gazeupon Annie. “Who, Annie?”
“D—DanylReston, Aunt Isolde…” Annie said quietly, tucking a lock of hair behind herear. “Mister Reston challenged him to a duel and the two of them fought at dawnthis morning. Oh, Mister Reston was very noble about it, I promise! Heperformed splendidly—“
“Aduel?!” Isolde turned back to Tom with fire in her eyes and fear sending herheart pounding at a thousand beats a second. “You challenged Danyl Reston, aknown scoundrel who certainly must know how to win any fight he finds himselfin at any cost, to a duel. And here I thought you were a man of some sense! Notone who would so recklessly have his arm near cleaved in half on a whim!”
“Ah!Miss—Miss Martel!” Tom reached out towards her with a gentle hand. “No need toworry! It’s just a cut, really. Nothing to be concerned about. I shall be wellsoon enough.”
“It’snot just a cut, Thomas!” Isolde saidin a frightened and stern tone she had once reserved only for Annie andBaldwin. She hardly even noticed that this was the first time she’d trulyaddressed him by his first name. After all, if she had, Isolde would haveclammed up immediately, far too embarrassed by her familiarity. “You’rebleeding everywhere! What if Danyl had done more than just graze you? Cousin ornot, dueling is a silly and idiotic thing and he could have killed you!” Her eyes were wide as shestared at the man before her, watching the blood rolling down his arm from thelong jagged wound that ran from his shoulder to his elbow.
Andsuddenly Isolde Martel knew that nothing in this world would ever terrify heragain as much as the thought of how close she had become to losing ThomasReston. Nor was she about to let him out of her sight for one more minute.
“It—It doesn’tmatter now, I suppose. You did not kill each other, and that is what’simportant.” She muttered with a shake of her head before stepping to Tom in apace. “Come here and sit down so I can have a look at it.”
Withoutanother word the young woman dragged him by the elbow to the chair he had sorecently deemed as her own and sat him down next to the fire. She knelt on thefloor next to him and tore off a strip of muslin from the hem of her gown, blueeyes like flint staring up at Tom the second her made a noise of protestation. “I have other dresses. You do not have another arm. Do notpress me about it. I’d much rather you are well.” She said with an air like it wassomething she’d said many times before as she tore open the sleeve of his shirtand wrapped the cloth around his arm.
Gentlyshe pressed her fingers around the rudimentary bandage, the other hand comingup to hold his hand softly as she did so—under the guise of keeping his armstill of course. “Annie, fetch me a bowl of fresh water and the herbs I keep onhand back at the cottage to sooth Baldwin’s scrapes after he falls out of theapple trees.” She called over her shoulder to her niece without ever looking upfrom the slowly darkening dressing she had placed upon him.
“Silly, sillyman…” Isolde muttered as soon as Annie was out of earshot, tears pricking atthe corners of her eyes. “Why would you everchallenge Danyl like that?”
“Becausehe hurt you, Miss Martel…” Tom’s reply was quiet and almost embarrassed. Aflush colored his cheeks gently. “He broke your heart and I promised you Iwouldn’t let anyone hurt you. I promised…”
“So youdecided to challenge him to a duel?” Isolde snapped back at Tom, finallylifting her gaze back up to capture his own. “My honor isn’t worth dying over,Tom. I—I cannot bear to think of what I would do if he had killed you. I thankyou for your concern, for your steadfast nature, it is much appreciated, Iassure you, but I would not have you put yourself in harm’s way for my sake. Ilo—” She swallowed back the lump beginning to form in her throat and reachedout for the bowl Annie had set beside her before retreating, instead focusing ongently cleaning the wound with the poultice instead of the words that hadstalled upon her tongue. (Perhaps for the best, so that she had not noticed thesmall twinkling smile that rested upon her dear niece’s lips as she watched heraunt and the cook sitting together so closely.)
He wouldnot want those words now. She did not deserve him. He was too good, too kind,too chivalrous. Besides, she was still so certain that he must be married witha wife and child somewhere. Such a good man could not be alone after so long.Someone had to have approached him long ago.
Shecould never hope to be good enough to earn more than the gentlest affectionsfrom someone like Tom Reston.
Silencesettled between them for a few minutes as Isolde washed and re-dressed hiswound with gentle fingers. Focusing on the task at hand instead of the swirlingemotions that were creating such a storm inside of her.
“Willyou tell me what you were going to say, Miss Martel? A moment ago?”
Isoldelooked up once more. Tom’s stare was soft and gentle as he looked down at him.Perhaps… Perhaps even a little nervous and frightened himself. As if he knewwhat she had been about to say and found himself wishing desperately one way oranother that his guess was true.
“I…” Shesighed, setting the rag back down in the bowl of slightly-pink water so thatshe might take Tom’s hand carefully in both of her own. Isolde stared down athis scarred and calloused knuckles—badges of war from all his time in thekitchens. Her sweet, daring, hearth-fire knight. “I was going to say that… Ilove you far too deeply to ever let you die in my name, Tom. I could not bearto be without you. Please… Please promise me you won’t do such a foolish thingever again.”
