The Black Knight of Ashfern

Chapter 13

When William had returned to the carriage, he had not been in the best of moods; between Nan's words still lingering in his ears and the smile he had seen her give Hoss so openly, so freely, it was a wonder, he had not marched up to the man and beat him within an inch of his life and then dragged Nan back to his house and locked her in her room.

He could not shake the anger he felt toward Hoss. She had been with the man for barely an hour and smiled at him with such warmth. What had the man done to make her smile in such a manner? What did he say to her? William could not shake these thoughts from his head nor recall another time when warm smiles had nearly shattered him.

Then, when the carriage door had jerked open, admitting Nan's wet form, all thought of Hoss's actions drained from William's mind, though his absence did not go unnoticed. This time, a different form of anger filled William's being. He had told Hoss in no uncertain terms not to let her from his sight. If William could see her so plainly and not see Hoss; he had clearly failed in the task William had given him, an action that did not bode well for his man's future health and even less for his employ.

Moreover, she was soaked. Again! Her hair hung loose, some plastered about her face and neck, while the rest lay in long wavy tendrils about her shoulders; her cheeks and nose were rosy from the cold, her dress so dark a blue it resembled more the color of her eyes than the clear blue sky, but what drew his attention the most was the doe-like quality her eyes had taken on upon seeing him. Her expression was a mixture of surprise and terror, and he liked the look of that less than her currently drenched state.

"Sir William," she breathed in surprise, wiping at her dripping face. Then William grabbed her arm and pulled her into the carriage completely, practically tossing her into the seat across from his. She stared back at him, even more surprised from her new position sprawled across the seat of the carriage than before.

"Nan Harris, you wicked chit, when I get my..." Hoss shouted as he wrapped his hands around the opening of the carriage, the rest of his words dying the instant he saw his Master's furious gaze directed at him. "Sir William," Hoss breathed, though his tone and expression were far less shocked than Nan's. Withdrawing from the carriage, Hoss stepped back several feet as his Master rose and followed him, slamming the door behind him, taking hold of Hoss's arm, and walking them several paces further from the carriage before stopping.

Even as the rain poured down, William ignored it. He was too caught up in trying to control the rage whirling within him to give much heed to the rain that was now trying to drown him. Not even the cold reached him as he stood staring down the street, his gaze fixed on where he had glimpsed Nan smile so freely at Hoss. So long as he did not think about the cause of her smile, his anger dulled enough for him to manage words rather than fists.

"Tell me, Hoss. Were my instructions unclear?" William asked, his gaze unmoving. His voice was calm, crisp, and far too controlled for Hoss' liking.

"No." Hoss shook his head, his eyes never wavering from William.

"Were you set upon by bandits, thugs, or some other intent on doing her harm?" William asked, his tone unchanged.

"No, Sir."

"Did God shine down from the heavens and tell you to forget my orders?" He quipped, though there was no humor in William's tone when he spoke.

"No, Sir."

"Then why in God's name did she return without you!" William snarled, finally looking at his man.

"I've no explanation to give you, Sir," Hoss replied, his tone steadfast, his expression unchanged as he stood straight and tall, impassive to his William ire towards him.