The Forgotten Keepsake

Chapter 11

XI

"If you please Sir, I'd not be drinking from the river here; it'll taste of dirty washin'!"

Guy nearly jumped out of his skin. He'd come down to the river to fill his canteen before the ride back to Nottingham and had not expected company. He turned swiftly on his heels to see two women, one older, one younger, a little further down the riverbank kneeling down at the water's edge busily washing clothes - he had been so lost in his thoughts he had not even noticed them. He frowned at first but then smiled and nodded as the older women gestured to what she was doing. Her companion was still bent over the washing and paused only a brief moment to glance up at the object of the older woman's attention.

Guy was about to thank the woman for the advice but was stopped dead in his tracks by the younger tilting her head up, smoothing away her hair with the crook of her arm and then looking directly at him.

He froze.

His heart gave a jolt.

No.

It could not be...

She continued with the task in hand, uninterested in anything other than the clothes in her hands, putting her whole body into the job, stopping only to readjust her sleeve...

Guy could only stand there and look upon her, unable to move, unable to speak, unable to breathe...

Look at me.

Please.

For the love of God....

Look at me.

"Can we do somethin' for ye Sir?" The older woman was regarding him with a frown

Guy was aware that what with him staring so, she must think him strange.

For god 's sake, speak man!

"I err....... No... I mean..."

No! Speak properly you dumbf*ck!

He brought his hand up and nervously rubbed his face. He briefly considered slapping himself but figured that wouldn't help the situation any, if the woman didn't already think he was cuckoo then she would if he did that.

The younger now raised her head and regarded him warily. Their eyes met.

Oh God in heaven – it is you.

Oh God it is...

He smiled shyly and willed himself to say something. He didn't know how much longer he stood there staring at her, unable to speak but it must have been long enough and obvious enough for the older woman to look from him to her younger companion, realising that the strange state he was in was brought on by her.

And she had put him in a state alright. He had rarely been so tongue-tied in his whole life but considering the sight before him, he couldn't be any other way.

She was beautiful.

He had somehow known that she would be but could see now that even in his fantasies he had not done her justice. And even though she frowned at him, wondering what to make of this man staring at her so intensely; he was bewitched - those incredible eyes had him. She pressed her lips together tightly and a blush spread over her face, she lowered her eyes embarrassed by his attentions and hoped that in ignoring him he might go away or at the very least, state what his business here was. Her long honey-coloured tresses were once more spilling forwards into her face and it was all Guy could do to stop himself from sinking his fingers into them and smoothing the offending locks back out of her eyes. And still she knelt there, trying to concentrate on what it was she was doing, as one of her sleeves slipped low, revealing a bare shoulder, Guy sighed - she looked utterly delectable.

It was at that moment she stopped. Her body froze and she began staring at some point in front of her intently, frowning deep in concentration. Her head then shot up abruptly, her mouth fell open and her eyes fixed upon him, studying his face, eyes widening slowly, and then blinking furiously. She slowly pulled herself up but was unsteady and it seemed for a moment as if she would fall but then she took a step towards him and her lips began to curl upwards...

"Guy?"

Yes little one.

He began to smile and it must have been a good smile for then her whole face lit up and became a picture of the purest joy.