by Ana Seymour
It seemed to be having much the same effect on Alyce. She laughed low in her throat, and her words were slurred as she murmured, “I believe you’re the one who acquired a potion from Maeve, for surely I’m drugged.”
He pulled back and allowed some of the cold night air to cool their heated bodies. “I feel it, too, sweetheart. But ’tis the lovemaking that drugs us, not any herb.”
She let out a deep breath. “I’m learning why people are fools for love. ’Tis wondrous.”
“Aye. It’s easy to forget all else when under Eros’s spell.” Thomas rolled to one side of her, keeping her head cradled on one arm. “But don’t worry, I’ve sworn a knightly oath not to take advantage of any of the damsels in distress that I choose to aid.”
Alyce lifted her head. “You have?”
To Thomas’s surprise, she sounded almost angry. Confused, he answered, “Er…aye, I have.”
Pushing on his chest for balance, she sat up. “Let me see if I understand you. You have nobly come to the rescue of a damsel in distress, that damsel being me.” She cocked her head to one side, considering. “Aye, I suppose I have to agree that you’ve come to my rescue, more or less.”
He sat up beside her. “You sound as if you’re not happy with the idea.”
“Oh, I’m happy enough, and grateful to you. I just hadn’t realized there were conditions attached to being one of your needy damsels.”
Now Thomas was thoroughly confused. He could see how she would be angry if he had requested sexual favors as a condition to his aid, but, given his chivalrous declaration that he would not take advantage of her, he could see absolutely no reason for her ire. “There are no conditions,” he said.
“Except that you don’t want to make love to me.”
Thomas threw up his hands in exasperation. For the dozenth time, he realized that Alyce of Sherborne was like no female he’d ever encountered. “My sweet Alyce, if you were a little more experienced in these matters, you would have noticed compelling evidence that I very much want to make love to you. But I can’t.”
This made her pause a moment before she replied carefully, “Oh, I’m sorry. Is it…some kind of war wound?”
Thomas gave a hearty laugh. “It’s no wound that keeps me celibate this night with a delectable lady within arm’s reach. ’Tis that the lady in question is a noblewoman, ward to the king.” He reached out and took a gentle grasp on her chin. “I believe you’re too innocent to realize what trouble you could cause yourself with this kind of a game. For a woman of your station, your virginity must be for your husband and none other.”
She gave an irritated huff. “It’s not for you nor the king nor any man to tell me what I can or can’t do with my virginity.”
“Alyce—” he protested, trying to interrupt, but she continued.
“What we had together here a few minutes ago was beautiful. And that day in the meadow, when you thought I was merely Rose, the serving girl. It felt so right for us to come together—”
“Aye, it did, but—”
“Then you turn all cold and businesslike and tell me that my body is meant for the man chosen for me by the king. You’re no different than the men sent by Baron Dunstan, discussing my wedding and bedding as if I were a prize sow.”
“I didn’t mean—”
She jumped to her feet. “Well, fie on you, my chivalrous knight. I’ll accept your aid, since it seems I have no choice in the matter, but I’ll thank you to keep your hands and your advice to yourself from now on.”
“Alyce, sweetheart, my intention was not—”
“And if I do end up having to marry Philip of Dunstan, I hope it’ll set you tossing on your pallet at night to know that he is the one collecting this prize that I would have given to you freely.”
“You can’t know—” Thomas began. But before he could get out more than a few words, Alyce had marched away in the direction of the road.
He sat there a moment longer on the ground, stunned. He’d had his face slapped before by a female for taking too many liberties. This was the first time he’d been dressed down for not taking enough.
Slowly he got to his feet. His still-racing body added its reproof to the one Alyce had given him. He’d had her warm and pliant and willing in his arms. She was right. What had possessed him to turn so chivalrous? Scowling, he made his way to the road.
He’d tried to do the noble thing, but all he’d accomplished was to make her angry. Now it was too late to do anything about it. When they reached Dunstan Castle, she’d be riding out of his life.
For the moment, he’d better go after her to be sure she didn’t take a wrong turn and lose her way in the forest. As long as she was in his charge, he was going to take care of her, whether she wanted to be taken care of or not. But one thing was certain. If he ever had the lady of Sherborne in his arms again, he would follow the dictates of his body and his heart and let chivalry be damned.
They met Kenton and the others at a small church near Dunstan Castle. The priest who greeted them seemed to know Thomas, and ushered him immediately back to the sacristy, where Kenton was waiting.
As they entered, Kenton exclaimed, “Two successful calls, Thomas. We’ve collected nearly enough—” He broke off as he saw Alyce. “What’s she doing here? Are you daft, man?”
Thomas brushed off his friend’s criticism. “She’s just come along to see the money safely here. Her men will be taking her back to Sherborne directly.”
Kenton remembered his manners enough to give Alyce a small bow, but he was obviously upset. “Good day, Lady Alyce. I mean no offense, but this is no task for a female. I don’t like seeing you here, a stone’s throw from Dunstan Castle.”
“Nor do I,” Thomas agreed curtly. Turning to her, he added, “You and your men have seen me and the money safely here. Now you can be on your way back.”
All morning Alyce had been regretting her harsh words of the previous evening, but she hadn’t known how to make up for them. Impulsiveness had always been one of her faults. In the cold light of day, she could see that Thomas had indeed been trying to protect her welfare. She was virtually certain that he had wanted to continue their lovemaking just as she had, but he had restrained himself for her sake. She should have thanked him instead of berating him.
But he’d been aloof and distant, speaking only when necessary to get them to their destination. So she’d remained silent as well, and the gulf between them had widened.
Now he wanted her to leave without so much as a moment in private to settle their quarrel. She found the idea intolerable.
“I’ll stay until the money is safely delivered,” she said.
“Fant—” Kenton began to say a name, then stopped and substituted, “The man who will take the money to Dunstan is not here yet. We may have hours to wait yet. It would be best for you to be on your way back, milady.”
Alyce looked at Thomas, who nodded his head in agreement. “You promised that you would do as I asked,” he reminded her.
“Aye, and you promised that I could see the money to its destination.”
“Which is here, lass. We’ve reached Dunstan.”
She gave a stubborn shake of her head. “We’re near Dunstan, but the money has not yet reached the castle gates.”
Kenton’s irritation over her presence was evidently overcome by his amusement at watching his friend spar with her. “I’ve warned you about bargaining with crafty negotiators, Thomas,” he said with a grin.
Thomas looked as if he’d like to throttle both Alyce and his lieutenant, but his voice remained calm as he said to her, “We’ll rest here until our man arrives to take in the money. You and your men may stay, but as soon as the messenger gets here, you’re to head back. At that point we won’t be able to worry about you anymore. We’ll have to concentrate on getting the ransom money back from Dunstan.”
Alyce looked out the tall sacristy window toward the imposing castle on the horizon. “Is he there at the castle now?” she asked.
<
br /> Thomas looked at the priest, who nodded and said, “Aye, the baron is currently in residence, milady.”
A chill went through her. She was less than a league away from the shadow that had loomed over her life this past year. If Thomas was right, after today she would be free of him. It was hard to believe.
“All the more reason for you to leave quickly, Lady Alyce,” Thomas said.
He sounded like a soldier giving orders. There was not the least reminder of the mellow-voiced charmer who had whispered in her ear last night and drugged her with his kisses. Obviously, he was done with his dalliance, finished with the pleasant distraction he had found along the road, and ready to get back to his work. So be it, she thought.
She answered stiffly, “My men and I will rest here for a few hours, then we’ll start back. I won’t ‘bother’ you further.”
Thomas nodded, not appearing to notice the coldness of her tone, then he put his hand on Kenton’s shoulder, and the two men started toward the door. “Tell me about the collections,” he said.
They exited the room, immersed in discussion, leaving Alyce standing alone in the middle of the empty sacristy. Obviously, Thomas thought this was over—this brief journey they’d allowed themselves into the world of infatuation. Like a worthy soldier, he would walk away unscarred. But she wasn’t sure that she was ready to give up the battle. He’d turned cold and distant, but she at least wanted the chance to try to talk with him about what had happened between them.
She lifted her head, straightened her shoulders and left to find her men.
They’d waited all day, but the messenger they looked for had not come. When Alyce had tried to question Thomas about the man, he’d told her, reluctantly, that it was a supporter of King Richard working inside Dunstan Castle.
“It’s safer for both him and you if you don’t even know his name, Alyce. But rest assured he will see that the money is delivered, and bring written proof of it so that Dunstan and Prince John cannot try to claim that they never received it.”
“I’d like to meet the man and offer him my thanks for his help,” Alyce said.
“It would not be wise, milady,” Thomas answered briefly. “I’ll let him know of your gratitude.”
Alyce, Thomas, his men and the Sherborne guards were all waiting in the single-room living quarters that adjoined the church. Thomas had kept busy all afternoon, and Alyce had still not had a moment alone with him. In their few exchanges, his voice had been so formal and distant that she had not seen an opportunity to bring up a topic as intimate as what had transpired between the two of them. But the messenger could arrive any moment. If she was going to make amends, it would have to be quick.
“Might we speak together in private?” she asked in a low voice.
Thomas looked around the cramped quarters. “I should be making plans with Kenton. Is there something in particular you needed?”
She lowered her voice further. “It’s about last night—”
“I tried at the time to offer my apologies, though, in truth, I wasn’t entirely sure what I was apologizing for. I believe it was for trying to protect your virtue.”
The three Sherborne guards were playing a dice game on the floor, practically at their feet. Alyce edged toward the door of the room. “Could we not step outside a moment?”
Thomas shrugged and stooped under the low lintel to follow her out into the afternoon sunlight. When they were alone, he said, “I had no intention of offending you, Alyce. That’s the last thing I wanted.”
She was relieved to hear the return of a touch of warmth to his voice. “That’s why I needed to talk with you. I—I was wrong to be angry. You see, I haven’t had much experience in these matters and I…” She stopped. How did a well-bred lady tell a man that she had desired him, that her body had been betraying her with an urgency she hardly understood?
He gave a tired smile. “And in the cold light of day you’ve realized that I was very right to call a halt to things when I did.”
That was not what she wanted to say at all, but before she could try to reformulate her words, Kenton came striding toward them from around the church.
“He’s sent word, Thomas. They’ve been watching him too carefully. He feels that he’s under suspicion, and it would be too risky for him to come out to us right now.”
Thomas’s expression turned grim. “Your messenger?” Alyce asked.
Kenton nodded and asked, “So what do we do now?”
“We can’t afford more delay,” Thomas answered. “I’ll take the money in myself.”
Kenton stared. “Now I know you’ve gone daft. Dunstan’ll spot you in an instant.”
“You’ve met him?” Alyce asked, surprised.
The men ignored her question. “I’ll pretend I’m just a worker from Sherborne and present the gold to the castle warden. I won’t have to see Dunstan himself.”
“But he could see you, Thomas. If you run into him, he’ll know you in an instant. Let me go.”
Thomas shook his head. “Dunstan could recognize you as well, Kenton. No, I’ll be the one to risk it.”
Kenton gave a huff of exasperation. “That’s insane. Any of the men could go. He’d be less likely to know them.”
“How have you known Dunstan?” Alyce asked more insistently.
Thomas continued to ignore her. “There’s no discussion, Kenton. I’ll be the one to go.”
Alyce cleared her throat and spoke loudly. “Would someone listen to me? If Dunstan knows all of you, then I’ll deliver the money to him. ’Tis what I wanted to do in the first place, to confront the monster myself. I deserve to see the expression on his face, after all the trouble he’s put me to in the past year.”
Thomas and Kenton scarcely glanced at her, obviously thinking her offer too ridiculous for comment.
Thomas turned to go back inside. “We’ll discuss this with the others and work out a plan in case things don’t go well. Shall I go tonight, do you think?”
Kenton followed his leader inside. “The men will be as against your going as I am. But it’s almost dark. We can’t do anything now until morning. Perhaps by then Fantierre will be able to do the job himself.”
They disappeared inside and someone closed the door behind them. Once again, Alyce was left standing by herself.
“Now, you all understand that you don’t have to do this thing? I’ll not hold it against you if you prefer not to go ahead with it.” Alyce leaned toward the three men who were watching her with adoring gazes.
Fredrick answered for the three of them. “We’ll do whatever ye say, milady. That’s why we’ve come.”
Hugh and Guelph nodded in agreement.
Alyce felt her heart speed up with excitement. “Then here’s the plan. I’ve told Sir Thomas that we’re leaving for home. In fact, we are heading home. We’ll just make a stop on the way—at Dunstan Castle.”
“How will we get the money, milady?” Hugh asked.
“We’ll simply take it. The chests are sitting unguarded in the sacristy. We need only one of them. It appears to be Sir Thomas’s custom to leave quantities of money around unattended.”
Fredrick frowned. “Beggin’ yer ladyship’s pardon, but we’d feel a mite better if ye’d let the three of us go by ourselves. Who knows what they’ll say at the castle when a noble lady comes riding in?”
“Precisely.” Alyce’s eyes danced. “Which is why there will only be three lads from Sherborne delivering the money. You, Fredrick. And you, Hugh. And…me!”
“The three of us will go?” Fredrick asked. “Milady, I wish ye wouldn’t—”
“Aye.” She interrupted him and turned to Guelph. “You’ll keep watch at the gates, Guelph, while we three go inside.”
Guelph nodded without speaking. The slightest of the young men and painfully shy, he spoke so rarely that Alyce wasn’t sure she would recognize his voice.
“Three lads, ye said, milady.” Fredrick’s tone was wary.
“Aye, three lads.”
She turned again to Guelph. “I have one more favor to ask of you, Guelph,” she told him. When he gave another silent nod, she continued, “I’ll need to borrow your clothes.”
She knew deep down that this, her greatest adventure yet, was also the most foolhardy. But what could be the harm? No one would recognize the slender boy in the dirty tunic and old felt hat as the lady of Sherborne.
They would deliver the money to the castle warden, demand a receipt in exchange and be on their way. As Thomas had said, they most likely would never even set eyes on the baron. But secretly, she hoped to catch at least a glimpse of him.
When they were finished, they’d stop back at the church to notify Sir Thomas and his men that the mission had been accomplished. Thomas would be livid. She could hardly wait to see his face, she thought with a mischievous grin.
They’d had to hurry. By the time they’d collected the chest of gold and made the exchange of clothes, leaving poor Guelph draped in little more than a blanket, it was well after sunset. The castle gates had already been closed, but there were still guards manning them. When the trio said they came from Sherborne and asked to see the castle warden, the guard admitted them.
The castle was guarded by a portcullis with a wicked spiked bottom. Alyce looked up at it as they rode underneath. Sudden fear hollowed out her stomach as she realized for the first time the danger she and her men might be riding into.
Once inside the gates, two castle guards in Dunstan livery came for their horses, and a third ushered them into a small shed outside the castle keep. It appeared to be more of a tack room than any kind of accounting chamber.
“Be sure they know ’tis the warden we need to see,” Alyce told Fredrick in an urgent whisper.
“Aye, milady.”
“Shh,” she cautioned him. “My name’s Guelph, remember?”
Fredrick’s gaunt face reflected her own sudden unease with the whole plan, but he staunchly addressed the guard and demanded once again to have an audience with the baron’s money man or the castle bailiff. Then he set the leather chest he carried down on the dirt floor.
