by Lynn Wood
“Are you displeased with me, Nathan?” Rhiann whispered, breathless at her husband’s close proximity.
“Should I be wife?”
“You said you would be pleased if I wore this gown, but I knew you probably would change your mind once you saw me in it.”
He laughed and allowed his eyes to roam appreciatively over his wife’s barely clad form and linger at the generous offering of full breasts the gown displayed. He was aware of the quickening of his wife’s breath at his bold appraisal of her. “The sight of you in the red gown pleases me very much Rhiann, but I think in the future you shall wear it for an audience of only one.”
“Yes, Nathan.” She blushed at his implication and the look in his eyes, and added in a breathless whisper. “Do you think it would be all right if I returned to our room now?”
“Of course, Rhiann. You are not feeling unwell are you?”
She was warmed by his obvious concern for her and admitted ruefully, “No Nathan, I am just exhausted by the effort of trying not to fall out of this gown, and dropping my glance as inconspicuously as possible every few moments to make sure I haven’t.”
His loud laughter echoed around the hall. “Apparently we both have a few regrets about your attire this evening, but I for one am extremely grateful to your sister.”
Rhiann smiled. At a motion from Nathan one of his men approached them to escort her to their room. Nathan forestalled her attempt to curtsey before him. A little confused, she wished him good night and then thankfully left the hall.
Nathan spent the remainder of the long evening in the company of his friends and haunted by the sight of his wife’s full breasts nestled snugly in the red gown. Even though he indulged his seemingly insatiable passion for his wife just hours earlier, he felt his body tighten in anticipation of the night ahead. Hopefully the king would call an end to this seemingly endless revelry soon or Nathan would be rising before he was given the opportunity to turn the fantasies running through his mind into satisfying reality. He smiled at his wife’s remembered confession of her fear of falling out of the ridiculous dress. He held his own breath in dreaded anticipation of the same event for the entire time she was present in the king’s company tonight, but he delighted in her innocent admission.
She was so unaffected. Another woman would have used the beautiful display to her advantage to try to wheedle some favor from him. In fact he was on the receiving end of not a few women’s wiles ever since his wife left for the sanctity of his room. He noticed he’d been on the receiving end of such advances far more often lately. His marriage failed to act as the deterrent he assumed it would to would-be mistresses. As far as he could tell, the ladies themselves’ marriages apparently failed to present a particular deterrent to their pursuit of him either. Regardless of his wife’s naïve assertion, he was under no illusion as to the reason behind such overtures. He was a wealthy man. He would have willingly indulged any request his wife made of him, no matter the number of days’ wages it cost him. Instead his young wife spent the evening worrying over the extent of her immodest display.
“Care to share the joke, my friend?”
Nathan turned to find Bruce regarding him with a querying look on his face. Nathan merely shook his head.
“I cannot remember ever seeing you in such a good mood before, Nathan. Your family’s arrival does not seem to have impacted it any.”
“My wife assures me my family’s only motive in traveling all this way was to congratulate me on my good fortune.”
Bruce grinned. “No doubt that was Lady Sara’s only intent in making the journey as well.”
Nathan shrugged. He failed to share with anyone the extent of the ugly scene between himself and Lady Sara when he informed her he would be unable to marry her as he was already wed. Sara apparently spent the entire trip to England envisioning herself as the wife of a duke, though even if he was not already married, she would not have attained her vision even if their marriage did take place. Nathan was awarded the former duke’s estates, not his title.
Sara appeared loathe to relinquish her new imaginary status without at least a very ugly argument. He didn’t feel the need to confide the truth to her that he already informed his father he would add a large sum to her existing modest dowry to compensate her for her loss. The more she screamed at him about how much the stupid war stole from her, and how unfair it all was, the more he regretted his promised generosity. Particularly in light of the fact, compared to Rhiann, Sara lost nothing more than her own inflated sense of self-worth.
Nathan was gentleman enough to keep the unpleasant details to himself, so he merely shrugged in response to Bruce’s comment, and offered, “I believe Lady Sara thought we would be wed immediately upon her arrival in London, with the king and queen in attendance.”
“That’s not all she thought, Nathan, and she’s making no secret of how you misused her and broke your commitment to her to marry Lady Rhiann.”
Nathan’s attention was caught by Bruce’s deliberate choice of words. “Is Lady Sara slandering my wife?”
“After today I believe any lady of the king’s court will think twice about challenging your wife.”
Nathan knew Bruce was referring to Rhiann’s scene earlier with the Saxon woman, but just because his wife was capable of issuing a much needed set-down when the situation demanded it did not excuse the culprit in the first place. “That was not what I asked.”
“Everyone’s ignoring her claims, Nathan. The entire court is well aware of Matilda’s fondness for your wife. Believe me Lady Sara is doing herself no favors in carrying on as she is. Most of the women have begun avoiding her completely.”
Nathan belatedly realized his father was apologizing earlier this evening for more than just Sara’s arrival in London. Apparently she was making a fool of herself in the process. As far as Nathan was concerned she was welcome to continue doing so as long as she left his wife out of her idiocy.
“I think, my friend, the king did you an even greater favor than you perhaps recognized previously.”
Nathan was struck forcibly by Bruce’s comment. If the king had not arranged his marriage to Rhiann, Nathan would be even now making preparations to marry Lady Sara. Or perhaps the deed would have already been accomplished. He had not been completely forthcoming with Rhiann about the extent of his commitment to the other woman. While there was no formal betrothal for the reasons he gave his wife, there was every expectation on both sides he would wed Lady Sara as soon as the war was over.
He felt his heart quicken in his chest at the thought of his narrow escape. He could be looking forward to Lady Sara waiting in his bed tonight instead of Rhiann. His mind went over again the unpleasant scene between them. A near escape for sure. “Indeed, you speak the truth.”
Bruce sent him an amused smile, then confided, “I wouldn’t concern yourself overly much about Lady Sara’s discontent. She seems to have decided not to waste this opportunity to find a replacement for you as her husband. After all, where else is she going to find so many potential suitors gathered so conveniently under a single roof?”
“If what you say is true, perhaps I should make it known I’m willing to supplement her rather modest dowry as an added inducement to anyone willing to consider her merits as a wife.”
Bruce laughed at his wry comment and slapped him on the back in a gesture of male commiseration.
CHAPTER NINETEEN
When the king finally excused himself from his subjects, Nathan waited what he felt was a reasonable length of time before excusing himself as well. When he entered his chambers he expected to find Rhiann asleep buried beneath a mountain of quilts as was her usual custom. Then it would be his distinct pleasure to remove the quilts and share his body’s warmth with her. He was therefore surprised to find her not in bed, but still clothed in the red gown, though stretched out before the fireplace, asleep with her head resting on one outstretched arm. He immediately questioned her earlier assertion she was not unwell. Why wasn
’t she in bed? Did someone say or do something to upset her? He crossed the room in two quick strides and swept his sleeping wife into his arms and carried her to the bed. Heavy lids struggled to lift over sleepy emerald eyes.
“Nathan?”
“Yes, wife.” He replied, wondering why she felt the need to confirm his identity. “Why aren’t you in bed? And why are you still wearing your gown? If your maid was unavailable to help you undress you should have sent for another servant.”
Rhiann struggled to sit up on his lap. Surprisingly the snug gown held its position across her breasts. “No Nathan that wasn’t it. Lizzie would have come to me. I asked her not to.”
“Why? Has she offended you in some way?”
“No of course not. Why would you think such a thing?”
She seemed insulted on her maid’s behalf. “What am I supposed to think? You are still in the gown you wore this evening. You made a point of saying how anxious you were to remove it, and then I find you asleep not in my bed, but on the floor in front of the fireplace.”
“I was trying to wait up for you.”
“Why?”
Rhiann sighed and dropped her glance beneath the suspicious expression in her husband’s eyes. His body was tensed too as if in anticipation of some assault. This was going to be harder than she anticipated. She wished now she remained standing in front of the window instead of succumbing to the warmth of the fire. Her plan was not going at all the way she anticipated.
“Well, wife?”
This was so embarrassing. “Never mind. We can just go to sleep now. Can you help me with the ties?”
She quickly presented her back to her husband so he wouldn’t see the blush creeping up her cheeks and demand an explanation for it. She felt her husband’s insistent grip on her shoulders turning her back to face him and knew she was just going to have to brazen through her embarrassment. She lifted a hesitant glance to his probing expression.
“I waited up for you because I wanted to please you.”
By Nathan’s confused reaction to her admission, she knew she was going to have to be a little more explicit. “You seemed to like the dress.”
“Yes.”
Rhiann could see him trying to puzzle through her meaning. “Do whores really wear red?”
His lips twitched. “Sometimes.”
Nathan’s amusement was only making her plan harder to implement. “I thought you might like it if I…I didn’t want you to go to one of…” Rhiann couldn’t go on. She gave up and stared at her hands in her lap.
Nathan lifted her chin back up with his hand. She was afraid to meet his glance. “I will never want another woman, Rhiann.”
Her anxious glance met his. “What if they were wearing a red dress? What if they know how…” She couldn’t get the words out. He was regarding her with such a tender look on his face it took her breath away. She finally confessed her dilemma. “I don’t know how to please you, Nathan the way they would.”
“I certainly hope not.”
Her eyes flew to his. “Truly? You are not disappointed in me?”
He couldn’t help himself. He gave voice to his laughter. Sometimes his wife’s naïve conclusions were so outrageous he was unable to control himself even if it meant injuring her tender feelings.
She was regarding him now with a doubtful look on her face. He swallowed the rest of his laughter and pulled her back close against his chest. She came to him willingly, sighing as she rested her head against his shoulder, her face pressed up against the bare skin of his neck. The thought it might be Lady Sara in place of Rhiann struck him again and he shuddered at the thought. Feeling the tremble pass through him Rhiann lifted her head.
“Nathan?”
Confused green eyes the color of a summer forest stared into his. He thought about teasing her for her foolishness, then remembering his wife’s inclination to take him a little too literally, decided against it.
“No, Rhiann I am not disappointed in you. How you could harbor such a ridiculous worry I have not the slightest notion. And yes, wife, this concern of yours warrants the use of the term ridiculous. Have I not been a most attentive husband? Attentive enough at least to put that particular anxiety out of your thoughts?”
He smiled at the blush heating his wife’s face at his bold question. Nathan watched her eyes grow wide as he pushed her back against the sheets. “Obviously I shall be forced to redouble my efforts.”
Dawn was peeking through the window by the time Rhiann snuggled closer in her husband’s arms and closed her eyes. Sleep claimed her just moments before Nathan rose from the bed to start a new day.
Nathan was just finishing his morning meal when a message arrived from the king indicating he wished to speak with him privately. Nathan set the last of his breakfast aside and followed the king’s guard to where William awaited him. Nathan bowed as he entered the room, thinking the last time he was in this room was when William revealed his intent to award him a duke’s estates.
“You sent for me, sire?”
“Yes, Nathan, sit down. I have a task for you.”
“Yes, of course.”
“Rumors have reached me regarding rebellion activity in the north; near your new estates in fact. Since you now have a personal interest in securing the peace in the area, I thought you would prefer to take on this mission yourself.”
“Thank you, sire.”
“And you will no doubt want to check on the security of Heaven’s Crest at the same time.”
Nathan met the king’s glance, realizing the true reason for this summons and was grateful for it. “Yes, sire. We will leave within the hour.”
Nathan set off from the city with only the smallest regret for leaving Rhiann behind. He could hardly take his wife into battle with him against the Saxon rebels, if indeed the rumors the king referred to were true and rebel activity awaited them in the area surrounding his new estates. While there were still pockets of Saxon resistance, Nathan knew Archibald saw to Heaven’s Crest’s security on his visit there, and left a number of men to see to its defense. Since they received no message from the commander he left in charge of needing more men, or a concern about an imminent attack, Nathan suspected William gave him this excuse to see his new estates. Not that he would not diligently seek out any Saxon rebels and bring them to justice should the need arise during the course of his journey.
He did not confide in his wife the nature of the task the king appointed him. It was heart-warming to see her real concern for him as he took his leave of her. She was still sound asleep when he returned to their quarters after his meeting with the king. He kept her up until the advent of morning making slow, sweet love to her and teaching her a thing or two about pleasing him in bed as she begged him to. As much as he was happy to be making this trip north, part of him was already missing his wife’s warm embrace. He suspected the cold ground of early December when they made camp later would only increase his sense of loss over his wife’s absence.
Rhiann tried to keep to her routine in her husband’s absence. She went to Mass in the mornings, and then helped Father Bernard with the children. After the first few evenings dining alone at the king’s table, with the king’s permission, she took her evening meals in her room. She wished to avoid any more confrontations with Lady Regina and Lady Sara. She regretted her outburst towards Lady Regina and could actually pity the other woman. Besides she was tired and fell asleep almost immediately after dinner. She supposed her body was glad to be catching up on all the sleep she missed lately, but surely her heart was not. It was cold in the big bed all by herself, no matter how many logs she fed the fire with.
She wondered if Nathan was all right. She wondered if he missed her. It was a foolish wish. Her husband was an important man on an errand for the king. He would not waste his concentration on her. It was with a feeling of guilty relief she received the news that Nathan’s family left the city soon after her husband. She assumed they would remain for the coronation. Perhaps they fel
t they needed to return Lady Sara to the comfort of her family since there would be no wedding between her and Nathan. Rhiann could not help but be relieved by their departure. Young Mark was left behind. Before he left, Nathan informed her Mark asked permission of their father to stay with them for a while in Saxony and Nathan granted it.
Rhiann liked young Mark and one morning, about a week after Nathan’s departure, she forced herself from her lethargy long enough to seek him out and make sure all was well with her husband’s brother. He was probably unacquainted with many people in London. The city could be an intimidating and unwelcoming place to a stranger. Even though she was certain Nathan would have seen to it that one of his men kept an eye on his youngest brother, Rhiann thought she should make the effort. They were family now after all. She caught up with him as she was returning to the keep from the old church where the orphans were being housed until new homes could be found for them. He hurried over to her in response to her wave.
“Lady Rhiann. You wished to speak with me?”
Rhiann smiled, trying to put the young man at ease. He seemed unduly nervous around her. Perhaps he was particularly fond of Lady Sara. “I just wanted to see how you were faring with your brother and family gone. Is there anything you need?”
He smiled relieved. “No. Nathan’s men see to it that I stay out of trouble. Father was most firm about not wanting to hear any reports of any foolishness on my part upon his return.”
“Return? He’s coming back then?” Rhiann asked confused.
“What?” He seemed puzzled by her confusion. “Yes, they’ll be back with Nathan in time for the king’s coronation.”
“They? Did your father accompany Nathan then?”
“Yes, they all did, including Lady Sara. They wanted to see Nathan’s new estates.”
Rhiann was so stunned she couldn’t summon an appropriate response to her brother-in-law’s stunning revelation. Her face leeched of all color and she swayed slightly on her feet.
