By the time he sought his bed, he was a bit unsteady on his feet. He slept to dream about his earlier time at Seton. How strange. He knew he was dreaming. His unseen Lady eased the door open as she had before. The cloth of her robe rustled as she slipped it off her body, and he felt her ease herself into his bed. The bed seemed larger than it had before, but dreams were never accurate, were they?
Her silken flesh pressed against him and she sighed with comfort on feeling his warmth.
"Um, come," he said, gathering her into his arms. "It has been so long."
The moment he kissed her, she pressed herself tight against him. Her fingers played through his hair and caressed his neck. He inhaled. Deeply. God! How could a woman smell so fresh? So like a flower?
He turned to straddle her, impatient. He did not want to prolong it, for what if he awakened before he took her? He gathered her beneath him, putting one hand beneath her buttocks to raise her hips. When his cock nudged at her entrance, she was as ready for him as he remembered.
She wrapped long legs around his hips and met him thrust for thrust. When their passions built, she dug her fingers in his shoulders. Their kisses went deeper, wetter and more frantic. When her first tremors started, he lunged deep and held still as she convulsed around him. Afore he knew it, her arms and legs clamped him tight, as if afeared he would leave her while he climaxed.
Teeth clamped his shoulder. Not enough to break the flesh; enough to clear the haze from his brain. It was no feeling from a dream. He was awake!
He snarled and reached up to force her arms from his neck. Surging up with his hips, he broke the hold her long legs had around them. She struggled to get away from him. He grabbed her wrists and pinned them beside her head.
He plunged his face close to her hair, her neck. He took deep breaths. Lilies.
He smelled her shoulders, her breasts. Lilies.
The force of his bellow rocked the bed.
"It could not have been ye!"
CHAPTER 33
Raik dragged Letia from the bed much as he had done so many months afore. She fought him. He heard her frantic words through a haze of fury.
"Raik! Please! Let me explain."
Light spilling in from the window opening shone on Letia's frightened face. Taking both her wrists in one hand, he held her secure while he lit a twig from the smoldering brazier. Soon, candles blazed.
"It was ye!"
He tossed her from him as if she was loathsome carrion. She fell back across the bed, her hair twisting around her face.
"Dinna dare move, or so help me God, I will beat ye."
Freki, hearing the fury in Raik's voice, leapt from his pad in the corner and sprang toward him, confused. He grabbed the dog's leather collar and hauled him across the room to shut him in the solar.
The bedchamber door crashed back against the wall when Raik yanked it open. On seeing Cormac and Sir William, their swords drawn running toward him, he snarled, "Dinna interfere. Go to yer rooms!"
"Raik, give the lass a chance...," Cormac began.
"Go!"
'Twas enough to awaken the whole keep. Edulf appeared at the head of the stairway. "Fetch Leofwan. The two of ye stand guard outside my chambers until I summon ye." He scowled at people gathering at the landing. "Return to bed." His ending snarl, every bit as menacing as Freki's, was enough to make them hurry.
Maud, eyes stricken with worry, stood beside the cradle waiting for him when he barged into the room. He looked down at the sleeping bairn and took deep breaths, calming himself.
"Be gentle with him, my lord. He has not slept well tonight." Her voice quavered
He did not answer but waited for his raspy breathing to calm, not wanting to startle the little mite awake. Taking another deep breath, he released it in a slow sigh. Gently, he eased one trembling hand beneath the bairn's legs, the other behind his head. With the swaddling blanket around Aubrey, he lifted him without startling him awake. When he had him securely in his arms, he carried him back to his bedchamber. Letia stood beside the bed. Her hands reached out for her son. Raik ignored her.
"I would see for myself why I have such feelings for Aubrey," he muttered.
Carefully, he settled the boy on the bed and gently unfolded the blanket. Aubrey stretched when he felt his body freed. His face wrinkled in a huge yawn, and he stretched again as his eyes opened. Raik made soothing, shushing sounds as he stripped the boy. He hesitated at the last moment, near afraid to turn him over. Aubrey let out a stream of urine that splattered the hair on Raik's chest. He did not mind.
"Did ye think to christen me?" he whispered to Aubrey as he turned him on his stomach. He straightened and stared at the little nether cheeks. One slender finger rubbed over the wee brown birthmark. Aubrey reared his head back, swatted the bed and straightened his wee arms then rolled over. Raik smiled at the surprised look on his son's face.
His son. His heart surged. His son!
His gaze lifted to stare at Letia and saw Lady Joneta, one arm around her shoulder hugging her to her side. When had his mother entered?
"Ye knew?"
"Aye. Letia wanted to tell you, but was afraid of what you would do."
His jaw hardened. "As well she should be." He lifted Aubrey and placed him in the middle of his blanket, then folded it around the babe and handed him to her. "Take my son back to his bed, please."
He followed his mother to the door, then closed and latched it, ignoring Letia's small cry of protest. Her arms twitched and she clutched her robe tightly around her body as if she needed to fill her empty arms.
He grabbed a shirt off a wall peg and pulled it over his head then threw the solar door open and turned to her. Anger flashed from his eyes like shards of blue lightning during a summer storm.
"Come." His voice was as hoarse as if he had bellowed commands during a raid. He gestured for Letia to precede him into the solar. Without glancing behind him, he slammed the heavy oak door shut with his heel as easily as if he shoved a troublesome stone from beneath his boots.
Keeping his back to her, he stoked the fire in the banked fireplace. When the flames caught, he straightened and stared at her. Fear made her face ashen. He shoved back a chair from the table.
"Sit."
Raik paced back and forth in the middle of the room. His jaw twitched and ached from keeping his teeth tightly clenched to keep from bellowing in rage. He did not want the whole keep to learn of their secret. He threw the shutters wide, letting the cold wet air strike his face. He stared, unseeing, and tried to understand what had happened and why.
He could not.
Slamming them closed again, he stalked over to where she sat wringing her hands in her lap and loomed over her.
"Tell me. All of it."
Letia cleared her voice and squared her shoulders. The worst had happened and now it was up to her to put it aright.
"I should have told you when Warin died...," she started.
"Nay. From the beginning. Did ye plan this? Did de Burgh know that while he slept his wife was swiving his captive?"
"'Twas Warin's idea." Her voice was little more than a whisper.
"His idea to be cuckolded?" He stepped back, his eyes disbelieving. "Nay, woman. No man would plan that."
"Warin was desperate for an heir. He, uh, was too ill to produce one. 'Twas the only way to save everyone at Seton."
"And ye readily agreed to this?"
"Nay! When he chose you and told me of his wishes, I refused."
"Ha! Ye didna seem reluctant when ye came to me in the night."
"By then, I knew I had no other choice. Warin made a pact with the kings. If Warin died while I carried Seton's heir, King Stephen agreed to appoint a good man as the next baron."
Raik hit the table with his fist. Letia flinched. "I dinna believe a man of Warin's pride would allow this. Who knew of it?"
"Leofwan and Maud. And I expect Edulf must have. And Sybilla."
He went over to yank open the door. "Leofwan!"
"Aye, my lord?"
Raik studied his face and saw resignation settled there. "Did ye know of de Burgh's plan?"
"Aye. Way afore Lady Letia knew of it."
Raik's eyes widened. "Tell me."
Leofwan walked over to stand beside Letia. His left hand patted her shoulder then settled beside his leg. He told Raik how the raids back and fourth had taught them much about his character. How Warin chose him as early as Ranald's wedding, and how the exchanges between King Stephen and Warin began. His plans had been set in motion before he had even broached them to Letia.
"King Stephen knew of this deceit?" The nerves beneath Raik's right eye jumped.
Leofwan nodded. "He knew you were de Mortimer's natural son. Sir William kept him informed of your progress." He stopped and added an explanation. "Sir William's sister married into the Douglas family. Ye knew her as Lady Esther."
Raik saw Letia was as startled as he was by this.
"Huh!" Anger tightened his face until it felt set in granite. "So, Warin's last raid on Hunter was to set a trap?"
"Aye. We knew you'd return for the missing cows."
"So. Ye captured me and brought me here. Who drugged my wine?"
Leofwan avoided telling him. "It was necessary that you didn't know who came to you." Leofwan looked at Letia, an apology in his eyes. "And we knew of your refusal to spill on fertile ground."
Raik turned to scowl at Letia. "Ye ask me to believe ye came willingly?"
"Nay. I knew how scornful you were when you learned I was no cringing female. That you thought me more squire than woman. I doubted I could please you."
He turned and went to brace his hands on the mantle and stare at the leaping flames in the fireplace. He could not picture the woman on the ramparts and the woman who had seduced him as the same one. He slapped at the warm stones beside the hearth and returned to loom over her.
"Why did ye batter me with arrows when I came to Seton?"
"I feared you more than Julian."
He near exploded in anger. "Ye think me as evil as that moat slime who glories in torture?!"
"Not evil, no! But a prideful man who discovers someone has seduced him to steal his seed is far more fearful." She hung her head, then straightened and held it high, but avoided his eyes.
She had the right of it. Would she ever have told him of his son if he had not discovered it for himself? He who had never struck a woman could no longer trust himself. The muscles in his arm and hand flexed, aching to lash out.
"Ye were right to fear me. Return to the bedchamber. Ye will not leave it, nor will ye enter the solar unless I say ye may."
Letia knew better than to protest. She had argued with Warin that Raik would never forgive her once he found out. She had expected no less.
Rising, her shoulders unbowed, Letia nodded and tried to smile at Leofwan. Without another glance at Raik, she returned to their bedchamber. Standing beside the bed, she looked down at the rumpled sheets, the pillow where Raik's head had left an impression. If she felt between the covers, would his warmth still be there? Surprisingly, a sob welled from deep in her chest. She grabbed her pillow to muffle the sounds she could not control.
She would not have him think her a helpless woman, a woman who keened over losing him. Losing him? She'd never had him. Except for the nights he had made love to what he had thought was a desirable woman. Once her tears slowed, she splashed her face with cold water.
Letia carried the candle over to her clothing chest and searched through it until she found a green wool kirtle. Old and faded it might be, but it was always a comfort to wear it. After pulling on a linen smock, she dressed in the kirtle. Though it would be a long time afore the sun thought on rising, she tugged the fireplace chair over to the window opening. The night was no colder than usual, yet she could not get warm. She shivered violently and her teeth chattered.
Gripping her arms together, she sought the comfort that always came from wearing her mother's dress. She had worn it while grieving her mother's death and again when her father passed. She'd needed the courage it gave her to appear as if nothing untoward had happened when she had sent for Warin. And she had donned it again after Warin died.
Tonight, that courage was slow on coming. Her mind was still in turmoil when she heard two men going into the solar. Soon, footsteps came to a halt on the other side of the connecting solar door and outside her bedchamber door.
So. Raik posted guards to make sure she remained in the room. She could not blame him. Was he repaying her in kind for being a prisoner in his bedchamber when Warin had brought him here? When she had seduced him?
She would gladly suffer confinement if only he did not keep Aubrey from her. The thought made her near frantic with worry. Soon after, her mouth flooded with water. She swallowed, willing the queasy feeling to go away. It persisted.
Always, she had heard that a nursing mother would not increase until her milk stopped flowing. Her milk was still adequate, though it had lessened somewhat. Still, she could not ignore the early signs of breeding were there.
Raik deserved his revenge. Needed it.
She would not beg and plead with him. And she would not tell him. Likely, he would think she lied to escape punishment.
If he though to beat her or abandon her in a convent, she would stop him.
She would tell him then.
CHAPTER 34
Raik sprawled in his chair, legs outstretched, fingers alternating between tapping impatiently on the chair's arms or clenching into fists and repeatedly thumping on them while his gaze looked hard enough at the door into his bedchamber to burn a hole in it.
"You've been sitting there staring at that door half the night," Cormac said.
Raik jerked his head and turned an icy blue gaze on Cormac. His brows drew together.
"Would ye rather I go in there? I doubt I could keep my anger controlled." He leaned forward, his elbows on his thighs as he rubbed his hands over his face. "I dinna want word, or even a hint of what has happened, to get out. How do ye think Seton's people will feel if they learn their new baron had cuckolded the man they respected even more than the king?"
"Aye." Cormac nodded at him. "Let them believe it is a spat between husband and wife. They know how independent Letia is. 'Twill appear normal that you confined her to the bedchamber." He sat back and watched Raik from the corner of his eyes.
"Stop staring."
"Wasn't. Can't a man glance at someone?" Cormac's lips split in a grin.
"Lucifer's horns! What's so funny?"
"Remembering when we came up to the drawbridge. You were too busy collecting arrows to see who shot at you." He tried to hold his chuckle, but it turned into a soft snort. "Her eyes spat fire, hmm, much like Ranald when he's angry. Never have I seen anyone nock an arrow and loose a bow with such speed."
"Yer admiration of her skill is supposed to make me proud?" Raik turned, his left brow arched. "The woman was intent on killing me."
"Huh! If she had meant to kill you, the first arrow would have struck your throat. She aimed where you could easily protect yourself." Cormac stood and stretched. "She was easing her tension, naught else."
"Ease mine." Raik bounded out of the chair. "Come. Sunrise is near. Mayhap a few thwacks with a broadsword will take that smug smile off yer face."
Outside the solar door, he stopped to talk to Giles and Edulf. "Your mistress is not to leave the bedchamber. Lady Joneta and Maud may bring young Aubrey to her. No one else."
He waited long enough to see their nod before he clattered down the stairwell with Cormac following on his heels. They stepped quietly through the sleeping men on the floor of the great hall. Some snores hesitated on hearing the sounds of their boots. They resumed when they saw their master and his first in command.
"Um, Raik?" Cormac said as they descended the
steps to the bailey.
"What?" Raik's long strides carried them across the bailey toward the practice field. His eyesight was near as keen as a hawk's as he looked around the deserted grounds.
"Are ye not afeared I will have a mishap?"
"Why? Ye are always careful."
"Aye. In daylight." Cormac laughed and waved his arms around. "I dinna even hear the cock's first crow."
"We'll stop by the cooking hut. Cook is there. I can see the light." Raik swerved to the left and headed for it. "By the time we get milk, bread and cheese, that throaty cock will be crowing his beak off."
o0o
Letia made out two men in the darkness below. She knew Raik by the white, billowing shirt and recognized the other as Cormac by his confident swagger. Her gaze followed them out of sight. She assumed they were going to break their fast afore daylight. Keeping her eyes focused on where they had disappeared from view, she found herself nibbling on the edges of her fingers.
How long she waited, she didn't know, but it seemed like ages. Why was it so important that she know what he was doing. ..? Nay, she knew why. Watching his walk and seeing what he did helped her judge whether he was still furious, or if talking with Cormac had eased his temper.
When the sun began to rise, she wasn't happy with the answer. They headed toward the practice field, broadswords in hand. Raik and his Scotsmen often practiced in naught else but cloth tied around their loins. She didn't fear that Cormac would be careless, since he also took off all but his shirt and threw his breeches and plaid on the fence separating the practice area from the fields beyond.
Gripping their broadswords with both hands, sparks flew when they struck together, proving the fierceness with which they fought. She nibbled her fingers even more, fearing Raik's temper would cause him to be careless with his friend's safety.
Hearing someone on the other side of her door made her thankful for the interruption. When it opened, Giles flashed a smile then waited for Lady Joneta carrying Aubrey to enter. Maud followed close behind.
"Aubrey says he wants something of more substance than his favorite thumb." Lady Joneta grinned at Letia, making the appearance that life was more normal than it truly was.
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