by Sarah Hegger
Her heart thrilled to see what she had wanted for so long. Like a nagging tooth, her woman’s flesh pulsed.
He assessed her, and frowned. “I went too fast.”
“What?” A little tendril of annoyance surprised her as it curled deep inside her.
Gregory pulled a face. “Garrett warned me that might happen.”
“Garrett?” Faye gaped at him. Her cheeks flamed at the very notion. “You spoke to Garrett about us? About this?”
“Aye.” The irksome man nodded. “He said it would get easier to control.”
“You spoke of this to Garrett?” Even as she asked the question, she prayed he would answer differently this time.
“I wanted to make it perfect for you.” He cupped her face between his large hands. “I have no knowledge of women.”
Dear God in Heaven! She would never be able to look Garrett in the face again. Faye wanted to kick him. If he were not holding her pinned to this cot, she might have done just that.
Faye took the opportunity as he eased to her side and scrambled off the bed. She didn’t get far before his hands on her hips hauled her to her back again. Her back hit the cot and drove the air out of her.
“He said to let your reactions be my guide.” Gregory frowned as if he were studying a difficult problem from all sides. The mortification washed through her and rushed heat to her exposed parts. She brought her hands up to cover her nakedness.
“Nay.” He placed her hands by her sides.
“Gregory.” The man had lost his mind. “Let me up.”
He stroked the side of her neck and grinned down at her. “I think not.”
Under his fingers, her skin tingled. His fingers drifted lower to her hardening nipples. Good Lord, only wantons responded in this manner. Yet the place between her thighs heated.
“You like this.” His long fingers caressed her swollen nipples.
A bolt of heat shot between her thighs. She did like that. She liked it even more as his fingers continued to play with her.
“Tell me.” His breath brushed warm against her neck as he whispered against her ear. “Do you like this?”
“Aye.” It left her mouth as a breathy moan.
“And this?” He lowered his dark head and took her nipple into his mouth. That sent an even stronger wash of desire through her. She arched her back into the silky heat of his mouth.
“Aye?”
“Aye.” She writhed against him. She needed more. Every part of her sensed there was more of this and yearned for it.
He dipped his hand between her thighs.
Her legs dropped open like the lowest woman.
He touched her center and other thoughts fled as his fingers brushed a place that made her jerk. With a low, contented growl he brought his fingers back to that place.
In counterpoint to his stroking fingers, her hips discovered a new rhythm. The thing she had been missing hovered closer and closer. Low moans of pleasure built in her throat and escaped her lips. The feeling spread through her belly, growing stronger and stronger, it drove her on relentlessly. It built and grew more insistent. Dear Lord, she would die from this. “Aye.” She demanded, lest he stop now.
It hit her in a sudden wave of sensation and heat, curled into her muscles and shattered. Finally, she understood. The heat in her cooled, but she still could not move a muscle.
Gregory gazed down at her, a small smile on his mouth. “Aye?”
Indeed. A great big smile worked its way on her face. Aye, indeed.
“We will get better at this.” He kissed her with heartbreaking tenderness.
“Is that what Garrett says?” As soon as she could work up any sort of ire, she would have strong words about him talking to Garrett. It might take some time.
Against her thigh, his shaft hardened again. She tingled in response. If she carried on in this unchaste manner, she would be heading straight to hell. Then again, being chaste had never won her this soaring sense of wondrous. She wrapped her hand around his length. He groaned and dipped his head to kiss her. His tongue swept into her mouth.
If they were hell bound, at least they would make the trip together.
Chapter 23
Gregory could not believe they were arguing already. Not an hour ago they had been wrapped around each other enjoying the benefits of Garrett’s wisdom. Now, she stood with her arms jammed on her hips and her chin thrust out at him. “I am not leaving for Anglesea before this is settled.”
“Faye, you cannot remain in the midst of a siege. We cannot risk you, again.” Sir Arthur lost patience and his voice rose to a near bellow.
Normally, Faye was the image of her mother, but with her shoulders back and her chin thrust forward, she strongly favored Sir Arthur as her father attempted to order her home.
“Think of Simon.” William tried a different approach. He poured Faye a cup of wine and held it to her. “A siege encampment is no place for a boy and he has already been through too much.”
“Do not use my child against me.” Faye snatched the cup and downed the contents in one gulp.
William blinked at the goblet she held for a refill and then obeyed her silent command. He turned to Roger and raised one dark brow in challenge.
“And what of little Arthur?” Roger stuck his chin out. “He misses his mother. Surely, you would not remain here when you could see him?”
Gregory flinched at the low blow. It was not right using her children against her.
Faye gulped more wine. She turned to him, silently beseeching him for support.
He would have done so gladly, but he would not risk her again. It seemed he was going to have to beg her forgiveness for this as well.
She read the refusal in his face and her shoulders slumped.
“I will see Faye safe to Anglesea.” Garrett looked to him and not Sir Arthur for agreement. “I need to check on Beatrice and there is nothing I can do to help here.” Gregory hated to let her out of his sight. Bad things occurred when he left Faye under anyone else’s protection, but he needed to see this finished with Calder. There would be no future for him and Faye until this was done. He nodded.
“Good.” Sir Arthur rubbed his hands together. “Get together an escort and leave as soon as you are able.”
“My lord.” Sir Arthur’s squire entered the tent. “They are signaling for parley from the keep.”
“Let them wait.” Sir Arthur took the wine and poured himself a goblet.
Triumph surged through Gregory. They had Calder beaten and the sod knew it. The siege might take months, but would end in surrender. With Faye and Simon’s escape, Calder had lost his last pawn in this battle. None of the Anglesea party felt inclined to let the matter rest and go home. No mercy.
Faye’s face hardened. “Tell him I want Ruth.”
“We will get your girl.” Sir Arthur turned to her. “This time, however, you need to trust me.”
Faye hesitated before she nodded. Trust did not come easily to his Lady Faye, and what she had seen in Calder’s hall still gnawed at her.
The tension in the tent mounted as Sir Arthur finished his wine and poured another. William seemed to be the only one impervious to it as he sipped his wine. Either the man had deep thoughts or a great, gaping hole between his ears to remain so calm.
“My lord.” Breathing ragged, the squire hurried back into the tent. “They are pressing for parley from the keep.”
“Are they now?” From cheek to cheek, Sir Arthur moved the wine in his mouth. “William, where did this wine come from?”
William craned his head to stare at the tent roof. “I believe this one is from the monastery at Fairhaven.”
“I like it.” Sir Arthur took another sip.
Gregory bit back a chuckle. The wily Sir Arthur made a formidable foe.
The squire peered from him to William and back again, shifting his feet. Gregory pitied the boy.
“Tell them I require a gesture of
good faith,” Sir Arthur said.
The boy gaped. “My lord?”
“The castle.” Sir Arthur waved a hand. “Tell them I require a gesture of good faith before I will parley.”
“My lord?” The boy squawked and reddened to his hairline.
Sir Arthur leant his elbows on the table and glared at his squire from beneath his unruly brows. “You. Go and tell the keep I require a gesture before I will parley.”
“Me?”
“Aye, you. You have a voice, I have heard you use if often enough.”
The unfortunate boy opened his mouth and shut it again. He glanced at William and back at Sir Arthur. “I am a squire, my lord.”
“Do you think I an unaware of the fact?” Sir Arthur stood.
The squire jumped back a step. “Nay, my lord. It is just that I am a squire and we do not, as a rule, parley.” The last words came out in a rush as if the boy could hardly believe his own daring.
“Now is your chance.” Sir Arthur strode over to his cot and sat on the edge. “Go.”
The boy left the tent at a run. He was back again a scant moment later. “What sort of gesture?”
“Tell that whoreson he has someone Lady Faye would like to see released. He has until I wake to comply or there will be no quarter when I take his keep.”
The boy turned.
“And squire?” Sir Arthur stretched his length on the cot. “Make sure he believes I am in earnest.”
“Aye, my lord.” He left at a trot.
“Father?” Faye frowned at Sir Arthur. “You have me as confused as that poor boy.”
“Are you still here, Faye?” Sir Arthur crossed his ankles. “Because I believe we discussed your returning to Anglesea.”
“I—”
“Come along, Faye.” William rose. “Let him get some rest. We can get you and Simon ready to travel.”
Despite the situation, Gregory wanted to smile. Sir Arthur knew exactly what he was doing. Inside those walls, Calder could seethe and simmer, but his fate rested in the hands of the man feigning sleep on his cot. He put his arm around Faye and drew her from her father’s tent.
Her shoulders stiffened with resistance, but she allowed him to lead her out. “I am not leaving until I have Ruth with me.”
Gregory nodded. He expected no less from his lady.
Outside the tent, an armed party readied itself for travel. They were experienced men and Gregory trusted Garrett to see Faye to Anglesea safely.
A shout arose from the men nearest the wall.
“Stay here.” Not trusting her, he remained where he was, waiting for Faye’s nod. He wouldn’t put it past her to scale those walls on her own.
Faye’s lips thinned. “I swear I will stay here.”
William strode ahead of him. He pointed to the small gate within the larger gates that opened. A figure staggered out as if being thrust.
Shock held him frozen. He had believed Faye, but seeing the girl in the flesh sent the anger rushing through him afresh. Calder was not a man, he was a savage beast.
William walked toward the girl.
“Cover him.” Gregory motioned the archers. William had more ballocks than good sense. A member of Sir Arthur’s family would be welcome target practice from the walls. Then again, the men in this family never expected others to do what they would not do themselves.
Around him the archers nocked their arrows. The creak of drawn bows a soft ripping in the air. William hoisted the girl into his arms. She lay limp and broken across his chest as William brought her back to the camp.
Gregory sensed Faye beside him. He grabbed her arm as she tried to slip past him. There were still archers on those walls and it would be like Calder to put an arrow through Faye because the opportunity presented.
Faye stepped up to William as he drew closer. “Ruth.”
The girl stared at Faye with dead eyes that had seen too much. The fury rekindled in Gregory. How could any man inflict this sort of pain? For this, too, Calder must pay.
Faye stroked a stray lock of Ruth’s hair from her face. “You are safe now, Ruth.”
Gregory made a quick prayer for Ruth’s broken soul.
“Father Piety!” Calder’s bellow carried through the quiet evening.
Gregory tensed. Calder’s favorite joke of an evening had long since worn thin. One more mark in the tally against the whoreson.
“I see you, Monk.” As he stood in clear view of the battlements, this was no great achievement. Gregory turned to face the walls.
“I have an offer for you.” Calder’s head appeared between the crenellations. How easy it would be to instruct the archer to put an arrow right between his eyes. Sir Arthur had the best archers in the land, trained as well as any Welsh longbow man.
The nearest archer raised a brow in question. At this distance the arrow would punch straight through the back of Calder’s head. Gregory shook his head and faced the walls. “What is your offer?”
Faye gasped.
“An end to this.” Calder gestured the army camped at the base of the keep. “With minimal loss of life.” Sieges were long, protracted and messy and the body count would grow before this was done. Gregory braced for what came. Calder saw this as his last opportunity to enact some revenge.
Faye dug her fingers into his arm. He would wager she made much the same guess.
“A challenge,” Calder yelled.
Aye, Gregory did not need to be a prophet to see that one. Let Calder declare his intuitions, the deceitful cur. “A challenge?”
“Man to man.” Calder thumped his chest and thrust his fist at him. “Between you and I.”
“To the death?”
“Nay.” Damn! “A challenge to surrender.”
“Why would we do that?” From behind them, Sir Arthur boomed. “Your surrender is merely a matter of time.”
“Aye.” Calder came back quickly. He must have been thinking on this. “But many within the keep will sicken and die before I do. You know this as well as I, old man.”
“I am going to make him eat that ‘old man’ from the end of my blade,” Sir Arthur said.
Sir Arthur would have to wait his turn. Gregory had some words of his own to feed Calder.
“If I lose, Sir John will open the keep.” Another face appeared beside Calder. “You know you can trust him.”
“Done!” Gregory yelled before anyone else could speak. He wanted this, with every fiber of his being. The chance to meet Calder in open combat.
“Are you addled?” Faye glowered at him, pinching his arm so hard he winced,
“I will not lose.” Calder was a good swordsman, but he was better. Much better.
“He knows that.” Faye jerked her head in Calder’s direction. “The only reason he challenges you must mean he has some knavery planned.”
Gregory drew in a deep breath before he responded too curtly. “I know that, Faye.”
Concern for him was writ clear across her face.
Her love soothed his nipped pride. “There is no doubt Calder has something planned, but I am wise to him.”
“Then why would you take this risk?” She loaded the question with all that had passed between them. Why would he risk leaving her again? Why would he risk his life when they had only now found each other? Always, the past stole between them like a thief to rob their future. It ended. Now.
Gregory cupped her cheek. Her skin was finest silk. “I will not lose.” He put as much reassurance as he could muster in the simple statement. “I have too much to risk through losing, much more than Calder.”
“It would bring this matter to a swift end.” Sir Arthur came up beside Faye.
She turned on her father. “Gregory could die.”
“He will not.” Sir Arthur smiled at her. “He will fight and we will watch for trickery.” He gestured to William, Roger and Garrett standing behind him. “Trust me. Trust your man.”
* * * *
&
nbsp; Faye trusted Gregory with everything she had, but asking her to condone a challenge between Gregory and that beast she had married was too much. She understood Calder, better than any of them. For him to issue such an open challenge could only mean he was sure of the outcome. As one, the men in her family faced her, calm certainty on their features. They meant her to draw confidence from them, but she could not. They did not understand.
“Please.” She must try to reach Gregory. He knew Calder almost as well as she. “Do not do this.”
His face settled into implacable lines. “I must.” Always so blasted stubborn. Faye wanted to shake him, to beat on his chest until it cleared his deaf ears.
“My lady.” He turned her to face him. Accept this, his steady regard entreated her. “I cannot call myself a man, your man, if I do not take this opportunity to avenge the wrongs he did you.”
Men and their pride and vengeance. It angered her enough to scream. How could vengeance comfort her if Calder killed him? “You do not have to risk yourself to be my man. You are that already.”
“I must do this. Will you give me your blessing?”
Faye railed within. Even should she deny him, it would not stop him. She could see it in the determined lines of his face. Gregory would do this, will she or nil she, with or without her blessing. She had no choice. To send him into the challenge thinking her wroth with him. Nay. To have him distracted by her anger when he fought for his life. How many times had her mother faced this moment? If Lady Mary could do this, then so could she. “You have my blessing, always.”
Relief flooded his features and his mouth softened into a smile. He kissed her forehead. “Trust me.”
Faye clung to him. She wanted never to forget the feel of his lips on her skin, the strength of his arms beneath her fingers.
“I must prepare.”
She tightened her grip. “Will you not wait until daylight, when you can see better.”
“Nay.” He stepped back.
The small space of air between them made her chest ache. She needed to draw him close and keep him with her. Her face near cracking with the effort, she nodded and smiled. “Go with my love.”
“In an hour.” Sir Arthur shouted to the keep. “Gregory will meet you here in one hour.”
