The Conquest

by Julia Templeton

  “I am sorry, Rhiannon.” He reached up, touched her cheek with the back of his fingers. “It is my hope that you will find happiness in England. I know how difficult it is to leave one’s home, but in this case, perhaps a new beginning is what you need.”

  “A new beginning with a man old enough to be my father?”

  He looked away for a moment, and Rhiannon could tell he was choosing his words carefully. “More often than not in these cases, the man is older than the woman.”

  “Lord Malgor is older than my father, Adelstan.”

  He nodded. “I know.”

  She turned forward and rested against him. “The rain is letting up, I think.”

  “I do not mind the rain. In fact, the weather in northern England is not so different than in Scotland, though we get a little less rain than you do. I have been to Castle Almeron and there is a lot that will remind you of the Highlands, I think.”

  “Such as?”

  “As I mentioned before, there are lots of trees surrounding the castle itself and a river that runs at the foot of the walls.”

  “England has its fair share of lakes, rivers, and ponds. You shall not be without a place to swim.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “How do ye know I like to swim?”

  “Because last evening when you arrived in the hall, the ends of your hair were wet. That, and your father said you enjoyed swimming.”

  “Aye, he is right. I love the water.”

  “As do I,” he said absently, then quickly added, “So do not fret. Your new home shall have water aplenty in which to swim.”

  “What of Braemere?”

  His eyes lit up at the mention of his home. “Braemere also sits above a river but the water moves very fast so one must be careful.”

  “Braemere sounds lovely.”

  “It is.”

  “When will we be leaving?”

  He seemed surprised by her question. “As soon as you are ready. My liege understands you might need time to say your good byes.”

  Was he anxious to return home? she wondered. No doubt he had a life to get back to and mayhap a woman, too. The selfish part of her wanted to keep him here, to get to know him better, but to what end?

  He would never be hers.

  He would deliver her to de Cion, witness the marriage, and then leave for Braemere, and she would never see him again.

  The sooner they left, the shorter time they had together, to get to know each other, and the sooner her life would begin with Lord Malgor.

  If Adelstan’s liege said he would give Rhiannon as much time as she needed to say her good byes, then she would take as much time as possible.

  The heat of his entire body enveloped her, and she closed her eyes against the warring emotions inside her. What would it be like to have him as a lover? To have those arms around her, embracing her, comforting her always, touching her as he made love to her every night.

  She remembered the day before when she’d watched Elspeth and Antony make love, and for a moment she envisioned herself and Adelstan making love on the forest floor, among the tall trees and wild flowers. The blood in her veins heated, coursing through her body, making the flesh between her thighs tingle and grow damp.

  “Lord Malgor loves horses. He will be most pleased to learn you do as well.”

  Rhiannon opened her eyes. “Does he?” she asked, hating the way he kept turning the conversation back to her betrothed and to her future home. “To be honest, I prefer to walk most places. I only take a horse when absolutely necessary.”

  He laughed under his breath and she looked back at him. “Ye think me silly because I do not like riding?”

  “Not at all. My mother never cared for horses either.”

  “I am glad to know I am not the only one, though I must say, Elspeth does not like horses either.”

  She stared at his hands and strong forearms.

  “My hands are cold,” she said, placing her hands flat over his, the palms covering the tops of his long fingers. She felt him shift in the saddle and she looked back at him. His light eyes slipped to her lips again.

  She was entering dangerous territory and well she knew it. She could remove her hands, look away, sit up straight, and behave like the lady she had been raised to be.

  Or she could lift her chin just so and kiss him as she was desperate to do. Elspeth would never breathe a word of it to anyone, nor would she judge her.

  Plus, Rhiannon wanted desperately to feel what those lips would taste like. Just once. That’s all she needed, she told herself. One kiss and she could walk away, content to have tasted him.

  She glanced to where Elspeth had ridden ahead.

  It was now or never.

  Her insides twisted in indecision. What if he denied her? Would he tell her father of her scandalous behavior or, even worse, tell his liege or de Cion himself?

  Taking a deep breath, Rhiannon turned in the saddle and looked up into Adelstan’s incredible eyes.

  His brows furrowed. “Rhiannon, I do not—”

  Before he could utter another word, she touched her lips to his, softly, tentatively.

  Her heart soared to the heavens when he responded. It was the slightest pressure of his lips against hers, and as small as that response was, it was still a response.

  She held on to the horse’s mane with one hand, while the other pressed flush against his chest. Boldly, her tongue stroked the seam of his lips and he made a purely masculine sound, a deep-throated moan that mingled with her sigh. His mouth opened and his tongue traced the recesses of her mouth.

  Never could she have understood the intimacy of a kiss, and how truly beautiful it felt to share such an act with someone she cared for.

  And she did care for this English knight who had been a stranger to her the day before.

  One of his strong hands moved up her side, making the hair on her arms stand on end. Her heart pounded nearly out of her chest and she could feel his racing against her palm.

  The sky opened up, rain falling down on them in large drops, but she didn’t care. In fact, it only added to the intensity of the moment.

  Adelstan’s fingers tightened around her arms, and he abruptly pulled away, breathing hard, looking at her with a startled expression.

  She could see the realization of what they had done on his handsome face. His throat convulsed as he swallowed hard, his gaze shifting to her lips before shaking his head as though to clear it. “We cannot do this, Rhiannon. I have a duty to my liege to bring you back to Almeron so you can marry Lord Malgor. You must never speak to anyone about this, not even your maid, is that understood?”

  Her heart plummeted to her feet. For a second she had experienced paradise and she didn’t want it to end.

  Rhiannon lifted her lips to his again, but he shook his head. Even his eyes had changed. “Nay, we cannot.”

  Her pride bruised, Rhiannon faced forward, her hands returning to her lap, her back ramrod straight.

  “You can lean against me, Rhiannon.”

  “Nay,” she said firmly, not caring if she sounded like a child.

  “Rhiannon.”

  “I—I made a mistake, and I hope ye do not think less of me for it.”

  * * *

  Adelstan’s mind and body had never been in such conflict. He had gone to the pond to bathe and to rid his mind of the images of Rhiannon as they had danced last night. Everything from her smile to her sweet laughter had replayed in his mind since meeting her, making sleep nearly impossible.

  Never had he imagined to be in such a quandary. His orders had been clear—bring Lord Malgor’s betrothed to him at Almeron, safe and sound. That was it, plain and simple, then he would return to his life at Braemere.

  And what did he do but kiss the very woman he had sworn to protect.

  Fool.

  Why had he not just accepted the hot bath the servant had so generously offered upon waking? Adelstan had declined, knowing a morning swim would not only ease his warring emotions but coo
l his heated body. And the swim had indeed done him good. He had left the pond resolved to do his duty by his liege, and to look at Rhiannon MacKay as he would any other married woman.

  And yet when he came upon Rhiannon and her maid on the road back to the castle, he’d wondered why fate would put her in his path at the very moment he had pledged not to touch her.

  A difficult thing when she stood before him soaked to the skin, her yellow gown clinging to her charms. It had been impossible to look away from her full, high breasts and the rose-colored nipples that had pebbled from the cold, poking against the fabric.

  And he had felt those nipples pressed against his chest when she kissed him. Even now his lips tingled from that kiss, and for the life of him, he couldn’t put two words together. The sky crackled again, and he tightened his hold around her, resisting the urge to rest his hands on her thighs.

  Such young, firm thighs. He envisioned those same thighs, spread wide to receive him.

  He closed his eyes and counted to ten, trying hard not to think of her naked. He had seen the look in her eyes, knew she would not deny him.

  She is another man’s betrothed.

  “I did not mean to offend ye, Adelstan.”

  She looked over her shoulder at him, and those rare eyes of hers showed anger, mixed with vulnerability.

  “You did not offend me, Rhiannon. Not at all.”

  As she looked into his eyes, he could not help but wonder how de Cion would react upon seeing her for the first time. He would be the envy of men everywhere. No doubt the newly titled baron would be delighted he had gained such a beautiful woman as his bride. His mistress, on the other hand, would hate Rhiannon on sight.

  In fact, Adelstan did not trust the woman.

  He could not get involved. Rhiannon’s fate was sealed, as was his. One day he would meet the woman he would marry, and this day would be nothing but a memory.

  “Did ye not like my kiss?”

  His heart constricted. She was so beautiful, her dark lashes spiked from the rain, making her incredible eyes even more astounding.

  “I liked your kiss, Rhiannon. Very much.”

  “Then why do ye reject me?”

  “You know the answer.”

  “But I am not married yet.”

  “But you will be. I have made a pledge to my liege to protect you from harm, and I shall do just that…even if it means protecting you from myself.”

  Her eyes narrowed. “That is ridiculous.”

  “Perhaps, but I gave my lordship my word.”

  “What of your heart?”

  “You are to be married, Rhiannon.”

  “I am not married yet, Adelstan.”

  He sighed heavily. Her father had been right calling her strong-willed and outspoken. “Aye, but soon you shall be living at Castle Almeron with your husband.”

  “I wish ye were my betrothed.”

  “Do not say such a thing.”

  “Why? I do wish ye were my betrothed. If ye were, I would willingly take my vows. In truth, I would rush to do so in order to make love to ye.”

  Her words heated his already boiling blood. His cock jerked against his braies. “Rhiannon, you must be careful what you say. If someone else were to hear, you could be charged with treason.”

  “No one is about, Adelstan. No one but the two of us and Elspeth, and she would never say anything that would harm me. Plus, I am not married yet, and there is no harm in an unmarried woman telling an unmarried man how she feels.”

  Castle MacKay sat in the distance, and Elspeth hung back now, waiting for them in the trees.

  As they approached, the castle guard yelled out, and by the time they had crossed the drawbridge, Laird MacKay was walking in long strides toward them. His gaze shifted from Rhiannon to Elspeth. “Rhiannon, do not ever leave here again without my permission, is that understood?”

  Adelstan remembered her saying her father never cared where she went, and he wondered if the concern he showed now was for his benefit, to make him look the loving father, when he wanted nothing more than to be rid of her.

  “Yes, Father,” she said with little emotion, slipping from the horse before Adelstan or anyone else could assist her.

  “It is my fault,” Elspeth said, quick to defend her mistress. “I was saddened by news of my ailing grandmother, and I needed to escape the castle to clear my mind.”

  Laird MacKay stared at his daughter and her servant. “Ye put your mistress in danger, Elspeth. Mayhap I need to reconsider sending ye to England with her?”

  The blonde paled under the laird’s cold stare.

  “Father, Elspeth did not ask me along. I knew how sad she was, and I hoped to ease her pain by going with her. It was not a wise decision and I regret it. Please do not punish her for my foolishness.”

  Adelstan’s nails bit into his palms. He had no right to interfere, but he also could not sit by and watch Rhiannon lose the only person she cared about, for something so foolish as taking a ride during a storm.

  Rhiannon looked close to tears as she embraced Elspeth.

  “Do not let it happen again, Daughter.”

  Rhiannon nodded, looking physically relieved, as did the maid. “Yes, Father.”

  Laird MacKay glanced at Adelstan. “How did ye come to be with them?”

  “I went to the pond for a morning swim, and upon my return I found them huddled beneath a giant oak, taking shelter from the storm. They would have stayed longer, but both were concerned about you, knowing you would be sick with worry.”

  There was no way of knowing the laird’s true thoughts, but all that mattered was he nodded. “Well, it is good ye came upon them when ye did, and now it is time ye have a warm bath, change into dry clothing, and take refuge from this blasted storm.”

  The laird looked at his shivering daughter with little expression, and Adelstan recalled last night when he had beamed upon seeing his son.

  Having been loved by both his parents, Adelstan felt a wave of compassion toward the young Scottish beauty who, without waiting for her father’s acquiescence, walked arm in arm with Elspeth toward the bailey.

  As Adelstan watched Rhiannon disappear inside, he tried to get the image of her bathing from his mind.

  Lord help him, but the days ahead would be the hardest of his life.

  Chapter 6

  Rhiannon sat back in the bath, staring at the fire blazing in the grate. Elspeth sat by the chamber’s only window and hummed an old Celtic tune while mending a tunic. “I think ye must care for Antony more than ye admit, else why would ye work so tirelessly on repairing that old tunic for him?”

  Elspeth looked up at Rhiannon, her brows furrowed. “How do ye know it’s Antony’s tunic? Mayhap it is my grandfather’s.”

  “I have seen your grandfather, Elspeth. He is not that small.”

  Shrugging, the maid continued humming.

  “Do ye love Antony?”

  “Nay, but I care for him. I enjoy being with him.”

  How fortunate Elspeth was to pick her own lover without thought of consequence. If only Rhiannon could do the same.

  Elspeth set the tunic aside and stood. “Ye are melancholy, Rhiannon, and have been since our return. What happened between ye and Adelstan after I rode ahead of ye this morning?”

  Rhiannon dropped her gaze to the steam rising off the water. “Nothing.”

  “Ye have never been able to lie to me, so do not start now.” Elspeth walked behind Rhiannon, and began soaping her hair.

  Rhiannon closed her eyes, remembering the touch of Adelstan’s lips against hers, and that split second when she had forgot both time and place. He had kissed her, and he had liked it, the small moan telling her that much.

  “What happened? Are ye angry that I left the two of ye alone?”

  “Nay, I wanted ye to leave us alone.”

  “That is what I thought,” Elspeth said, a smile in her voice. “Else I would not have done so. Tell me what happened.”

  “I think I made a
mistake.”

  “A mistake. In what way?”

  “I kissed him.”

  She heard Elspeth’s quick intake of breath, but she recovered quickly. “And did ye enjoy the kiss?”

  “Aye, very much.”

  Elspeth’s laughter floated to the high ceiling. “Then why so grim?”

  “After we kissed, Adelstan told me we should not have done so. He reminded me yet again that I am betrothed to another, and in essence we can never be.” Rhiannon leaned her head back and looked up at Elspeth. “I shall never have him. I saw the look in his eyes, and could tell he felt deeply that he had betrayed his liege, who entrusted him to bring me back to de Cion untouched. How odd he should feel so horribly, while I, on the other hand, feel no guilt whatsoever.”

  “Perhaps ye are reading too much into his reaction.”

  “I saw the truth in his eyes, and the eyes don’t lie. I’m afraid he will not betray his liege, no matter how much his heart and body tell him differently.” Rhiannon shrugged. “Perhaps he feels nothing for me and was only saving me the agony of telling me so. At this very moment he could be laughing at me and thinking I am a fool.”

  “Ye underestimate the power ye have over him, my dear.”

  Rhiannon’s heart missed a beat. “What do ye mean?”

  Elspeth moved to the side of the tub. “I saw the look in Adelstan’s eyes when he stared at ye this afternoon. He desires ye, I have no doubt of that.”

  “But ye did not see the way he stared at Machara last night during supper. He wanted her, and I know she wanted him, too. Every time she walked by, Adelstan had this strange look about him. He desires her.”

  “Do ye honestly believe a man would desire Machara over you?” Elspeth looked amused. “Trust me in this, ye are far more beautiful than ye will ever know. That is part of your beauty, ye have absolutely no idea how every man stumbles over himself whenever ye as much as look his way.”

  Rhiannon laughed under her breath, knowing Elspeth exaggerated in order to make her feel better. “Every man but the one I want.”

  “Every man has a breaking point. Ye just have to find out what Adelstan’s is.”