Pride be damned, she curled toward him and whispered at his neck ?Please.?
?Truly do I like that word on your lips,? he replied, a wealth of satisfaction
in his tone.
Twas a blatant reminder, at long last, of the begging that had so shamed her,
but at the moment she was not embarrassed by it. She was too embarrassed by what
he was doing now.
But he had more to say.
?Mayhap now you will tell me what caused you to smile before??
Rowena?s eyes flared wide. Was all this because she had perplexed him with that
damn smile? Did he have to get even for being confounded by her? The thought
infuriated her, and anger made her forget her embarrassment, forget even that
other ears than his would hear her answer.
Answer him she did, with another smile, waiting only until he took a swallow of
his ale.
?I was merely thinking of your display of jealousy this noontide, my lord.?
He choked, his response coming out as a wheezing rasp.
?Jealousy!?
She leaned back so he could see that she gave his reply thoughtful consideration.
?Mayhap possessiveness would more aptly describe it. I understand now that you
feel I am only yours to use and abuse, that no other should have that privilege.?
Warrick scowled at Sheldon, whose shoulders were shaking in mirth, evidently
because he had heard those words. Then Warrick turned his scowl on Rowena, and
she had no more than a moment to wish she had not chosen so public a place to
get a little even with him.
?I make certain that you are kept available to see to my own whims, and you see
this as possessiveness?? he growled low.
? Twould not bother me to throw you to my men and watch as they have youas long
as I am not in the mood to have you myself. Need I prove this to you??
?Twas one of those threats that, by merely saying it, he would be forced to
carry out did she not make immediate amends. Her anger increased, but that did
not stop her from throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing tight.
?Do not, I beseech you,? she said by his ear, then softer, her lips touching his
earlobe ?I want only to share your bed, know only your touch.?
She felt a shiver run through him just before he pushed her off his lap. She
noticed his flush as she straightened; then her eyes collided with his and she
felt seared by their molten heat.
?Get you below and have your meal, then come to my chamber.?
?You want a bath, my lord??
?I want to find you in my bed, wench, where we will ascertain if you bespoke the
truth.?
Chapter 29
Rowena was never going to live it down. She was certain the whispers about that
awful scene in the hall would follow her until the end of her days, across
shires, across countries, wherever she wentif she ever left Fulkhurst. But what
did Lord Vengeance care? No one would be whispering about him. ?Twas naught for
a nobleman to make sport with one of his serfs in his own hall. Who would
gainsay him, after all?
She abhorred the thought of returning to face her most recent shame. ?Twas
deplorable that there was no way to reach Warrick?s solar from the kitchen,
without passing through the full length of the hall. But when Rowena returned
after her long drawn out meal, there were no whispers about her that she could
tell. In truth, the men did not look her way at all, and those women who did
happen to notice her glanced quickly away.
Had she been wallowing in mortification for naught, then? she wondered in
confusion. Or had no one noticed her sitting on Warrick?s lap except those at
his table? But she was ignored from that direction also, except by Warrick. He
watched her now, but in a distracted manner, since he was deep in discussion
with his friend, Sheldon.
She was perplexed, and liked it not. He was the one who was supposed to be
confounded, not she. But there was an easy enough way to find out if something
unusual had happened in the short time she had been belowstairs, something that
made the women, even those lazy weavers who had disdained her instruction that
afternoon, seem almost fearful now when they saw her.
She saw the young girl, Emma, who had come to fetch her when Sir Sheldon had
arrived, and stopped by her table. Only vaguely did she note that the girl sat
alone.
?Emma, may I presume upon your good nature to ask what has occurred here that I
missed when I went below??
?Naught has happened since the fine entertainment you gave us.?
?I see,? Rowena replied stiffly and turned to leave, disappointed, since the
girl had seemed friendly earlier.
But Emma caught her hand to quickly assure her ?Nay, lady, I meant no insult.
Tis just strange to see the dreadful dragon behave like a normal man.?
Dreadful dragon? How aptly put, but Rowena was more concerned with what she had
just been called herself, as she realized how much worse it would be to be
treated like a serf by Warrick if others knew she was not.
?Why do you call me lady?? Emma shrugged.
?You cannot hide what you are in serf?s wool. Your manner speaks more clearly
than words, lady, though your words speak just as clearly of noble breeding.?
?You speak just as clearly,? Rowena pointed out, relieved that Emma was only
guessing.
Emma grinned.
?I do but mimicthough better than Celia, I warrant.?
Rowena could not help laughing.
?Aye, much better than she. But tell me, if naught occurred, why do the women
seem, well, almost fearful??
?When they look at you?? At Rowena?s nod, Emma?s grin got wider.
?They have heard what happened to Celia and think it was at your behest.?
?But I never?
?I did not think so, but they do. They are also in awe of you that you do not
fear the dragon even in his darkest moods.?
?Certainly I fear him. He holds my life in his hands.?
?Nay, he is no killer of women. But even Celia hid from him when he was angry,
and everyone here could see how angry he wasand then you made him laugh. ?Tis a
rare thing, to hear him laugh.?
For some unaccountable reason, Rowena felt a sadness upon hearing that, but she
quickly shook it off. Twas naught to her if the man had little enjoyment out of
life. She had had little enough herself these past years.
Though she would rather have stayed and talked, feeling she might have a friend
in Emma, she left the girl, too conscious of Warrick?s order to appear in his
chambernay, in his bed. And now that her embarrassment had worn off, she had
that order to deal with and the nervousness it was already generating in her.
Verily, she had him set up ripely for her seduction, or rather, he had set
himself up for it with his ribald teasing earlier at the table. She need not
even be subtle about it now. The only thing that could thwart her plan was if he
thought she was motivated by fear, rather than by actual desire for him. She
would have to appear in no way fearful. But the thought of seducing him and the
actual act of seducing him were in no wise the same, and her nervousness was so
close to fear, it was indistinguishable to her.
And what if ?twas all for nau
ght, if her overtures made no difference in his
treatment of her? Mildred was certain it would be otherwise, but Rowena was less
so. And yet? he had been stirred to lust by a mere few words, and it had
drastically changed his moodnot his treatment of her, but definitely his humor.
She would just have to wait and see what further advances on her part would do.
Rowena entered the inner solar and had no more than glanced at the bed, which
she had no intention of waiting in for Warrick, when he closed the door behind
her. She swung around with a start. He had to have followed her as soon as she
passed his table, yet he had still seemed deep in conversation. And then she
noted the heat still in his eyes and she understood.
The man wanted her right now, wanted her badly. He had not been willing to wait
any longer. The thought gave her a heady sense of power. Twould make what she
would do and say so much easier. But it also, to her chagrin, stirred her own
senses to arousal.
He stood there in front of the door, staring at her while he slowly unclasped
his mantle. He was wearing a rich brown tunic embroidered at hem and neck in
gold. The color suited his dark gold hair, grown long since his confinement at
Kirkburough, to where it now reached his wide shoulders. He was not frowning, so
the handsomeness of his features was there to see and disturb her senses.
Rowena found it difficult to look at him when he was like this, normal, not the
cruel monster she knew he could be. Since shyness was appropriate on her part
after what she had said to him in the hall, she took refuge in it and lowered
her eyes.
?Come here, Rowena.?
She did not hesitate to approach him, but she would not meet his eyes again.
Those expressive eyes did things to her that she could not control.
?So you want to share my bed??
?Aye.?
?Why??
God?s mercy, could he not take her at her word? Why? She had not thought there
would be an interrogation, and could not think now with him so close.
?Why does any woman want to share a man?s bed?? she countered lamely.
?Because mine is softer than yours.?
Her eyes shot up to clash with his. The bastard. He doubted her, was going to
make her work to convince him. She had not wanted to seduce him in the first
place. She would be damned if she would grovel to do it.
?That is true,? she said stiffly.
?Yet I do not get much sleep in yours. Mayhap mine is preferable after all.?
She turned away angrily, but he caught her arm and yanked her hard against his
chest. And then his mouth was showing her what she had made him feel, passion
blistering hot, consuming. She clung to him as her limbs got weaker, clung to
him because she could do naught else. And he was relentless in his assault,
determined to make her feel what he felt, and God?s mercy, she did.
She nearly crumbled to the floor when he released her. He did not notice. He had
moved away from her, his body taut with agitation. He sat down on his bed,
running both hands so hard through his hair that Rowena winced in empathy for
his scalp. But when his eyes lit on her again, she groaned inwardly. He wore his
crudest look now, the one she dreaded.
?Do you still maintain you want me, wench??
If she said aye, he was going to make her suffer for it, she knew it, read it in
his eyes. But if she said nay, he was likely to try and prove her a liar, and
just now, with the taste of him still on her lips, she was not sure if a nay
would be the truth. Either way she was going to loseor win. But winning was
going to cost her more of her pride, for ?twas a two edged sword, her plan. She
knew now that she was going to bleed a little from her part in it.
He waited patiently, giving her ample time to take the coward?s path. She
stiffened her resolve. She would see it through, whatever the cost.
?I still want you, my lord.?
He did not answer for a moment. ?Twas almost as if he could not. And then his
voice came out in a husky rasp.
?I require proof. Show me.?
She had expected no less. She walked toward him slowly, unlacing her bliaut on
the way. This she pulled over her head as she stopped within reach of him. The
chemise she unlaced more slowly. In truth, she was mesmerized watching him watch
her undress, for everything he felt was there for her to see, and that sense of
power was back, giving her a boldness she would not have otherwise dared.
She let the chemise drop to the floor, leaving only her shift, stockings, and
shoes. To untie a shoe, she did not bend over, but put her foot up on the bed
next to Warrick?s thigh. ?Twas wantonly brazen, deliberately so, and it was his
undoing. He groaned. His arm reached out to wrap around her bottom and pull her
forward. She landed hard against him, her knees sliding on either side of his
hips, her back bent awkwardly as he pressed his face into the soft mounds of her
breasts.
?Twas an arousing embrace. It also struck a tender cord in her, for he did
naught else, just held her like that for a time. She wrapped her own arms around
his head, not sure anymore if she was playing a part or acting of her own accord,
for it felt right to hold him like that.
And then he tilted his head back and told her ?Kiss me.?
She did, placing her hands on his cheeks, a kiss void of passion, sweetly
innocentfor all of the three seconds it took him to participate. His lips nudged
hers open, his tongue licking the insides before thrusting deep into her mouth.
For the first time she thrust back tentatively with her tongue and felt the
thrill of aggression, then was overwhelmed by the passion her small response
unleashed in him.
He dropped back on the bed, taking her with him, his mouth devouring hers now.
But he quickly rolled over, pressing the hard bulge of his manroot between her
legs, and her pulses leaped, her insides rolled, her heart slammed out of beat.
Her fingers had worked their way into his hair and were gripping great handfuls.
She needed that anchor, for her rioting senses were leaving her control.
She groaned when he left her, but it was only to straddle her thighs, and that
to whisk the shift from her body, naked now before him. His eyes burned her,
then his hands, bringing gasp after gasp as they slid slowly up her belly to cup
her breasts. One he held captured for his mouth as he bent over to roll the
tender bud on his tongue before he tried to draw the whole plump mound into his
mouth.
She lost her breath with the next gasp, was unaware that she arched toward him,
that she held his head in a viselike grip, unconsciously demanding more.
She actually cried out in protest when he stopped to lean back again. But he
displayed no triumphant smile upon hearing it. His need was too great, leaving
no room for petty revenge just now.
His breath came hard. His eyes would not leave her as he attempted to shed his
clothing. The rich tunic was ripped in its removal. Rowena sat up to help, but
her fingers trembled so, she only succeeded in knotting the laces on his
chausses, and those were ripped, too, when he took over the task. And then his
manro
ot was there between them, inflamed, velvet steel, and it seemed the most
natural thing in the world for her to wrap her hand around it.
He sucked in his breath before he groaned ?Nay,? and took her hand in his and
held it to the bed. She whimpered at the restraint, but his mouth came down to
take the sound, then his body came down to spread her thighs, and she cared
about naught except the heat about to enter her. Her free hand she brought to
his lower back, as far as she could reach, to urge him on. But he was holding
himself back, and that hand found itself imprisoned also as he fought for
control only she could not wait any longer.
?Nowplease, Warrick, now!? she begged, this time without his command, and this
time with immediate compliance.
He plunged. She melted around him. He thrust hard and fast. She screamed in her
climax, reached before him, continuing after him, so intense she nearly fainted.
She was floating in languid contentment when she heard him say a while later,
?I wonder if I will ever have you at my leisure, wench, or will you always
provoke me to such madness??
Rowena merely smiled.
Chapter 30
Warrick was still there when Rowena awoke the next morn, still lying beside her