So Worthy My Love

  Maxim was not sure whether or not he trusted the sly grin the younger man wore, but he obeyed the directive, not willing to reject the plan ere it was made known.

  The mists thickened as they neared the wharves, and the silence of the night gave way to the low creaking of lofty masts and ice-bound hulls protected by heavy beams at the waterline. The three approached the pier cautiously, glancing all about, then Justin encouraged them to hurry as he skittered along the icy quay in front of them. Enveloped in the shadow of night, he crouched beneath the largest vessel in the area and, with a grin, pointed upward to her name. It was Hilliard’s Grau Falke!

  Chapter 22

  IT SEEMED A WORLD APART from reality, one frozen by time and the elements, where ice-shrouded yards and masts bore no resemblance to earthly shapes, but took on ghostly forms and strange sculptures where the freezing spray and foam had been swept by the northern winds. A fine dusting of snow covered the deck of the four-masted carrack, treacherously masking a thick layer of ice. Rooted well beneath the planking, tall masts thrust upward into the belly of the night sky, losing their tops in a haze of flurries and murky darkness. Long, bearded icicles hung from the yards, spars, and standing rigging, and from those clinging to the latter came an incessant clicking as the crystals were stirred by the plucking fingers of passing breezes. The sound wafted through the silence like the frozen claws of some savage wintry beast a-prowl on the deck. Blending with the eerie melody, a distant and almost imperceptible grinding and popping drifted from the river where open water met the insidiously encroaching ice.

  Maxim led the way carefully across the deck with Elise following close behind and Justin bringing up the rear. The slippery footing demanded caution, for a wrong step could end in a bone-jarring fall. As if befriending them, the gentle gusts blew their cold breath across the surface, promising to sweep away all evidence of their passing. As they entered the companionway Maxim reached back a hand and took Elise’s fingers within his grasp to lead her carefully through the darkness. But even as they exercised caution, the coldness of the interior made it unlikely that even a watchman was aboard.

  They moved ahead in the darkness, but came to another abrupt halt when Maxim’s head struck a tallow lantern hanging from the rafters. Muttering a derogatory comment about shipbuilders being abnormally short, he yanked the fixture down and, despite his discomfort, smiled in the dark as he heard Elise’s soft voice close beside him.

  “ ‘Tis obviously a singular problem, my lord,” she teased. “I’ve never been bothered by it myself.”

  Reaching a finger inside the lantern, Maxim fished out a small tinderbox as he quipped, “Madam, I assure you I considered it fair reason to give up sailing the seas.”

  He finally struck the wick alight, and the tiny flame sputtered in the breeze that wafted through the hall, then the small door was closed and the light grew stronger, touching their surroundings with its meager glow.

  “You jest, of course,” Justin whispered in amused curiosity. “Sailing on a ship has been a dream of mine, but I would not join the Hansa to do it.”

  “I spent a few years at sea,” Maxim remarked casually. “In fact, I even commanded a small galleon for a space. Alas! Her majesty’s navy was not for me.” He cocked his head to one side and gave a smile of gentle recall. “My parents enjoyed their life together. I intend to share as much of my time as possible with my wife.” His eyes warmly glowing, he glanced at Elise and found the sapphire orbs mirroring the tiny candle flame. More than that, they shone with a loving light of their own to fair bedazzle him.

  Maxim raised the lantern as they progressed down the hall. Pausing beside a door on his left, he pushed it carefully open and entered what was soon judged to be a small galley set just forward of the master’s cabin. All the accoutrements of a chef hung from a bar secured above a table. A huge, open-faced hearth, consisting of three walls and a flooring covered with brick, was located at the far end of the narrow space. A large kettle hung on a spit above the charred remains of several logs. Overhead, a grating of iron allowed a place for the smoke to escape, but was now covered with a hatch. On the interior of the hearth, on the wall nearest the main cabin, hung an iron door. When Maxim opened it and looked inside, he found the reverse of a similar portal securely fastened on the far side of the hearth wall.

  They continued down the companionway toward the main cabin, and the door creaked slightly as Maxim pushed it open. Even without the aid of a lantern, the stern gallery windows would have allowed enough illumination from the snow-shrouded night to verify that the compartment was empty save for its rich appointments. To assure that no leakage of light reached the world beyond the cabin, the pair of men made haste to pull the heavy velvet draperies across the windows.

  Shivering, Elise glanced about at the luxury that abounded in the spacious compartment, but it was of little comfort. The cold had penetrated so deeply into the ship, it was like an icy tomb, bereft of even the smallest warmth.

  “ ‘Twould seem Hilliard is not in the least fearful of anyone stealing from him,” Justin commented laconically.

  “Aye,” Maxim agreed. “Should any dare, I’ve no doubt justice would be swiftly served by the burghers of Lubeck”

  “ ‘Up on the yard, hang that Schuft!’ they’d cry,” Justin sneered. “How I yearn to hear such a cry and see Hilliard swinging by the neck from a masthead.”

  “He may someday, or better yet, have to face the axeman’s blade,” Maxim replied in distant thought as he glanced toward the bunk. Rich furs promised an abundance of comfort, even from the cold, but the presence of the young man precluded any hope of the marriage vows being consummated.

  “ ‘Tis obvious you’re not working for Hilliard,” Justin stated, his curiosity desiring appeasement. “Are you a spy?”

  “A spy for whom?” Maxim scoffed. “Please! Lend no gilding of the cavalier to what I did. I am a man without a country.”

  Maxim shunned further questions as he searched the bulkhead, starboard of the door through which they had entered. Rich wood paneling covered the walls of the cabin save for a space perhaps an arm’s-span away from the portal. There, an iron skirt protected the flooring beneath a small black door set in brick. Lifting the latch, he opened the portal and found, as he suspected, that it opened into the interior of the galley hearth.

  “Clever man, Hilliard He designed this ship to have a small private galley nearby to serve his own gluttonous appetite and has even provided a way for us to get warm while enjoying his fine accommodations.”

  “Do you think you should light a fire?” Justin asked, fretting at the thought of discovery.

  “W-we cannot s-stay here without one,” Elise stuttered through chattering teeth. “I’m f-freezing.”

  “As long as we leave before daylight, I doubt there’ll be anyone moving around the quay to notice,” Maxim replied. “I see no reason to be further discomforted.”

  “I must leave you for a time,” Justin informed them, and became aware that the interest of the other man centered on him. “When Hilliard realizes you’re the one who killed Gustave, you can expect this city to be turned upside down until you’re found. I mean to return to Tante’s house and pack up your chests so you can put Lubeck well behind you ere morningtide. If you tell me where your two friends can be found, I’ll have them ready the sleigh and hold it at the edge of town until I can bring you your mounts and lead you through the city.”

  Maxim braced his arms akimbo as he peered at the other closely. “Are you so trustworthy then?”

  Justin drew himself up to full height and, with anger blazing in his eyes, laid a hand on the hilt of his dagger. “I’ve played the fool and fop for the benefit of the Hansards for some time now,” he said through rage-whitened lips. “I’ve roamed this city in a dozen guises and tweaked the masters’ beards a score and more times. I’ll not stand here and have my honor questioned.”

  “Calm yourself,” Maxim warned. “Anger has a way of making a fool of a ma
n.”

  “Have I served you so ill this eventide that you still doubt me?”

  “You’ve served us all well,” the elder man admitted. “But you’ve much to learn of responsibilities . . .”

  “Indeed?” Justin fairly sizzled with outrage. “How so?”

  “For example”—Maxim allowed himself to show a little irritation—“by bringing Elise into the communal hall when you knew it was dangerous for her. Be damned! Had anything happened to her I would have called you out . . .”

  “Maxim, please listen,” Elise begged. “ ‘Twas my fault, truly. I followed him, and had he denied me, I’d have tried to enter on my own.”

  “Aye, madam, but you’d never have gotten past the guard without a Hansa seal, which Justin undoubtedly has . . .”

  “Which reminds me,” the youth interrupted, fixing Maxim with an attentive stare. “How did you manage to get in?”

  The Marquess returned a stoic mien to the younger man. He could find no reason to tell, but then, with the deed well behind them, no harm could be done in appeasing the other’s curiosity. “If you must know, I told the guard we were traders from Novgorod and had been personally invited by Karr Hilliard himself. It helped considerably to show the man a document impressed with Hilliard’s own seal.”

  “So! That is why you’re dressed the way you are.” Justin nodded as he began to understand the Englishman’s reasoning. “You knew the guards would easily accept your statements as truth because it would be something Hilliard would readily do to gain the Easterlings’ trade.” His eyes narrowed as he sought further answers. “But how did you get the clothing?”

  “I’ve made a few friends in my years of travel,” Maxim rejoined. “Having themselves acquired an aversion to Hilliard, they were willing to assist me.”

  “It must have been some Easterling prince, the way you’re garbed. I suppose you even speak their tongue.” Though Justin expected the subtle probing to gain more answers, the sharp jutting of a tawny brow assured him he would gain no further information.

  “ ‘Tis your choice, of course, whether to accept me as a trusted friend,” Justin needled. “Or you can wait until Hilliard’s men find you. If you return to the Von Reijn house, you’ll endanger all who are there, and I’ll not allow that. Better you learn to trust me as I, this night, have come to trust you. I’ve no intention of doing a favor for the one who murdered my father, and if Hilliard did not do it himself, he gave the order.”

  Elise laid a hand upon her husband’s sleeve as she issued a small measure of advice. “I believe he can be trusted, Maxim. He means no harm to us.”

  A nod and a smile acknowledged Justin’s gratitude for her faith in him. “You’re most gracious, Elise.”

  Maxim stared at the man a moment longer as if he would make up his own mind, then he spoke. “I choose to honor the lady’s confidence in you, but should you prove anything less than trustworthy, I shall see that adequate recompense be delivered to your door posthaste. Mark my word.”

  “I understand explicitly, my lord,” Justin declared. “I must admit I didn’t hold you in the best esteem a few hours past either.” A brief smile touched his lips. “I hope you have room for another guest at your castle. You’ll need as many men as possible to defend it when Hilliard comes calling. I don’t intend to miss the event.”

  Maxim crossed to the desk and, with quill in hand, scrawled out a note on a scrap of parchment. As he handed the piece to the younger man he asked, “Do you know the Lowentatze?” He saw the other nod. “They await word there.” Maxim removed a small coin from his coat and gave it over with further instructions. “You’ll give them the note and show them this coin with Elizabeth’s face on it. They’ll trust you then.”

  Justin tucked the piece away securely. “I shall not disappoint you.”

  “Good!” Maxim’s voice carried a note of concern, for he had need to be wary, as had the knights, Kenneth and Sherbourne. They were virtually on their own until the ports came free of ice in the spring, and there were many others in his care who would suffer should Hilliard gain the upper hand.

  Justin crossed to the door and announced in a lighter vein, “I shall remove the hatch and light a fire in the galley for you ‘ere I leave.” He paused at the portal to consider them with a hint of a mischievous gleam in his eye. “ ‘Twill be my wedding gift to you both.”

  Elise was taken back by surprise. “How did you know?”

  A rather cocky grin traced Justin’s lips as he tilted his head to the side in a mode of museful pondering. “I believe ‘twas something Sir Kenneth said that made me wonder about you two, and then I sorted the rest of the puzzle out as we came here. Is it to be known when the vows were spoken?”

  “It was only this morning,” Elise murmured, taking comfort as Maxim’s arm settled about her shoulders.

  “Obviously you’ve not told Nicholas?” The last was presented as a question, and Justin waited until the maid answered with a slow nod. “Then be assured, fair Elise, that I’ll not tell him either.” He started to step through the door, but turned back again. “Of course, you know if Hilliard remains in power, you’ll be in danger as long as you stay in this country. You should make arrangements to leave at the first possible chance, at least as soon as the ships can sail again. Perhaps I shall speak with Nicholas about the matter of your leaving. He’ll no doubt be waiting to question me when I arrive home.” He sighed as if he found the idea rather tedious. “In any case, be assured that Hilliard will not cease until he has salved his hurts. I’ve no idea what your business was with him, but you can stand assured that he does not take well to being played a fool, especially by spies.” He smiled briefly as the other man’s brows gathered into a scowl. “Though you deny it, my lord, I find no other explanation, but you can trust that I’ll hold my silence. Also, I would warn you that Hilliard has his following. His spies are everywhere.”

  “I’ll be careful,” Maxim assured him. “And thank you for getting us here.”

  “I could say it has been my pleasure, my lord, but in truth I think the pleasure will all be yours.”

  Heaving a rather forlorn sigh that hinted of his own disappointment, Justin touched his brow in a farewell salute and left them, closing the door behind him. Maxim made the portal secure and set a kettle filled with small chunks of ice inside the hearth to thaw. He prepared the bunk as the sounds of Justin’s footsteps came from overhead and then from the next room. He removed his drooping mustache and wiped most of the stain from his face. With the aid of a strong intoxicant, he freed his lips of the sticky substance that had held it in place. A short time later a blazing fire lit the interior of the galley hearth and spread its heat to the main cabin. Silence returned as Justin left the ship, but the couple hardly noticed as they came into each other’s arms. Though the warmth was slow to push back the chill in the compartment, they doffed their outer garments and tossed them aside.

  Elise giggled as she kissed the taste of brandy from her husband’s lips. “I should be cautious,” she sighed. “This might be a ruse to get me well into my cups.”

  “Give it nary a thought, my love,” Maxim breathed as his open mouth caressed her parted lips. “ ‘Twould be my intent only if you were reluctant and I had debauchery in mind, but I mean to cherish the fullness of your response in this moment of coming together, this joining of bodies and hearts.”

  Elise stretched up on her toes and, looping her arms over his naked shoulders, teased him with a coy smile. “Perhaps you should remove the black from your hair and all the tan from your skin. Otherwise, I might think some strange man is making love to me.”

  “Afterward,” he whispered, slipping his hands beneath her shirt and unfastening the wide cloth that bound her bosom.

  A quick gasp answered his bold possession of the rounded curves. Her eyes sultry with passion, Elise moved into his embrace gladly. “On second thought,” she breathed, her lips against his cheek, “I don’t believe you mean to leave any doubt.”

&
nbsp; His mouth sought hers in a passionate frenzy, and it seemed an eternity passed before he broke away with a sigh, leaving her spent and breathless. As if he fought some inner battle on his own, he raised his head and stared down into the encompassing warmth of the sapphire blue. His own were aflame with fiery passion.

  “I could lose myself in those pools, madam, and I’m hot to pursue the moment.” He drew in a ragged breath. “ ‘Tis a mountainous task for me to hold you and remain tender and patient when my hunger for you has brought me to the brink of starvation.”

  “My lord, pray consider that I’m not a rose, nor nearly so delicate. You’ll hardly bruise or crush me by holding me close or caressing me. I assure you, my lord, I’m quite hardy. And very inquisitive. Truly, my love, might it occur to you that I yearn for what is to come as much as you? I want to please you, and yet I’m a stranger to the knowledge I need and am seeking. Is it acceptable for a woman to pleasure a man?”

  “Indeed!”

  “Then teach me how to make love to you. Let me know what is pleasurable to a man. Let me be your lover, replacing all thoughts of any other you might have once cherished.” With a softly teasing, beguiling smile she plucked at the fastenings of the bejeweled belt that encircled his lean waist. When it was free and flung aside, she slid both hands slowly over his wide chest, marveling as she caressed the rugged firmness of the muscular expanse. She guessed by the expectant stillness with which he accepted her touch and the warming heat in the green eyes that he enjoyed the play. Encouraged to a bolder mien, she slid her hands around his ribs and downward from the small of his back as she pressed herself to him.

  Warmed and intrigued by her response, Maxim slipped the shirt from her shoulders, and Elise freed it with a shrug. The garment fell to the deck unheeded as his lips trailed down the pale column of her throat. Her round breasts gleamed enticingly in the golden firelight, and raising his head a moment, Maxim drank his fill of their perfection. Gently cupping the soft, scented roundness within his hands, he bent and leisurely caressed them with his mouth, pressing wanton kisses over their warmth. Elise’s head fell back as the fires raged in the depths of her body. A pulsing heat began to throb in her loins, spreading outward, reaching upward until she thrust out her breasts to luxuriate in the hot, flicking strokes. Her breath was wont to catch in ecstatic gasps, interrupting the quickening, shallow rhythm. She felt consumed by a pleasure that threatened to melt every fiber of her being and leave her naught but a quivering relic of herself. In truth, she was made of sterner stuff, but never in her wildest imaginings had she guessed the height to which a lover’s touch could catapult her. Indeed, when Maxim began to pull away her clothing, a fever caught hold of her, and her fingers joined his until at last she stood naked before him. In turn she plucked at the lacings of his breeches, and she rubbed her breasts seductively against his chest as his hands explored downward.