She struggled to keep a clear mind. Between his enticing scent and scandalous embrace, she could easily surrender to the temptation to kiss him—but she mustn’t. “Do you ask such questions of all women?”
“Only the privileged ones.”
Privileged. The word implied he knew she was a noblewoman.
Icy coldness pooled in the pit of Violetta’s stomach, but defiance stirred too, insisting she must keep up her deception until she had no other option. “If you mean that I am privileged to have been rescued and cared for, you are absolutely right. If you had not found me, I might still be in the tunnel.” She shuddered. “I could have been there for days.”
His breath stirred the hair falling over her forehead. “’Tis not quite what I meant.”
“W-whatever you meant, milord, the answer to your first question is nay. I am not frightened of you.”
“I am glad, for—”
“I would like you to release me not because I am inexperienced with men—I was betrothed once—but because we barely know one another. We only met for the first time last night.”
Still, he didn’t withdraw his arm.
He dipped his head slightly, and his lips touched her brow in the lightest of kisses; the heat of his kiss curled around her heart. “If I understand your answer correctly, love, you are not an innocent maiden?”
Violetta’s pulse lurched. While she hadn’t lain with Melwin—young ladies were to remain virgins until married—she wasn’t completely innocent. She’d kissed him in a secluded part of Darringsleigh Keep’s garden the last three times he’d visited. Judging by his groans during and dazed expression afterward, he’d enjoyed their kissing immensely, although she’d found herself wishing for something a bit more awe-inspiring.
Her betrothed had been a handsome and chivalrous young man, however, and she’d rationalized that kissing would become more thrilling once she’d gained more practice—although those hopes had shattered when she’d received the sad news of his mortal injury. She’d wept not just for the man she’d lost, but for what might have been between them.
Osric was clearly waiting for her answer. But, did he have a right to know about her prior experiences? Such revelations would be disrespectful to her late betrothed. Meeting Osric’s gaze, she said: “Your question about my innocence, milord, is both bold and personal.”
He didn’t even blink. “Aye.”
“I would rather not answer it.”
“I hope you will, for my sake.”
“Your sake?” Whatever did he mean?
His mouth slowly ticked up at the corner. “Knowing whether another man has a claim to you, love…. Well, it just might keep me from doing something rash.”
~ * ~
Osric could hardly believe what he was saying, but he did want to know if she belonged to another. While her betrothed had died last autumn, she could have become engaged again; the news may not have been made public yet.
Hellfire, he had to know.
Her eyes shimmered with uncertainty. Determined to coax the truth out of her, Osric trailed the fingers of his free hand down her cheek.
Her long lashes fluttered, acknowledgment of his caress, but still, the uncertainty lingered.
“I have had suitors,” she blurted, sounding breathless.
He fought a pang of jealousy. “As I expected of one so lovely.”
She turned her head so his hand lost contact with her skin. “Please. Release me.”
“I will. But, tell me: You said you were once betrothed.”
Sadness shadowed her features. “I was, but am no longer.”
Relief washed through Osric. “No suitor holds your affections?”
“Nay.” She frowned. “That does not mean I can be wooed, even by you.”
He longed to point out that most women of humble birth would be overjoyed to know they’d caught a lord’s interest, but at that moment, her stomach growled.
“I guess I am hungry,” she said with a sheepish laugh.
Osric mentally kicked himself for being so caught up in his lust for her that he’d neglected her wellbeing. “We must get you some fare, then. Can you get to the chair by the fire?”
She assessed the distance between the table and the hearth. “I can, if you will get me the crutches.”
Fetching the crutches would mean leaving her standing on a leg that must be tired by now. Osric bent, slid his arm under her knees, and scooped her up in his embrace. She sucked in a quick breath while her arms went around his neck. “Milord—”
He strode to the hearth and set her down in the chair.
Looking flustered, she righted her garments. “I could have managed myself with the crutches.”
“Carrying you was faster. Besides, I must get used to having you in my arms.”
“Do I dare ask why?”
Grinning, he crossed to the door, opened it, and ordered one of the guards outside to have fare sent from the kitchens. Then, Osric returned to the hearth. He leaned one shoulder against the stone mantel as she stared up at him expectantly.
“Well? Will you honor me with an answer to my question?”
“I will.”
When he delayed divulging more, she scowled. “’Tis not fair of you to keep me wondering.”
In the flickering firelight, her hair glimmered as though painted with gold. Glossy strands trailed against her neck and tempted him to brush them aside, but the way his body burned after having her in his arms, he’d be wise to keep his distance. “I have been thinking about exploring the tunnel,” he finally said.
“And?”
“You can accompany me, if you wish.”
Her face lit with joy. “Really?”
“Really.”
She appeared more delighted than if he’d handed her a chest filled with jewels.
“With the crutches, you should be able to move around as you like belowground. If not, I will carry you.”
“’Tis a most chivalrous offer.”
He wasn’t being entirely selfless. He remembered, from when he’d rescued her, that part of the tunnel continued onto her father’s estate. ’Twould be best to have Violetta with him in case they were discovered by her sire’s men and Osric needed to negotiate his way out of being taken hostage.
Her brow furrowed with a frown. “I will need help getting down into the tunnel.”
“You will hold onto me, love, while my men lower us down by rope.”
She hesitated, mayhap because his suggestion meant they’d be intimately pressed against one another once again, but then nodded. “A fine plan.”
“I am pleased you agree.” How bloody ironic, that a Seabrook and a Molineaux found themselves in agreement.
“When can we go?” she asked. “Today?”
“The sun will set soon. We will go on the morrow.”
She looked disappointed.
“Do not worry. No one will learn the tunnel’s secrets before us. I have told my captain-of-the-guard to post sentries and that no one is allowed to go down into the passageway.”
“If I am to be here for yet another day, I really must inform my family.”
“Aye. Your letter.” Osric pushed away from the wall and crossed to the writing implements on the table. “We can compose the missive while we wait for the food to arrive. How do you wish to start?” He opened the pot of black ink and dipped in the nib of the quill.
“‘Dearest Father and Mother,’ I suppose.”
Nodding, Osric set the quill to the parchment and began to write.
~ * ~
Osric began to read the finished letter aloud. He truly had the most beguiling voice: richly-toned and mesmerizing.
Do not fall for him. Never forget that he could destroy you, as well as your family.
She forced herself to concentrate on the words he was speaking. The letter—intentionally vague—assured her parents that she was safe, but that she’d suffered an injury. She’d insisted they needn’t worry and that she’d be home soon.
She’d wanted to say more, but the voice of reason inside her had cautioned she’d disclosed enough for now.
Finished reading, Osric glanced at her.
“Perfect. I will sign my name, so they know ’tis truly from me.”
“You can write your name?”
Disquiet raced through her.
“I thought you could not read or write.”
Had she just given herself away? Violetta scrambled for a good reply. “A lady I knew years ago taught me a few words and how to pen my signature. She believed ’twas important for me to know such, since I sought work in noble households and might have to make formal agreements.”
While Violetta’s tutor had indeed been a lady, the rest of what she’d just said was utter falsehood. She prayed Osric would believe her.
He pondered her words and then nodded. Her shoulders lowered on a silent sigh of relief as he brought the missive to her then pushed the bedside table over to her chair. Then he brought her the quill and ink. “Once you have signed, I will seal the missive with wax. Shall I also emboss it with the Seabrook seal?”
Violetta shook her head. If her father saw the enemy seal, he’d assume she’d been abducted and might attack. She didn’t want Osric or anyone else to be harmed or slain because of her. Far better to admit to her parents where she’d been once she was safely within Darringsleigh’s walls. “Just plain wax will be fine,” she said.
Once she’d signed the name Lettie—her parents would remember her nickname—Osric rolled up the parchment. “’Twill be sealed and delivered right away. Where should it be sent?”
“The baker’s shop in the town.”
His brows rose. “Your father is the baker?”
“Nay, but he…receives messages via the baker’s shop.”
Osric’s gaze sharpened, but before she could read his expression, he’d headed for the doorway.
Just as he reached it, a rap sounded on the door. “Excellent timing,” he said. Opening the panel, he motioned for the maidservant outside to bring in the tray of food she carried. After she’d set it down beside Violetta, he handed the young woman the missive. “This is to be sealed with wax and delivered right away to the town baker.”
“Aye, milord.” The servant curtsied and hurried out.
As Osric closed the door, Violetta inhaled the wondrous scents of vegetable pottage and fresh, whole-grain bread.
“Please. Eat,” he said.
“There is only one bowl of pottage.”
“I ate while you were asleep. What is on that tray is for you.”
When she picked up the earthenware bowl and the spoon, he went to the end of the bed, close to her, and sat.
She hoped she didn’t drip pottage down her chin and the front of her gown while she ate.
Violetta spooned up some of the carrots, lentils, and chopped onions in broth. After she’d downed a few bites, Osric said, “Do you remember me telling you of Lady Molineaux, who went missing?”
The mouthful she’d been in the process of swallowing lodged at the back of her mouth. She grabbed the mug of wine from the tray and drank. Thankfully, the fare went down.
“I remember,” she said.
“I thought you might like to know that she has been found.”
Chapter 6
Violetta fought to keep her expression neutral. “Lady Molineaux was found? Where?”
“I do not know the details, but she is safe. My informants tell me Lord Molineaux has called off his search for her.”
Violetta’s mind reeled. If what Osric said was true, did her sire know she was at Coltingstow Keep? He might be gathering an army to besiege the fortress.
’Twas also entirely possible that as soon as her sire and his men ventured onto Seabrook lands, they’d be attacked, imprisoned, or even killed. ’Twould be entirely her fault.
Another unsettling possibility charged into her thoughts: Osric knew full well who she really was and was holding her hostage—while she believed him fooled by her deception and a guest in his household. She’d only be released once her father had paid an extortionate ransom.
The unpleasant thoughts made her stomach rebel. She set down the spoon and moved to put the bowl back on the tray, but Osric shook his head. “You must eat.”
“I have had a few bites; enough for now.”
Concern touched his gaze. “I regret if speaking of Lady Molineaux has upset you. I am curious, though, why speaking of her should cause you distress. Would you care to explain?”
She most certainly would not. Ending her ruse would increase the danger to not only herself, but her loved ones. Her predicament was her own doing; she must resolve it—and she must dispel Osric’s suspicions as swiftly as possible. “I am unsettled, milord, because while you said her ladyship is safe, you left a lot unsaid.”
“Such as?”
“You did not reveal whether she has been reunited with her family. While she may have been found, she could still be in peril. A prisoner, for example, of one of her father’s rivals, who is demanding a price for her safe return.”
“Indeed, such things do happen.”
His expression hadn’t changed. Was he holding her for ransom? Doing her best to keep her voice steady, Violetta asked, “Do you know if she is a hostage?”
Osric’s gaze didn’t waver. “Not that I have heard.”
Again, his answer left a great deal unsaid. When silence lagged, apart from the snap and hiss of the fire, she forced down another bite of pottage. She did need to keep up her strength for when she fled the fortress.
“—for the morrow,” he was saying.
“Pardon?”
He chuckled. “I thought your attention had wandered. As I said, you might prefer to talk about plans for the morrow.”
Oh, but she was looking forward to going belowground. That took priority over returning home, for she must gather as much firsthand information as she could to pass along to her father.
“We will go to the tunnel early tomorrow morning,” Osric said.
She nibbled on a piece of bread. “We will need torches.”
“I have ordered several, along with some spares, in case the tunnel air is damp and the torches do not stay lit.”
“What about bags, to hold any items we find?”
“I suppose.”
The reticence in his voice made her pause. “You do not wish to remove anything from the passageway?”
“That depends what we find.”
“If we discover treasure,” she said. “What then?”
“How did I know you were going to mention treasure?”
Violetta swallowed the bread she’d been chewing. He was studying her as though he believed her only goal was to find precious gold and magnificent jewels that she could sell to make a profit. “I mentioned treasure,” she insisted, “because if we do find some, the riches should not be left for unscrupulous men to take and use to further their ambitions.”
Osric’s eyes narrowed. “What ambitions, exactly?”
She’d overhead her father and his most trusted men discussing the unrest spreading like a pestilence throughout England. Lords were forsaking their loyalty to King Richard to support his power-hungry younger brother, John Lackland. With the sovereign away in the East, a well-coordinated rebellion could very well succeed in making Lackland king.
Yet, a commoner—especially a woman—wouldn’t likely be privy to details shared in confidence among noblemen.
“I heard rumors in the town,” she said. “Talk of a possible uprising.”
“Details of organized attacks, or—?”
“Just men discussing the potential for unrest in the coming months.” When Osric’s jaw hardened, she added, “As a loyal subject of the crown, I do not want lost treasure to become a means to pay for a rebellion.”
“Neither do I. Still, we may not find riches at all—not riches of precious metals and fine jewels. The stone circle is proof that ancient folk lived in this area. Since they likely created the tun
nel, the treasure we find may be items they used, like earthenware pots and arrowheads.”
Peddlers often sold bits of pottery, coins, and other items they’d claimed had come from ruins. “What do you think the tunnel was used for?”
“My guess? ’Twas part of a burial mound. One long forgotten until you happened upon it by accident.”
~ * ~
A keen ache weighed upon Osric. Violetta seemed as enthralled by what they might find as he was; her passion beguiled him. Soon, though, he’d have no choice but to uproot her deception—she couldn’t remain his guest forever—and they’d be enemies again.
“If ’tis indeed part of a burial site, what will you do?” she asked, while her spoon scraped against the bottom of the bowl of pottage.
He was glad to know she’d almost finished the fare. “If we find human remains, we will leave them where they are. I will inform the town sheriff and would hope the area can be protected. ’Twill likely entail some kind of formal charter ratified by Wiltshire officials and even the crown.”
“’Tis very kind that you would honor the ancient folk buried on your estate.”
The admiration in her voice ignited a warm glow within him; he liked that his words had pleased her. “People lived on these lands for centuries before Coltingstow was ceded to my ancestors. The ancient folk had as much right to be here as I do.”
Smiling, she nodded. After downing the last mouthful of pottage, she set the bowl and spoon back on the tray.
“Are you still eager to go into the tunnel, even if we encounter the dead?” he asked.
“Of course I am.”
“What if we see spirits?”
Excitement lit her eyes. “I would not be afraid, but intrigued.”
Obviously no one had tormented her in childhood with stories of the thief said to have perished at the site. Osric still remembered his nightmares in vivid detail; visions of a wailing man, drenched in blood, and with a crushed-in head, chasing him through murky castle passageways.
If he ever had the misfortune to see such a spirit, he’d probably faint—not at all ideal for a battle-hardened warrior.
She squinted at him. “Why do you look queasy?”
“Do I?” His voice had hitched. He cleared his throat.
Captured Hearts and Stolen Kisses Page 7