Bold Conquest

by Virginia Henley

  She turned, puzzled and apprehensive at his tone.

  "What were you doing in Aedward's room in the middle of the night?" he asked quietly.

  Basically, she told the truth, but the coldness of his eyes disconcerted her so much she stumbled over her explanations. "His mother— that is, our mother was ill in the night and I went to fetch him," she said.

  "Aedward is not your brother," stated Guy so quietly that she did not know if she had heard him right. Fear sprang into her eyes.

  "Ha! You fear for your lover, and by the bones of Christ you have good reason to fear!"

  She took a step toward him to plead her case. "I did not lie overmuch, my lord. He is my brother, in the law, since I married his brother Wulfric, and indeed I think of him in terms of a brother."

  Guy's lips pulled back to show his teeth. "You mock me, lady! The whole fief knows you for sweethearts. I am the last to know— a fine figure of fun I must be to everyone."

  "We were never really sweethearts, and besides, that was a long time ago," she pleaded lamely.

  "You deny me night after night, but dispense your favors elsewhere with such frequency it makes my senses swim. How many men have you known, Lillyth? I admit you had me fooled with that 'touch-me-not' business. But you are very good at the game, Lillyth, luring me, then rebuffing me, daring my manhood."

  He went toward her and she turned and ran from him, but he simply reached out and took her. She knew all her time had run out and he could be denied no longer, yet in a totally futile effort she struggled and hit out at him instinctively. He picked her up and threw her down onto his bed. He held her down into the furs with one hand and pulled off her tunic with the other. She went wild and scratched his face, but he didn't even seem to notice. He simply took both her wrists in one hand and pulled her underdress from her, leaving her naked.

  Her bare thighs and breasts excited him more than he had dreamed possible as she thrashed about the bed, entangling them both in her long golden tresses. A white searing jealousy consumed him as his mind's eye pictured her with Aedward. Aedward was such a handsome, blond youth of Lillyth's own age, compared to his thirty. What made it harder to bear was the fact that he knew he was jealous. Inside, he laughed bitterly at himself for the fool she had made of him. He had been falling in love with Lillyth and had been determined to wait until she yielded to him, but now he was wild to have his way with her.

  Lillyth knew she loved him. It was no use denying it to herself any longer, but she hated him for what he was thinking about her, and she did not want to be taken by force. She cursed herself for not yielding sooner, when he had been in a gentler mood.

  He slipped out of his clothes so easily she hardly blinked before she found him naked and almost on top of her. His thighs were like iron as he knelt above her body. Lowering his mouth to hers, he kissed her savagely. His mouth moved to her throat and down to her breast as she fought for breath. As she fully realized the extent of the towering passion she aroused in him, she was stunned at its intensity. His combined lust and anger formed a tidal wave that swept her begging denials aside ruthlessly. Her nipples stood erect and she realized hopelessly that he was arousing her even as she fought him. He forced her legs apart with his knee and tried to impale her, but something prevented him from entering all the way, and she cried out in pain.

  "You are still a maid!" he said thickly, as realization dawned upon him. He withdrew immediately and looked down upon her in great wonder.

  "Does that matter, Norman?" she cried.

  "I am no ravisher of virgins, lady." Gently, he wiped a smear of blood from her thigh with the soft linen sheet and tried to take her in his arms. She curled over onto her side in a tight little ball and was racked with sobs. His heart soared heavenward as the thought that none other had had his way with her. He bent over her and asked gently, "How long were you wed, love?"

  "One day only, before he rode away to his death," she said simply.

  "It would have been long enough had you been my bride," he whispered, and took up the soft fur covers and placed them over her to keep out the cold.

  She offered him no explanation and he got off the bed and dressed himself again. He stroked her hair gently and whispered, "Forgive me, Lillyth," before he took himself downstairs to spend the night with his men and give her the privacy she had begged him for. He deeply regretted the black-tempered mood he had gone to her in. He felt savage toward those who had dared to raid his property. His nerve endings felt raw when he thought Lillyth had lied to him. The trait he most disliked in a woman was deceit. He had never met one before now who was not deceitful. Suddenly, his spirits soared as he thought of the treasure that no other man had touched. Nay and never would, he swore. As he descended, all eyes looked up apprehensively and he remembered his entrance earlier. He bethought himself of Aedward and started for the stables, then changed his mind. Let the young devil sweat it out, until morning.

  Edgarson ran into the hut agog with news. His mother grabbed his arm. "Where have you been at this hour? You should be abed."

  "The new lord has chained Aedward in the stables," he told Edwina.

  She went white and gasped, "Why? What happened?"

  "They would not tell me. Probably kill him, come morning," he babbled.

  "Ah no, please God. I must go to him," Edwina cried, throwing back her bedcover and slipping into her tunic.

  "You cannot go out at this hour. Do not go looking for trouble, Edwina," her mother begged.

  Edwina took May's hands in her own. "I must, mother. I love him."

  "I know, child," said her mother sadly, shaking her head and letting her go.

  Edwina gave no thought to the darkness, even though she had never ventured out alone in it before. She ran to the stables and found Aedward chained to a stall. He sat dejectedly upon a pile of straw. She knelt down before him and he looked up startled.

  "Edwina! What are you doing here? You should not have come," he warned.

  "I had to know. What happened, Aedward?" she pleaded.

  He shook his head. "I don't know, but I think it has something to do with last night's raid. He must think I am connected with it in some way because I am a Saxon."

  "He must know you could never have anything to do with setting fire to our people's huts," Edwina protested.

  "Men would really have to be driven to go to such lengths to steal supplies, but, Edwina, if I were on the run, I might be driven to such an act"

  "Never," she asserted. "You are a man of honor."

  "I only hope it has no connection with Lillyth," he thought aloud.

  "Lillyth?" she whispered, really afraid now.

  "She came to my chamber last night to tell me my mother was very ill. He found us together."

  "Do you love Lillyth?" she asked fearfully.

  "Who could know Lillyth and not love her?" he mused. "God, I fear more for Lillyth at his hands than I do for myself."

  "You should not waste pity on her; he will be blinded to her faults as are all men."

  "Edwina, that was unkind," he rebuked her.

  "I cannot help it. I am so worried for you. What will he do to you? My brother said they will kill you at dawn!"

  "Edwina, I have done nothing. If I receive justice, I certainly shall not be killed. I want you to leave now. I do not want you to be in trouble on my behalf. It is best not to fraternize with a prisoner."

  "Fraternize?" she asked.

  "It is a French word. It means treat me as a brother."

  "I do not think of you as a brother, Aedward." She blushed.

  "Go now," he insisted. "It is not safe to be about after dark. If one of the knights sees you, you could be molested."

  Edwina left the stable, but instead of going to her family's hut, she made her way to Morag's.

  "Morag, you must help me, please! The Lord Aedward has been chained in the stables and I fear for his life," she begged.

  "The Norman will not take his life," said Morag with conviction.
r />   "How do you know?" sobbed Edwina.

  "Power shared is power halved," said Morag cryptically.

  "Is the trouble connected with Lillyth?" asked Edwina.

  'Where Aedward is concerned, you would do well to fear Lillyth, and not Montgomery," warned Morag.

  "He loves her!" cried Edwina.

  "Aye, and you love Aedward," said Morag.

  Edwina stared at her wonderingly, then she lowered her eyes and admitted, "I do love him and I want him to love me. Will you help me?"

  "You are the little girl who looks after the bees?" asked Morag.

  Edwina nodded.

  "Bring me beeswax and I will fashion you and Aedward out of wax. It will work better if you can get me some of his hair for the doll. Then we will bind them together with a red thread or ribbon. The material you use does not matter but it must be red. Soon he will love you as you love him."

  "What will I give you for payment, Morag? I do not have much to give, I'm afraid."

  "I need wax. Bring me wax to make many images, and do not forget to whisper your wishes to the bees, for they take messages to the gods. Be silent," she admonished, "or the Montgomery will have me put to death for casting spells."

  Guy de Montgomery found Aedward chained to the stall as he had ordered the next morning and immediately unshackled him.

  "I discovered the lie you are living, Aedward," he said sternly.

  "My lord, I hated the lie Lillyth gave you, but she only did it to protect me. I am Wulfric's brother. Lady Hilda is my mother and Oxstead our home, not Godstone."

  "You swore fealty to me," stated Guy.

  "l did, my lord, and I kept my vows."

  "Do you swear you know nothing of last night's plunder?" Guy demanded.

  "I do so swear, and I will help track them down with a vengeance. I have been wondering what will be left at Oxstead as it is virtually undefended."

  "We will ride over there as soon as we have eaten. I will give you another chance to prove yourself, but it will be your last chance, Aedward."

  The hall was agog as the two men walked in, seemingly on good terms.

  Morgan's head swam with his own daring. The raid had gone off as simply as one, two, three. Of course, that was because Red Wolf was as familiar with Godstone as he himself was. Morgan had simply walked into the stables where he had always worked and led out two horses. Because he was such a familiar face around there, none questioned him. He had been shocked when he found out one of the peasant's huts had been fired, but when he realized no one had been injured, he reasoned that was probably the only way his companions could have drawn attention away from the storehouses while they helped themselves to the food supplies. Later, back at camp, Red Wolf praised him generously for his accomplishment. "Not one horse, but two! I am proud to count you among my men. Here is that dagger I promised you."

  Red Wolf drew the large knife from his belt and held it out to Morgan. His pride swelled within him as he went forward to claim the prize the leader had promised him. Red Wolf grabbed him by the arm and plunged the knife into Morgan's gut as deeply as it would go. Morgan's eyes opened wide in horror as he realized he was finished, and he had not only provided this pig with horses but had provided him Faith as well. Red Wolf called two of his followers. "Bury him," he ordered, as he went to his knees to wipe the blood from the dagger on Morgan's tunic.

  Faith awaited Morgan's return from the raid with mounting apprehension. She fingered the talisman around her neck and sat with her fingers crossed tightly. She willed her eyes to see that dear, familiar blond head appear through the door of the homemade hut, then finally she heard a step and rose with a glad cry. It froze in her throat as the head that appeared was not blond, but red!

  "I have bad news for you, little one," he said low.

  "Morgan?" she whispered.

  He nodded. "He was caught in the raid and killed."

  She sat motionless, numbed by the blow fate had dealt. It had been an ill-omened day when they had decided to run away together. Morgan had escaped the Normans, but at what a price!

  "Fear not, I will take care of you," said Red Wolf.

  Faith knew if she showed her distaste for this leader her life would be misery from this moment until she went to her grave, so she sat passively as he told her of his plans for her. Something inside her died that night along with Morgan. She did not notice him begin to remove his clothing. She hardly felt his thick avid fingers as they tore her garments off to reveal her nakedness. She made no protest as his rough beard scraped her tender breasts. However, she screamed in pain as he bit down on her nipple. "Bitch! Respond to me!" he growled. She moaned and reached for him in a frenzy of pretense.

  Chapter 11

  Lillyth saw Guy ride out with a sizable number of his men early in the morning. She recognized Rolf and Andre and was glad to see Aedward ride out with them, apparently none the worse for wear in spite of Guy's threats. She knew it would be a good time to take a bath, so she called a couple of young esquires and sent them off to the kitchen for hot water, while she dragged out the wooden bathtub. As the young lad was struggling up the stairs with the hot water, Nicholas, who had not gone to Oxstead with the others, spotted him and asked his destination.

  "This is for the Lady Lillyth's bath, my lord," he said importantly. This was all Nicholas needed for a morning of sport to dispel any boredom he felt. He waited until Lillyth had time to get into the tub and walked in on her.

  She gasped and slid down as far as she could under the water.

  "Get out, immediately!" she demanded angrily.

  "Sweetheart, you shouldn't have left the door unbarred. I'll do it for you," he grinned, and deftly dropped the bar into place.

  Lillyth was so dismayed at her predicament that the tears sprang to her eyes and she hopelessly pleaded with him to leave.

  "Don't take life so seriously, Lillyth. You should laugh and play more; have a little fun. I know my brother is a dull dog, but he is getting old and that excuses him. But you, chérie, are just a little girl and you should smile more often."

  He picked up a flacon of perfumed oil she had used and sniffed it appreciatively. He spread his arms wide and said, "I promise to leave if you give me just one glimpse!'

  "No!" she shouted, and desperately sought to keep her breasts beneath the water.

  He laughed, "They keep bobbing up like apples in a wassail bowl— delicious!" He took a step closer. "Come out of the water and let me see you. One glimpse of heaven and I'll leave."

  "I have no intentions of getting out of this water until you depart, sir," she stated flatly.

  He perched on the edge of the tub and said, "I'll wait. Sooner or later you will have to come out, or freeze to death."

  "Oh please, what can I do to make you leave me alone?" she wailed.

  He considered for a moment and said, "Well, you realize I cannot give in without you paying a forfeit of some kind? My honor is at stake!"

  "You have no honor! Besides, I've learned to my sorrow about Montgomery forfeits. What do you want?" she asked suspiciously.

  "I have a great desire to see Sevenoaks. If you will ride out with me today, I will consider leaving you to your ablutions in privacy."

  "All right, I will come with you, if you promise that I will be completely safe."

  "I won't ravish you, chérie, but I shall woo you every step of the way." He winked and left, and she found herself laughing at his audacity.

  They rode alone without escort, and to her surprise Lillyth found that she was enjoying herself. Nicholas was very gallant when he chose to be so. He was witty and she laughed a great deal. The smooth French compliments fell from his lips with such ease she did not believe a word, but his undivided attention was very flattering.

  "You must learn to speak the Saxon tongue. From now on I shall only answer when you speak English," she threatened.

  He tried a few phrases out and then said, "Lillyth, my beautiful flower, you are absolutely worthless!"

&n
bsp; She was engulfed with giggles. "I think you mean 'priceless,' " she corrected.

  "Worthless— priceless— what is the difference?" he puzzled.

  "I cannot really explain. Your brother begins to speak Saxon very well, though. Tell me about his childhood."

  "Well, Guy learned knighthood in the discipline of servitude. I imagine by the time he was eight he was exhausted from bringing, fetching, errands, slaps and scoldings as both a page and an esquire. He believes if you must know how to govern men, you must first learn how to govern yourself. It was much easier for Andre and myself, as we grew up in his household. Enough of Guy," he grinned, "he must plead his own case."

  It was getting colder and soon the snow began to fall lightly.

  "Nicholas, I am very cold. I think we should return."

  "It's only another mile. We will get warm and have something to eat before we return," he promised.

  Sevenoaks was the crossroads to London and the coast. It boasted no hall, but it did have a small inn for weary travelers. They dismounted, and Nicholas asked for a private room with a fire. The innkeeper hurried to do as the Norman bid him. He was thankful to still be in possession since the Normans had taken over.

  Lillyth was almost blue from the cold, and Nicholas drew her into the private room. "Come and be warm, love," he said.

  She sank into a chair before the cheerful blaze and Nicholas knelt to remove her boots and rubbed her feet between his hands. He bent and placed his lips to her instep. "I kiss your feet, Lillyth. I've given it a lot of thought, chérie, and I have decided that I would like to have you for my wife."