Immortal Love

by Victoria Craven

  “I’ll be ready when the time comes, I promise you that.” Dominick cleared the anger from his throat.

  “Well I hope this apparition has no further reason to return.”

  “If luck will smile on us, we will reveal McPhearson’s spies and thwart his plans for taking Godwin. That should put her mother’s spirit to rest.” Dominick let out a great yawn. Finally his body was giving itself in to weariness. “I think I will retire for the evening. Tomorrow will be another long day. We should start preparing the fields for planting.”

  Randolf laughed and lightly slapped Dominick’s back. “This I thought I would never see—my brother the great warrior turned into a farmer.”

  “Strangely enough, I’m content doing such. Building, I have found, has been much more satisfying than burning.”

  “To be honest, Brother, I find no satisfaction in this.”

  Dominick wrapped his arm around Randolf’s shoulder. “That is because you have a wanderer’s soul. One day you will find where you belong.”

  “I know where I belong. On a horse heading off to another adventure.”

  Dominick just shook his head. “Sleep well Randolf. I will see you in the morning.”

  “Sleep well. I’ll make one more check on the gatehouses then retire myself.”

  “Good.” Dominick headed back toward his chambers, hoping that he had finally rid himself of his desire, but certain that sleep would be denied him.

  Eleanor awoke when she felt Dominick’s side of the bed shift. Instantly alert, she stiffened. Opening her eyes to slits so as not to give herself away, she watched him walk around the room naked.

  He was a man comfortable in his own skin and moved about the room with the grace of a lion in his lair. When he turned his back to her, she took the opportunity to study his form, marveling at the muscles that bunched and stretched across his back. They had been sleeping in the same bed for many nights, and she was growing accustomed to his nakedness.

  Turning toward the bed, he began to dress. She quickly closed her eyes so as not to be discovered watching, keeping them shut until she heard their chamber door gently close.

  She bolted upright in bed. Where was he going? Remembering her father, her mind made the leap to Dominick’s having a mistress, and sudden fury ran through her.

  Her body burst with energy and she left the bed to pace the chamber floor, looking for something to do. She threw new logs on the fire and watched the embers fan into flames. Like the growing fire, her anger expanded in her chest.

  Unable to relax, she planted herself in a chair near the hearth and watched the flames dance in front of her. Their red and gold took her back to a time when her father had flaunted his mistresses in front of her mother. She pounded her fist on the arm of the chair. “I will not be made a fool of in my own home.”

  Eleanor wasn’t aware of how much time had passed until she heard the chamber door open. Dominick stepped inside and she glared at him.

  His eyes reflected surprise when he saw her sitting by the fire. “You’re awake,” he said as he removed his mantle.

  Bitter venom rose in her throat. “Where have you been?”

  His eyes narrowed slightly. “Why would it concern you where I’ve been?”

  “As mistress of this household, I believe it’s important that my husband conduct himself in an appropriate manner.”

  His arms came across his chest as his spine straightened. “In what way have I acted inappropriately?” he asked flatly.

  Indignation made her heart hammer in her chest, and she shot out of her chair to stand directly in front of him. “You know perfectly well what I’m talking about, and don’t try to deny it.”

  Dominick placed his hands on his hips. “Eleanor, I will not play this game with you. What crime have I committed that has you so upset?”

  “I won’t tolerate a dalliance with your mistress. Do you think to shame me?”

  She saw that his own anger was rising by the way his muscles worked at his jaw.

  He hesitated before he spoke. “What leads you to believe I have a mistress?”

  “What leads me to believe . . . ” she stopped, unable to believe he thought her so addle—brained. “For the past three nights you have left our chamber. If not for a mistress, then what other reason?”

  He stood in silence, but Eleanor sensed he was about to confess his indiscretion, and her heart began to sink.

  Dominick looked at the floor and shook his head. “Eleanor, I’m a man of honor. For most of my life it was the only thing I had. Honor is what I hold most precious above all things, for without it a person is of no worth.” He paused, and the only sound between them was the crackling of the fire. “There is no honor in taking a mistress when a man is bound by God to his wife. This you will never have to fear from me.”

  “You have yet to tell me where you go in the middle of the night.”

  Dominick put his hands on his hips. “I walk the battlements.”

  She gaped in disbelief. “The battlements? Why?”

  He moved closer, but she refused to step back. Before she knew what he was about, he had wrapped his arms around her and lowered his lips onto hers.

  It happened so quickly she didn’t think to resist. The kiss was not demanding or threatening. His lips were warm and soft, drawing Eleanor in.

  Excitement grew in the pit of her stomach as he pressed more firmly, forcing her lips apart, and his tongue gently touched hers. She jolted. Liquid desire raced through her veins, and her body melted against his.

  Then it seemed that as soon as the kiss had started it ended. He pulled away. Eyes dark with passion, he looked to be having the same difficulty breathing as she.

  “This is the reason I walk the battlements at night, Eleanor, so as not to break my vow to you.” Donning his mantle, he went to pull open the chamber door. “Despite my reputation, I’m mortal, with the same desires as any man. Sleep well.”

  In the next moment he was gone.

  Her fingers brushed her lips. She could still feel the warmth of his kiss. Her knees no longer held her weight, and she stumbled to a nearby chair.

  Disbelief washed over her as a strange tightening pulled in the pit of her stomach. He had kissed her! And even more unbelievable—she had not wanted him to stop. Fear rose in her heart. What if he came back and kissed her again and her body betrayed her? Would she be able to stop him? This was a different kind of assault, one she had no barriers against.

  As the memory of the kiss played over and over in her mind, she pulled her wrap tighter around her. She was frightened, so very frightened.

  Chapter Nine

  The bright morning sun shining through the window woke Eleanor early the next morning. She dragged herself out of bed, feeling as though she hadn’t slept at all. Every creak, bump and cough outside her chamber brought her fully awake. She expected Dominick to walk through the chamber door. But he didn’t. Surprisingly, she was disappointed when she turned to find her husband’s side of the bed empty.

  Like lightning her mind flashed back to his kiss. His smoldering dark eyes had left her aware of every inch of her body.

  Splashing water on her face, she tried to clear the thoughts from her head, but they were hard to pull away from. She concentrated on the work that still needed to be done inside the castle. Floors needed scrubbing, and the tapestries needed tending to from years of neglect. Dressing in her plain brown dress, she went down to the great hall to break her fast. The castle was already bustling with workers restoring the interior.

  “Good morning, my lady.” Martha’s greeting was bright and cheery.

  “Good morning,” Eleanor replied, less than enthusiastically.

  Martha tilted Eleanor’s chin toward her. “You didn’t get much sleep?”

  “No, I’m afraid not.”

  Her maid sat down next to her. “Would you like to talk about it, child?”

  Eleanor toyed with her goblet. She debated whether to share what had happened. Eleanor nee
ded to make sense of her feelings. “It’s a long story.”

  “I’m not doing anything that can't wait.”

  Martha’s eyes widened as Eleanor explained. “Did he attack you?” she asked, twisting her apron.

  “No, Martha, he didn’t. Surprisingly, in no way did I feel in any danger.” Eleanor pushed the cup away. “He left shortly after the kiss and didn’t return all night.”

  Martha turned away and blew out a great breath. “He has not taken you as his wife, has he?”

  Eleanor shook her head. “He placed his sword between us and has sworn not to touch me until it’s removed by my own hand.”

  “It’s a rare one you have there, my lady. Any other bride would have been taken on her wedding night.”

  “I know.”

  “Then why do you seem so troubled?”

  “Last night’s kiss frightened me more than being forced to marry.” Martha sat quietly as Eleanor continued, “I felt something, something I hadn’t expected, and it overwhelmed me. I didn’t think I was capable of such feelings.” She covered her face with her hands. “Oh Martha, is this the same situation my mother fell into? He in no way acts like my father or McPhearson, but what if it’s a trap? I could wrap my whole life around him only to have him break my heart.”

  Emotionally exhausted, Eleanor dropped her head into her folded arms on the table.

  Her maid stroked her hair as she spoke. “Lord Dominick is not your father, Eleanor.”

  Eleanor bolted up out of her chair, surprised and angry that Martha should side with Dominick. “No, he is worse. He tries to seduce me with words of honor and loyalty, when men like him are capable of neither.”

  The old servant looked as though she could throttle her mistress, and tightly clasped her hands in her lap. “You’re saying all men are incapable of honesty and honor?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then you consider Zenon dishonest and without honor?”

  Martha’s argument completely disarmed Eleanor. “Well—no, Zenon’s different.”

  “How is he different? He’s a man.”

  “Yes, but, he is not a nobleman. Noblemen are spoiled and self-indulgent. They have no honor.”

  Martha stood, grasping Eleanor’s shoulder. “You will find that not all men, noble or otherwise, are cast from the same mold.”

  “I have yet to see it.”

  “Then you’re looking in the wrong direction. Hasn’t Lord Dominick’s actions spoken louder than your words?” With that said, Martha left Eleanor alone in the great hall.

  Eleanor couldn’t argue with Martha, but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t proceed with caution. With her feelings in check she walked out to the bailey. It was a warm April morning that required only a light wrap. On her way to the gatehouse, she noted that more and more wagons were arriving at Godwin every day. Masons, carpenters and blacksmiths came, bringing their families. Merchants with fine jewelry, fabrics and pottery set up colorful tents to display their wares. Outside the castle walls, farmers prepared their fields for planting.

  The sound of leather slapping, and a deep voice encouraging two oxen to move, caught her attention. Her heart stopped for a moment, and a whoosh of air escaped her lungs.

  There in the middle of the field guiding a plow with reins wrapped around his back was Dominick. He was naked to the waist and slick with sweat. His muscles bunched and strained to keep the plow in the earth while the two oxen lumbered along.

  Even at a distance she felt the raw power that surrounded him. The plow cutting through earth and stone added to the air of strength, and the force that moved him mesmerized her.

  Her new resolve weakened.

  She felt an unfamiliar tightening in her chest and the lower part of her belly. Suddenly the air seemed very hot. Her mouth went dry, and involuntarily she licked her lips. When her grip on her wrap loosened, the garment slipped down her shoulders.

  He stopped for a moment when a young girl named Colleen approached him with a dipper of water. He took a few gulps then poured the remaining contents over his face. Water flowed down his throat and chest. Colleen caressed his hand as he handed back the dipper, flirting with him outrageously.

  Eleanor wanted to tear the girl’s hair out. The thought jolted her back to reality. What was it about this man that turned her into a person she didn’t recognize?

  Deliberately, she turned and walked away. Work. That was what she needed to burn off the fierce energy that consumed her. Certain there must be a room that needed her attention, she returned to the castle.

  Dominick saw Eleanor standing at the edge of the field. The way she stared at him made him hard in an instant. He recognized lust in a woman when he saw it.

  If it were not for the insistent pull of the oxen, he was sure he would have taken her into the nearby forest to have his way with her. It would not take much persuasion on his part to bed her. The problem was she didn’t understand her feelings, and he wouldn’t press his advantage of that. In the long run she would end up hating him for it. Besides, he wanted more than just coupling, something grounded in more than just the physical. Something permanent.

  He had known it the moment his lips touched hers the night before. It had taken all his will to pull away and leave her in their chambers, returning to the battlements where he’d spent most of the night. He had little rest, for her sweet lips intruded on his memory and her response to him tortured his soul.

  Knowing hard work was the only way to stop his craving for her, he’d sought out Zenon first thing. The old servant had instructed him on how to hold the plow and guide the oxen. Dominick found the physical labor quite satisfying. The smell of fresh earth mixed with the salt air of the sea was exhilarating. Winning at tournaments hadn’t given him the same satisfaction as seeing the progress of turning the dirt in the field. Soon the fields would turn green with the crops he’d planted with his own hand. This was what King William meant by building instead of destroying.

  Dominick stopped when he saw his brother approaching with a bag and a pitcher of ale. They found a nearby tree and sat in its shade to share a meal.

  “The masons have nearly completed the repairs to the outer battlement walls.”

  “Good. The roof is repaired, and now we can concentrate our efforts on the castle’s interior.”

  “I didn’t think it possible, but Godwin is beginning to look quite beautiful.”

  Dominick felt a sense of pride. “It is. Now if we can keep McPhearson away it may prosper. Have your men come across any signs of him yet?”

  “No, but we will keep nightly patrols. If he tries to make a move against the castle, we will know in plenty of time.”

  “Don’t underestimate him. The man is cunning, and we don’t know what alliances he’s making.”

  “My men are taking every precaution.”

  Dominick paused for a moment. “I know they are, Brother. Ignore me. I have become as nervous as an old woman.”

  “This is a side of you I have never seen.”

  Dominick bit down on a piece of cheese, then reclined on one elbow. “I think it’s because I have never owned land before. I feel grounded and wish to stay that way. I won’t allow this to be taken from me.”

  Randolf stretched his legs in front of him. “We have come quite a long way from our mercenary days.”

  Dominick chuckled. “Two bastard sons with only our shields, our swords and our horses. It was quite an adventure.”

  “Do you miss it?” Randolf pulled up on a blade of grass.

  “No.” Dominick sat and looked out over the field. “Something happened in that prison, Randolf. I saw men tortured to death. I saw their souls walk around in unsettled grief. Their cries still haunt me in the night. Until that time, I had never thought about death before. I was young and immortal, undefeated in battle and full of myself. Then death stared me right in the face, and I knew I hadn’t lived yet. Since then, I have longed for peace, but until now I thought it unattainable.”

  Domin
ick remembered the day they had been fostered out at an early age to be trained as squires. As far as he was concerned, their parents had abandoned them, and the two brothers were all each other had. With no title and very little money, they had offered their sword arms for hire, making their own destiny. Never defeated, they captured the attention of the king. For Dominick that had been a lifetime ago, but he knew Randolf was not of the same mind.

  “I have not found the peace you have,” Randolf confirmed. “There is something out there I need to find. Until I do, there will be no rest for me.”

  “Do you know what it is you search for?”

  “No. But I’m sure I will know it when I find it. And when I do, I hope to find your peace.”

  “I wish that for you too, Brother. I truly do.” Dominick finished the last of the bread and cheese, took another swig of ale and stood, stretching his arms and legs. “Well, I must get back to my field. Thank you for the meal.”

  “You have plenty of farmers to plow these fields. Come with me to the training field, so I can defeat you and impress the young maids.”

  “You have never had a problem with women. I see them throwing themselves at your feet daily. Besides I need to work off a bit of energy today. I’ll let you dazzle them tomorrow.”

  Randolf’s eyes narrowed. Dominick saw his uncanny intuition at work and dreaded his next words.

  “You have not taken your bride.”

  “That is no concern of yours.”

  “Dominick, you’re a married man, it’s your right to bed your wife.”

  He took a deep breath. “There is no chivalry in taking an unwilling maid.”

  “I have seen you woo the most rigid of women. How is this one different?”

  “She’s afraid, Randolf. She has seen nothing but abuse from her father. I wish to win her trust as well as her favors.”

  “I suppose you’re right. She’s your wife, not a common wench to be conquered. But I hope she’s intelligent enough to see your efforts and come around soon. There are not enough fields to plow.”

  Dominick laughed and slapped his brother on the back. “I will see you at the evening meal.” He returned to his plow and oxen and worked the field for the rest of the afternoon.