Doubts about the future grappled with present enchantment. Did they have a future together? She wondered if he would love her for the rest of her life, while she grew old and gray, and he stayed young. She pushed her misgivings aside, living only for the moment.
They reached Aventina's Way, its grandiose buildings lit by street lamps. Oaks and earthberry bushes lined both sides of the street, their branches whispering in the wind.
His voice jarred her from her thoughts. "Although I've never met Angus Kendall, I think I would recognize a new customer at the Snow Leopard. I've come to recognize all the customers there, if only from seeing them on the nights they frequent the place. I assume he has money, so he'll be well-dressed. So far, I've seen none such." He looked her way. "Can you describe him?"
She thought a moment. "Dark brown hair to his shoulders, brown eyes. Not quite as tall as you. And yes, he always dresses well." She didn't want to think about him. "I'm not worried about him. He can't make me go back with him."
He frowned. "Well, I'm worried. What will you do if he tries to force you to go back with him? At night, I can stand outside the Snow Leopard and guard you, and believe me, I intend to, every night. But during the day, that's a different matter." His look was harsh. "I will not permit him to take you back, not if I can help it."
"And I won't go. Please try to understand. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
He looked down at her, his frown remaining. "Are you?"
"Yes! I'm my own woman. I have rights. He can't force me to do something I don't want to do." Indignation stirred inside her.
He sighed. "Don't underestimate him, Fianna. I have moved into my home now." He stopped by an oak tree and gave her a look of desperate entreaty. "Please move in with me, where you will be safe."
She loved him, wanted to be near him all the time. So why not reside with him? Because she was her own woman and wanted to depend on no one but herself.
"Fianna?" He looked at her closely.
She waved her hand. "Please, let's let it go for now. Later, we'll see what happens. For now, I can manage on my own." They continued walking, the meadow in sight.
"Can you really? I'd hate to put your certainty to the test. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you."
"Nothing will happen to me." By this time, they'd reached the meadow and the Nantosuelta, its waters shimmering in the moonlight. She smiled shyly. "Let's not waste our time together."
Without a word, he drew her close in his embrace and together they sank onto the grass, reaching for each other.
"Fianna!" His mouth descended on hers, his lips touching, probing. This was where she wanted to be, and this man the only one she wanted, to be held in his arms, feel his lips on hers, and know that his passion equaled hers. Caught in a floodtide of heat, she wrapped her arms across his back and returned kiss for kiss, straining her body against his. His lips touched her cheeks and throat, then traveled back to her mouth again, his body pressing against hers with a hungry insistence. Bracing himself with his elbow, his other hand moved across her body, his fingers caressing her breast, moving to the juncture at her thighs, his movements slow and deliberate.
Ah! She feared she'd go mad with longing, would die if he didn't take her now.
As if to taunt her, he buried his face against her breasts, and feathered kisses on her neck and throat. She drew him closer, closer, longing to be one with him, and she knew–could never doubt–that he wanted to join his body with hers, wanted to be inside her. Goddess, how she longed for him! Now! She wanted him now! Desire pulsed through her, hot and deep, a craving inside her that begged for satisfaction. Her most secret part ached and throbbed, such a desperate longing like nothing she'd ever known, not even in her wildest dreams.
With a newfound daring, she caressed him where she knew he wanted her touch and reveled in his gasps of pleasure. Moaning, he drew her ever closer, his fingers pursuing a path from her back to her thigh, pressing her against him. She felt his maleness and knew they were both at the breaking point. White hot desire burgeoned inside her, a yearning that brooked no refusal.
A fairy fluttered its wings above her and winked, then flew onto the limb of an oak tree. A horse neighed in the distance. Reality hit her like a thunderbolt. How could she give herself to a man who'd made no commitment, who wanted her to live with him but nothing more? Who'd never suggested marriage? Gently, with every bit of willpower, she eased away.
He pulled aside. "Fianna?" His face and eyes revealed his despair, with the fulfillment denied him.
She sighed. "Gaderian . . ."
"Yes." He lay flat on the ground, one arm across his forehead. He breathed deeply as silent moments passed. Turning toward her, he gave her a look of remorseful frustration. "Sorry, I forgot myself."
She leaned over him and placed her hand on his chest. "Me, too. Don't blame yourself."
His fingers curled around hers, and a myriad of regrets taunted her, an emptiness that gnawed at her very essence, a desire she feared would never be satisfied. If reality hadn't stopped her . . .
Although she knew their parting was for the best, she wanted to weep. Had they not stopped, she would have been his!
He kissed her. "It's late," he said huskily. "I'd better take you back."
"Yes." She sighed. So many words were stuck in her throat, so much she feared would forever remain unspoken. An agony of might-have-beens haunted her, and she wondered if he felt the same. Surely he did.
He rose, then held his hand out to her. Back on their feet, he kissed her once more, as if wanting to make love again, to bring their love to fulfillment. If they had consummated their love, would anything be different for them? Would they share a commitment to each other, a promise of a life spent together?
With a burning need still deep inside her, thoughts of Angus Kendall intervened to spoil these special moments with Gaderian as they walked back. Maybe he had returned to Ros Creda, she mused, with only the slim chance that such might be the case. No, Angus never gave up easily, a fact Gaderian certainly must realize. She had to remain ever vigilant and never go for a walk by herself. Oh, she'd been brave enough when she'd spoken to Gaderian about resisting him, but Angus had wealth and power behind him, factors that counted for much. And influence? What if he persuaded the authorities of Moytura that she was his estranged wife, or that as his fiancee she had left him on the eve of their wedding?
Outside the entrance to the Snow Leopard, Gaderian drew her into his arms again, giving her a lingering kiss. Passion stirred inside her, a longing that refused to die. She wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kisses, wanting him beside her for all time.
All too soon, he released her. He smiled down at her, his fingers caressing her face. "See you tomorrow night," he whispered. Noting that the door was locked, she handed him her key, one Cedric had given her shortly after she started working there. He unlocked the door for her and, with one last quick kiss, left her. Her body still heavy with passion, she stepped into the darkened room, the tables all empty.
Not quite! A man emerged from the shadows. Angus!
His voice was low and menacing. "You're coming with me."
Chapter Nineteen
Fianna froze in the doorway, unable to speak or move. Her heart pounded like a hammer in her chest. Gathering her wits, she spun toward the door.
Not fast enough!
Angus reached the door first and blocked her exit. "I fear you didn't hear me, Fianna. You are coming with me." He enunciated each syllable, speaking in his confident way. Even in the dark, she saw the smug look on his face.
"And I fear you don't understand." She tried to match his firmness, but inwardly, she shook all over. "I am not going with you. I will not marry you. As a matter of fact, I want nothing to do with you."
He laughed, a dry, brittle sound. "Tell me, my dear, what are you going to do about it? How do you propose to defy me?"
Talmora, she wished she had her dagger now. She'd slice it rig
ht through him. Seeking serenity, she would not let him see the effect he had on her. "This is a free country, and I'm a free woman. You can't make me do something I don't want to do." But he can, her head whispered to her heart. "You can't force me to do what I don't want to do."
"You think not?" His words echoed her fears. "A simple matter, Fianna. You are coming with me, and that's all there is to it. I'm stronger than you, so don't fight me. If you scream, who will hear you? Even if someone does hear you, I'll tell them that you're my wife and that I caught you with another man." He nodded with assurance. "They'll believe me."
She lifted her chin. "If you're going to take me, you'll have to drag me out of here. I'll not go willingly. I'll fight you every step of the way."
He sighed with mock exasperation. "Must you be so dramatic? You'll make it much easier for both of us if you come obediently, like a good little girl."
She folded her arms across her chest. "I'm not going." Her heart pounded faster, faster. Fear iced her stomach. She knew she was no match for him.
"Then it looks as if I'll have to use a little persuasion," he said, grabbing her arm.
She tried to shake him off, but he held tight.
"You are coming with me." His nails dug into her skin, his fingers squeezing her arm. "You are trying my patience. We are both riding back to Ros Creda tonight, if I have to tie your hands."
She jerked her arm. "Get your Goddess-damned hand off of me! I hate you, damn it! Just get away from me!"
"Tsk, tsk. Such unladylike language. What would your mother say?" He dragged her to the door and opened it. "Let's go now."
"No!"
"Didn't you hear the lady? She said 'no.' " Gaderian stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.
At the sound of Gaderian's voice, Fianna twisted around. Relief poured over her, like a flood of cool water on a hot, arid day. She gazed at the face she could never tire of, his tall, erect body, everything that meant the world to her.
Angus gave him a look, half quizzical, half angry. "Who the hell are you?"
"I'm the man who loves Fianna, and I will not permit you to take her against her will."
Angus laughed. "That's rich. I'm the man she's pledged to marry, and she's going back with me." Although shorter than Gaderian, he waved his hand, as if chasing away a fly. "Now, if you'll just move out of the way—"
"I don't think so. Release Fianna, or I may have to use a little force." He took one step forward. "You didn't hear me?"
"Oh, I heard you, all right. But you and Fianna must both suffer from the same disability, whether of the ears or the brain, I'm not sure. You both appear to have trouble understanding–"
"Enough! Let her go!"
Angus spat at him.
"Why, you scum." A look of fury crossed Gaderian's face. He twisted Angus's arm behind his back until the man whimpered with pain. Angus released her, and Fianna stepped back into the shadows, breathing a long sigh of relief. She sensed Gaderian was strong, far stronger than any mortal man. With one hand, he grabbed Angus by the shoulders and with the other, opened the door, then shoved him out onto the street. He fell with a hard thud, his head banging back on the cobblestones. Grimacing, he attempted to raise himself, then sank back down and closed his eyes.
Fianna stepped outside with Gaderian. "You killed him!"
"No, he will revive later, and by that time we'll be gone."
We will? Another question came first. "How did you know to come back for me?"
"I didn't. I was about halfway to the stable when it occurred to me that you would be here by yourself. So far as I know, you've never been out this late before, after everyone else has gone, everyone but your would-be fiancé." He gave her a questioning look. "Did you see him earlier in the evening?"
"No, of course not." If she had, she would have shunned him like all the demons of hell.
He looked thoughtful. "He must have come here after we left, and hidden somewhere in the shadows after everyone else had gone home. Apparently the barkeeper locked the door, knowing you had the key to get back in. He obviously didn't realize that Kendall had remained." His gaze covered the room. "Plenty of places to hide. "He looked back at her. "We've wasted enough time. I want to take you away from here, as I've asked you before. There's nothing to keep him—" He nodded toward the street–"from coming back. Please, dear, get your things and let's leave."
Fianna thought quickly; she didn't have much choice. She wasn't safe here as long as Angus remained in the city, and who knew when–or if–he would depart? "What about Cedric? He'll lose money when I leave." With these words, she realized she was close to accepting Gaderian's suggestion, and knew it was no longer a question of if she left, but when. And "when" was this night. She thought of all the friends she'd made here, of her livelihood which meant so much to her. Cedric's wife was due to give birth very soon, and she'd miss that event.
"I'll pay Cedric ample compensation. I'll talk to him tomorrow–this evening." He tapped her arm. "Now, darling, please get your things and come with me."
"Very well. I suppose that's best."
"It is, best for you and for me."
"Very well." Feeling her way in the dark, she wove her way among the tables and rushed back to her room. After unlocking the door, she grabbed her few clothes and stuffed them in the satchel that waited by her dresser. She added her scrying mirror, careful to tuck it between her clothes, and added her dagger and toiletries, her few other possessions. She sighed as she looked around the bare room. There went her independence, her plans for living on her own. She swallowed, forced to admit that Gaderian was right; she could no longer stay here, at Angus's mercy.
She snapped her satchel shut and left the room, then retraced her steps in the dark, almost bumping into a table as she headed in Gaderian's direction. He took her satchel from her and opened the door, and together they walked out into the cold night. Angus still sprawled on the street where they'd left him, and she didn't know whether to be alarmed or relieved, for she wondered if Gaderian had killed him, despite his denial.
A short walk took them to the main city stable, where Gaderian kept his own horse and hired one for her. After a few minutes of saddling and adjusting the stirrups, Fianna hitched her skirt up to ride astride, as she had always done. They were on their way to a place Fianna had never seen up close, but only from a distance. Leaving shops and warehouses behind them, it took them but a short while to reach the homes on the southern edge of the city, where three-story mansions graced the scenic landscape of trees and bushes, like a string of pearls on a beautiful woman. Fianna never tired of seeing this familiar view, the towering oaks and earthberry bushes, the lovely homes with their spacious lawns, some with iron fences, and their terra-cotta roofs. The wide dirt road twisted and turned, a slight elevation to the land as they rode south. A cluster of dark clouds drifted in front of a half-moon, casting the road in darkness.
"There it is," Gaderian said as his house came into view. And what a lovely mansion it was, as grand as any she'd seen.
A long graveled driveway led up to Gaderian's house, a three-story gray stone residence set on a vast acreage where oak trees and weeping willows dotted the land, and flower beds edged the grounds. Little else was visible in the dark, but early morning dew glittered on the grass. She looked forward to springtime, when the flower blossoms would burst forth in their glory. She caught her breath, unsure if she'd still live here in the coming spring. Possibly Gaderian would tire of her, and that thought alone settled like a cold lump in her stomach.
Gaderian stopped by the steps at the mansion's entrance and dismounted, setting her satchel on the ground, then came around to her side and helped her dismount. "Wait here," he said, then led the horses along another graveled path to a stable at the far end of the property, a stone structure barely visible in the early morning light. He returned a few minutes later. "We'll stable your horse for you," he explained, "and one of my men will ride it back to the city stable tomorrow." With a w
orried look, he glanced up at the sky, now more blue than gray. "Let's get you settled in your own bedchamber."
Quietly, she proceeded up the stone steps with him, a hundred questions in her mind, but one foremost. "What will the servants think when they see a strange woman in your house?" And do you always bring strange women to your house? she wanted to ask.
"I'll leave a note before I seek my own sleeping quarters and explain that you're my guest." A wave of his hand opened the front door, and they stepped inside. Unable to see much in the dim light, she glimpsed enough to get the impression of wealth and opulence.
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