Leaves on the Wind
Page 26
She held it out to him, smiling. “My thanks, Rannulf. You burn it for me.”
His hand paused halfway to the parchment. “Only on one condition…”
“What condition?”
“That you consent to become my wife,” he said.
Judith bit her lip, and tried to look serious. “And if I don’t agree…?”
Rannulf grinned, and snatched the paper from her hand. “Why, then I keep this, and am forced to command you. You see, there are conditions to your freedom, love.” He put his hand on his heart. “I cannot risk losing you, I fear it would kill me—”
“So you offer me my freedom on condition I surrender it to you,” she said quietly. “Do I have it right?”
“Aye.”
“You make no sense that I can see, Rannulf. But I love you. I agree.”
She leaned up on one elbow to watch him cross to the fire and flick the parchment on to the dull embers. A brief yellow flare of light filled the chamber as the scroll shrivelled to nothing. Her gaze wandered over his well-muscled body, and came to rest on the neat bandage on his arm. Eadwold’s grey eyes flickered for an instant into her mind, leaving her cold inside. Judith pulled the bed-clothes tight around her body. It seemed almost wrong to be so happy when her brother’s eyes would never see daylight again. Firmly, she thrust Eadwold from her mind. “Rannulf?”
Rannulf dropped down beside her, put an arm round her waist, and buried his face in her hair. “Mmm?”
“What would you have done if I had not agreed?” she wondered. “Would you really have ordered me?”
“We’ll never know that now, will we?” he murmured, nibbling her ear.
“Rannulf, stop. I want to know. It worries me.”
His hand slid to caress her breast, and the familiar weakness invaded Judith’s limbs.
“Rannulf—” she protested, trying not to respond.
“Don’t worry about it,” he recommended. “Put your arms about me instead, and kiss me.”
“Promise you’ll love me forever?”
He gave her a straight look. “You’re greedy!”
“For you, yes,” she confessed.
Rannulf sighed. “I fear I cannot oblige you,” he said.
Judith’s heart stopped. “Why…why not?” His lips twitched.
His green eyes were shimmering with laughter.
“Why you vindictive, unfeeling brute!” she exclaimed, trying unsuccessfully to escape his hold, and hitting out instead.
Rannulf captured her hands and pinned her down. “As I was saying—” he was deliberately baiting her “—I cannot love you forever. Nothing lasts forever. I can only promise to love you till the day I die.”
A radiant smile transformed her face.
“Will that suffice, princess?” He released her hands, and took hold of her chin. “Or are you greedier still?”
“I fear I must be insatiable, Rannulf,” Judith whispered, running her hands over his back. Her palms warmed to the feel of his skin beneath them. “For I want yet more from you.”
“How about this?” Rannulf’s breath warmed her cheeks. His lips covered hers. “Is that what you had in mind?”
“Aye, Rannulf, that it was.” And she sighed on a note of purest happiness.
ISBN: 978-1-4603-6065-1
LEAVES ON THE WIND
First North American Publication 2000
Copyright © 1990 by Carol Townend
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