Thoughtfully, he rubbed his chin. Was her smile a little too bright? She must know what he was talking about; everyone knew that polo was played in the Hippodrome.
How very strange.
‘Caesar seems very large to me,’ she murmured.
‘My lady, that is only because you have a hatred of horses.’
Her gaze was downcast, she made a jerky movement. ‘It is not a hatred exactly, but—’ when her eyelashes lifted, his chest squeezed ‘—I confess it, sir, I do fear them.’
‘Were you not you given riding lessons as a child?’
‘I…I…’ She took a deep breath, her cheeks flushed like a rose. It was distractingly attractive. ‘Let us simply say that I did not take to it.’
‘You must have been poorly tutored. There are horses from every corner of the Empire in the imperial stables. I cannot believe they could not find one to suit you. My lady, if you would allow, when we reach the palace, I will pick you out a horse and—’
She drew her head back. ‘You would teach me to ride?’
‘My lady, I would be honoured.’
‘Thank you, sir, you are more than kind.’ An odd, secretive smile was playing about her lips. ‘You do not realise what you are offering, but I thank you for the thought.’
The Venetian lantern swayed as the boat rocked, the shadows shifted. As he stared at her, Ash was filled with an uncertainty that was foreign to his nature. Had he actually offered to teach the Princess to ride when they reached the palace? Madness. And had or had she not accepted his offer? And—more madness—what was it to him whether she accepted or not?
Firmly he closed his mouth, it seemed he must guard his tongue with this woman. The little Princess certainly had a charm about her, he must take care to keep a safe distance between them. He was here to fulfil his commission, no more than that.
He reached for a dried fruit. When she held out her goblet, he refilled it. She was still toying with her chicken; clearly, it was far too early for him to make his excuses and leave. He would simply have to allow himself the pleasure of conversation with a beautiful and intelligent woman. It should be easy to keep his opinions of her uncle to himself. And why on earth had he offered to teach her to ride? He frowned at the wine, it did not seem particularly potent…
Her veil had slipped. She hadn’t noticed and Ash wasn’t about to draw her attention to it, not when the lamplight brought out the burnished brightness in her hair. Lady Anna must have piled it up beneath her veil, but a brown tress had escaped the hairpins and worked its way free. It was perfectly straight. It was a pity the Princess wore so many cosmetics, but at least this evening he could see something of her face.
It was a face worth seeing. When she smiled, she had the sweetest expression. What a waste to hide it behind veils and paint. Doe Eyes—she would probably have him thrown out of the Guard if she knew his secret name for her—was prettier than any princess had a right to be.
‘Apricot, my lady?’
As she set her chicken aside and leaned towards him to take a fruit, the scent of musk reached him, together with that other exotic fragrance he could not name.
‘Thank you, sir.’ Those beautiful brown eyes fastened on his.
She smiled and sank back against the silk cushions. Her mouth was tempting, too tempting for a woman who was beyond his reach. It was dark with the wine and looked faintly moist. Perhaps she had darkened it with lip-rouge, the ladies of the court were known to use it. It made her look as though she had been kissing, which was probably deliberate.
Ash usually avoided the high-born ladies of the court. A number of them had taken to choosing lovers from among the Varangian Guard. Despite various offers, Ash had never succumbed. He knew what was said about the stamina of his men, and he found the idea of being taken to bed simply because he was thought to be a barbarian with good staying power distasteful.
But tonight, here he was, to all intents and purposes alone with Princess Theodora. He glanced uncertainly towards Lady Anna. She had finished her meal and was lying back on her pillowed couch. Ash heard a distinct snore. Lord, she had fallen sleep—ought he to waken her? How would Emperor Nikephoros react if word reached him that Commander Ashfirth had dined in such intimacy with his niece? What would her new fiancé, the Duke of Larissa, have to say?
This cosy meal with the Princess was probably breaking a thousand unwritten rules. But Ash was here by her express invitation and it was clear she thought him honour-bound to entertain her. She was still smiling that shy smile, beneath the come-hither rouge. Her mouth was like the rest of her, neat and prettily shaped.
One kiss, I would like one kiss. Would her kiss be prim? Shocked? Would she slap me in the face for my effrontery?
When his blood rushed to his braies, Ash knew he was in real trouble.
Chapter Five
Shocked at the direction his thoughts had taken, Ash shifted on his stool and reached blindly for a piece of bread he did not want. What was the matter with him? He should not be thinking of kissing the Princess, however much she smiled at him. Nor should he find the thought of arousing her anger so…stimulating.
Princess Theodora had invited him here because she was not used to her own company, she was afraid of becoming bored on ship. It was even possible—he shot her a suspicious look and was met with another bland smile—that she was deliberately taunting him because she was angry at being separated from her ladies and wanted revenge for being confined in the pavilion for the day.
Ash cleared his throat. The devil of it was that he was genuinely attracted to her. Forget it, you can never act upon it. Lord, for the sake of his peace of mind, the voyage couldn’t end too soon. The ship lifted gently in the swell and a bell sounded, they were virtually alone on a calm, dark sea.
Another snore drifted from the figure slumped on the pallet. Despite himself, his mouth twitched and he found himself exchanging amused glances with the Princess. ‘Does she do that every night?’
‘I believe so.’
‘You must long to escape.’
‘Indeed I do, but my…rank holds me prisoner.’
What an extraordinary remark. ‘You, a prisoner? Ah, you must be referring to your confinement this afternoon?’
Shaking her head, she gave him a wry smile. ‘No, I was not referring to that, sir. However, it has occurred to me that a…a princess who has no choice about whom she marries is a prisoner to her duty just as much as a slave is to her master.’
Thoughtfully, he watched her over the rim of his goblet. ‘You would compare yourself to a slave?’
She lifted her shoulders, the gems in her headband glittered. ‘Neither the princess nor the slave has much choice in the course of their lives. Both must obey without question, both must go where they are directed.’
‘That is true up to a point, my lady, but everyone has their duty. It is not for me, for example, to question the will of the Emperor when he asks me to bring you home,’ Ash said.
‘Nor for me to question your orders, it would seem.’
He lifted his cup to her. ‘Quite so. I am glad we have come to an understanding, on that matter at least.’
How interesting, Katerina thought. When she had smiled at him a few moments ago, the man had actually blushed, he really did like her. The thought had her muscles go tight as a bowstring; chilling memories were never far away. She forced herself to relax.
He likes you? Do not delude yourself. He does not know you. He likes your looks; in short, he lusts after you. Katerina had enough experience of that particularly sin to recognise it when it was staring her in the face. Commander Ashfirth would not act on his feelings, though. As long as he believes me to be the Princess Theodora I am safe.
What if I cannot convince him? What will he do? He confined me here in the pavilion for trying to send that letter—how might he react if he sees through my pretence?
She eyed him from under her lashes, gaze skimming over him from the top of that dark head, down past those arresting blue eyes, past
those high cheekbones and well-sculpted mouth, past that strong jaw… Sweet Mary, he was a handsome man. She had only to look at him and her cheeks were on fire!
Impersonating the Princess had flung her deep into uncharted waters, she was utterly out of her depth here in more ways than one. Surely he could sense it? Her hand was shaking so much she was likely to tip wine over her gown. Does he know that I am quaking inside? Does he suspect that I am misleading him?
She gripped the stem of her goblet. He must not see my nervousness. And I must not let my fear of being caught out betray me. I am safe with this man as long as he believes me to be the princess.
Will I be safe if he learns the truth?
A new thought caught her by surprise. For the first time in an age, Katerina was not sure she wanted to be safe. He was all lean power, was the Commander, but it was a power that he appeared to control. The fingers that cradled his wine goblet were slender and attractive. And he was not, rather to her surprise, indulging in the wine as much as she had expected.
He fascinated her. Was it possible that her misgivings were in part caused by proximity to a man who attracted her?
Her gaze was caught by a gleam of gold at his wrist. ‘Is that an Anglo-Saxon arm-ring, sir?’
Nodding, he extended his arm so she could examine it. ‘It was my father’s.’
It was an unusual piece of work, similar to one Katerina had seen on a Viking trader who had come to her village before she had been enslaved. Determined to hide her nervousness, she made herself reach out and touch it. It was fashioned like a twist of rope, and looked solid, heavy. It had to be worth a fortune!
I am the Princess, a solid gold arm-ring is nothing to me.
The turquoise eyes had darkened, and not for the first time she saw them drop to her mouth and move quickly away. Her heart fluttered, the surface of the wine in her goblet trembled.
The Commander is a barbarian, remember the lesson that Vukan taught you: barbarians are ruthless, they are only out for themselves.
And yet…it was heady to see that powerful frame folded up on a leather stool not two feet away and know that Ashfirth Saxon had been ordered to do her bidding. All that handsome, masculine strength was entirely at her disposal. It was heady realising that he was attracted to her and that he would not act unless she crooked her finger at him. Not that she would do that, of course—she had no wish to find herself even more out of her depth!
It dawned on her that as far as men were concerned, Katerina had always been in the position of weakness. No longer. The moment she had agreed to step into Princess Theodora’s shoes, this man had become hers to command—provided she heeded his advice.
For the first time in my life I have a measure of power.
Ashfirth Saxon wanted her. She had seen that brief look he had directed towards her breasts, he had been measuring her with his eyes. It was the kind of look she had seen many times before, the kind of look Vukan had given her in the days before he had given her his ultimatum, just before he had said, ‘Bed me, and I will keep you safe from the others.’ It had made her skin crawl when Vukan had looked at her in that way, but her skin was not crawling at this moment…
The Commander was wondering about the shape of her, he was wondering what it might be like to touch her. He lusted for her, but he would not touch her. Heavens, it would seem that tonight was a night for novelties, the knowledge that Ashfirth Saxon wanted her brought no fear, none whatsoever. He could look at her and her skin did not crawl. There was a slight tension in her belly, but it was really rather pleasurable, it was almost as if…almost as if she wanted him to touch her.
But he is a barbarian! He is dangerous…
Katerina cleared her throat. His eyes lifted. They were very dark, that bright blue had almost vanished into the black. She took a sip of wine, using it to moisten her lips. When the ship tilted, she leaned towards him, allowing herself to move closer to him than was strictly warranted by the sway of the ship. She could feel the heat from his body.
Anna slept on. On the other side of the canvas one seaman muttered to another. The timbers creaked.
Commander Ashfirth looked steadily at her, nostrils flaring.
‘Ashfirth,’ she murmured, and made another discovery. His name lent itself to being murmured. ‘I may call you that, may I not?’
His brow creased, that puzzled look was back. ‘If you wish, my lady.’
Katerina’s pulse jumped, she had wrong-footed him again and she rather liked it. In truth, she liked it a lot when she wrong-footed him. Ashfirth Saxon was so confident in the place he had won for himself, so proud of his honour, so certain of his duty. He was the Commander of the Varangian Guard, and he had been bidden by the Emperor to escort his niece safely to the palace.
The Commander had not hesitated to punish her when she had tried to send that message to the Varangian galley—he had punished her! It was so confusing—as Princess Theodora, surely she ought to be in the position of strength? How could she command a man who punished her?
On the other hand, he seemed drawn to her and that must give her power over him. Could she use that power? Dare she? Or would she be bringing even more trouble on herself?
Katerina might find herself between a rock and a hard place, but that didn’t mean she shouldn’t seize the opportunities that came her way. She gave what she hoped would pass for a teasing smile and watched with some satisfaction as his cheeks darkened.
Oh, yes. Impersonating the Princess might have its dangers, it was certainly not to be taken lightly, but with this man as her guard, there were some compensations…the question was, dare she make the most of them?
When Katerina came out on deck the next morning, the ship had weighed anchor and the striped sails were filled with wind. They were heading east, pointing towards the sun. A fine spray filled the air, she could taste the salt. Overhead, the ropes were pulled taut, trimming the great sail. Every inch of the black rigging groaned with the strain. It was exhilarating.
Commander Ashfirth was at the handrail with the ship’s Captain, his gaze fixed on a tiny flotilla of ships on the southern horizon.
‘What would you say, about two dozen?’ the Captain said.
The Commander’s expression was thoughtful. ‘It’s hard to make out precisely, but that’s a fair guess. They must be Norman. Do you think they are headed for Ba—?’ Seeing Katerina, he broke off abruptly and gave her a bow. ‘Good morning, my lady.’
‘Good morning, sir.’ The sails of the distant flotilla were little more than dots; Katerina was unable to judge which direction they were sailing in, they might even be at anchor.
The Commander offered her his arm and led her across the deck away from the Captain. On this side of the ship, the coast of the Empire was slipping by. They were close enough to see sheep grazing on hills that rose to the sky; there was a fishing village hugging a natural harbour; a chapel on a rocky promontory…
‘Please, sir, there is no need to interrupt your conversation on my account.’ What had they been talking about? It had looked important.
He put his hand on hers. ‘I trust you slept well, my lady?’
‘Yes, thank you.’ Katerina was startled at the way his hand continued to cover hers, it felt very warm. This man threatened her composure and she did not want him to realise it. Under that sleeve, the forearm that was steadying her was strong. She glanced up at him, confused by the strangest of thoughts. He made her feel safe, she had slept deeply, better than she had slept in years. Even after the Princess had taken her out of slavery, she had never slept so well—and while she found him…unsettling, she had awoken eager to see him.
But should the Commander be touching her in this way? Did this mean he was beginning to suspect her identity? Surely he would not touch the Princess in so…familiar a fashion?
He did not answer my question, either. What were they talking about?
Disengaging herself, Katerina reached for the guardrail and took in a lungful of fresh salty air. L
ast evening he had told her that he himself would be taking his turn on watch outside her shelter. Knowing that must have helped her sleep. She could not afford to make a slip when in this man’s company, but apparently her instincts had already judged him and found him trustworthy.
A gust of wind teased the edge of her veil. The Commander was scowling at the far horizon with its flotilla of ships. Behind the flotilla, a blur of grey marked the coast of some foreign land that must lie far outside the Empire.
She cleared her throat, and nodded towards the dark line beyond the ships. ‘What land is that, sir?’
His eyes widened. ‘That’s Apulia, my lady.’ His tone was shocked.
Apulia!
Katerina’s heart sank and she cursed herself. Stupid, stupid. She fixed her gaze on the distant blur and fought to keep her expression blank and unconcerned. I should have known, the Princess would have known. And I should have remembered.
Until very recently, Apulia had been part of the Empire. Now it was in Norman hands and, as niece to the Emperor, she really should know that.
‘So that’s Apulia,’ she said, as though coming to a sudden realisation. ‘I had forgotten we were so close.’ She waved a languid hand. ‘Our Empire is so large, it is sometimes a struggle to remember the exact whereabouts of the more far-flung outposts.’
Katerina held her breath for the Commander’s reaction. In truth, Princess Theodora, the real Princess Theodora, would have died before making such a mistake. Princesses of the Greek Empire were well tutored, some might say learned. Over her head, she saw the Commander exchange glances with Captain Leo. With luck they would put her slip down to carelessness, or arrogance.
Captain Leo stepped towards them. ‘I have observed that ladies do not always have a strong sense of direction,’ he said, smiling.
Ashfirth’s lips twitched, but he said nothing.
Katerina kept her head up, she was very aware of two pairs of male eyes watching her. Waiting for me to make another slip?
It gave her a jolt when she realised they were deferring to her and she, the Princess, must take the lead. Releasing her breath on a sigh, she gave them what she hoped passed for a gracious smile. ‘Please, do not stand on ceremony on my account, you may continue with your discussion. You were speculating about those ships, I believe?’
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