by Tina Donahue
Isabella didn’t care about propriety or custom. She wanted to experience everything with Fernando. They had so little time.
With his hands on her hips, he kept her to him as he licked her nub. Currents of heat rolled through her. She moaned quite loudly, not caring if any of the men heard. The only person who mattered was Fernando. Weakened by love, emboldened by lust, she took his shaft inside her mouth. His groan was lewd, her actions indecent. She relished the weight and warmth of his sac in her hand, working his sex as he enjoyed hers. They suckled and licked with abandon, filling the chamber with sounds only lovers knew.
Not wanting this to end, she fought completion as he drove her toward it and she did the same with him. When they were just short of release, he drew in his tongue. “Enough of this, I want your belly.”
Within seconds, he had her on the floor beneath him, holding her wrists above her head. His hair dangled over his forehead, his expression intent. “I warn you, tonight you will have no rest.”
He plunged inside her, making certain she took his full length inside. The pressure was intense and needed, exactly what Isabella required. As he tightened his hold on her wrists, he pumped ruthlessly, taking her with the right of a husband and lord.
Her channel tightened around his shaft, which seemed to excite him even more, his color darkening, breaths increasing. Their savage moans filled the chamber. Diego yelped. The men’s shouts and loud laughter drifted in from outside.
Fernando shuddered, spilling his seed. He sank to his elbows, breathing hard, his body touching hers. “In a short while I intend to have you again and again.”
* * * *
As promised, he allowed Isabella no rest that night or during the following day. They took their meals inside the chamber. Their bodies remained joined even in slumber. She was his and she was willing, until Fernando said they’d be departing for her papá’s castle at first light.
Isabella’s stomach fell. She studied the chamber’s narrow window, the night sky beyond it dusted with stars. Fernando nestled closer, running his hand past her belly to her naked breasts. Diego whined.
She stroked Fernando’s arm. “How long is the journey?”
“Three days at most.”
Then it would be over. She stopped stroking and closed her eyes. “Will I be present when you confront him?”
“No.” Yawning, he ran his fingers around her navel. “Once we reach the wall I want you to remain there with the knights protecting you until we oust your uncle. When we finish the task, you can enter the castle.”
Diego bounded across the chamber and pawed at the counterpane.
Fernando stretched. “Our son wants his meal.”
She left the bed and kept her back to Fernando as she offered Diego boiled eggs, orange slices, and olives.
“All will be well, Isabella.”
She offered no comment as she fed the pup.
* * * *
The air was still cool, the stars and moon hadn’t yet faded as light touched the horizon.
The day Isabella dreaded had come. As Fernando gave final orders to the caballeros who would be accompanying them, Tomás and Pedro bantered with the sacerdote, who was also a part of the group. Enrique remained to the side watching her. She gladly ignored him to focus on Diego. The pup was in a basket secured to her saddle. She cradled his head in her palm. “Forgive me for not stroking you until now.”
“It would seem you love him very much,” Enrique said.
Her pulse leapt. A moment passed before she had the courage to look at him. He regarded Fernando then turned to her.
She met him eye for eye. “I will have no other.”
“You best tell him what he needs to know.”
Panicked, she looked over as Fernando rode to her mare.
“You should do so now,” Enrique said.
“Do what now?” Fernando turned from Enrique to her. “Has my insolent brother been ordering you around?”
“I was telling Isabella of your boyhood antics.”
“Ignore him.” Fernando smiled at her. “Every bit of it is lies.”
“She already knows.”
Isabella stared at Enrique.
He turned to Fernando. “You should relate your version of events, and then your lovely wife can share her life events with you. Rest assured, the others will respect your privacy.” He looked at her. “We have three days before the end of our journey, more than enough time to tell all.” Without further comment, Enrique directed his gelding to Tomás, Pedro, and the sacerdote.
Fernando waited until his eldest brother was out of earshot before he faced her. “You continue to fear him. Why?”
She gripped the horn of her saddle. “I fear the end of our journey.”
“Did you ask Enrique to speak to me about forestalling my plans?”
“He loves you greatly. He wants you to have everything you deserve.”
“I see. You asked and he refused. What did he say about my boyhood?”
She glanced past Fernando as the knights prepared to depart. “Now is not the time to speak of such matters.”
“When will you tell me?”
She wanted to be sick. “When night falls.”
Then, and only then, would she reveal all. She was a fool to delay the inevitable, yet she was also greedy and needed to have this last full day with him.
* * * *
They rode for hours, pausing only to let the animals feed and rest as the men enjoyed a repast of figs, cheese, and bread beneath the shade of wild cork trees.
Fernando reclined on the blanket he and Isabella shared, with Tomás, Pedro, and Enrique on the next blanket.
“Come now.” Fernando extended his hand to Tomás. “Give me the bota.”
The younger man took another long drink. After running the back of his hand over his mouth, he returned the wineskin.
Fernando shook it to determine how much of the drink remained.
Tomás brushed crumbs from his hose. “Never fear, I left enough for the likes of you, unless Isabella would care for a drink.” He turned to her. “If you do, I understand completely. We all need to be senseless with wine to remain at your husband’s side.”
Fernando muttered an Arabic oath.
Isabella tried to ignore the priest’s odd stares. Although the man was eating with the other caballeros, who were yards away, he kept sneaking glances at her. Had Enrique told him of her deception? Was he prepared to unmask her?
When the priest suddenly rolled to his side so he could get to his fat knees and swollen feet, Isabella turned to Fernando.
He looked at her.
She couldn’t speak.
He stared and pushed to a sitting position. “What is it?”
The sacerdote belched and lumbered past them into the woods, apparently to relieve himself.
“Isabella.” Fernando touched her hand. “What is it?”
“My throat is dry.” She reached for the bota.
He held it away from her. “We have more milk and water.” He called for Gilberto to bring the jugs then glanced at Diego, who slept on her lap. The pup’s legs jutted out, showing the pink pads on the bottom of his paws. “You need to quench your thirst before allowing Diego to have his fill.”
“I gave my share willingly as I want wine, not water or milk.”
Gilberto stopped before lowering the jugs to their blanket.
“Go on.” Fernando gestured for the man to continue then offered the bota to Isabella. “Not too much.”
“We have more,” Tomás said.
Fernando shot him a look. “We also have many leagues to travel before we make camp for the night.” He turned to Isabella. “It would pain me to have you falling asleep and tumbling from your horse as Tomás is certain to do from his.”
Tomás grumbled good-naturedly. Fernando ignored him. “Although he is surely a fool when it comes to drink, I expect a woman to have better sense, no?”<
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Isabella nodded and drank the wine.
“Speaking of women.” Tomás popped the last of his figs into his mouth. “What do you call your new love, Enrique?”
He stopped breaking his bread apart. “My new love?”
“Sí. The woman who makes you forget the names of all other girls. When you met Isabella, you used another name to address her. What was it?”
“I heard him say Sancha.” Fernando glanced up from what remained of his cheese. “Isabella’s sister has the same name.”
She drank more of the wine. Enrique offered no comment.
Tomás leaned toward him. “Tell us brother, where did you meet your Sancha?”
Fernando pointed at Enrique. “More importantly, why are you keeping her hidden? Is she not the beauty you deserve?”
Pedro snickered. “If the girl is what he deserved she would surely be no beauty.”
Tomás laughed outright. “I fear there must be much amiss with her. Perhaps she has only one eye.”
Pedro nodded. “And no teeth.”
Fernando turned to Enrique. “Is she lame in the bargain? And vetusto?” Ancient.
“The girl does not exist.” Enrique tore his bread apart.
Tomás glanced at the others before turning to his eldest brother. “How did you come by the name?”
Isabella pushed to her feet so quickly Diego tumbled off her lap and yelped as he hit the blanket. She winced. “Forgive me.”
Fernando and his younger brothers looked up at her. Enrique concentrated on his bread.
“Forgive me.” She ran past the priest as he left the woods.
Isabella finally came to a stop, rested her forearm against the trunk of a cork tree, and lowered her face. She was still breathing hard when twigs snapped behind her.
“Isabella?”
Fernando.
She shook her head. “Forgive me.”
He gathered her close.
The breeze brought sounds of the men clearing their throats and engaging in quiet converse, while Diego whined for his mamá or papá.
Fernando hugged her gently. “There is naught to forgive.”
She wrapped her arms around his torso, holding him as hard as she could. Fernando asked nothing, and she offered nothing. At last, he kissed her cheek. “If we remain here too long the others may worry. It would be best if we return.”
And face Enrique when she hadn’t told Fernando the truth?
When she made no move to leave, he eased back until he could see her face. “I know my brothers and I offended you with our crude comments about Enrique’s new woman. When you left, I warned each of them to behave in your presence or face dismemberment. I also promised to cut out Tomás’s tongue. Are you pleased?”
She laughed. “Surely not as much as your threats disturbed him.”
“I hardly care what he or the others think. You are my only concern.”
Tears threatened. “Even with the trouble I bring you?”
“There is also joy…though not nearly as much as I deserve.” He pulled her back into his arms for a gentle caress. “What am I to do with you?”
“Never hate me, please.”
“Hate you? How can you say such a thing? Why would you even think such a thing?”
She squeezed her eyes, unable to tell him the truth even though he’d given her the perfect opportunity. What a coward she was. What a fool.
“Isabella?”
“Perhaps I had too much wine.”
He stopped stroking her hair and again eased back. “Or something else is causing your emotions to run wild. Do you feel life stirring within you?”
She smiled without meaning to. “I have scant experience in the matter, though I believe it is far too soon to tell.”
He smoothed back her hair. “I think not.” He took her hand. “When we make camp this evening we can decide on the child’s name.”
When they made camp, he would no longer be hers.
Chapter 15
Upon Isabella and Fernando’s return, his brothers were quiet. Tomás and Pedro regarded her cautiously as though they’d anticipated tears.
Enrique had expected her confession.
“Is all well?” he asked.
Fernando shrugged. “Of course.”
With his gaze on Isabella, Enrique pushed to his feet. “We must depart.”
“Now?” Pedro asked.
Fernando helped Isabella to the blanket. “In time.” He took Diego from his brother and handed the galgo to her.
Enrique remained standing. “The sooner we get to the truth, the better all will be. We will quit this place at once.”
“We will not.” Fernando frowned at Enrique, who scowled in return.
Isabella tensed, fearing they’d fight, with Enrique becoming so enraged he’d blurt the truth.
Tomás cleared his throat. “Go on, finish the fare. Pedro and I will see to everything else so we can leave.”
Enrique strode away.
Fernando turned to his other brothers. “What is wrong with him?”
Tomás shrugged. “Besides being old, unloved, and as ill-tempered as a spinster?”
Pedro made a face. “I have yet to meet a spinster with manners as bad as his.”
“How right you are.” Tomás rested his arm on his brother’s shoulder.
Pedro knocked his arm away.
Tomás frowned. “Could it be spinsters, unlike our brother, still hope for love?”
“Even the ugly ones?” Pedro asked.
“Especially the ugly ones. They will never be wives, so they must learn how to please a man.”
Pedro grinned. “At his command and for long periods of time. The tales I can tell.”
“Brothers.” Fernando gave them a warning look.
Tomás smiled at Isabella. “Forgive our crude behavior.” He gestured to Pedro and both of them left the scene.
* * * *
Minutes into the continued journey, Tomás had already forgotten his apology. He and Pedro mercilessly taunted each other and Fernando, who gave it right back. Only Enrique remained quiet and apart. When Isabella finally met his gaze, he directed his gelding toward her mare. Alarmed, she rode to the other side of Fernando’s mount.
After Tomás finished his yawn, he looked around and stared at Enrique, who was falling behind the group. Tomás turned in his saddle. “Enrique, are you too old or too frail to bear the hardships of this journey?”
Everyone looked over.
Enrique scowled. “My only hardship is in having you as my brother.”
Pedro laughed.
“And you.” He rode toward them.
“Take care before you add me to the insult.” Fernando patted his hilt. “My sword is at the ready and begging to be used.”
“In a hunt?” The sacerdote’s eyes glittered with excitement. “We lack meat.”
Tomás leaned toward Fernando and Isabella. “Only because he finished it off before we were even a league away from the fortaleza.”
Having caught up, Enrique addressed the priest. “We have ample bread, cheese, and fruit. We have no need to hunt. To do so would only delay our journey.”
The priest sighed then brightened. “We could hunt after we make camp.”
“We need to ride until the sun goes down.” Enrique turned from the man. “After which we rest for the coming day. We cannot hunt or travel in the dark.”
Pedro shrugged. “Our torches would provide sufficient light.”
“For those of us with young eyes.” Tomás chuckled. “When a man reaches Enrique’s age, he loses his sight and use of his limbs. We must pity our brother.”
“Whose hearing is still remarkable,” Enrique said. “Keep your insults to yourself or tell them to my fist.”
Fernando clucked his tongue. “And delay the journey?”
Tomás and Pedro laughed.
Fernando pointed. “A stand of olive trees and a
sizeable stream lies beyond those hills. We should reach it in time for you to murder each other and the rest of us to make camp and hunt.”
Tomás nodded. “The matter is settled. We hunt, feast, and share our bravest tales, true or not.”
Enrique curled his upper lip. “My little brother is as irresponsible as the pup.”
“More so.” Tomás grinned. “Yet Isabella still likes me nearly as much.”
As the men laughed, she forced a smile. Once they made camp and she was alone with Fernando, it would be time for her to tell him the truth.
* * * *
The sun was barely below the treetops when the group reached the stream. Men either readied their weapons for the hunt, collected materials for a large fire, or prepared the tent she and Fernando would share tonight.
He spread a blanket for her to use and was about to get a bow when Enrique grabbed his arm. “Remain here with your wife.”
“No.” Tomás came up. “We need him to hunt.”
“Tomás has a point.” Pedro bumped Enrique’s arm with his. “Fernando is a far better hunter than you.”
“And not to be trusted in protecting our camp.” Tomás smiled at Isabella. “His wife is sure to distract him.”
Fernando frowned. “I warned you to watch your foul tongue around my wife.”
“You warned me of so many things how can I possibly remember them all?”
Pedro nodded. “Come now, Fernando, you must admit Tomás speaks the truth. Isabella is quite beautiful.”
He turned to her and lifted his hands in surrender. “How can I hate them?” He faced Enrique. “I agree with our brothers about you remaining in camp. Despite your failing eyesight, you should be able to protect my wife.”
Isabella went hot with panic and cold with dread. She couldn’t be alone with Enrique nor did she want Fernando to remain, as she still wasn’t prepared to tell him the truth.
The matter was soon out of her hands. Fernando and the others fanned out to kill or catch as much game as possible. The remaining caballeros guarded the perimeters. When she and Enrique were alone, silence pressed in on them, broken only by Diego’s thin yelps as the pup bounded across the blanket.