by John Ryan
At the honeyed sound of his name rising from Elspeth’s angelic voice, Thayer’s heart leapt in his chest. With a heavy heart, he forced himself to stay from answering Elspeth’s query in Faolin’s stead.
“Aye,” Faolin replied as he flicked a look of annoyance at Thayer, “ye could accompany me for another walk among the grounds. I was vastly enjoying our stroll until we were so hastily interrupted.”
“Forgive me, Thayer,” Elspeth replied in a voice tinged with regret. “I am feeling quite tired. Mayhap, we can take another walk on the morrow.”
“Of course,” Faolin replied, “and if it pleases ye, I will escort ye back to your chambers.”
“Nae, thank ye, I’d like to see Graham afore I retire,” Elspeth bid graciously. “Please stay with your brother. I’m sure ye have much to discuss. Good night.”
“Good night, Elspeth,” Thayer and Faolin responded in unison.
With a graceful bow, Elspeth took her leave and glided out of the room.
As the last of her footfalls could be heard ascending the stairs, Faolin erupted, “Thayer, are ye out of your bloody mind? Why do ye comport yourself so? Do ye wish to bed Elspeth as well? When will ye be satisfied?”
“Nae, she is yours,” Thayer conceded forlornly, an acute sense of regret welling inside him. “I did not intend to be so ill-mannered. Please forgive me.”
“I truly wish I was inclined to believe ye,” Faolin replied. His smile remained, though his voice took on a wary tone.
“Aye, I understand your disinclination, Faolin. But she is to be your wife; I will not stand in your way. Have I really been that much of a heel?”
“Aye, ye have. Yet, all is forgiven,” Faolin replied. “Honestly, Thayer, I think there are times ye cannot help yourself!”
Ye have no idea, Thayer mused inwardly. No idea at all.
Chapter Six
After a brief visit with her brother, Elspeth retired to her chambers, eager to indulge in her favorite diversion, a hot bath. After her two scullery maids had drawn the water and filled the large brass tub to the brim with steaming hot water, she cheerfully dismissed them. After her time with the brothers, she was quite anxious to have some time alone. Though she relished lingering in the tub with her thoughts, never before had she been more anxious to collect herself by mulling over the events of such a tumultuous, yet stimulating day.
Encircling the tub with dozens of flickering, pale yellow, tallow candles, Elspeth added a few drops of rose oil to further enhance her pampering. She wriggled out of the snug confines of her gunna and tugged it upward over her bosom. Pulling it free of her crown, she liberated the crimson tresses that spilled riotously about her head and tumbled down her back. Though she coiled the unruly curls into a plait, a few errant curls refused their confinement and draped stubbornly between her slender shoulders. Peeling off her hose, she slipped into soothing water with a sigh of contentment.
“Verily, there is not enough warm water in the whole of Scotland to allow me the time to settle meself,” she whispered before snatching a cake of tallow soap from the small table alongside the tub.
Working the soap into lather, Elspeth lifted her slender leg high above her head and slathered the curves of her calf and thigh. Her brows knit as she ruminated over the womanly desires that had been stirred earlier in the day by the very brother of her betrothed. Guilt consumed her, and the more she reflected upon her amorous inclinations, the harder she scrubbed.
It was to no avail. She couldn’t scrub those thoughts from her mind--or her heart. In mere moments, she had vigorously scrubbed her skin until it took on a decidedly crimson hue. Letting the soap slide from her hand and drop by the side of the tub, Elspeth wearily veiled her eyes and sank further into the water. The room was silent now, save the sporadic drip of the water as it dribbled over the lip of the tub. The gentle crackle of the hearth fire merely served to induce her serenity further. Elspeth’s lids soon became heavy, and she drifted into a peaceful slumber.
The overwhelming sense that someone was in the room roused Elspeth from her sleep. Breathlessly, she lifted her reluctant lids. The moment her eyes were unveiled, Elspeth gasped as she spied a man’s splendid, naked form looming over the tub.
Faolin, my God what are ye doing here?
Though the words screamed in her mind, they refused to spill from her lips. Wordlessly, her eyes drifted upward along the entire length of his magnificent physique. Firm, muscular thighs swept up to a lean, athletic torso to be envied by the gods. She gasped when she beheld the turgid manhood that swelled before her. Never before had she witnessed such evident desire in a man. To this day, all that she knew of the male form was derived from the illustrations she saw in her father’s anatomy tomes. And all she knew of the sexual act were the scandalous details her older cousin, Colleen, once giddily confided in her after her wedding night.
Elspeth blushed before allowing her eyes to continue their delicious and naughty ascent. She watched in awe as the taut muscles of his abdomen became more defined by each breath. Their ridges and thews bore testament to his magnificent athletic condition. His chest, broad and firm, was framed by a pair of shoulders rippling with taut muscles.
Faolin’s eyes widened with desire as he stood over the tub and regarded her hungrily. His handsome face, lit by the subtle glow of candlelight, was etched with a roguish smile. Elspeth froze, unable to inspire her muscles to move. Her mind was muddled, undecided upon a course of action. In silence, she watched the Adonis slip into the tub and position himself directly opposite her. Wordlessly, he slid his hands around her slender waist and drew her body to his. Elspeth drew in a quick breath as her pink crested orbs, slick with bath water and soap, brushed against the firm muscles of Faolin’s chest. Though an untried maiden and entirely aware of the scandalous nature of his actions, Elspeth felt utterly powerless to stay his amorous advance. And, as if her mind could not control her body, Elspeth slid her hands around his brawny neck, answering his embrace.
Faolin drew his chest firmly against Elspeth’s breasts. Feeling the muscles in his body stiffen against her, she tilted her head back, shuttering her eyes in rapture. He planted kiss after kiss upon her neck, trailing a searing path to her waiting lips. As he drew his hungry mouth to hers, their parted lips met. It was a single kiss--one that began gently.
The heat from Faolin’s kiss quickly spread to every fiber of her being, engulfing her in ever heightening bliss. His ardor fully stirred, he zealously slid his silken tongue into Elspeth’s willing mouth. He drew his hands from around her delicate waist and cupped her face in his immense hands. He held her face still, his thumbs gently resting upon each of her ears. He was an excellent tutor in the art of love, Elspeth mused. She gasped as he plunged his tongue ever deeper, exploring the eager recesses of her mouth. Feverishly devouring every inch of her mouth with his impassioned fervor, Faolin continued to ravish her, sending her every sense alight and setting every nerve tingling.
Elspeth could feel her heart thundering in her chest as the searing heat from his kiss coursed through her entire body. Faolin slid his hands down her torso and drew her body ever tighter against his. His kisses grew wilder, his desire seemed unquenchable.
Struggling to regain her breath, Elspeth swooned. Beguilement, wonder and desire tumbled round, cascading inside her, melting any reserve she might have held against the impropriety of what she thought was her future brother-in–law’s increasingly passionate advances. She could feel his heart pounding wildly against her breasts as their bodies meshed as one.
Cupping a hand around her warm, slick breast, Faolin gently kneaded the flesh around her supple, rosy peaks. Elspeth arched her head back as Faolin’s tongue soon supplanted his hand and, with intoxicating slowness, nibbled the taut bud. His mouth claiming the milky treasure, he kissed and stoked her nipple until desire shattered every remaining nerve into a thousand pieces.
Never before had she known such ecstasy! And never before had she known a complete desire for any man! At that moment, she
knew she would never desire another; propriety and decorum be damned. Their mouths slowly parted, and Elspeth’s lips quivered. Her whole body trembled with desire.
Elspeth slipped beneath the surface of the water. It rushed in, flooding her nose and mouth, violently waking her. Coughing to eject the water, she sprang erect in the tub. Her eyes darted about the empty chambers as her heart pounded violently in her chest. Her mind was muddled and her wits were in tatters. The water had already cooled, yet her face was flushed and her skin was warm to the touch.
Clutching her hand tightly over her heart to quell the incessant pounding in her chest, she began to slowly reclaim her composure.
“But it all seemed so real!” she exclaimed breathlessly as a sense of reality gradually ebbed back.
“Never before have I had a dream so wicked, or so wickedly wonderful!” she confessed to the silent room.
Running a slender finger along her face, she could feel the heat that had risen to her cheeks. Her heart returning to its normal rhythm, Elspeth slowly rose from the tub and coiled a towel around her slender frame. Her mind was awash in a fog of wonderment. It took some care to gingerly navigate across the room. Reaching the bed at last, she patted the mattress, with its furs piled high, before unwinding the towel and perching on the edge of the bed. Shrouding her head in the towel, she vigorously scrubbed her lengthy tresses before retrieving her ivory comb from the night table. Contemplatively, she began to rake the auburn locks until they smoothed and shone with a brilliant luster. Once again alone with her thoughts, she wrested with her conflicting emotions.
I am to marry Thayer in less than two days. Why, then, do I have such a wicked dream of sharing my bath with his brother? Yet, was it truly Faolin who starred in me dream? His eyes held me just as Thayer’s did all those years ago! Surely, that is because the two brothers look so alike, right? Oh, I am in such a state of confusion! I am a wretched creature, lost to all reason and propriety!
Elspeth’s heart, which had finally slowed, raced again as she relived the luscious dream in her mind. Feeling flushed, she wondered whether it was the consequence of the roaring hearth fire or the utter vividness of her dream. Seeking respite from the stifling heat, she opted to don a bone-hued shift with a delicate laced neck. Though the shirt’s length was long and flowing, it fit a tad snugly around her ample bust. After fumbling endlessly with the laces, she opted to leave it untied. Tucking her slender legs under her body, she gazed into the cerise luminescence of the hearth fire.
Strolling down the hall, Thayer’s attention was drawn by the sound of the loud splash that came from Elspeth’s chambers. Intrigued, he approached a tall, thin, flaxen-haired maid who stood by the door to Elspeth’s chambers with an armful of fresh linen.
“Do ye await the Lady Elspeth?” Thayer murmured huskily as he flashed a winning smile. “Or, are ye a lady yourself? Ye surely are in possession of the look of a lady.”
“Aye, m’lord. Lady Elspeth is in the bath,” she replied, blushing. “But surely ye can see by my attire that I am merely a servant.”
“Mayhap, but I am sure ye set the hearts aflutter of the young men of the castle,” he suggested.
Shifting nervously, the maid’s voice wavered as she said, “Lady Elspeth dismissed me earlier, but I thought she might be in want of some fresh linen.”
“If ye leave them with me, I will see that she gets them,” he assured. “Here, take this piece of silver. I’m sure the dressmaker of the castle will be more than happy to make something nice for ye.”
“Oh, thank ye kindly, m’lord!” the maid gratefully exclaimed before depositing the linens in Thayer’s awaiting arms and skipping down the corridor.
Thayer swept his gaze up and down the hall and, confident that he was unseen, firmly grasped the door knob. Grateful to find the door unlocked, he peered into the dimly lit room to investigate. The bewitching sight that met his eyes prompted him to wonder if he had drifted into a dream.
Lingering in the darkened entranceway, Thayer perused Elspeth’s scantily clad body. His eyes flashed brilliant blue as they swept over her ambrosial figure. She was more beautiful in her near-naked glory than any artist’s depiction of the most beautiful of goddesses! His eyes hungrily traveled along her luscious lips of ruby and down the graceful arc of her long, slender neck. The vision of ravishing that beautiful neck with endless kisses caused his manhood to stir.
Needing to regain his equanimity, Thayer inhaled deeply as he momentarily cast his gaze aside. Redirecting his regard to the base of her neck, he followed it downward as it led tauntingly to a pair of silken shoulders, one of which was exposed by the loose folds of her chemise. The shift, a bit tighter over her bosom, offered a tantalizing glimpse of the generous swell of Elspeth’s pleasingly sculptured breasts.
A roguish grin crept across his rugged visage when he noted that her nipples had perked in response to the chill of the room. The taut buds thrust provocatively against her shift, enticing him endlessly. His breath caught in his throat as his gaze fell upon the supple skin of her milky white breasts as they rose and fell deliciously with each breath. Although he again tried to convince himself to divert his gaze out of propriety, Thayer’s eyes repeatedly flickered upward, disobeying him.
From the corner of her field of vision, Elspeth had espied a human shadow.
“Who goes there!” she demanded into the gloom, indignation almost choking her.
The dark shape slowly emerged from the shadows, its sapphire eyes agleam.
“‘Tis Faolin, Elspeth. Please forgive me. I heard a splash and I thought mayhap ye were in need of aid,” he offered with a roguish smile.
Belatedly realizing she was so scantily attired, Elspeth quickly gathered the thick furs from the bed and clutched them about her shoulders. Gathering the furs to her chin, she mused that if her cheeks burned any hotter she would surely set them afire.
“I thank ye for your concern, Faolin,” Elspeth bid politely with a gracious nod. Under his intense regard, she shifted uncomfortably before adding, “I assure ye, I am quite well. Now, please take your leave of me, as I am not properly attired to be receiving callers.” Her patience was waning.
“As ye wish, m’ lady,” he replied with words that belied his intent as his eyes never left her.
Noting his ardent stare, Elspeth felt her heart pound as an increasing wave of anger stirred within her. She admonished him, “Now, leave this room, ye cad, whilst I get dressed!”
The bold libertine turned and strode toward the door. Elspeth watched his every step, making sure he kept moving. Stealing a final glance over his broad shoulder, she heard him murmur, “The devil may damn me for me thinking this, but I held sway over her once. She reacted to me kiss that day. I ken I can achieve it once more.”
“I beg your pardon, Faolin. Did I hear ye say ye hold sway over me?”
He stood mutely by, his silence confirming her suspicions.
“Why , ye arrogant, cocksure bastard!” Elspeth shouted indignantly. “Ye dare endeavor to seduce your own brother’s betrothed on the very eve of his wedding? Mayhap, I should inform Thayer of your intent and have him thrash your arse soundly!”
She could see his temper igniting, darkening his face. Taking a step toward Elspeth, he growled, “Surely, these are naught the words of a proper lady, Elspeth. Mayhap your father should be informed he has two sons!”
Elspeth ground her teeth and she hissed, “Be gone, ruffian! Lest ye desire to feel my sting!”
“So, demoiselle, ye cannot be tamed? I shall see that I...I mean I shall see that me brother remedies that indeed!”
Snatching a weighty book from her bed, Elspeth angrily hurled it in the direction of the lecherous rogue’s head. With no time to evade the heavy text, Thayer grunted loudly as it smacked him solidly into his chest. Bending down to retrieve the book from the floor, he dusted it off and held it near a candle to read the title aloud.
“Dante’s Divine Comedy. Aye, it seems we already have the She Devil rig
ht here.”
Chapter Seven
“She Devil?” Elspeth huffed indignantly, wincing as the door slammed nosily behind Thayer. “Och! Faolin MacCourt is quite fortuitous in his choice of flight,” she raged into the now-empty room. “How dare he act so!I dinna understand him at all. His boorish behavior is clearly not result of improper breeding . His mother is all grace and elegance. Why, then, is she is accursed with such an ill-mannered hound for a son? Forsooth, Thayer may have the reputation, but ‘tis Faolin who is the impulsive, brutish cad! Mayhap, it runs in the family? Nae, Thayer has been the perfect gentleman to me. Surely, that cannot be an act! I ken when a man is trying to press his advantage upon me and Thayer has shown no such intent. Surely, he has matured in the years since we first met. That’s far more than I can say for his brother!”
A light tap of knuckles upon the door to her chambers wrested Elspeth from her fitful distraction.
“Who is it?” Elspeth snapped curtly in anticipation of the cad’s return.
“‘Tis Lady Katherine, m’dear. Forgive me, was I disturbing you?” bid the sweet muffled voice.
“Oh, Lady Katherine, please pardon my discourtesy. I was expecting someone else. Please, do come in,” Elspeth pled in abject mortification. Snatching a nearby book from the covers, she fanned her face vigorously to cool the heat from her reddened cheeks.
“Are ye feeling ill, Elspeth?” Lady Katherine beseeched with concern as she opened the door and glided into the chambers.
“Nae, I am quite well, but thank ye kindly for your concern,” Elspeth bid politely as she rose from the bed. Laying her hand on the chaise near the hearth, she indicated an invitation for Lady Katherine to sit upon it.
“I suspect the cause for your vexation has to do with my beloved son,” Lady Katherine suggested as a bittersweet smile flirted with the corners of her mouth.
Though Elspeth assumed Lady Katherine likely referred to her future husband, she simply nodded a silent accord. If only she knew it was his brother who was causing her such anguish!