?She would not dare.?
?Mistress Blouet can tell you how much Celia dares, if you do but ask her. And
the other weavers all heard her send me here, not just to assist your friend,
but to please him in whatever way he required.?
She winced as his hands bit more into her arms.
?Do not take my word for it, my lord. The other women will vouch for what I say?
She paused, her stomach turning with dread as a thought occurred to her.
?Unless Celia has bidden them to lie. Mistress Blouet says they do all follow
her lead and?
?Did he touch you??
Rowena blinked at the new subject, which could not help but prod her bitterness
and release it.
?Nay, but what matters if he did? A servant has little say in these things. You
told me so yourself.?
?You have no say in what I do to you, wench, but no one else is to touch you.?
As if to prove it, his hand went to her thick braid to hold her head still and
his mouth closed over hers. ?Twas an angry kiss, punishing and claiming at once.
She did not like it. She liked even less that her loins heated, preparing her
for his further invasion.
But he did not intend to take her there in the stairwell. He ended the kiss, but
she was still pressed to him. And his hand tightened in her hair as he demanded,
?Would you have pleased him did he ask??
She did not even think to goad him with a lie.
?Nay, I would have refused, and did that not work, I would have fought him.?
She felt the tension leave his body, and the hand in her hair loosened its grip.
Then she goaded him.
?But little good it would have done me without weapon to hand, which I am not
allowed.?
?Nor will you be allowed one,? he growled, angry again.
She did not heed his anger this time because she felt too much of the same
emotion herself.
?Then what is to stop any man from raping me, when you dress me as a serf and
when female serfs are considered fair game? Even your menat arms would not
hesitate? She stopped when she saw his grin ?My interest in you has been noted
and understood. No man here would dare to touch you. Nay, wench, you still will
find yourself bedded only by mebut then, you are coming not to mind that
overmuch. You protest, but not for long.? She knocked away his hand, which had
moved to caress her cheek.
?I hate it, as much as I hate you!?
But that only made him laugh, infuriating her so that she pushed away from him
and ran the rest of the way down the stairs. He let her go, but the thought that
he could have stopped her if he wanted only increased her fury.
All the power was his. He had control over her body, control over her emotions,
control over everything she did. She could not even get angry without his leave,
for he knew well enough how to frighten the anger out of her.
Twas intolerable, such utter domination, and she could bear it no more. She had
accepted it as her due for what had been done to him, but she had been punished
more than enough for that, and still had the worse punishment before her, the
taking of her child. Well, she was done with meekly accepting her lot. If
Mildred?s suggestions could shift some of the power, to give her even a little
sway over that insufferable man, then she would try them.
Chapter 28
Warrick had not noticed before how many of his men watched Rowena just as he did,
but the moment she entered the hall, many eyes besides his were on her. He did
not like that at all. In fact, he so disliked it that he did the unthinkable and
called for complete attention to himself for no reason other than to show his
displeasure.
His men knew him well. They did not mistake what had displeased him. But
ironically, he was even more annoyed that they did understand and did not look
toward the girl again. His action smacked of jealousy, which was absurd. God?s
blood, she was no more than his prisoner. Yet? yet what he had felt just now was
no different from what he had felt earlier when he had found her with Sheldonnay,
that had been more powerful. Utter rage had consumed him to see her kneeling at
his friend?s feet, in the process of disrobing him.
?You did not like the shape of your tankard?? Sheldon asked as he took the seat
next to Warrick at the lord?s table.
?How so??
But Warrick looked at the vessel in his hand and saw that the soft metal had
collapsed under his grip. He threw it away angrily and called for another, which
a page quickly supplied, along with the ale to fill it. She should have been
there already to do it. What the devil was keeping her in the kitchen? But then
she appeared with a large platter of meats, and he schooled his features to
conceal his rioting emotions.
?You must do better than that if you do not want her to know how she affects you,?
his friend warned, trying unsuccessfully to hide his amusement.
?You are wound so tight?
?Go to hell, Sheldon.?
The older man laughed, but said no more, leaning to his left to speak with
Beatrix, with whom he was to share a trencher. Warrick did try to relax, only it
was impossible. The closer Rowena came to the table, the more he tensed, as if
expecting a blow. And it did seem as if he received one when he saw her smile at
him.
?What will you have, my lord?? she asked pleasantly as she set the platter down
in front of him.
?A sampling of each??
He did not even look down at the meats she was offering.
?Have I made things too easy for you, wench??
?Nay, my lord.?
?Then why do you smile at me??
The smile vanished instantly.
?I forget myself. What is it you require? A frown? Indifference? Mayhap fear?
You need only say?
?Be quiet!? he grumbled and waved her off.
Rowena could feel his eyes boring into her back as she hurried from the hall,
and it was all she could do not to laugh before she was out of his sight. Lord
Vengeance was going to be easier to confound than even Mildred had thought. With
no more than a smile, she had soured his mood and received no punishment for it.
She wondered if she could force herself to touch him next, without being bidden
to. ?Twas not something she wanted to do, but she had made the decision and so
could not cavil over the means.
?So ye heard, did ye??
Rowena started and looked around until she spotted Mary Blouet. She knew not
what Mary referred to, but ?twas unwise for her to look so pleased with herself
where others could note it.
?Heard what??
?That the high and haughty Celia got sent away to Dyrwood keep. I know not how
ye did it, wench, but ye be having my thanks for it.?
Rowena could not speak for a moment, she was so incredulous.
?He actually sent her away??
?Aye, and good riddance, I say. But why do ye look so surprised??
?But I did naught that would I mean, I only told him she gave me an order in his
name. I did not know she lied, and he was angry, but I? he actually sent her
away??
Mary chuckled.
?Did I not say so? And what ye did be more than anyone else wouldst dare. I
&n
bsp; should have warned him myself of the advantages she took of her position, but a
man is funny about such things. Like as not the bearer of tales gets the brunt
of his displeasure.?
Rowena tamped down the pleasure she was starting to feel, reminding herself that
what Celia had done was outrageous and deserving of some kind of discipline.
Warrick certainly had not done it for her sake. He had merely been made aware
that Celia had overstepped herself, and he had acted swiftly to punish her for
it. After all, the man thrived on meting out punishments. Why should his
favorite leman be excluded from them?
Rowena hurried back to the hall with another platter of food, her plan to baffle
and subtly seduce her tormentor forgotten for the moment. She noted, however,
that his mood had taken a turn for the worse. There was that risk, of course,
that instead of merely confusing the man and making him wonder about her, he
would get angry instead. The frown that followed her to the table now said he
was definitely angry about something.
She hesitated to get near him when he looked so forbidding, but there was no
help for it. Her duty was to serve him his food, not merely set it before him.
?Does aught tempt you here, my lord??
Rowena did not realize the implication of that innocent question until she saw
the fire leap into Warrick?s eyes. She flushed. She had not meant to be
deliberately provocative, yet so she had sounded. And to her amazement, his
frown turned into a grin, not of that cruel humor she abhorred, but of genuine
male amusement.
?Come you here, wench, and we shall see what if aught will tempt me.?
Sir Sheldon guffawed beside him, as did a few other knights within hearing.
Rowena?s flush turned to hot flames. But she did not hesitate this time. She
hurried around the table and came up to stand beside his chairand found herself
pulled onto his lap.
?Twas the perfect opportunity to further her seduction of himif she could forget
that they were the center of attention. But she could not forget that there were
other nobles present, including ladies, including Warrick?s young daughters, and
all she wanted to do was crawl into a hole and hide for the next decade. Verily,
if she were given even a little of the respect her true status was due, Warrick
would never have treated her so before his entire assemblage. But she was
classed as a lowly serf, beneath the notice of ladies, defenseless against
lustful innuendos as well as lustful assaultsat least by the Lord of Fulkhurst.
?What think you, wench, will tempt my palate?? he continued to tease her.
?Do you select it and we shall see.?
A reprieve? She could fill his trencher and be gone? She wasted no time in
leaning forward to reach the nearest platterand felt Warrick?s hand come to her
leg, then press between her thighs. She sat back so fast, her head cracked his
chin. They both winced, but then he chuckled.
?Think you none of the viands will tempt me, then??
Rowena groaned inwardly. There was no way she could win this game he had
instigated, but she did not think he would simply let her leave his lap did she
try. If she could bear his touch for a few moments, he might grow tired of the
game and recall that he was sitting here to eat, not to amuse himself with his
newest plaything.
She leaned forward to try and fill his trencher again. But his other hand groped
beneath her skirts until he found a bare thigh, and she felt a wave of heat that
had naught to do with embarrassment. Suddenly she was horrified that he might be
able to bring her to the state he had last eventide, right there with hundreds
of eyes avidly watching.
Pride be damned, she curled toward him and whispered at his neck ?Please.?
?Truly do I like that word on your lips,? he replied, a wealth of satisfaction
in his tone.
Twas a blatant reminder, at long last, of the begging that had so shamed her,
but at the moment she was not embarrassed by it. She was too embarrassed by what
he was doing now.
But he had more to say.
?Mayhap now you will tell me what caused you to smile before??
Rowena?s eyes flared wide. Was all this because she had perplexed him with that
damn smile? Did he have to get even for being confounded by her? The thought
infuriated her, and anger made her forget her embarrassment, forget even that
other ears than his would hear her answer.
Answer him she did, with another smile, waiting only until he took a swallow of
his ale.
?I was merely thinking of your display of jealousy this noontide, my lord.?
He choked, his response coming out as a wheezing rasp.
?Jealousy!?
She leaned back so he could see that she gave his reply thoughtful consideration.
?Mayhap possessiveness would more aptly describe it. I understand now that you
feel I am only yours to use and abuse, that no other should have that privilege.?
Warrick scowled at Sheldon, whose shoulders were shaking in mirth, evidently
because he had heard those words. Then Warrick turned his scowl on Rowena, and
she had no more than a moment to wish she had not chosen so public a place to
get a little even with him.
?I make certain that you are kept available to see to my own whims, and you see
this as possessiveness?? he growled low.
? Twould not bother me to throw you to my men and watch as they have youas long
as I am not in the mood to have you myself. Need I prove this to you??
?Twas one of those threats that, by merely saying it, he would be forced to
carry out did she not make immediate amends. Her anger increased, but that did
not stop her from throwing her arms around his neck and squeezing tight.
?Do not, I beseech you,? she said by his ear, then softer, her lips touching his
earlobe ?I want only to share your bed, know only your touch.?
She felt a shiver run through him just before he pushed her off his lap. She
noticed his flush as she straightened; then her eyes collided with his and she
felt seared by their molten heat.
?Get you below and have your meal, then come to my chamber.?
?You want a bath, my lord??
?I want to find you in my bed, wench, where we will ascertain if you bespoke the
truth.?
Chapter 29
Rowena was never going to live it down. She was certain the whispers about that
awful scene in the hall would follow her until the end of her days, across
shires, across countries, wherever she wentif she ever left Fulkhurst. But what
did Lord Vengeance care? No one would be whispering about him. ?Twas naught for
a nobleman to make sport with one of his serfs in his own hall. Who would
gainsay him, after all?
She abhorred the thought of returning to face her most recent shame. ?Twas
deplorable that there was no way to reach Warrick?s solar from the kitchen,
without passing through the full length of the hall. But when Rowena returned
after her long drawn out meal, there were no whispers about her that she could
tell. In truth, the men did not look her way at all, and those women who did
happen to notice her glanced quickly away.
Had she been wallowing in mortification for
naught, then? she wondered in
confusion. Or had no one noticed her sitting on Warrick?s lap except those at
his table? But she was ignored from that direction also, except by Warrick. He
watched her now, but in a distracted manner, since he was deep in discussion
with his friend, Sheldon.
She was perplexed, and liked it not. He was the one who was supposed to be
confounded, not she. But there was an easy enough way to find out if something
unusual had happened in the short time she had been belowstairs, something that
made the women, even those lazy weavers who had disdained her instruction that
afternoon, seem almost fearful now when they saw her.
She saw the young girl, Emma, who had come to fetch her when Sir Sheldon had
arrived, and stopped by her table. Only vaguely did she note that the girl sat
alone.
?Emma, may I presume upon your good nature to ask what has occurred here that I
missed when I went below??
?Naught has happened since the fine entertainment you gave us.?
?I see,? Rowena replied stiffly and turned to leave, disappointed, since the
girl had seemed friendly earlier.
But Emma caught her hand to quickly assure her ?Nay, lady, I meant no insult.
Tis just strange to see the dreadful dragon behave like a normal man.?
Dreadful dragon? How aptly put, but Rowena was more concerned with what she had
just been called herself, as she realized how much worse it would be to be
treated like a serf by Warrick if others knew she was not.
?Why do you call me lady?? Emma shrugged.
?You cannot hide what you are in serf?s wool. Your manner speaks more clearly
than words, lady, though your words speak just as clearly of noble breeding.?
?You speak just as clearly,? Rowena pointed out, relieved that Emma was only
guessing.
Emma grinned.
?I do but mimicthough better than Celia, I warrant.?
Rowena could not help laughing.
?Aye, much better than she. But tell me, if naught occurred, why do the women
seem, well, almost fearful??
?When they look at you?? At Rowena?s nod, Emma?s grin got wider.
?They have heard what happened to Celia and think it was at your behest.?
?But I never?
?I did not think so, but they do. They are also in awe of you that you do not
fear the dragon even in his darkest moods.?
Lindsey, Johanna - Prisoner Of My Desire Page 20