“Were you as thrilled the day you got betrothed, milady?” Herta asked, moving to stand behind Rosetta. The young woman began working on Rosetta’s tresses.
Rosetta turned the emerald and pearl ring on her finger. The extravagant jewel almost seemed to make a mockery of her betrothal when compared to Herta’s small ring that had been given, and accepted, with so much joy and love. “My situation was a little different from yours.”
“Different, milady? In what way?”
I didn’t love Edric, but I chose to accept his proposal anyway. “I agreed to marry Edric in part to protect my father’s lands. Edric’s and my sire’s estates border one another, you see. The marriage will allow the lands to be joined once my father has died.” As Herta ran the brush through her loosened hair, Rosetta added, “Father is in excellent health, so ’twill not be for a long while yet.”
“I have heard of such marriages, milady—ones intended to secure inheritances and preserve family fortunes.”
A note of sympathy softened the young woman’s voice, and Rosetta fought a pang of envy. Herta was lucky to be able to marry the man she adored, and to be free of the obligations that came with being born into a titled family. “Such nuptials are very common for noblewomen,” Rosetta admitted. “Some ladies are married when they are still children, not even old enough to bear heirs. At least Edric and I are of a similar age and know one another well. We have been friends since we were young.”
“A strong friendship makes for a fine marriage, milady.” The brush made a soothing, whispering sound as it skimmed through Rosetta’s hair.
“True,” Rosetta said. “I feel very fortunate to be wedding a man I know, rather than a complete stranger. My parents did not know one another before their marriage was arranged by the crown. I cannot imagine what that must have been like for them.”
“Oh, I agree, milady.”
“Edric is not perfect, but I could do far worse for a husband.”
“I am dying to know… Is he handsome?” Herta asked, her tone brightened with mischief.
Rosetta chuckled. “He is. What about your fiancé?”
“He is less handsome than some, but he makes up for that with his quick wit and easy laughter.” The young woman sighed blissfully. “He will be a good husband to me and a fine father to the children we will have together. Those are the things that matter to me.”
Envy poked at Rosetta again. What mattered most to the noble elite was producing heirs. She would be honor-bound to give Edric at least one strong, healthy son.
“Your lord,” Herta said, continuing her brushing. “Would you say he is as handsome as Lord Blakeley?”
A startled tremor rippled through Rosetta. “Well—”
“His lordship might have his scars, but he is still a very becoming man,” Herta murmured. “Do you not agree?”
Completely.
Rosetta brushed a crease from her skirt. “I have not really noticed—”
“Milady!” Herta giggled. “Every other woman in Damsley Keep has noticed. He certainly admires you. Have you not seen the way he looks at you?”
Heat warmed Rosetta’s face. She did not want to be drawn into a discussion of her feelings for Ash.
“’Tis a shame that you are already betrothed, Lady Montgomery, for I vow you and he would be well suited.”
“Herta, please—”
“Oh, I am sorry, milady, I know ’tis not my place to say such things. I will say no more, but I do hope his lordship will find a beautiful woman like you to be his wife. He deserves happiness and—”
Muffled voices came from outside the solar.
“Excuse me a moment.” Herta set down the brush and hurried to the doorway. After speaking to someone outside, the young woman said, “Your bath is here, milady.”
“Thank you.” Rosetta hugged herself, for she couldn’t wait to sink into the warm water. Naught soothed frayed nerves better than a bath, and with all that Ash had told her still haunting her thoughts, Rosetta needed a long soak to help calm her mind.
Servants entered carrying a round, wooden bathing tub which they set by the hearth. More lads followed with buckets of steaming water. Once the tub was filled, Herta shut the door, her arms laden with linen towels, a washcloth, and a fresh cake of soap. Setting the items beside the tub, she said, “I will help you undress milady, and then will give you a nice scrubbing. I will wash your hair too, shall I?”
“’Tis kind of you to offer, Herta, but I can manage on my own.”
The young woman’s eyes widened. “His lordship would expect me to assist you.”
“Truly, I will be fine. I usually bathe on my own.” Rosetta took the items from Herta’s arms. “Why not go and find your fiancé and celebrate your exciting news with your friends?”
Herta blushed. “Well…all right, milady.”
Once Herta had left, Rosetta slipped off her gown and chemise and left them in a heap on the floor. Herta had closed the shutters at the window a short while ago, blocking out the twilight sky and cooling breeze, but the air in the solar still held a draft, causing goose bumps to rise on Rosetta’s arms. Naked, she stepped into the tub and sank into the water. She closed her eyes on a long sigh. Heaven.
Droplets pattered onto the water’s surface as she moistened the soap and washcloth and thoroughly scrubbed her face, arms, and legs. The ritual of washing away the day’s strain was marvelously soothing…although part of her couldn’t help wondering if Ash used this same tub. Had he bathed near the hearth in this chamber, as she was doing now? How wicked that she could easily imagine him dragging a soapy cloth over his broad, rippling chest and leaving behind a trail of foamy white bubbles. His skin would glisten like oiled bronze in the firelight. His dark hair would cling to his strong, wet cheekbones as he—
Rosetta tossed the washcloth into the water that had turned a milky hue from the soap. This might be Ash’s castle, and his private room, but he was not going to intrude on her bath. Seeing that buckets of water had been left for her to rinse her hair once she’d washed it, Rosetta pushed her tresses back from her face, closed her eyes, and then submerged.
As the depths surrounded her, she surrendered to the cocooning warmth.
***
“I met the lady today.”
Ash glanced at Justin, seated beside him at the lord’s table. Over the buzz of noise from the rest of the folk eating in the great hall, Ash said, “Did you, now?” He’d tried his best not to sound surprised and a bit annoyed. After their argument in the stable, Ash had expected the boy to have gone straight to the tiltyards to practice with his weapon.
The boy spooned up another mouthful of pottage, while Ash chewed a piece of buttered bread. “Her name is Lady Montgomery. She is very nice. And pretty.”
A wry laugh broke from Ash. His Briar Rose had clearly won over this young lad. “Where did you meet her?”
“In the garden. She asked to see my bow.” The boy stuffed more pottage into his mouth. Ash had never seen Justin with such an appetite.
“I see. Did you show the bow to her?” Ash ate more bread that he’d dipped into the pottage broth.
Justin nodded and wiped his mouth—on his dirty sleeve, of all places. Ash cringed and pushed a linen napkin toward the boy, who dutifully wiped his lips a second time. “She tried to fire an arrow, but she was hopeless at it. She is a lady, after all.”
Reaching for his wine, Ash downed a quick mouthful to suppress a laugh. He could imagine how indignant Rosetta would be if she heard such things said about her.
“I showed her what to do,” the boy continued. “She liked seeing me shoot the arrows, so I did some practicing while she watched.”
Shock rippled through Ash, along with a flare of admiration. Thanks to her, the boy had completed his weapons practice for the day and, it seemed, had enjoyed it.
He patted Justin’s arm. “Well done. I am proud of you.”
“Really?” Such hope shone in the boy’s eyes.
“Really.”<
br />
Justin set down his spoon, rose, and threw his arms around Ash. “I am glad,” the boy whispered against Ash’s neck. “I do not like it when you are upset with me.”
Ash’s heart constricted, and his arms instinctively tightened around the boy who smelled of earth and fresh air. Ash didn’t like being upset with Justin, either. He held the child, reluctant to break the emotional bond that had suddenly grown between them.
At last, the boy drew away, rubbing at his eyes. Dropping down in his chair again, he wrinkled his nose at the dregs of his pottage. “Have I eaten enough for tonight?”
“You have. Why do you not go and check on the puppies?”
Justin grinned. His chair scraped back as he leapt to his feet and hurried from the hall.
Smiling, Ash watched him go. At least they had resolved their disagreement—thanks to Rosetta. Thinking of her, how lovely she’d looked in the garden, roused a stirring of longing within him. He wanted to see her. He needed to see her.
Ash left the table and climbed the stairs up to the landing and the corridor leading to the solar. He greeted the guards outside the door, halted, and knocked.
No answer.
Ash frowned. Rosetta had no doubt recognized his knock. Was she purposefully ignoring him? She had refused to dine with him that evening, no doubt because she hadn’t liked what he had told her in the garden.
He knocked again.
Still no reply.
This was his castle. Even if she was upset with him, or indisposed, she should still acknowledge him.
He shoved down the iron handle and strode in.
The solar was still and quiet. As he pushed the door shut behind him, he thought she wasn’t in the room, but then he saw the bathing tub and her submerged in the cloudy water.
She surfaced, gasping, her eyes still closed and water pouring down her face. He could only stare, enraptured, as she tilted her head back and smoothed her tresses away from her cheeks. In the firelight, her fair skin glistened. The fire glow flickered over her sleek nakedness, luring his gaze down to the slope of her throat and shoulders, and then even farther down, to the tantalizing roundness of her pink-tipped breasts.
He couldn’t breathe. He couldn’t move. God’s holy blood, but she was even more exquisite than he’d imagined in his dreams. Hot, heady desire filled his veins.
She blinked. As if suddenly realizing she was no longer alone, her gaze flew to him.
“Ash!” She dropped down into the water, until only her face was visible above the surface. “H-how dare you!”
Chapter Ten
“Of course I dare, Briar Rose,” Ash said with a lazy grin. “This is my solar.”
Rosetta stared up at him from the edge of the tub, while the water continued to lap against her from her quick retreat into its depths; some of the bathwater had even splashed onto the planks and soaked the rug.
True, ’twas his chamber, and as lord, he had every right to come and go as he pleased. Surely he had more respect for her, though, than to stride in while she was bathing and therefore naked?
“I did knock,” he said, as if that explained how he’d come to be standing just a few paces away from the tub. “You obviously did not hear me.”
“Obviously,” she muttered. What was she going to do now? She wished she could lift her hand and wipe away the droplets running into her eyes, but she couldn’t move without him seeing even more of her than a lady ever revealed to a man except when she was married to him and in the privacy of their bedchamber.
Except that this was his bedchamber, and once, long ago, they’d talked about running away and getting married…
Ash’s gaze slid down to her chin touching the rim of the tub. His eyes smoldered, and she shuddered in the water that was rapidly lost its warmth.
“What reason did you have for disturbing me, Ash? As you can see, I am not prepared for visitors.”
“I guessed that.” He winked. “For some reason, though, I find myself reluctant to be gallant and leave.”
Heat spread across her face at his husky tone. She shouldn’t be flattered by his roguishness, and yet, a delicious, wanton heat chased through her, right down to the tips of her toes.
His wicked grin widening, he closed the distance between them and crouched in front of her, the leather of his boots creaking.
His expression was a heart-wrenching blend of fierce longing and self-restraint. Long ago, he’d gazed upon her in such a manner. Her pulse thundered, excitement and remorse tangling up inside her like fast-growing vines.
The scent of him, of the outdoors, leather, and man, teased her over the lingering fragrance of the soap she’d used to wash. As he reached out and gently brushed water droplets from her cheek, a nagging pressure spread through her lower belly—a forbidden desire she was finding more and more difficult to suppress.
“Do you have any idea how I have dreamed of seeing you naked?” he whispered, his gloved finger sliding along her cheekbone.
“Ash—”
“I still dream.” His finger glided over her mouth, and the softness of the leather against her lips made her shudder. “I am sure, though, that what I imagine is nowhere near as lovely as you really are.”
How she ached inside to hear such words. Even as she acknowledged her own yearning for him, however, her gaze slid to the ring on her hand.
Ash’s focus shifted to the jewel, too. He exhaled a harsh breath, shoved to standing, and turned his back to her.
She sighed, a sound of regret as well as relief.
“Believe it or not, I did come here with a good reason for seeing you,” he said. “I came to ask…if you would like to walk with me on the battlements.”
Rosetta glanced at his back, her gaze indulging in a quick study of his broad shoulders, narrowed waist defined by his leather belt, and strong, muscular legs. So handsome, and yet, still a mystery to her in a great many ways.
Mayhap ’twas best for them both, when the attraction between them was still undeniably real. The better she knew him, the harder ’twould be to forget him when she left Damsley Keep. She was already practically married to Edric, apart from the formal church ceremony. Yet, even as the rational part of her mind encouraged her to refuse Ash’s offer of a walk, her conscience reminded her that she’d loved him once; he’d been her best friend as well as her soul mate, and she owed it to their past friendship to try and at least understand the warrior he had become. “I would enjoy a walk,” she said.
“Tell the guards when you are ready. All right?” Ash’s head turned slightly, revealing his sun-bronzed profile to her.
“All right.”
“I will see you anon.”
He left, the door shutting behind him.
Rosetta finished washing her hair and then stood, water streaming down her body. She grabbed one of the linen towels and dried her torso, then twisted her hair up in the towel before stepping out of the tub and drying off her legs and feet. Shivering in the cool air, she donned her chemise and silk gown, combed out her wet hair, slipped on her shoes, and then drew on her embroidered blue cloak. She tapped on the door.
A guard answered. His features reminded her of Justin. Was he the boy’s uncle? She was tempted to ask; however, she didn’t want the lad to think she had been talking about him with his relative.
“I will summon Lord Blakeley for you, milady,” the man said, bowing.
“Thank you.”
While she waited, she sat by the fire, running the brush through her tresses. Her hair was almost dry when she heard Ash’s familiar knock.
She crossed to the door just as he entered. His gaze skimmed over her, and his mouth curved in a wolfish smile that swept her back to a short while ago when she’d been naked.
“Enough, Ash,” she muttered.
He chuckled and gestured for her to step out into the shadowed, torch lit passageway. “What I saw earlier?” he said while they walked side by side. “’Twas far from enough to satisfy my lustful curiosity.”
> Mercy, but that wanton thrill shot through her again. With effort, she stifled it.
He escorted her to a doorway opening onto a flight of stone steps leading up. He urged her to go first, while he followed close behind. When her foot slipped on the uneven stairs, he steadied her, one hand at her waist and the other holding her hand, until she regained her balance. ’Twas odd to touch his fingers encased in leather, rather than his bare skin. With a twinge of regret, she wished he would trust her enough to let her see his injured hands.
The stairs opened onto the battlements where a few burning torches cast light into the darkness. Stars glinted in the black sky overhead, and the wind whispered across the weathered stonework as they walked together to the crenellated wall.
“’Tis a beautiful night,” she said, hugging herself. “The stars are as bright as gems.”
“We used to sneak away from the great hall and go up to the battlements of Millenstowe Keep to watch the stars,” Ash murmured. “Do you remember?”
“I do.” She recalled everything about those glorious days with him. They had watched the night sky while she’d stood in his embrace, her back pressed against his chest, her head tipped back against his shoulder. She had never felt closer to him than in those moments. His love for her, and hers for him, had wrapped around them like a cozy blanket and she’d been safe, content, and so very sure that she never wanted to be anywhere else but with him.
Tears pricked her eyes, and she walked away a few paces, fighting to regain control of her emotions.
A Knight's Desire--World of de Wolfe Pack Page 9