“If I don’t understand as fast as the children, I’ll not delay your class, but I really think I’d like to learn. All I have for a dowry is my mother’s jewels. If I could help my husband in the running of his property, it might help me gain more status and respect.”
“That’s very true,” said Elinor.
Again, Father Augustus took a long time to reply, but in the end he nodded. “Very well.”
The stronghold slowly returned to normal. Summer was almost over, the crops were gathered and secure, houses readied for the long, cold winter, the animals and their needs taken care of. But Lord Jeffrey was still under close surveillance as no one trusted him.
Wade, Hammond, Rhys, and Lord Devon spoke over and over again about each of the men in Lord Jeffrey’s household, and about the lord himself, his wants and needs.
“It’s as though a maggot got in his brain. At first, all he wanted was Lord Rhys’s demesne, and his plans to attack it were well devised and executed. This is obviously true, as the battle was quickly over with him the winner. But then, having achieved what he wanted, he lost all interest in it. Instead of settling down to build up his food supply for winter, going hunting for meat, learning about his peasants and the new families, he just sat in his hall and drank the ale until none was left.”
“Do you think it’s because he only knows how to be a soldier? Not how to manage a demesne?” asked Elinor.
“I hadn’t thought of that. Usually a boy learns such things together. You do this because of that. Every child knows that, unless the grain is planted, there will be no crop.”
“What is his background, his upbringing?” asked Father Augustus.
“I don’t know. He never spoke of it. I know he’d been at Court until quite recently. I think that’s where he first heard about this valley,” said Lord Devon.
“Let me go and get Rhyannon. She’s had several visits to Court. Maybe she’ll know,” said Elinor.
But Rhyannon could offer no information. Even though Lord Devon described every detail about Lord Jeffrey, she had no memory of ever meeting him, or of hearing about him or his family.
“Another dead end,” sighed Rhys.
“Would you like me to send some letters?” asked Father Augustus.
“I think so,” said Rhys slowly. “He’s a thorn in our flesh sitting there, and we cannot know whether he plans to attack us again. That’s why the children continue to watch him every few days. If he starts building siege engines, I want to be the first to know.”
“Yes, indeed,” gasped Elinor.
“Well, then I’d better begin work. Lady Rhyannon, would you like to come with me and help copy the letters? It will hasten your learning of the skill of writing.”
“Copy a real letter? With ink, onto parchment? My goodness, that’s much more exciting than writing letters with a finger dipped in ash.” Smiling, Rhyannon jumped to her feet and followed the priest.
Elinor noticed that Lord Devon’s gaze followed her across the great hall and out into the courtyard.
That was interesting. Very interesting indeed. He came of good family, although he had no land of his own, of course. And neither did she. So as a marriage, it wouldn’t be acceptable. One of them had to have property, or where would they live, how would they survive? She sighed softly.
In one way, their lives had returned to normal. Everyone was back in their own home, doing their regular daily work. But in another, everything had changed. There could be no peace in the land until the issue of Lord Jeffrey was sorted out one way or the other. Elinor could only hope he settled down to be a good lord and care for his peasants.
As for herself, she was always hungry for her men. Bedtime could not come soon enough for her. Her breasts ached constantly, feeling hot and full. Her nipples begged to be pulled and twisted and sucked. Her cunt was always hot, longing for a cock to fill it. Even her ass twitched with the need to be touched and filled. She could think of nothing but bedtime, of Rhys and Hammond swiving her thoroughly, giving her pleasure over and over again. She was even enjoying rough love more than ever before. Rhys sometimes bit her neck or her breasts, and the shards of pleasure/pain dancing through her body gave her more joy than she would have expected. She liked one of them slapping her thighs or ass with his broad, hard hand. It made her cunt cream even harder.
She liked to be fucked twice or three times a night. Every time one of them touched her, Elinor’s body demanded more, demanded cocks to fill it. Hands to touch it. Several nights ago, they’d both been busy until very late at night, planning castle defenses, and she’d had to use her fingers on herself to get to sleep. She was unable to rest until she’d pinched her nipples and filled her own cunt and brought herself to release. That had never happened before.
Just thinking about them made her want them both so much her breasts were almost paining her. They felt so full, so hot, and ached so much. If only one of the men would pull her bodice down and suck her breasts, suck them hard.
Elinor’s hands rested on her belly. Her breasts ached. Her cunt was hot. She had not bled this moon. Could she be with child? She wanted it to be true so much, was she just imagining it? But no, she wasn’t imaging her inexhaustible need for the men to plow her, nor imagining how much her breasts ached. She certainly wasn’t imaging the fact that she hadn’t bled.
She would say nothing to Rhys or Hammond yet. It was much too soon to know for sure, and many women miscarried a babe in these early days. Besides, she cared for them far too much to arouse hopes in them that then weren’t fulfilled. She cared for them. Cared for them deeply. Maybe even…loved them.
Elinor shook herself at the strange thought. She would continue to enjoy being fucked over and over again in bed at night. And she would have Father Augustus teach her child to read. Boy or girl, it would have one extra skill in the battle of life.
If Lord Jeffrey stayed away. Now that was the maggot in the apple!
THE END
WWW.BERENGARIABROWN.COM
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Berengaria is a multipublished author of erotic romance: contemporary, paranormal (ghosts, vampires, fairies, and werewolves), and Regency-set historical. She loves to read all different kinds of romance, so that is what she writes: one man/one woman; two women; two men; two men/one woman; three men; two women/one man…Whatever the characters need for their very hot happily ever after, Berengaria makes sure they get it.
Also by Berengaria Brown
Ménage Amour: Freedom Be Damned 1: Enslaved
Ménage Amour: Freedom Be Damned 2: Freed
Ménage Amour: Dragon Lovers 1: Dragons’ Bond
Ménage Amour: Dragon Lovers 2: Dragons Redeemed
Ménage Amour: Raw Claiming 1: Raw Craving
Ménage Amour: Raw Claiming 2: Raw Need
Ménage Amour: Raw Claiming 3: Raw Want
Ménage Amour: Possessive Passions 1: Shared Possession
Ménage Amour: Possessive Passions 2: Possess Me
Ménage Amour: Possessive Passions 3: Ultimate Possession
Ménage Amour: Forever Yours 1: Intensity
Ménage Amour: Forever Yours 2: Complexity
Ménage Amour: Forever Yours 3: Eternity
Ménage and More: Vivienne’s Vacation
Ménage Amour: Tempting Tenealle
Available at
BOOKSTRAND.COM
Siren Publishing, Inc.
www.SirenPublishing.com
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