The Prisoner Bride

by Susan Spencer Paul

  “All has changed between us, Glenys,” he murmured. “You are no longer my prisoner.”

  Slowly, he lifted one hand, stroking her cold cheek with warm fingers, a touch so delicate and soft that Glenys shivered at the pleasure of it. She had never been touched by a man before—not like this. Her heart began to pound violently in her chest and her breath caught in her throat. Kieran gazed at her intently, his fingers stroking so gently, so tenderly.

  “I vowed I would not do this…that I would not let myself feel such things for you…but for once in my life, I cannot seem to find the way to stop it.”

  Glenys gulped, reaching up to grasp his other hand as he lifted it to touch her hair.

  “Please, don’t,” she whispered, ashamed at how weak and pleading she sounded. “You’ve merely been away from the company of women for too many days, and even someone as awful as I am appeals to you. Please, Kieran…don’t make me the object of your jesting. I know that I am not the kind of woman to attract you. I could never be so.” Her voice was shaking badly now, and she knew she was about to cry. She shut her eyes, her humiliation complete.

  Kieran’s hand stopped its stroking, and he made a harsh, wretched sound.

  “Is that what you think of me?” he asked bitterly. “That I would use you in such a way, for naught but my own pleasures?” He abruptly cast himself away and moved to the wall, gripping the cold bricks with both hands. “Aye, of course ’tis what you think. Why should you not? I took you and have held you prisoner for little more than my own folly, after all. Everything about me must tell you the kind of man I am. And even the worst of it would be true. God’s mercy.” He straightened, running one hand through his long hair. Then he turned to her once more. “But you, Glenys…how can you think of yourself so?” He shook his head. “You are all that is desirable in a woman.”

  She uttered a feeble, tearful laugh. “Oh, aye. Of a certainty I am.” She opened her hands, palms out, and motioned to herself. “Only look at me, how beautiful and dainty and feminine. I have no lack of ardent suitors vying for my hand.” Her fingers curled into fists and, with a sob, she pressed them against her stomach, closing her eyes tightly. The next thing she felt were Kieran’s arms folding around her, drawing her against the warmth and hardness of his body.

  “Ah, Glenys,” he murmured, gently rocking her back and forth, “if only I dared…I vow I would make you know the truth of what I say.”

  He lifted his head suddenly, and his arms fell away.

  “They’ve come.”

  Glenys sniffled and wiped her eyes, turning to look at the place where Kieran was pointing, just outside the bailey. “Look, do you see?”

  She moved to stand beside him. “Where? Oh…aye, I do see.”

  Their two remaining attackers had indeed returned to collect the bodies of their fellows, just as Kieran had said they would. They had only their two horses remaining, and were laying two bodies over the saddles of each. Within minutes they were leading the horses and their heavy burdens away, and soon disappeared into the trees.

  Glenys let out a long breath and strove to settle her nerves.

  “Will they come back once they’ve buried them?”

  Kieran gave a shake of his head. “I cannot think so. There are four of us now against the two of them, and they’ve had enough misery for one day. They’ll bury their friends and head for easier roads. And they’ll avoid Sir Anton as if he were a leper.”

  Glenys looked at him worriedly. “If Sir Anton doesn’t have word from them, saying that we’re dead, he might send someone else. He’ll do whatever he must to keep me from regaining the Greth Stone.”

  “Then he will have to work very hard, for you will regain it, and soon. But have no fears about Sir Anton. I’ll deal with him,” Kieran vowed darkly, and Glenys shivered at his meaning. “For now, we must set our minds to Wales, and on finding Caswallan. Come dawn, we’ll begin our journey.”

  “I’m so glad,” Glenys murmured.

  Kieran smiled down at her. “Don’t be yet. We’ll have a hard ride tomorrow and on every day following. But tomorrow night, at least, we’ll have a fine meal and warm beds and a decent roof over our heads.”

  “Where?” Glenys asked, with a bewildered shake of her head. None of the few taverns they’d stayed in thus far had even approached such luxury.

  “I’m taking you to one of my sisters. She and her husband have an estate that is but a day’s ride from here. ’Tis not directly on our way to Wales, but close enough. You and Dina will be glad to be in good company once more, and to have, even if briefly, the comforts you’re used to.”

  “Aye,” she said, “but what will your sister think to have us descend upon her in such a manner?”

  “She’ll think what she always does at such times, I would guess. That her brother is a wayward rogue who can’t be counted upon to give her any warning of his arrival.” He laughed at Glenys’s expression. “Never fear, mistress. Eunice will be more than pleased to receive us, and she’ll like you very well, just as you will like her. In truth, before our time at Hammersgate is done, you’ll be amazed to think that she and I are related at all.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “This is heaven,” Glenys murmured contentedly, sliding farther down into the warm, scented bathwater. “Or as close as one might get to it on earth.”

  “S’truth,” Lady Eunice, the mistress of Hammersgate, agreed, testing a bucket of rinse water with a careful finger before nodding to her maid that it was all right. “When my husband and I first married,” she continued, settling back into the comfortable, heavily cushioned chair in which she sat, “this was the first boon I asked of him. A private bathing chamber for myself and the other castle ladies. He thought it most foolish, but soon gave way. Now I think he is a bit jealous, realizing how greatly we enjoy our privacy here. Will you have more wine, Glenys? And you, Dina?”

  “Please,” Glenys replied, watching as one of the maids refilled the crystal goblet that was set upon a low table beside the large, wooden tub. The rich red wine glowed like living rubies, illuminated by both firelight and the numerous candles that filled the luxurious room.

  Glenys had never seen anything like this private bathing chamber of Lady Eunice’s. It was located on the second floor of Castle Hammersgate’s far western tower, where several tall, diamond-paned windows allowed the late afternoon sun to fill the room with warmth and light. In one corner, surrounded by wooden buckets, was a special pump that magically delivered water from a hidden well below. The chamber’s two large hearths had been specially built in order to heat great cauldrons of water over a direct flame and keep that same water warm in a separate waiting area.

  The chamber itself was splendidly decorated in red and gold, draped with silk curtains at each tall window and carpeted—except for those places where four large wooden tubs resided—with soft Italian carpets. There were large, cushioned chairs such as the one Lady Eunice was now sitting in placed in comfortable groups before the chamber’s hearths, perfect for small gatherings to relax and converse in. On one side of the room was a small closet where several warm robes were hung for anyone to use, and beautifully crafted screens to provide privacy while dressing.

  There were several cupboards in the room, though Glenys had yet seen the contents of only two. One contained Lady Eunice’s private stock of fine wines, along with fresh goblets, both crystal and pewter. Another contained various delightfully scented lotions, oils and soaps. When Lady Eunice had escorted Glenys and Dina to this wonderful private chamber, the very first thing she’d done was ask each of them to choose the scent that pleased them most. Glenys had decided at once upon a mixture smelling of roses, while Dina had fingered a bottle of lilac oil with obvious delight. Now the two fragrances mingled in the chamber to create an even more lovely, relaxing scent. Surrounded by such comfort as she’d begun to think she’d never know again, Glenys sighed and leaned back against the towel that had been set beneath her freshly washed hair. She was so comf
ortable and happy that she might have stayed where she was forever.

  They had been received joyfully at Hammersgate by both Lady Eunice and her husband, Lord Belvoir, and by all their children, who had greeted their long-absent uncle with undisguised happiness. The youngest ones had leaped with almost equal glee upon Jean-Marc, who seemed more than willing to be treated as a human toy. Glenys and Dina, as weary and ragged as they both appeared, had been accepted by the lord and lady of the castle with perfect delight; even Kieran’s forthright explanation of how and why he had brought two strange young women to them without warning was accepted without too much surprise. It was clear that Lady Eunice, especially, was well used to her younger brother and his manservant getting themselves into trouble.

  She had raised a disapproving eyebrow at her brother’s confession of kidnapping, then pushed him to one side and taken Glenys by the hand, welcoming her to Hammersgate and assuring her that both she and Dina would be perfectly safe there and well taken care of. Lord Belvoir had been more stern, inviting Kieran and Jean-Marc to join him in his private chamber to discuss matters more fully. They reluctantly followed him.

  Glenys and Dina were left in Lady Eunice’s care, and she, understanding their embarrassment at their appearance as only another woman could, had at once brought them to this wonderful chamber to bathe and rest and revive themselves with several goblets of her delicious wine.

  “You must spend a great deal of time here,” Glenys murmured contentedly. “I would, if I had such a wonderful chamber.”

  “You must ask Master Aonghus to make one for you at Metolius,” Dina suggested, just before one of the maids poured a bucket of warm water over her hair to rinse it free of soap.

  “Mmm,” Glenys agreed, opening her eyes and reaching out to pick up her wine goblet. She sipped the dark, rich wine, then said, “This is very kind of you, Lady Eunice. Dina and I are most grateful.”

  Dina was mopping wet hair out of her eyes. “Oh, indeed we are, m’lady.”

  Lady Eunice smiled and nodded. “’Tis my great pleasure, and you are both my welcome guests. I’faith, ’tis I who am grateful, for you have brought my brother to Hammersgate for the first time in many years.” She uttered a sigh. “I fear Kieran is not given to visiting with our family. Even our mother goes many months with no word of him. That you have brought him here, Mistress Glenys, is a gift of no small measure, and I thank you.”

  “But I did not bring him,” Glenys replied. “’Twas his determination that we should pass this way.”

  Lady Eunice set her own wine goblet aside with a graceful gesture. She was a delicate, beautiful woman who, just as Kieran had promised, was nothing at all like her younger brother.

  “I know Kieran well,” she said in a wistful voice. “Though he loves me, he would not have come to Hammersgate if he could have avoided doing so. He feels guilty for having taken you and Mistress Dina against your will—and rightly so—and bringing you here so that I may give you my care is, in some small measure, part of the recompense he now feels honor-bound to make. If not for you, he would have passed Hammersgate by without a glance. Kieran has never been comfortable for long within such confining walls.”

  Glenys looked about at the beautiful chamber. It was but a small example of the entire castle, which was wholly comfortable and inviting in every way. She thought of the grand feast that Lady Eunice had ordered to be prepared for the coming evening in honor of her sudden guests, most especially her brother.

  “Surely not,” Glenys said. “There is nothing at all confining here. ’Tis a wonderful place.”

  Lady Eunice smiled with pleasure. “You are very kind, and I thank you, but I fear that what I say is true. Even when he was a boy our mother had great difficulty in keeping Kieran at home. And I understand ’twas much the same when he was fostered with his father, Lord Allen. He was ever disappearing for weeks at a time, willing to face his father’s wrath when he at last returned. But that has always been Kieran’s way,” she said. “He never seems to think of the outcome of all that he does.”

  Glenys thought of how Kieran desired a meeting with her brother, of the mysterious enmity he bore for Daman.

  “Aye, I believe that must be true,” she murmured.

  “I only wish I might find a way to extract him from what will surely be a just punishment once you have been returned to your family,” Lady Eunice said unhappily. “But he is determined to repay his sins by accompanying you to Wales. In truth, I would be saddened if he did not do whatever he can now to lend you his aid, but I wish he’d not been so foolish as to take you prisoner in the first place.”

  “As do I,” Glenys agreed wholeheartedly.

  “I pray that your efforts, and Kieran’s, will be successful. This ring that you seek must be of great import to your family. Or of very great value.”

  Glenys could hear the honest curiosity in Lady Eunice’s voice, and could scarce blame her for wondering why anyone would risk her life over a mere ring—unless, of course, the ring was quite special. Kieran, in his explanation to them, had left out all mention of magic, for which Glenys was truly thankful. She’d hate for Lady Eunice to hear any of that foolishness, or, worse, believe it to be true.

  “’Tis not that it is of great value,” she answered carefully, “but the Greth Stone has been in my family for many generations. ’Tis a much loved heirloom, most special to my aunts and uncles, all of whom are elderly, and I would have them be assured that the ring has been returned to its rightful place while they are yet alive. ’Tis for their sake that I seek to reclaim the ring from the one who stole it.”

  Lady Eunice’s gaze was at once sympathetic. “Of course. I understand fully how it must be. But come, the water will be growing cold. Let my maids dry and dress you, and then you must both join me here by the fire. We will speak further once you are comfortable and warmed.”

  Fifteen minutes later, Glenys sat across from Lady Eunice in one of the comfortable chairs, her long hair spread out toward the fire, drying. Lady Eunice had kindly provided both her and Dina with clean under-garments, and Glenys now reclined lazily in a linen chemise, covered by one of the warm robes from the closet. Dina had excused herself as soon as she’d been wrapped in similar garments, pleading weariness and a desire to sleep before the evening meal. Lady Eunice had excused her at once, saying that she must certainly rest for as long as she pleased and not to worry over anything at all. Dina had followed a maid out of the delightful chamber, leaving Glenys and Lady Eunice to enjoy the warmth of the fire alone.

  Glenys’s bare feet were propped up on a cushioned stool and her wine goblet had been refilled. One of the maids had brought a tray of offerings from the kitchen: spiced almonds, lightly sugared sweetcakes, dainty, perfectly cut squares of soft yellow cheese, and honeyed figs. All in all, she felt wickedly lazy and replete. She and Lady Eunice happily attacked the delicious repast, exclaiming over the lightness of the cakes and the delicate flavor of the cheese.

  “You are fortunate to have such a skilled cook,” Glenys told her with all admiration. “I’ve had some difficulty keeping good cooks at Metolius. There are too many houses in London and few skilled servants to fill them.”

  “Aye, we are most fortunate in our cook, but I think we have Kieran and Jean-Marc to thank for these delicious treats. Their presence tends to enliven all those in the castle.” She picked up her goblet and sipped from it, looking at Glenys from beneath her lashes as she added, “Especially those who are female.”

  Glenys felt her cheeks grow warm. “I am certain that must be so,” she murmured.

  “Aye,” Lady Eunice continued, “’tis ever something of a problem when Kieran so suddenly appears. I am fully glad to see him, of a certainty, but all of my ladies and the female servants behave so foolishly around him. His great handsomeness and charm can be a curse, at times. S’truth, I am often amazed that he can bear it.”

  “He does not seem to suffer much for it,” Glenys said quietly, not looking at Lady Eunice. �
�I believe he enjoys the attention he receives.”

  “Not always,” Lady Eunice said softly. “Nay, not always.” She set her wine goblet aside and sat forward. “He has ever sought approval from one and all—most especially the kind of approval that he can never have.”

  Glenys regarded her with a furrowed brow. “Do you mean…because he is basely born?”

  Lady Eunice nodded. “Kieran is well loved by all who know him, and has ever been the favorite son of both his parents, and without doubt the favorite brother among his siblings, but ’tis not enough. I understand his feelings, and have naught but sympathy, for I remember how difficult it was for him as a child, ever being left behind. Once, when he was but ten years of age, we journeyed to court to be formally presented to the king. All of my mother’s children were brought forward one at a time and grandly presented—save Kieran. He was not allowed, and had to stand and watch as the rest of us bowed to the king. My mother and stepfather strove to explain the matter to Kieran, but he was disconsolate. His father had never even taken him to court, for he could not further shame his wife in so public a way. He had already done as much as he possibly could for Kieran by openly recognizing him as his son and fostering him. But, though Kieran understood the truth of this, ’twas not enough. Not when he was a boy, and not now. I fear it never will be.”

  “He loves his family well,” Glenys said, deeply saddened at Lady Eunice’s words. “He told me that it is so. I’faith, he said that he was the one dark stain set among so many nobler souls.” She shook her head. “’Tis a great sorrow that he feels as he does. I think him one of the finest men I’ve e’er known.”

  “Do you, Glenys?”

  Glenys had lowered her gaze, and so could not see the interest in Lady Eunice’s eyes as she asked the question.