“Good morning, lady Elizabeth,” he said, instead. His eyes sparkling as if he knew her thoughts.
He pulled away from her and Elizabeth felt a hint of disappointment. A frown crossed her face for a short moment. William studied her face, then he pulled her back into his embrace and gave her a deep passionate kiss. Suddenly, he broke it.
“We have things to do,” he waggled his eyebrows and whispered into her ear. “Let’s leave kissing for later.”
Embarrassed, Elizabeth looked down. But William would not leave her alone. He took her hand and pulled her to follow him into the stables.
When they entered the stables, Elizabeth saw a groom finish preparing a magnificent white mare for a ride.
“Do you like her?” William asked, pointing to the horse.
Elizabeth walked to the beautiful animal and slightly touched his skin. It was the most beautiful horse she had ever seen. “She is wonderful.”
“She is yours now.”
Elizabeth turned around at William in disbelief, speechless.
William looked at the groom. “Leave us.”
The groom obeyed instantly. Once he was gone, William walked to Elizabeth and stopped right behind her back. Gently, he touched her shoulders and a wave of pleasure ran through her body.
“I wanted this day to be special for you, lass,” he said into her ear, his voice sounding like a melody. “What can be more special than this horse?”
Before she could understand what she was doing, Elizabeth turned around and embraced William, hiding her face on his wide chest, tears of happiness running down her cheeks.
“Thank you,” she whispered, sobbing. “No one has ever given me presents. This is a special day, indeed.”
Silently, William caressed her back and kissed her forehead, calming her down.
When the tears stopped, Elizabeth kissed his cheek and pulled away. But instead of letting her go, William pulled her back into his embrace.
“I cannot wait till tonight,” he said with a husky voice and covered her lips with a passionate kiss.
***
A cool morning breeze was blowing her hair as Elizabeth galloped along a narrow road, bordered by woods on either side. William was right behind her.
Laughing and smiling, Elizabeth enjoyed the sense of freedom that the ride gave her.
When the castle disappeared behind the trees, Elizabeth slowed down, listening to the sounds of morning in the forest. Birds sang their beautiful songs, some being very close, some further away. Leaves rustled in the breeze.
The sun was getting brighter with every minute, but the shade was still deep.
This was what freedom felt like.
William caught up with Elizabeth.
“I want to show you someplace,” he said, his attention fully on the road. “Follow me,” he commanded and overtook Elizabeth. “Be ready to move from the road soon.”
William started slowing down, constantly looking into the trees on the right. Elizabeth followed his example, not willing to miss what he was about to show her.
Suddenly, he stopped and moved his horse onto a narrow path, which was barely visible from the main road. Elizabeth would never have noticed it, if she was alone.
She followed him, unable to hide her curiosity.
The path was very narrow, trees growing thickly on the sides of it. The riders moved very slow, bending down time after time, so that low branches would not scratch their faces.
Several long minutes later the trees disappeared, and the couple appeared on the shore of a forest pond.
The place was stunningly beautiful. Elizabeth observed it with awe. Surrounded on all sides by forest, there was a small pond with delicate white lilies growing on its calm surface. A small meadow blossomed with daisies, clover, and cowslips. It was so peaceful here, no wind seemed to enter this paradise.
William stopped his horse and dismounted. He tied the reins to a nearby tree and went to Elizabeth. He reached for the reins and their hands met for a moment, that seemed like an eternity. Their eyes met and Elizabeth’s heart pounded faster.
William smiled, took the reins and walked her horse closer. He tied the horse to a tree and helped Elizabeth to dismount.
When she was on the ground, William took his hands off her waist and walked to the pond.
“When my father was alive, I came here often.”
Elizabeth followed William to the water.
“Did he come with you?” she asked, looking puzzled. Could it be that fathers loved their children? She could hardly believe it.
William laughed with sadness.
“No, lass.” He took a deep breath. “I came here alone. To calm down.” He stopped by the water and looked at Elizabeth, who stopped next to him. “And to hide, so that no one could find me.”
For a moment the mask of a mighty warrior was gone, and Elizabeth saw the real William, the one who was hiding behind it.
“He was a spiteful man. And very powerful. I hated him but could do nothing to stop the injustice he had done. I came here when I was mad at him. This place helped me to calm down and stopped me from doing things that I would regret later.”
There was so much pain in William’s eyes, that for a moment Elizabeth wanted to give him a soothing embrace. But she stopped herself from doing so.
Instead, Elizabeth took off her shoes and tried the water with her bare feet. It was warm and Elizabeth moaned with pleasure, her eyes closed. What a magical feeling it was.
She opened her eyes and walked slowly in the water along the bank. The place was peaceful, indeed. It calmed her, too, she admitted. All her worries seemed so distant and unimportant. Elizabeth could easily understand why William loved being here.
“What about now? Do you often come here?” she asked, looking at him.
William remembered the last time he had been here, the night he’d made love to Jane before she told him about her wedding. A blush crept up his neck, and William shook his head in denial, then sat on the grass.
“The times have changed and so have I. I am the lord of these lands and I cannot simply run away from troubles, like I used to do as a youth. I have to be in the castle or nearby, so that my men can find me when they need to.”
Wat was he hiding, Elizabeth wondered. Despite the blush she’d seen, he seemed so open and friendly to her, that Elizabeth could not help herself,
“What about me?” she asked, looking straight at him, her heart beating faster. “Have you decided what you want to do with me?”
William was quiet for a moment, looking into the distance behind Elizabeth. Then he moved his eyes to her. “I will marry you, lass.”
Elizabeth gasped, her heart beating faster in delight, but then the happiness was overshadowed by reality.
“My father will never agree to this marriage. He wants me to marry Humphrey Harrington and he will do everything possible to make that match happen.”
“I know,” William said and got up to his feet, “That’s why Stephen is going to London on the morrow. He will give the king my petition to wed you.”
“But.” she paused, hesitating.
William looked at her, his eyes narrowed.
“What is it you want to ask me about?”
“Do you want to marry me only to avenge Jane?”
William’s good mood was instantly gone, his face hardened.
“I don’t want to talk about Jane,” he got up and went to the horses. “We need to get back.”
Elizabeth walked out of the water. To her utter disappointment William was still obsessed with Jane. He wanted to marry Elizabeth only for revenge. Could it be that his kisses meant nothing?
The very thought that William preferred Jane made Elizabeth upset. To her frustration, she liked William too much. She wanted to become his wife. But she wanted his heart, not just his body. If he did not love her, she did not want him. She had to run away, before she lost control over her heart and her body.
Elizabeth put on her shoes and f
ollowed William, constantly looking around. There were just the two of them. Far from the castle. It was the perfect moment to escape.
***
They were riding back in silence until the moment when they reached the main road. The time had come. If she waited a few more minutes, she would lose her chance.
“Let’s see who is faster,” she said with a smile and pretended that she was about to start her horse into a gallop.
William gave her a winner’s smile. “Let’s see.” The next moment his horse was far ahead of Elizabeth’s.
It was exactly what she needed.
Elizabeth turned her horse around and stormed away as fast as she could. She had to get as far as possible before William realized that she was not competing with him.
Her horse was in a full gallop when she heard a roar beside her. She turned her head. William. He was galloping beside her, his face dark with anger.
With eyes full of fear Elizabeth watched him getting closer to her horse and grabbing her reins. Elizabeth wasn’t a strong rider, so fighting while galloping scared her more than William’s anger. She gave up without a fight.
William pulled the reins and stopped both horses.
“Go back to the castle,” he commanded, looking straight into her eyes. “And make sure that I don’t have to chase you again.”
Elizabeth took a deep breath to calm down, but her shaking voice betrayed her fear. “I will not go there.”
William looked at her with blank eyes.
“I am going to St. Mary’s,” she said after a short pause. There was more determination in her voice than she actually felt.
William grinned at her and dismounted. “You will be the worst nun I can think of.”
Elizabeth wanted to argue, but the next moment William pulled her down from the saddle and took her into his embrace. She pushed him away, but he was too strong for her.
“’Tis better to be the worst nun,” rage washed over her, “than to marry a man who dreams about another woman!”
William ignored her words and covered her mouth with a passionate kiss. When his lips touched hers, Elizabeth weakened and answered the kiss, losing all her determination to leave. There was William. Her William. Nothing else mattered.
Suddenly William took his arms away and stepped back. Elizabeth opened her eyes in disappointment. Her legs weak, she stumbled, but William was fast enough to catch her.
“You have so much passion in you, lass,” he whispered in her ear. “You will go mad with boredom if you lock yourself in a nunnery. You are made for love and passion, not for solitude. Now,” he helped her to mount the horse, “we need to go back to the castle. I hope there is no need to watch you on our way back?”
Elizabeth shook her head and started her horse towards the castle. Her attempt to run away had failed. But deep inside she was happy that William stopped her. She didn’t want to become a nun any longer. All she wanted now was to make William fall in love with her.
***
Humphrey Harrington was pacing his tiny room in the Silver Dragon inn. Time after time he came to the only window in his room and looked outside, into the yard.
“Where is that bastard?” he mumbled under his breath and continued pacing. “He should be here by now.”
Suddenly the door flew open and a man of middle age entered. His filthy clothes and red beard were covered with dust, his eyes puffy with lack of sleep.
“What took you so long?” Humphrey sat into his chair and looked at the newcomer.
“I came as soon as I could, my lord.” the man said, closing the door behind himself.
“Enough.” Humphrey’s stare hardened. Excuses were the last thing he wanted to hear. “What have you managed to find out?”
The man turned around to face Humphrey but did not dare to step away from the door.
“Not much, my lord. Lady Elizabeth is a guest in the castle.”
“Is she William’s mistress?” his eyes narrowed, lips making a thin line.
The man shook his head in denial.
“No, my lord. Lady Elizabeth lives in a separate chamber and lord de Broke treats her as a lady, not as a...” he stopped, unsure of Humphrey.
“Not as a slut. Is that what you wanted to say?” Humphrey smiled, satisfied, and leaned back into the chair.
Finally, he was able to relax. Humphrey could not understand what lady Elizabeth had been doing in Stafford’s castle, but at least she had not become William’s mistress. Soon enough Humphrey would get her out of there.
Still, Humphrey was not sure whether he could trust the man.
“Who told you all this?” he questioned, doubtful. “I’ve already gone on one useless journey looking for this woman”.
“Trust me, my lord. I have ways of getting information that is known to none other in the castle.”
“Here,” Humphrey took a sack full of coins and threw it to the man. The man caught it at once. “’Tis for all your effort. And this,” he took another sack of coins out of his pocket, “’Tis for the guards. I need to get in and out of the castle unnoticed. I trust you to organize it.”
Chapter Eight
Backleigh Castle, home of Baron de Broke
The storm raged outside the castle walls. The wind was howling like a wolf, and frequent lighting made the night as bright as day. Heavy rain drummed on the roof, so loud that no other sounds could be heard inside.
Humphrey, followed by two of his men, crossed the great hall and reached the stairs that would take them to the chamber where Elizabeth was being kept.
There were no windows, and men had to walk slowly, blinded except for the brief flashes of lightning. Still, they could not waste time. Every second was precious. The guard they had bribed could give them away at any moment.
Their steps could not be heard above the sounds of the storm. Humphrey stopped at times and looked down, listening. He stayed alert for indications someone was following them with torches. But there was nothing.
Soon, they reached the door to the solar. Humphrey hesitated, staring at the dark wooden door silhouetted by the dim firelight from within. He did not dare open the door for some time. What if there was a trap? He would be dead in a matter of seconds.
Finally, he gathered all his willpower and opened the door. It was a dark room with a huge window on the other side. A flash of lightning illuminated the room for a second. Empty. No one was waiting for them here. Humphrey sighed with relief. Fighting an enemy in their own castle was not what he wanted.
There were two doors in the solar, but Humphrey knew behind which the wench had been hidden.
“Miles,” Humphrey said quietly to one of his men and pointed to the door on the right, “Check whether there is anyone. We don’t need unexpected surprises.”
The man left and Humphrey, along with another man, stayed still, waiting for Miles to return.
It took him several seconds to check the chamber. “No one.” He whispered, returning.
“Good.” Humphrey smiled. Everything was going better than he had expected.
Quietly, he opened the door on the left and in the flash of lightning they saw Elizabeth, peacefully sleeping in her bed.
Finally. He had eagerly anticipated this moment. He rushed to the bed, but suddenly the sound of a falling candlestick broke the silence. Humphrey reached down and grabbed it, not breaking stride.
***
Elizabeth opened her eyes and turned to her side, getting comfortable under a wolf skin. It was still the middle of the night, she thought, half asleep. Too early to get up. She shut her eyes and started falling back into the sweetness of dreams.
Suddenly, a loud thunder strike, seemingly above her head, made her jump, her heart beating fast. God, she hated thunderstorms. Elizabeth opened her eyes, wide with fear, her sleepiness instantly gone, and sat up straight in bed, looking into the darkness ahead of her.
The storm outside subsided for a short moment and no noise came from outside, just rain. Elizabeth sighed with r
elief.
Suddenly, she heard some movement in the middle of the chamber. Breathing heavily, she peered into the darkness.
‘Tis my imagination, she told herself, trying to calm down, but she did not believe these words.
Another flash of lightning broke the darkness and Elizabeth saw three men slowly coming toward her. She was certain Humphrey was among them.
A cry of horror escaped her throat, but thunder crashed at the same time, swallowing her shout. The very next moment Humphrey was next to Elizabeth. Something hard hit her across the face and Elizabeth fell into darkness.
***
Elizabeth slowly and painfully returned to consciousness. An enormous headache made it impossible to think. Her face throbbed as though it were one huge bruise. It probably was, she thought. She wanted to speak, but a cloth stuffed in her mouth made it impossible.
Elizabeth tried to open her eyes to see where she was, but it caused pain, too, so she gave up instantly.
She wanted to sit down, but her legs and hands had been tied.
“Don’t waste your time,” Humphrey laughed into her ear and suddenly Elizabeth felt him throw her, as he would a sack, to his shoulder.
“Let’s get out of here,” he said, and walked out of the chamber.
Fighting the headache, Elizabeth managed to open her eyes and lift her head. All she could see were two silhouettes following them. These must be Humphrey’s men.
Her worst nightmare had come true.
Humphrey was taking her away from William’s castle, the only place where she had been safe. No, she could not let it happen. She needed a plan, but the headache didn’t let her think clearly.
They walked through the solar. William was sleeping here, right behind the door. Overcoming the pain in her wrists, Elizabeth lifted her hands to her face and pulled the cloth from her mouth. Once her mouth was free, she cried out as loud as she could.
She knew that she would pay for it, but at least her cry would warn William about the intruders.
Elizabeth looked at the shut door as they passed it. She expected William to open it and fight her kidnappers, but time went by and nothing happened.
His Rival's Daughter (Stafford Family Book 1) Page 12