A Knight's Temptation (41 page)

A good point. While she wasn’t ashamed of lying with Aldwin, she’d rather not have her sire discover her naked with him in her chamber.

Aldwin pushed up to sitting, and the rope bed shifted. He moved to the edge, stood, and then reached down to pick up his garments. She tried not to stare at his well-muscled arse, but ’twas so perfectly formed she couldn’t resist.

As he straightened, her gown landed on her lap.

“Enough ogling.” Aldwin sounded annoyed, but when he glanced at her, he grinned.

Hmm. So he could touch and stare at her at will, but she couldn’t do the same? That didn’t seem fair.

He shook out his tunic and pulled it over his head, not seeming to notice her hesitation. Of course he wouldn’t. He was thinking about claiming his knighthood and resuming his duties for de Lanceau.

Leona snatched up her gown to find her chemise snarled up inside. When she rose from the bed to straighten her garments, a stain on the sheets caught her attention: her virgin blood.

Aldwin met her gaze, and she knew he’d noticed the mark, too. When the servants came to change the linens, they’d see it. Soon the whole castle would know she was no longer a maiden and was ruined for a future husband who’d expect his bride to be unsullied.

She didn’t care. Whatever the consequences, she’d face them.

Aldwin touched her arm. “’Twill be all right, Leona.”

She steadied herself against the softness of his voice. “I know.” Not looking at him, she drew her chemise over her head and stood to shake out the creases.

Fully dressed, Aldwin held out her gown. A gesture of intimacy. When she took the garment, their fingers brushed, and she smothered a fresh bloom of despondency.

“Shall I help you?”

“Thank you, but I can manage.” She fastened the garment and smoothed it into place, then quickly tidied her hair.

After donning his cloak and picking up his crossbow and quiver, Aldwin opened her chamber door and they stepped out into the passageway. He drew the door shut with a firm
click
, and Leona blew out a shaky breath. Had de Lanceau finished speaking with her father? The fate of this keep and its good folk remained unknown to her.

She would find out, though, once they reached the great hall.

A man was striding toward them in the torch-lit passage.

Dominic.

“There you are. Aldwin, Geoffrey is asking for you. Where were you?” After glancing from Aldwin to Leona to the chamber door, Dominic arched his eyebrows.

Aldwin brushed past his fellow warrior. “We are headed to the great hall now.”

“I see.” Dominic matched Aldwin’s strides. He glanced back at Leona, following close behind. To her annoyance, her face warmed. “All is well, Lady Ransley?”

“Aye.”

“Why would it not be?” Aldwin grumbled.

Dominic’s chuckle carried in the passage. “You hope to be knighted at the end of this mission. You would not want any misunderstandings to muddy that honor.”

“No misunderstandings,” Aldwin said, sounding tense. They reached the stairwell and hurried down to the hall.

The baron’s body was gone, and servants were replacing the bloodied rushes with fresh ones and dried herbs. Leona searched the chattering crowd of men-at-arms and castle folk until she spotted her father, standing near the dais, speaking with de Lanceau.

Aldwin strode toward them. As she followed, both men looked their way.

De Lanceau smiled. “Aldwin.”

“Milord.” He dropped to one knee on the rushes and bowed his head.

Leona frowned. ’Twas rather dramatic of Aldwin.

De Lanceau waved his hand. “That is not necessary, Aldwin. Rise. I have spoken at length with Lord Ransley, and—”

“Milords.” His head still lowered, Aldwin said, “I ask your forgiveness and consideration.”

A knot formed in Leona’s throat as she studied his blond head. What was he doing? Why must he delay the announcement of what was to become of Pryerston?

“Explain,” de Lanceau said.

“In private, please, milord.”

De Lanceau paused before motioning to the crowd in the hall. “Leave us.”

The throng filed out, until only Leona, her father, de Lanceau, Dominic, and Aldwin remained. The fire crackling in the hearth seemed unsually loud, and she clasped her hands together to ward off unwelcome nervousness.

“What do you wish to tell us?” de Lanceau demanded.

“I ask forgiveness for my failures in my mission to bring you the pendant. I realize those failures may cost me my dream of knighthood.”

“I see,” de Lanceau said, frowning.

“I also ask forgiveness for lying with Lady Ransley.”

Leona gasped. “
Aldwin!
” How dare he speak of their intimacy? How could he be so insensitive? Her face flamed.

“You did
what?
” her father bellowed. “I
knew
you were a knave! I knew it. Leona, my poor daughter . . .”

She cringed at the anguish in her sire’s voice, while rage and hurt welled up inside her. Plowing her hands into her hair, she stared at the trusses overhead and tried to think of a way out of the quandary.

“You took Lady Ransley to your bed,” de Lanceau said, his tone severe.

“Aye.” Aldwin blew out a breath. “Actually, her bed.”

Leona groaned an oath. “Aldwin, please.” Next, would he say she seduced him like a lusty tavern courtesan? How humiliating!

“You lay with her in this keep?” her sire raged. “You, who almost killed her with your senseless game when she was a girl?”

Aldwin visibly tensed, but he didn’t move from where he knelt. “I did. ’Twas rash and irresponsible, I know, but . . . Aye.”

“My daughter, ruined! ’Tis unacceptable! Lord de Lanceau—”

His lordship thrust up his hand and appeared about to speak.

“I am a man of honor, milords,” Aldwin quickly added. “I take no action lightly. I accept full responsibility for my weakness and want to make this situation right. Therefore, I ask to be granted Leona’s hand in marriage.”

Leona choked. Lowering her hands to her sides, she glared at Aldwin’s back, sorely tempted to march over and wallop him. He’d turned their wondrous lovemaking into some kind of honorable duty? He felt he had no choice but to wed her, since he’d yielded to the serpent of desire and disgraced her?

Through a blinding haze of fury, she heard de Lanceau call her name.

“Lady Ransley,” de Lanceau said again, studying her. “Did Aldwin force you to your bed? If so—”

Unable to look at her sire, she shook her head. “’Twas what I wanted, too.”

Her father moaned. “Leona.”

Aldwin pushed to standing and smiled at her.

Tears blurred her vision. As she blinked them away, his smile vanished.

He hurried to her.

“How could you do this to me?” She stepped back, painfully aware of the other men witnessing her anxiety. “I will
not
marry you. Not this way!”

Before she could move out of reach, Aldwin caught her hands. The gentle press of his fingers sent anguish slashing through her.

“I realize how my words must have sounded.”

“Do you?” She smacked his shoulder. “You arrogant . . .
turd!
”

Dominic snorted a laugh, and a grin softened Aldwin’s mouth. “I deserved that. Yet I spoke true, Leona. I want you to be my wife.”

A short while ago in her chamber, lying in his arms, she might have longed for such. But now? “Why do you want it?” she bit out. “Because you regret being impulsive? Because you feel guilty for what took place between us?”

“Never.” Lifting her right hand to his lips, he kissed each of her fingers. “What we shared was beautiful. Passionate. Unique. Just like you.”

Leona sniffled. “Aldwin—”

“I said such because . . .”
I am trying to salvage my wretched honor before my lord, so I can finally be knighted
—

“I love you.”

She squinted at him. “What?”

He smiled with such tenderness, her stomach swooped. “I love you, Lioness. I vow I have loved you since we met many years ago. I want you to be mine.”

“God’s blood,” her father muttered. “I need a drin—I mean, to sit down.” A bench scraped somewhere near the dais.

Leona’s breath rushed out on a shaky gasp. What should she believe? She was so afraid to give in to the giddy joy surging inside her. “You are not asking me out of a sense of duty?”

Still holding her hand, Aldwin dropped to one knee on the rushes. “If I never attain knighthood, I will accept such,” he said gravely. “As long as I can spend my life with you.”

“I cannot believe what I am hearing,” Dominic said.

“Indeed.” De Lanceau sounded equally astonished. “You would give up knighthood to wed this lady?”

“I would.”

She trembled inside as Aldwin gazed up at her, his handsome face most solemn. “Leona, my Warrior Lioness, will you be my wife?”

Her lips quivered into a smile. “The wife of an ‘arrogant turd’?”

He chuckled. “I hope that one day, you might bestow upon me a more affectionate name.”

She smiled, tears flooding her eyes. “One day, I shall.”

“You . . .” His eyes widened. “Then . . .”

“Aye, I will marry you.”

“Leona!” He lunged to his feet, drew her into his arms, and crushed his lips to hers. With a happy cry, she melted against him. Was it wrong to want to grab his hand and race with him back to her chamber? Oh, but how she wanted to—

De Lanceau cleared his throat. “You do realize, Aldwin, that you are not the first man to have his heart conquered by a strong woman?”

Aldwin frowned. “Conquered, milord?”

De Lanceau grinned, then gestured to her sire. “Lord Ransley, of course, must give his blessing to this arrangement. Do you, milord?”

With Aldwin’s arms firmly about her waist, Leona glanced at her father.
Please, say “aye.”

“Well—” he grumbled.

“Within the next few days,” de Lanceau added, “I will send a letter of commendation to Aldwin’s parents, to advise them of his exceptional work on this difficult mission. Among his accomplishments, I will be sure to note how he rescued Leona from cutthroats, helped liberate Pryerston from murderous conspirators, and saved my life in the midst of a bloody battle. He is, in my opinion, a hero worthy of his own glorious
chanson
.”

Aldwin had flushed scarlet. “Thank you, milord.”

“I vow your parents will be very proud of you.” De Lanceau waved a hand. “Of course, I cannot forget to mention that you will be knighted as soon as possible.”

Aldwin swayed against Leona. “Milord, did you say ‘knighted’?”

“I did.” De Lanceau smiled, and Leona couldn’t help smiling, too. “You have well earned your golden spurs. Also, I have told Lord Ransley he has one last chance to prove he can rule his estates as I expect; otherwise, I will give his holdings to another lord. I will return in two months. Meanwhile, I am appointing men here to help with whatever is needed.” De Lanceau pointed. “Including you.”

Aldwin grinned. “I am honored, milord.”

“Tell me, is there much of the reward money left? If not, I will issue the full amount to go into Pryerston’s coffers—”

“Oh, milord,” Leona gasped.

“—in thanks for Lady Ransley’s efforts to get the pendant to me.” De Lanceau looked at Leona, and then her father. “I expect there is much need here for that coin.”

Indeed, there was. At last, Adeline would have her special shoes.

Smiling through her joyful tears, Leona glanced at her sire. Dragging a hand over his face, he met her gaze, and then pushed from the bench. He came to her and Aldwin’s side.

“Do you love this man, Leona?” he asked, at last.

“I do, Father. I always wondered why I survived the bee stings years ago. I thought, in the past days, that I was destined to save Pryerston from the baron and Veronique.” She blinked back tears. “I realize now I lived to love Aldwin.”

“Lioness,” Aldwin whispered before kissing her.

Her father shook his head. With a grudging smile, he extended his hand to Aldwin. “If you have tamed Leona’s spirited heart, you may have my blessing.”

Aldwin shook hands. “Thank you, milord.”

As de Lanceau and Dominic congratulated her sire, Aldwin drew her aside. Against her mouth, he murmured, “I love you, Leona. I promise I will be an excellent husband.”

“I hope so, for I intend to be an excellent wife.” She brushed her hips against his in wanton invitation, relishing his startled gasp. “I must warn you, though. If you are tempted to neglect me for other duties—”

Aldwin laughed. “Never. On my honor, as a knight, you are more than enough temptation.”

—The End—

More from Catherine Kean

Watch for the rest of Catherine Kean’s award-winning Knight’s Series, soon to be released in eBook format:

A Knight’s Persuasion
(Book 4)—Young Edouard de Lanceau’s story

Available Fall 2012

A Knight’s Seduction
(Book 5)—Tye’s story

Available Fall/Winter 2013

***

Other eBooks by Catherine Kean, available now:

Bound by His Kiss (Novella)

Dance of Desire

My Lady’s Treasure

A Knight’s Vengeance
(Knight’s Series Book 1)

A Knight’s Reward
(Knight’s Series Book 2)
—
Dominic’s story

A Knight’s Temptation
(Knight’s Series Book 3)
—
Aldwin’s story

If you enjoyed
A Knight’s Temptation
by Catherine Kean, you might like her award-winning medieval romance
My Lady’s Treasure
. Read on to sample the first three chapters . . .

My Lady’s Treasure

The moment widowed Lady Faye Rivellaux sees the tall, commanding warrior riding toward her, she senses the danger in him—a powerful sensuality that she has never experienced before, especially not in her marriage bed. Fighting her unexpected desire, she clings to her promise to rescue the kidnapped child she loves as her own. When he demands a ransom she cannot meet, she offers her one last hope: a gold cup.