Arrow To The Heart (De Bron Saga) (5 page)

"Maria
n and her servant will leave at the crack of dawn to travel back to the lady’s estates.  I will give you a signal. You will merely escort her to my castle north of here. I have a guest chamber waiting.  You will bring her to me there. One of my men will attend you to help you carry out the deed.  I will send him to your room long before the cock crows."

"And just how will I know this man?"  The knight's voice was filed with loathing, but it was clear he would do as his master bid.

Rowena  was filled with urgency as she listened to a description of the scoundrel, taking. Mental note of all the details.  Then realizing  she couldn’t tarry, that  there was much to be done if she were going to save Maid Marian, she retraced her steps quietly, stealthily.  She was nearly to safety behind the wall when her foot became entangled in a mesh of ropes holding some boxes together. The boxes came down, crashing to the ground, giving her away.

"What the....?"

"Who goes there?  Roderick, find out!"  The scuffle of footsteps alerted Rowena that they intended to  give chase. The hunt was on.

Chapter Five

Darting out of the shadows,
Rowena  ran for her life. If only she could escape, she would be safe from Prince John’s revenge. Fleeing up the stairway she could only hope that with her agility she could leave the knight far behind. Alas, it was not to be so. Though she picked her feet up and set them down as fast as she was able, she could not move quickly enough to outdistance him. Her clothing weighed her down and got in the way of her feet and legs. With an angry oath, she hastily discarded her mantle, wishing she could cast off her long tunic as well.

“I must not let them catch me!” Thus avowed, she ran up the last ten steps as fast as her legs would carry her, determined to reach her room and safety.

“Becket’s saintly ghost!” Roderick of Hereford was too close to her heels to allow her an easy respite from his chase. Certain that he had not caught enough of a glimpse of her to know her identity, she decided against entering her own chamber. Of a certainty it would give her away. She had to look elsewhere for a hiding place. But where? The heavy trod of the knight’s footsteps set her heart beating frantically. Despite her effort, he was closing in on her.

With a sudden burst of energy Rowena lost him for just a moment. Hardly daring to hope, she tried one of the doors near the stairs. It was locked, offering no place where she could hide. Swearing beneath her breath, she went to the next. It too was secure against her entry. On to the next and then the next she ran, but these too were bolted. All the while she heard the heavy footfalls coming closer and closer.

Rowena  scolded herself for her lack of foresight in not bringing a weapon, any weapon, with her.  Against the large man's strength she would be helpless, but she wouldn't be taken without struggle. Whirling around, preparing for a fight, she paused. She’d try one more door.

Running
to the fifth portal, she reached out, surprised when it swung open easily at her touch. Ducking into the room, Rowena  shut the door tightly behind her.  Her chest was heaving, her heart beating as rapidly as the wing of a bird, while her hair tumbled in disarray around her flustered  face.

"Well, what have we here?
” The voice was masculine and seemed to be one that Rowena remembered.  "So, the lady is anxious for my company.”

Turning around to face the occupant of the room, she was mortified to see that it was the same handsome, dark-haired man who had sat beside her during the banquet.
The handsome, overbold, swaggering one.  She stood transfixed, looking into his brown eyes, trying not to lower her gaze to the broad expanse of his lightly furred chest, which was all too obviously bare.  Horrified, she realized that he had very little on, only a piece of bed linen. The look in his eyes told her that he misunderstood her entrance

“Be most assured that I welcome you.”

"It...its not what you...you think," she stammered, taking a step backward as he took several steps forward.

His hand touched her elbow
with a firmness that seemed to tell her he was not planning to let her go. "Come in.  I do not want to keep such a lovely young woman waiting."  He grinned roguishly.

Kendrick stared into the young woman’s
's wide blue eyes, thinking that they were just as blue as he had remembered.  Her soft mouth was just as pink, though curled upwards it would have been more alluring.  The soft curves of her slim form were plainly visible in the thin woolen of her blue gown.  He thought again that she was very pretty, as delightful as a wild rose.

“Lovely.”
Reaching out he touched the softness of her hair.  It intrigued him, unusual in its tawny color.  He smiled in anticipation.  The fact that she had come to his room gave credence to the surety that the lady would quickly succumb to him.  He had not misinterpreted her after all.  His pride was soothed. 

Rowena pushed his hand away.  She didn’t want him to think that she had wandered into his bedroom for a social visit.
"I was trying to get away from a man," Rowena  began, anxious to set his thoughts aright. She did not like the glint in his eyes. She was not so naïve that she did not know what it meant.

"I'm certain that you
were
trying to get away from a man.  A beauty such as yours must surely attract a flock of suitors, my lady.  It is glad I am that you have chosen me."

"Chosen you....?"  The nerve of the man.  Anger sparked in
her eyes.  She started to protest indignantly ,when a knock at the door silenced her.  From beyond a husky gruff voice called out, inquiring as to whether Kendrick had seen a young woman in a light blue gown.

“A light blue gown?” Impassioned eyes swept over her.
             

In quivering apprehension, Rowena  w
aited for the dark-haired rogue to give her away, to hand her over to the brawny conspirator.  Instead, he merely put his finger to his lips as he smiled, pushing her gently, but firmly, behind the door as he opened it.

"God's blood, can
not a man shave and go about his necessities without disturbance?" he shouted, feigning annoyance.

The knight was not intimidated. "I’m
searching for a fugitive.  A young woman wearing light blue or gray.  Have you seen her?"

“Seen her?”
Throwing back his head Kendrick roared his laughter.  "My good man, had I seen a young woman roaming about I would now have her between the sheets, not be dawdling here jabbering with you.  But the answer is no.  The only face I've looked upon has been yours, much to my regret."

This time there was a pause, then,
"Are you certain?"

"As sure as I am of
my own name.  Now, if you have nothing more to say, my bath water is growing cold."

"Bath water?  Fie!  You men from across the Channel are a strange lot.  Ugh...you'll catch the ague or at least a chill...
! But to each his own."

“Aye, to each his own.”

There was another pause. “Well, if you cannot help me, good day.”

“Good day!”

Rowena  heard the door slam and the heavy trod of footsteps and sighed her relief.  Perhaps this dark-haired new-comer was not quite as bad as she supposed. "Thank you--"  His mouth closed on hers before she could say another word.

For the moment, his firm lips molded against hers, Rowena was speechless.
His kiss was surprisingly gentle as he caressed  the softness of her mouth.  So gentle that she somehow forgot to put up a fight. As his kiss jolted her with sweet fire, she yielded for just a moment. She had never felt like this. Never. It was as if he took her breath away, mingled it with his own. His strong arms reached around her waist to draw her closer against him and Rowena did not want to pull away no matter how much reason told her that she should.

"It is as if you were molded just
for me," she heard him say as he drew his mouth away, His words tickled her ear, sending another shiver of warmth up her spine.  "I will show you delights you never dreamed of." 

Again his mouth claimed hers and Rowena  could only wonder at the feelings this man's nearness was igniting.  It was as if a raging fire burned through her veins, as if she were standing on the edge of a precipice in danger of falling off.  A breathless feeling
, albeit a feeling heightened by a strange sense of fear. Somehow she was losing control and yet passionately she surrendered to her senses, shivering as his mouth and tongue traced the outline of her neck and shoulders.

Kendrick
knew at once that the young woman in his arms was not experienced but even so he continued with his lovemaking, surprised by the feelings she evoked. He had taken his share of women to his bed, but never had a mere kiss so quickly ignited his passion. A strange feeling of protectiveness warmed him as he thought how she stirred his heart as well as his loins.  Nonetheless he reveled in her response to him as he reached down the front of her blue gown to stroke the peaks of her breasts, lifting so impudently to taunt him. 

Rowena tensed immediately. T
he touch of his hands upon her naked skin with such familiarity brought back down to earth with a thud.  How dare this man she hardly knew be so familiar with her?  She was no trollop sent to pleasure him.  Breaking away from his embrace, remembering that he was indeed Prince John's man and thereby a devious bastard, she removed his offending hand from her gown, rasping her displeasure. This man presented a danger to her virtue. He was a womanizing scoundrel, that was obvious. Pulling away, she moved towards the door.

“Not so quickly, my lady.” Kendrick motioned for her to return to him. The lady was nervous about what he intended but he was confident that he could warm her again. She would be trembling with desire, as were most women he had encountered, after but another kiss or two. “Come
, kiss me again….”

“Kiss you again? I think not.” Rowena shot back. Heat surged into her cheeks as she reached for the latch. With a swiftness that stunned her, however, the dark-haired man blocked her way.

“Leaving? I think not yet.” Grasping Rowena, he held her in a tight embrace, his lips caressing hers again as his hand slid down the curve of her hips. From experience he knew that women liked a man to be strong and domineering. They liked to lead a man on a merry chase but always gave in once they were caught.

Rowena   could feel the hard, warm length of him as he held her against him
and she stiffened in outrage. At that moment frustration and rage welled up inside to choke her.  "Unhand me!" she ordered, unleashing a torrent of swear words, words unfit for a woman to say.

"What?"  Kendrick
’s lips twitched in a smile as he regarded her. He held her tightly, refusing to give in to her plea.  “Such language,” he said playfully. “I ought to put you over my knee, wench.”

Wench.  The word infuriated her. 
Without thinking, she drew back her fist and hit him, not once but twice, with the speed of a striking reptile.

Rowena  was strong.  Years of stringing her bow and climbing trees had strengthened her arm
s and insured that she was no weakling.  Now, as the handsome man stood sputtering before her holding his jaw, she stared at him in surprise. Fearing for her virtue, she had protected herself not by slapping his face as most young women would, but had reverted to her tomboy days and punched him as a lad would have done. 

“BiGod!” Putting his hand to his jaw, Kendrick gently massaged his injury. Never had he been struck by a maid and he would not stand for this kind of treatment now. He stepped towards her, anger etched upon his face. “This
is how you repay me?  With a punch in the jaw, like some little ruffian?  And after I lie to the guard for you?”

“I…I…”
Unable to explain her actions, Rowena was speechless.

Kendrick delighted in her confusion, idly threatening, “Why
, I have half a mind to turn you over my knee and trounce you soundly!"

“You wouldn’t dare!”

Rowena did not stay to continue the conversation. With a curse she opened the door and fled into the hallway. She was, running now from a foe far more dangerous than the knight who waited below; indeed, she was running from a man who was after greater bounty--her heart and her virtue.

Kendrick watched the girl scurrying away, not really knowing whether to laugh or curse. Truly she was a strange one. All passion and fire one moment and a fighting, sputtering kitten the next. One thing was obvious, however, she was in some kind of trouble.

“What has she done to cause John’s guardsmen to chase after her
?” Remembering her bold conversation at the Christmas feast he could well imagine. Undoubtedly she had spoken out before thinking and earned John’s retribution. Ah well, it was none of his concern, he thought, retreating back into the room.

Then why had he shielded her? Why had he lied to the man-at-arms? As anxious as the guardsman had seemed to capture her, he might have earned John’s gratitude had he turned her in.

“Was I that befuddled because of a pretty face…?”

Slowly, methodically, Kendrick got dressed sorting out his thoughts as he tugged and pulled on each garment. He had wanted to bed the young woman, and why not? He was a man of strong hungers and she was a tantalizing offering, sugar with just the right touch of spice.

Right from the first, the idea of being with her had crossed his mind. Tonight he had fantasized about holding her, warm and soft in his arms. This morning the reality had been even more stimulating than he had supposed. And now she was gone. The crazy heat and pounding of his body that she had stirred within him, however, was not.

“My lord de Bron?”

Looking up, Kendrick realized that Chadwick had entered the room. Though his servant had been talking to him he had been much too preoccupied for the moment to hear.

“Prince John has asked to see you.”

“He has?” Kendrick was apprehensive, wondering if the time had come for John to test his loyalty. “Then of course I must hurry. One does not keep such a man waiting.” Grabbing at the cloak he had flung over the bedpost, he started towards the door, then paused. “There was a young woman….”