Claire Delacroix (14 page)

But that was nonsense!

All the same, Brianna found herself nodding before she could even question the wisdom of her impulse. Luc’s eyes flashed like sapphires, then he closed the distance between them in a heartbeat. He bent and, once again, gently captured Brianna’s lips beneath his own.

Luc tasted as seductively masculine as he had the night before. As before, he kissed Brianna gently, his tongue running across her lips as though he would cajole her into participating. Luc’s fingertips touched Brianna’s chin, then slid along her jaw, leaving a breathtaking tingle in their wake.

His gentle tenderness was irresistible. When Brianna opened her mouth to his embrace, Luc’s strong hand cupped the back of her head with a possessiveness that made her
heart pound like thunder. He slanted his mouth over hers and kissed her with a thoroughness that stole her very breath away.

And Brianna did not care.

Her hands found their way to his broad shoulders, she stretched to her toes. There was something in Luc’s caress, perhaps ’twas the way he lingered for her approval before continuing, perhaps ’twas the tenderness with which he held her, which made Brianna certain that she could but step back if she chose.

The very possibility made Brianna want the very opposite. Shivers ran over her flesh, an alien heat unfurled in her belly. She felt her nipples grow taut as Luc’s tongue rolled warmly between her teeth. ’Twas all new sensations and even more wondrous than what Luc’s earlier kiss had roused within her.

When Luc eventually lifted his head and stepped away, Brianna was honest enough to admit that she was disappointed. She made good note of how sharply Luc inhaled, as well as the vivid blue of his gaze, and her heart pounded anew. Indeed, it seemed that he gritted his teeth.

Was it possible that Luc had not been unaffected by their embrace?

Not that Brianna cared, of course. She pushed the very possibility away. She wanted naught but to see this man gone; she wanted naught but to spurn his gift; she wanted naught but to see her father restored to suzerainty once more.

She wanted to
trouble
him.

Sorely.

Although holding that steady gaze clearly had a tendency to make Brianna forget those objectives.

Or at least, grant them less weight. What whimsy seized her wits when Luc kissed her? Was this the fate of all
women—to be affected by the merest touch of a man once the prospect of marriage loomed in their future?

“And your answer.” Luc gazed down at Brianna, a half-smile curving his lips. “I am no bastard, my lady, but the product of a dutiful coupling.”

Brianna frowned but Luc slid his thumb across her bottom lip. He watched its course as though he could not look away, then visibly swallowed.

The thumb paused at the corner of Brianna’s mouth, then retraced its course. Brianna could not bring herself to move or look away.

And Luc’s nostrils flared ever so slightly. She could discern the brilliant blue of his eyes through his lashes and instinctively knew that ’twas not her heart alone that raced.

“Fear not, my lady,” Luc said softly, “you shall have your full answer. My pledge is not worth so little as that.”

He smiled for her alone and Brianna’s heart galloped.

“My grandfather, Gavin’s sire, realized that his only son had ambitions far beyond the family saddlery,” Luc confessed. “When Gavin first rode to war—taking the side of Matilda as did so many in Wales—my grandfather worked busily to cultivate an arrangement that would suit my sire’s worldly aims.”

Luc shook his head, his voice no more than a confidential murmur. That thumb moved back and forth across her lip with leisurely deliberation and Brianna stifled the urge to shiver. She found herself watching Luc’s firm lips as he spoke, greedily noting every little change in his expression.

’Twas only that she might be as perceptive as he, of course.

“He was proud when a local minor baron, that of Llanvelyn, agreed to let his sole daughter wed Gavin. The baron was aged. Wales was restless in those days and many of the nobility had not returned from war. No doubt the
baron appreciated the prospect of not only seeing his daughter’s future secured, but that an heir with a talent for war would be present to protect his holding.”

Luc’s ebony brows drew together briefly. “Gavin, as you might expect, found the holding of Llanvelyn too paltry for his attentions. The marriage contract was signed, however father and son argued bitterly. ’Tis a testament to my sire’s character that he only agreed when the old baron suddenly expired.”

“And he would step into that man’s place,” Brianna concluded.

Luc looked to her and nodded. There was a warmth lingering in his eyes, as though he approved of her quick understanding, and Brianna felt her cheeks heat slightly.

“Gavin was the Baron of Llanvelyn as soon as the marital vows were exchanged. Still he had no interest in the holding, though, and hastened back to war and prospect of greater spoils.” Luc’s smile turned rueful. “I was the result of that wedding night.” His lips twisted. “As was my mother’s death in the labor of me. Gavin did not deign to remain or return.”

Brianna’s eyes widened at this admission, but Luc’s thumb fell away. He stepped back, the matter clearly closed to his thinking, and Brianna immediately shivered in the absence of his warmth. Luc ran a hand over the bark of the tree once more, as though preoccupied with his chosen task.

But his grim expression revealed to Brianna that the recollection had troubled Luc more than he might prefer her to believe.

Indeed, Brianna had the urge to console him. How dreadful to know that you were undesired, to never have known the woman who granted you breath, to be spurned by your own sire. Luc must have been abandoned to the care of servants.

’Twas entirely different from Brianna’s upbringing as a cherished child.

Though she missed Eva sorely in the years since that woman’s death, at least Brianna had known her mother. At least Brianna had been raised in the circle of her mother’s love. She flicked a glance to Eva’s sarcophagus and suddenly was recalled to her real objectives.

Luc was a thorn in the side of her plans, after all. Brianna’s lips tightened. She was to drive him away, not feel compassion for him! Indeed, ’twas his presence that kept her from fulfilling her vow to her father to secrete Eva’s letters.

Viewed in that context, his dismay was the most promising sight Brianna had seen this day.

Luc flicked a sudden glance her way. His confident manner had already been restored, Brianna noted with disgust, wishing heartily that she might trouble the man as thoroughly as he did her.

Indeed, his very glance made her cursed lips tingle anew.

“That is your answer, my lady.” Luc’s gaze dropping pointedly to her lips as though he could discern their burning. “Unless you have another?”

“Nay!” Brianna danced away, her thoughts whirling. Although she knew the question she must ask him, Brianna had to bolster her resolve before another of this man’s kisses.

But she would be back.

She halted a few feet away from Luc, her pride demanding that she make a suitable departure. The man must not believe she was fleeing him! “Do you intend to go to the kitchens and break your fast?” she asked.

Luc shook his head. “Nay. There is much labor to be done here and I had best begin.”

Brianna frowned. “Surely you do not intend to remain here all the day?”

Luc glanced to her and back to the tree. “That I do. There is precious little daylight in this season and one must make use of it all.”

Nay, this was not right at all!

“But you must eat!” Brianna charged.

Luc shrugged. “No doubt Denis will be able to send a lad to fetch some morsel or another.”

Brianna stamped her foot. “Nay! You
cannot
do this! You must go into the hall.”

Luc looked up, assessment bright in his eyes. Brianna cursed herself for such vehemence, even as she fought to find a plausible excuse for her protest.

“ ’Tis unseemly,” Brianna declared. “You are, after all, a guest of Tullymullagh.” She smiled as graciously as she could manage, desperately hoping that for once Luc would believe her lie. “I could not hear of it.”

To Brianna’s dismay, Luc stepped closer to her and Brianna had the distinct sense that he had not been fooled. “Indeed?” His lips quirked slightly. “Your concern is misplaced, my lady, for I am well accustomed to such labor.”

His steady gaze made Brianna want to squirm or retreat, but she somehow managed to hold her ground. “There is no need,” she managed to say. “Please, come and enjoy a meal in the hall.”

That dark brow rose. “My lady, if I did not know that you wanted me merely outside of Tullymullagh’s gates, I might conclude that you wanted me out of the orchard, as well.”

Brianna caught her breath and she knew her eyes widened slightly. She could not summon a timely protest to her lips.

“Indeed, the only question would be
why
?” Luc scanned the orchard as though he might spy the very reason for her argument. A lump rose in Brianna’s throat when Luc’s glance lingered on Eva’s sarcophagus.

The glance he flicked her way was cat-bright. “And who is laid to rest in the garden?”

“My mother.” Brianna’s words were more breathless than she might have liked. She forced a smile. “She was fond of spending time here.”

Luc’s glance slid to meet Brianna’s and she had the distinct sense she could hide naught from him. “And you?”

“I know naught of gardening.”

“I could teach you, if you had the will.”

Brianna’s heart leapt. ’Twas only because this would be a perfect opportunity to needle Luc further. First though, Brianna had to retreat and compose herself.

The man had her all a-tangle this morn. “ ’Tis most kind of you.” Brianna struggled to find a plausible excuse for leaving him to his labor and uttered the first thing that came to mind. “But I have duties in the kitchens this morn.”

Luc smothered a grin and frowned with mock surprise. “Indeed? A
princess
has labor in the kitchens? Truly I thought Tullymullagh better staffed than that.”

Brianna loathed how quickly she flushed, no less how he let her escape with naught.

Though in a way, ’twas refreshing not to have the upper hand surrendered so readily. Brianna refused to reflect upon that.

“Decisions need to be made,” she said breezily, “about the meal for this day.”

“And I thought I could smell the meat roasting already,” Luc mused. “How odd.”

Brianna gritted her teeth and stifled the urge to cast something at him. “For the
morrow
, then.”

Luc flashed a heart-wrenching smile Brianna’s way. “Of course,” he conceded, his tone revealing that he was far from fooled.

Brianna propped her hands on her hips and glared at him. “I
do
have duties here.”

“Embroidery?” Luc asked mildly, no censure in his tone.

Brianna opened her mouth to declare that she loathed embroidery, then closed it again.

’Twas true enough, as much as she hated to admit it, that she did precious little. A telltale flush rose over her cheeks under Luc’s steady perusal.

“Lady Brianna!” someone cried and Brianna jumped. She turned back to find one of the scullery lads running from the portal to the kitchens.

“Lady Brianna, if you please, there is a great ruckus in the hall!” he confessed in a rush. “Cook asked that I seek you out, for Uther is sorely beset in settling our new guests.”

Oh, Ismay.

Brianna groaned inwardly at the reminder of that woman’s presence and felt an immediate wave of sympathy for Uther. She could well understand how the meticulous steward would feel overwrought by the recent events. Uther took great pride in both elegant manners and a fastidiously run household.

It seemed he would see neither again any time soon.

“We have great need of your aid!” the boy pleaded.

Brianna cast an arch glance back at Luc, and he inclined his head. “Do not let me keep you when you are in such demand, my lady,” he murmured, then his lips quirked. “Duty does call.”

Their gazes locked and all seemed to halt for Brianna. She watched the way that hint of a smile toyed with Luc’s firm lips and understood that Luc knew ’twas fortune alone that had saved her in this.

Brianna felt her own lips curve in response, but determinedly dismissed her amusement. She knew suddenly that
she would accept Luc’s offer. She would learn more of this man, even if the price was another heady kiss or two.

Indeed, Brianna looked forward to the challenge. But, in this moment, she could not abandon poor Uther to Ismay.

Brianna turned and smiled for the boy. “Of course. Cook is right. Betwixt the two of us, Uther and I shall find a solution, perhaps even one that Lady Ismay finds fitting.”

The boy’s relief was visible and immediate. “I thank you, Lady Brianna!” He bowed deeply. “They are in the hall, and we should hasten.”

As she crossed the bailey, Brianna felt a steady gaze follow her progress. ’Twas true enough that she did virtually naught at Tullymullagh. Clearly, the time had come to make a change. Brianna was a child no longer, after all, and she was able enough to contribute more than embroidery to the keep.

Aye, one day she would no doubt have to manage a household herself. Even Tullymullagh would not always have Uther’s efficiency at its bidding. ’Twas resolved. Brianna would set Ismay to rest, then ask Uther to teach her all he knew.

She could not help but wonder what Luc Fitzgavin would make of that.