Falling for Her Captor (18 page)

He would never know she had done it, so she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips. She was startled to find his mouth answering hers, his lips beckoning her on. She started to pull away, only to find his arms coming around her body and drawing her back down. He reached up with a trembling hand and ran a smooth thumb along her cheekbone. She kissed him again, with more passion than she had thought herself capable of, and found him responding just as forcefully.

His mouth was sweet with the taste of ginger and wine. She told herself it was the trace of sleeping draught she had taken from his lips that made her light-headed. She knew it was not.

Hugh opened his eyes and met her gaze, studying her with such intensity she almost lost control of her self-possession. Aline ran her fingers through his hair and leaned closer. Their lips met again. He began to kiss her slowly, his tongue gently parting her lips to dive between, hungrily moving with a slow, sensuous rhythm.

She could feel every curve and hollow of Hugh’s frame through the thin fabric that separated them, conscious of the hardness of his muscles and…and other parts of his body!

She pulled away, alarmed at the flames of exhilaration that rose deep within her at the implication.

Hugh smiled, sweeter and warmer than she had seen before, and laughed softly at the pink flush spreading from her neck to her cheeks. His eyes flickered downwards and she realised that he knew. His eyes closed, opened again, and became unfocused as his head began to cloud and the sleeping draught took full effect.

‘I fear I may be…may not…Aline…’ Hugh’s voice trailed off, his arms went limp and he drifted into a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Twenty-One

A
line had stayed nestled in Hugh’s arms long after he had lost his battle with the sleeping draught. She had not meant to stay, but tiredness had overcome her until her eyes would remain open no longer. It was almost dawn when she awoke and crept through the silent camp to her own tent. She burrowed into the furs covering her bed until the sky grew light.

She summoned servants and by the warmth of an iron brazier she bathed, yet still she imagined she could smell Hugh’s scent on her skin. Her fingers brushed the scab on her arm where the physician’s knife had cut her and fury coursed through her anew.

She still had so many unanswered questions. There was too much Hugh needed to explain before she could decide what course of action to take. As she smoothed a tendril of hair behind her ears the gesture spun her back to Hugh’s fingers, curling and tangling in her locks as he overpowered her with his kiss, and a new worry struck her. How could she face him after last night?

Aline rummaged through the chest until she found a dress of green wool, remembering Hugh’s casual aside in the forest so long ago. Halfway to slipping it on, she shook her head and exchanged it for one of grey. She summoned a messenger and issued instructions, then sat on the bed combing the tangles from her hair and waited.

* * *

Hugh woke alone. He knew that when he stretched out his arm there would be a cold empty space instead of Aline’s warm, yielding body. He wondered if it had all been the desperate fantasy of a man pushed beyond all endurance, or was it the result of the sleeping draught? If so he would gladly drink himself to death on it, if only he could spend his last moments with such delusions.

But it had been no dream, he knew. She really had been there, soft and eager in his arms, and…and he had passed out. He cursed the sleeping draught for cheating him of what they might have done and felt himself hardening at the thought.

At the foot of the bed his clothes lay dried and folded. Hugh dressed in the rough breeches and tunic and walked out of the tent. To his astonishment four hulking guards stood to attention outside, weapons drawn. His eyes narrowed warily.

‘Good morning,’ he said pleasantly. ‘I need to speak to Lady Aline.’

The largest soldier looked him up and down. ‘I have instructions to take you to her. Follow me.’

The men led Hugh through the camp until they stopped outside an imposing tent. Hugh had expected them to leave, but instead they surrounded him. He took a deep breath and walked inside.

* * *

Aline stood as Hugh entered, her stomach twisting into knots at the sight of his injuries. Half his face was a livid purple bruise, disappearing under the shaggy growth of unkempt beard. He looked dangerous, and if she had not known him to be gentle she would have shrunk from him.

He bowed to her formally, then glanced pointedly at the guards around him and raised an eyebrow questioningly. Embarrassment washed over Aline and she dismissed the men.

‘Sir Hugh,’ she began cautiously, once they were alone, ‘I must apologise for your treatment yesterday. If I had known you were the man Sir Godfrey had brought I would have come instantly. I trust you are beginning to recover?’

‘I believe I will live. I received exceptional care.’ Hugh smiled at her, his eyes full of desire. ‘Aline, when you came to me last night—’

‘What I did last night was improper, and I ask for your forgiveness,’ Aline interrupted. She stared at the ground, refusing to meet Hugh’s eyes. ‘I have no excuse for my actions. It was relief at finding you alive, nothing more.’

‘Relief!’ Hugh’s voice was incredulous. ‘You fell into my arms because of
relief
! You don’t expect me to believe that for a moment, surely?’

He crossed to her, his smile warm and inviting.

‘What you believe is entirely up to you. It matters not to me,’ Aline said. ‘Hugh, you saved my life yesterday, and I will always be indebted to you, but we have nothing further to say to each other. When I needed you most your allegiance was with Stephen. I cannot forget what you did.’

‘Is that the reason for the guards, Aline?’ Hugh asked, folding his arms and staring at her. ‘Do you think you have anything to fear from me? Am I a prisoner still?’

His voice was not unfriendly, but nonetheless Aline felt a pang of shame at the directness of his questions. Then she remembered the way he had restrained her as the physician had forced bitter drugs down her throat, and what had happened afterwards.

‘In truth, I don’t know what you are, Sir Hugh,’ she said coldly. ‘Only that you are an enemy soldier among my people. I have seen where your loyalties lie. You stopped me killing Stephen once. How do I know I can trust you not to flee straight back to him with reports of our numbers?’

‘How can you
trust
me?’ Hugh’s mouth dropped open in astonishment. ‘You can accuse me of such treachery, Aline? Don’t you understand I am devoted to you?’

With trembling fingers Aline drew up her sleeve to reveal the knife-wounds on her arm. ‘I bear the scars of your
devotion
,’ she said scornfully.

The colour drained from Hugh’s face as his eyes fixed on the injury. ‘What happened to you?’ he asked, his eyes full of fury. ‘Who sanctioned this?’

‘
You
did! You left me at the mercy of the physician. He told me you had ordered him to keep me there by any means!’ Aline shouted.

‘But not that way!’ Hugh insisted, his voice hoarse with shock. ‘If I had known…’

He reached out a hand to touch her arm but Aline whipped it away.

‘Have you any idea what it feels like to be completely helpless? To think you might die at any moment?’ she whispered, hugging herself tightly.

‘Yes,’ Hugh said quietly. He held his arms out to her, displaying the raw abrasions that ringed both wrists. ‘Yes, I do.’

He pulled Aline’s hands into his and looked deep into her eyes.

‘Last night I came closer to giving up hope than ever before—until you came for me. When I think of how you must have suffered it almost kills me. I swear I will look after you. Nothing like that will ever happen again.’

‘You will swear no such thing!’ Aline said hotly. ‘You waived any claim you may have had when you chose Stephen over me.’

‘What I did had nothing to do with my loyalty to the Duke or to my country. Stephen was toying with you. You would never have succeeded in harming him,’ Hugh said with exasperation.

‘You should have let me try!’ Aline raged.

‘I should have let you put your head in the noose, you mean? Do you know what it is like to kill, Aline? You’re no murderer. If you had succeeded, what do you think would have happened? Even if you were not executed you would never have been able to live with what you had done.’

Hugh’s certainty in his actions shone through his voice and Aline found her temper flaring.

‘You don’t have the right to decide that for me! I am High Lady of the Five Provinces—not just some weak girl who can’t look after herself. It isn’t your place to protect me,’ Aline said, pulling away from him. ‘You relinquished any right you may have had when you chose to leave Roxholm.’

‘I told you before—Stephen lied!’ Hugh said, his jaw tight and a shadow of rage crossing his face. ‘I did not leave willingly.’

His words sounded convincing, but Aline knew how much she wanted them to be true. ‘Why didn’t you tell me this before?’ she asked cautiously.

‘We were interrupted, if you recall,’ Hugh remarked, arching an eyebrow. ‘I thought you had confronted Stephen because of what he did to your maid. As soon as I discovered the true reason for your anger I challenged Stephen and we fought.’

He drew her to a low chair and helped her to sit, then stretched out at her feet as he told her of his escape. Aline sat silently, her mind in turmoil at his tale.

‘I had already been banished from Roxholm before I came to you,’ Hugh finished. He grimaced. ‘Aline, I have lost my home, my wealth, my friends and my position. I have so little I can offer you. But please let me serve you,’ he urged, reaching for Aline’s hand.

He stared at her with an expression so intense Aline felt her knees go weak. When he looked at her with such desire plain on his face she knew it would be easy to forgive him almost anything.

‘I don’t know. I need time to consider your words.’ She stood up and paced around the tent, hoping her own face had not betrayed her. ‘Today, for the first time, I have to take my place as High Lady. My people will judge me worthy or unworthy based on what I decide to do regarding Stephen. I cannot think about this now. I must speak to my council. Please return to your tent. I will summon you later.’

Nodding her head in farewell, she swept from the tent before her composure crumpled completely.

* * *

The morning was a test of endurance for Aline. Tempers ran high as the councillors and nobles discussed the action to take against Stephen. She sat beside Godfrey, barely listening, her mind drifting back to her conversation with Hugh. A tumult of voices filled the tent, demanding vengeance and confrontation, planning assaults and assassination. Some suggested a siege; others preferred a quick assault.

Aline rapped on the table until there was quiet, fighting to keep control of the situation. As silence descended a herald entered and spoke to Godfrey.

‘The man you brought yesterday is outside, sir. He wishes to speak to the High Lady.’

Aline’s breath caught in her throat. Her fingers squeezed Godfrey’s arm involuntarily as shock and anger rippled through her. She had expressly told him to wait for her summons and he had disregarded everything she had said.

She realised all eyes were upon her.

‘Send him in,’ Godfrey instructed. ‘I think now is an appropriate time to hear what he has to say.’

Aline sank into her seat, barely registering the words Godfrey whispered in her ear, and with no time to compose herself before Hugh stood before her.

* * *

Hugh’s eye fell on Aline as soon as he entered. On her left sat a dignified-looking old man and on her right was Sir Godfrey. He had been leaning close to Aline, whispering into her ear, their blond heads almost touching. A twinge of jealousy twisted his guts.

He realised the room was silent and that he had been glaring openly at Sir Godfrey. He turned his attention to Aline, who met his gaze with an expression that looked far from welcoming. He stood stiffly, waiting for her to speak.

‘Who are you, sir?’ the old man sitting next to Aline asked.

Hugh stepped closer to the table, unaccustomed nervousness fluttering in his stomach, and wished he had a weapon. If these men decided to cut him down now he would never survive. ‘I am Hugh of Eardham, cousin to Duke Stephen and, until lately, Captain of the Guard of Roxholm.’

At once there was the sound of swords being drawn and chairs scraping on wood as knights leaped to their feet. Every muscle in Hugh’s body tensed in anticipation.

Aline was quicker. She rose and leaned on the table, arms spread wide. Surrounded by her men, she was a slight figure but when she spoke her voice rang out clear and Hugh’s heart leaped with pride.

‘Sheath your swords. This man saved my life yesterday. He is under my protection,’ Aline said firmly.

‘On what grounds?’ a belligerent dark-haired man asked.

‘On the grounds that I say so. That is enough,’ Aline said sharply. ‘Sir Hugh is not on trial. I vouch for him and that is enough. Moreover, he is my guest, and your question violates my hospitality!’

She walked round the table and stood before Hugh. In a voice so quiet he could barely hear it she muttered sharply, ‘You treat me with no respect! I told you to wait for my summons, but you did not.’

‘I beg your forgiveness for not waiting, but I wanted to be here,’ Hugh said. ‘You are not the only one with concerns about what must happen to Stephen.’

‘Still you care about his wellbeing?’ Aline snorted.

She faced Hugh, hands on her hips. A rose-coloured flush crept below the neck of her gown. She looked beautiful and fierce and Hugh had to force his eyes away from her.

She shook her head sadly. ‘Very well, you may stay—but only as an observer. Don’t think you have any part to play here.’

She motioned Hugh to be seated at the end of the table and returned to her own place. Sir Godfrey laid his hand on her arm protectively, his eyes fixed on Hugh. Hugh met the stare with challenge, though jealousy burned in his veins. He felt a small moment of triumph when Aline shook the knight’s hand away with a gentle smile.

The leader of the scouting party returned, delivering news that Stephen had established himself on Tegge’s Eyot. ‘We have the bridges on both banks of the river under observation,’ the soldier reported. ‘The Duke cannot leave the island without fighting across.’

‘In that case we can wait until they are weak, then slaughter them like cattle at our leisure,’ the dark-haired noble suggested.

‘We are not so dishonourable, Sir Hennessey,’ Aline insisted, glaring at him. ‘We fight fairly, and we move tomorrow.’

Hugh’s ears pricked up at Aline’s words. He searched his memory, wondering why the knight’s name was familiar.

‘Weak!’ Hennessey muttered. ‘A High Lady with no taste for battle!’ he sneered, showing a mouth full of broken teeth.

‘It is
not
weakness,’ Aline retorted, her cheeks flushing with indignation. ‘Those men have as little choice in being there as our own have in being here. I would not see anyone die needlessly.’

‘Perhaps we should reopen negotiations with the Duke regarding your marriage?’ Hennessy suggested.

Aline flashed a look of disgust at him.

Hugh’s fingers crept to where his dagger should have been; he cursed inwardly that it was not there.

Other voices took up the chorus.

‘Your grandfather saw advantages to the match.’

‘An alliance with Roxholm would have been beneficial for all involved.’

‘You need to marry soon to secure your position.’

Aline pushed back her chair, glaring at the assembled men, her face white. ‘Absolutely out of the question. I accept that I must marry, and it must be to Leavingham’s advantage.’ Her eyes met Hugh’s and she faltered.