Midnight for Morgana (11 page)

A question burst inside her head. Why hadn’t she thought of it sooner? “How did you know I was inside the whale?”

“A woman came to Ferris as he walked along the cliff. Ferris! What was the woman’s name?”

“Gwenith, sir, a strange woman.”

“A sitheach, one of the spirit folk!” Keir turned to Morgana. “Ah, yes, I remember now, the woman who brought you to me. Had she not performed her magic, I would never have met you. And now her magic has saved your life and brought you to me once again. By all the gods and goddesses, I wish I could meet her. She deserves a fine reward for all she has done.”

Another question erupted inside Morgana’s head. “Alana, what about her? Has she really gone to take care of my father?”

Keir hesitated, biting his lip, and held her ever closer. “I fear she suffered what might have been your fate. I . . . I don’t think you will see her again. Later, we must get the full story from Nola, but it seems she has done away with Alana.”

“Ah, no! How could my sister be so wicked!”

In knee-deep water now, Ferris sank the oar into the sand while Keir helped her out of the boat, then both of them waded in the water toward the shore. The water licked her legs and soaked her dress. Upon the shore, her hem dripped with water, her dress plastered to her body, but she ignored the discomfort, for she had never been so happy, so overjoyed to be with Keir again, this man she loved with all her heart.

Ferris pulled the boat onto the sand, dragging it farther inland. “Sir, with your permission, I’ll go back to the lodge, tell Brigid the mistress is safe now.”

“Yes, do that, Ferris. We’ll be along shortly.”

Ferris clambered up the shallow ridge, soon disappearing from view.

“Nola!” Morgana turned a troubled face toward her husband. “What will you do with her?”

Keir paused, and she knew the problem weighed on him. “For now, she is locked up in her room. Later, we shall have to deal with her.” He embraced her, his arms tight around her waist, his voice low and tender. “Please, let us leave that for a later time. Now, I am so happy to have you back that I can think of nothing else.”

“Nor I.” She pressed close to him, loving the feel of his strong body. He had never felt so good, she thought as she wrapped her arms around his neck, this man she would love and cherish until her dying day. She wanted to hold him near for the rest of their lives and never let him out of her sight. Overcome with joy, she drew back a little, gazing at his dear face, a face she would never tire of. Locks of his chestnut hair fell across his forehead, and lovingly, she eased the locks from his face.

“Morgana!” He took her hand in his and kissed each finger, one by one. Despite her recent harrowing experience, she wanted to lie with him on the sand and make glorious love. Surely he felt the same. Her body warmed with a wave of longing.

Keir murmured words meant to comfort, telling her again and again how much he loved her, how dear she was to him. He kissed her deeply while the waves lapped up on the shore, a light breeze off the ocean.

“We’d better get you back,” he said in a husky voice. He lifted her up in his arms, holding her close to his chest.

“Keir! You don’t need to carry me. I’m all right now. Perfectly capable of walking.”

“After your ordeal?” His voice rumbled against her chest. “My darling, I don’t want you to strain yourself.”

“It’s no strain for me to walk the short distance back to the lodge. Really, I’m not an invalid. I had an experience I would never want to repeat, but I’m still in good health.” She wanted only to forget that frightening episode, when she feared that she would be trapped inside the whale for the rest of her life and would never see her beloved again. She stifled a shudder, recalling the darkness, the relentless terror, her panicky attempts to escape. “Believe me, I can walk.”

“Very well.” He set her down, his arm wrapped around her waist, his eyes steady on her. He brushed his lips against her cheek. “Sweetheart, if only you knew how worried I was about you, how happy I am to have you back.” He stopped, his voice choking. His eyes brimmed with tears.

She pressed her breasts against his chest, feeling his heart beat next to her. “We’re together now, never to part again.” She tried to act normal, but Nola’s treachery tormented her. What would be her fate? What would their father say when they returned with her? And dear gods, how could they break the news to him? She vowed that for now, at least, she would strive to put Nola’s wickedness behind her, would pretend that this day was like any other. Happiness clashed with sorrow in her mind; overjoyed to be reunited with her husband, she recognized that it was because of Nola’s evil that they had been separated at all. 

* * *

The lodge was quiet as they opened the door and stepped inside, prompting Keir to surmise that apparently Irvyn had followed his orders about taping Nola’s mouth and tying her up. A delicious smell of roast turkey wafted from the kitchen, reminding him how hungry he was, and surely Morgana must be hungry, too, he thought, unless her stay inside the whale had killed her appetite.

Brigid came around the corner. “The mistress! Thank all the gods she is safe!”

“And thanks to my husband and Ferris,”added Morgana. And Gwenith, Keir heard her say under her breath.

After giving Brigid instructions to prepare a bath for his wife, Keir guided Morgana back to their bedchamber and sat down with her in his lap. Never mind that she was soaked, her dress slimy beneath his fingers. Like Brigid, he thanked all the gods that she was safe, this woman meant only for him, whom he would love and cherish for the rest of their lives.

Once the bath was prepared, Keir gave further instructions to Brigid. “When the evening meal is ready, tell Irvyn to untie the princess’s sisters bonds, so that she may eat, too. But he must warn her that if she throws her plate–or chamberpot–she will have to clean up. After she finishes her meal, I want him to bind her mouth again and tie her to the bed, so she can sleep . . . if she will sleep.”

“Yes, sir.”

He agonized that Nola would be a constant worry until they returned to Dornach, and even then, she might still cause trouble. She deserved the direst punishment, yet he feared her father would fall under her spell once more. The woman had killed one sister and had tried to kill another. She should be imprisoned in a dungeon for the rest of her days, but he dreaded that her father would inflict a much lesser sentence. Only the intervention of a good witch had saved his darling wife’s life.

After undressing, Morgana sank into the hip bath, the warm water lapping around her. Keir began sponging her with camomile-scented soap, his fingers lingering on her full, wet breasts, then gradually moving downward on her body to the junction of her legs, finding the center of her passion.  She leaned back and moaned, and he knew she wanted him as he wanted her. He ached for her, longing to make love to her here and now, yet he struggled against his need, for she must rest after her horrible ordeal. And she won’t get any rest if we make love, he thought, smiling to himself. Just the same, he hardened, at the point of bursting. How could he deny himself–and her–when all he could think about was to take her to the bed and plunge himself inside her? He forced himself to think of other things.

“This woman, Gwenith,” he said, “she has performed miracles for you and me.”

She turned her head slightly while he sponged her back. “Yes! She has done so much for me, for us. Most assuredly I would never have met you, had she not performed her magic, permitting me to attend the fair.” She touched his hand. “My dear one, how empty my life was before I met you.”

“My darling, it is the same with me!” He swished the sponge around in the warm water, then lightly tipped her head back to wash her hair. “If only I could meet Gwenith some day, I would grant her a very ample award. She brought you to me and later saved your life! I could never thank her enough, even if given the chance.”

“Let us hope some day the opportunity presents itself. I feel as you do. We owe her so much.”

He rinsed her hair, then helped her stand, the water dripping from her luscious body that tempted him almost beyond endurance. She gave him a teasing smile, a smile impossible to resist. He wrapped a fluffy towel around her and pressed her close to his throbbing body. He held her ever closer and kissed her as liquid heat spread throughout his body, settling in his loins, driving him out of his mind. Ah, to have her now, to take her to bed–

A knock sounded on the door. “Prince Keir, mistress, dinner is set on the table.”

He sighed, mindful that the interruption was for the best. “Yes, we will be there shortly,” he called. He gave his wife a rueful look, accepting denial . . . for now. Her look held a bold promise of pleasures to come, yet he recognized that he still must postpone their lovemaking, for above all, his wife needed to rest . . .

Hours later, after the sun sank below the horizon and the sky darkened, Ferris headed back to his bedchamber, leaving Keir and Morgana alone, for the caretakers had long since left for their own home. In the darkness of the parlor, Keir sat with Morgana on the sofa, enclosing her in his arms, loving the feel of her, the very essence of her. Strands of her camomile-scented hair, now dry, brushed against his face and teased his senses. He wanted her now, this moment, more than he had ever wanted anything in his life. Yet he couldn’t take advantage of her vulnerability, so soon after her harrowing nightmare.

“Let me tell you more about my country,” he said, needing to fill the time with conversation, for if he stopped talking, he recognized that he’d be unable to resist her charms.  Besides, if he didn’t speak of mundane things, he’d be unable to think of anything but Nola and her wickedness. Gods, what were they to do about that woman? Forget about her for now. Be thankful you have your wife back with you.

She lifted his hand and pressed it to her breast. “Keir! You don’t really want to talk, do you?” She gave him an appealing smile, easing his hand back and forth across her warm breast. Passion, hot and deep, stirred within him, driving every other thought from his mind.

“Ah, no, Morgana! Don’t do this to me.” He was so hard now, he could think of nothing but making wild love all night long. “You must rest. Let me take you back to our bedchamber–“

”Our bedchamber, yes! But not to sleep.” She stood, drawing him up with her, and he could no more have stopped her than he could stop the moon from shining. He drew her close to his throbbing body, kissing her again and again, pressing his hands against her buttocks, going crazy from wanting her. His arm around her waist, he led her down the hallway, then quietly opened and shut their bedchamber door. Gods, how could he wait!

She disrobed by the moonlight that pooled through their window, unbuttoning her dress, letting it slide to the floor, and stepping out of it. She drew her shift over her head and stood before him naked, her proud breasts, narrow waist and slender hips tempting him to madness. With shaking fingers, he undressed, tossing his clothes aside, and reached for her. Without a word, she rushed into his arms, and he eased her down on a chair, her legs straddling him, her hands resting on his shoulders. He took in his fill of her lovely breasts, those erect nipples just waiting to be sucked. He touched those breasts, softly at first, then more fully, his fingers kneading, wanting to make these moments last. He gazed at her face as he caressed her, saw her close her eyes, her mouth slightly open, her shallow breath coming faster, faster.

“Morgana,” he whispered, “I love you so much.”

“And I love you, dear husband, more than I can ever say.”

Easing her back a little, he gained access to her nipples, sucking them, his lips moving from one to another, tasting her skin as he inhaled her sweet scent. As she moved closer against him, her fingers dug into his back, then traced a line down his chest, her hair brushing against his cheek. Her fingers moved ever downward to fondle his swollen member, but he drew her hand away, too well aware he was at the breaking point, wanting her now, now, now! He had to make this moment last, denying himself–and her–quick gratification. His hands slipped down to her hips and buttocks, his fingers smoothing over her skin, drawing her ever closer. He found her sensitive pleasure nub, and his fingers caressed her there, finding her slick and wet. Moaning, she leaned her head against his chest and breathed deeply. He withdrew his hand, well aware she, too, was at the breaking point.

He kissed her, lightly at first as his lips skimmed hers, his tongue probing, then plunging deep in her mouth, tasting her sweetness.  He kissed her mouth again, long and lingeringly as his heart pounded and his body ached with yearning. Trailing kisses from her mouth to her throat and down her breast, he felt a moment of love and wonder, greater than anything he’d ever known, the knowledge that this woman was meant only for him, and that he would love her ‘til the end of their days. Images played in his mind, of the pleasure that was to come, an ecstasy he would soon enjoy.