Seduced (16 page)

He sighed. Deep.

He knew Letia loved him, but 'twas a quiet
love. A love forged by trust and friendship. His feelings for her
were far different. He had ever been careful to guard them. He
could not have stood her pity. If he had been a younger man when
they wed, would she have felt love for him as deeply as what his
own heart harbored?

"...if ye want the men to leave afore the
noon hours."

"Hm? What?" Warin blinked. Why, he had been
staring out the window mooning like a foolish youngling.

"Had ye not best let the kings know ye are
expecting an heir come the summer? If ye sit there much longer, the
boy will be back with your porridge. A message such as this should
have wax and not spilled gruel holding it together."

Warin's spirits lifted and he grinned.

"Heir! I like the sound of that word." He
nodded. "Aye! 'Tis a wonderful word for any man to hear."

o0o

Earlier this morn, Letia had watched from the
great hall window as Father Paul, along with a goodly escort, set
off southward for London. Now, her forehead wrinkled when another
armed escort headed north. Into Scotland. Missives to both King
Stephen and King David?

Why had Warin been so closed-mouthed about
the messengers when she asked after the noon meal? He would say
only that he wished to notify the regents of Seton's expected heir
and secure Stephens promise that should Warin succumb to his
illness, she would be wed to a man who would vow to protect her,
the child and all at Seton.

But something had flickered through his eyes
before he blinked and changed the subject. Mayhap he thought to
save her worry, but worry she did.

He hid something from her.

She sensed it. Could near feel it churning
through his mind.

If he would not speak of it, he feared her
response.

Unease prickled her scalp. She hugged herself
and bit down on the edge of her thumb, trying to stifle fear
lurking at the back of her mind.

The thought of losing Warin and marrying an
unknown man struck fear in her heart. She drew in a long, slow
breath. Surely, it could not be worse than what many women
faced.

There were only two men in the world she
feared.

Julian of England and Raik of Scotland.

She shook with a sudden chill.

Winter wrapped cold fingers around England's
heart, sending snow and ice way beyond what was usual. Had Warin
sent his men a week later, they could not have returned to Seton
before all travel trickled to a halt.

Warin's face lost the pinched look he had
worn so oft of late. He appeared as if a great load had been taken
off his mind. His health improved with each sennight that passed.
His chest pains occurred less often, sometimes lapsing for near
five days, and his face took on a warmer look.

Letia was thankful for the heavy snows.
Truly. Julian would not venture to harry them through the winter,
and she had peace of mind for a time.

But as the days passed and she was more aware
of her body's changes, the fear that Raik would learn of it filled
her mind until she was near making herself ill from it. Where
before she had only been troubled with a slight sickness of the
stomach at dusk, now she could not greet the day without a basin
beneath her chin. And she fared no better at nighttime. She fretted
that the babe would not thrive, but Maud assured her that Letia's
mother had reacted the same way when she was increasing, and she
and her sister had been healthy.

Cold air helped keep her from spewing all she
had just eaten. Standing on the wall walk above the barbican, she
clutched the heavy wool cloak under her chin and tried to distract
herself from that annoying sign of water surging into her
mouth.

"Giles, what are the words to this song? I
cannot recall them." She started to hum a tune.

The squire stomped his feet and slapped his
hands on his arms as he thought.

"Um, something about a prince falling in love
with a fair maiden, only to learn on their wedding day she was a
witch?" He cleared his throat then sang a few verses. When the last
note faded, he looked sheepish and rolled his eyes.

Letia snuggled her shoes up against Freki's
warm body stretched out at her feet. He moved, lifting like a
mother hen settling on her eggs. She sighed with the comforting
warmth.

"I agree. 'Tis a stupid song."

A chilling, guttural sound rumbled from
Freki's throat. The hairs stood up on her arms. Had she annoyed
him? She looked down. He was slowly coming to his feet, his hackles
rising. It was not her feet he objected to. Freki, his body tense,
looked like a huge arrow as his eyes looked straight ahead at the
hills to their right.

"What does he see?"

She cupped her hands beside her eyes to study
the snow-covered hillside where the dog stared, his lips lifting in
vicious snarls.

"There, my lady." Giles pointed

"What fool would be ahorse in this weather?"
She squinted and saw a flash of color. "Why, 'tis riders from
Hunter Castle. Lord Ranald's lady wife must have given birth. Since
he was a twin, and from her size, Lord Ranald expects there will be
two babes!"

"Is that not Sir Raik in the lead? He wore
the very same shade of blue last year when we were at Raptor
Castle."

"Aye, Giles."

Undecided, Letia waited. Should she stand
still and hope he would not spot her? But if she did, how would she
get back to the tower and her chambers once he was inside the
castle grounds?

"Come."

Taking Gile's arm, she hurried to the stone
steps leading down to the gatehouse. Freki bounded ahead of her,
adding urgency to her cautious steps.

"Tell the guards not to open the gate just
yet. When you see me enter the keep, count to twenty and then have
them raise the portcullis."

What a fool she felt, scurrying across the
bailey like a child playing hide and find! At least she had a clear
path, for when Freki was about, everyone scattered giving him
plenty of open ground.

"Maud," she called out as she rushed through
the great hall, "find the baron and ask him to tend me in the
solar."

By the time she reached the sanctuary of
their chambers, she was out of breath. Hiding in the shadows by the
window opening, she watched as Raik galloped across the drawbridge
and into the bailey. She noted the snow collected on the men's
horses and felt sorry they'd had to wait outside the gates. Sorry
for the men and their horses, that is. Not their leader.

Warin hurried into the room with Maud
following close behind. Concern shadowed his eyes.

"What is it, beloved?"

"Naught, my love. Raik has arrived, and I am
sure it is to give us news of Ranald's wife. Tell him I am abed
with a cold. He must not see me. Even in a heavy cloak, he would
spy my rounded body and know I am increasing."

"I will handle it." Warin hugged her
shoulders and kissed her cheek. "Mmm, you are like ice. I may not
have to lie, if you do not get yourself warmed."

o0o

'Twas true, Raik had arrived with news of
Catalin's new babes, a lusty boy and a dainty little girl.

For the next several days, Letia watched from
various hiding places as Raik followed the women below as if he
were tied to them with unseen thread.

Even while he ate, he studied them as if he
pictured their size beneath their garments. How disgusting. When he
was up and moving about, he ambled over and engaged his prey in
speech, leaning close like the woman spoke so softly he could not
hear. But even more puzzling, she had watched as he approached
women from behind, his nose near burrowing into the tresses at the
back of their neck!

She and Maud compared what they had seen.
Each of the women Raik selected was about the same in height and
age, and he had loomed near enough to brush up against them. More
than one girl giggled and wriggled like a happy puppy. No doubt,
they had chill bumps from his hot breath panting down their
necks.

'Twas disgusting.

His tarse drove the man.

She nibbled on her thumb, fretting.

More than once, she sensed he was outside the
solar even before Freki growled and warned her. When she motioned
the dog to stand by the entrance, the beast snarled enough to make
any man a fool if he did not turn tail and leave.

Knowing they would hear from Hunter Castle,
Letia had written a formal letter to accompany two small silver
cups engraved around the sides with baby animals of the forest. She
and Maud had sewn sleeping gowns, blankets and clothing for the
expected twins. Inside one dainty garment, she secured a second
note telling Catalin that she was increasing. A smile lifted her
lips, knowing how pleased her friend would be for her.

Each morn when she awoke, Maud was by her
side, a small basin in her hands. After she had wiped Letia's face
with a cold cloth, she handed her a hunk of freshly baked bread. If
she was very careful not to move too soon, she was able to keep it
down.

Always she asked Maud the same question. "Has
he gone?"

After the sixth day, she relaxed back on her
pillows and smiled.

"Thank the heavens. I feared the dratted man
would start trailing after the goose girls, the laundresses and the
cook's helpers. Heaven knows he lurked after every woman in the
keep."

Maud bustled around the room, gathering
Letia's clothing for the day. She turned, her brows near meeting in
the middle.

"Aye, Goda has been right puzzled by him.
After all his following women about, he took none to his bed."

That surprised Letia. She had never heard of
such a lusty male denying himself bed sport.

"You gave him the clothing to deliver to Lady
Catalin?"

Maud bobbed her head. "Wrapped in leather and
tied securely against the weather."

"He did not ask what it was?"

"Had no need. I told him 'twas for the little
ones and he was to be careful of it." Maud sighed.

Letia tilted her head and studied the old
woman's dreamy expression.

"Oh, nay. Do not tell me
you
are
smitten by his pretty face. For shame, Maud. The man is a
swine-nosed churl who believes a woman's place is at his feet."

"Aye. And 'tis pretty feet he has, too." She
looked up at the ceiling, rolled her eyes and grinned. "All of him
be right comely, come to think on it. At least all that I could see
without turning the man over in his sleep."

"Maud!"

"Well, I was tempted. From what I saw when he
strutted around with a drying cloth, his back looked equally as
honed as his front. I never saw his nether cheeks. Saw his great,
dangling stones, though, when he bent over." She giggled and
blushed like a young woman.

o0o

Raik had been gone from Seton a sennight when
Warin summoned Letia to his solar. After he seated her in a
comfortable, curved chair covered with a blanket taken from the
warming stand, he silently handed her a parchment from several
documents spread out on his table.

She looked up, her eyes filled with
questions.

"Read. You will see."

Her gaze scanned down to find the royal
signature. King Stephen. Was this, then, the answer to what Warin
had asked of the king?

She swallowed, and swallowed again. She
became impatient with the flowery language in the formal beginning
and skipped to the heart of it. Hm. Warin had asked about Raik of
Raptor Castle's parentage.

"What does Sir Raik's father have to do with
us?"

"I would know the grandsire of my heir,
Beloved."

Frowning, she put the parchment in her lap.
Did he seek to reassure her she was carrying a child whose
parentage was equal to theirs, even if his father was a bastard?
Surely that was the reason and no other? Seeing the hesitation in
his eyes, her hands clutched the missive knowing it had something
to do with her.

"Beloved, we must face what is to come."

"You are much improved. I know you are.
Perchance the worst is over and your health has returned."

"For how long? This winter's storms have
isolated us. They have kept troubles from our gates. The peace
without has allowed me to rest, but once the weather permits,
troubles will all too often come charging over the hills."

"Mayhap not."

Letia hugged her rounded belly and thrust her
chin high.

"You lie to yourself, Beloved."

Warin watched her, hating what he had to do.
Had there been another way he could secure her safety, he would
have taken it. But he could not trust in chance. He squared his jaw
and forced himself not to waver.

"I have been much at peace since we..." When
he saw her tilt her head in question, he explained. "Stephen, David
and myself. We have finalized our agreement."

"What agreement would involve both
kings?"

"The matter of the next baron of Seton."

"You are..."

"The next, Letia. The next. Raik's father
acknowledging him now makes it possible for King Stephen to settle
lands on him. To have him hold a castle under the king's name."

Her face went still. She swallowed and took a
deep breath. He'd best come right out with it.

"Stephen and David agree that Raik of Raptor
Castle should be the next baron of Seton."

She started. Her hands clenched in her
lap.

"Nay!"

He rose and stood before her.

"Aye. You
will
. He is an honorable
man who will take care of you and all here."

Her hand flew up to cover her mouth. She
pressed herself against the chair's back.

"How can I wed him? He dislikes me. If ever
he learns 'tis his child, he may well throttle me."

"Mayhap he will never suspect. We look much
alike. He need never know, Letia."

"He will know. I have heard of how he learns
a person's thoughts just by looking into their eyes. And when I do
chance to meet his gaze, he will know. I may as well come out and
shout, 'I seduced you! I stole your babe to save Seton.'" She
gulped and wrung her hands. "I cannot, Warin."