The Beast of Renald (The Northern Knights) (41 page)

He was shaking his head with a smile, the hope burning in his eyes as he remarked, ‘Nay, it was no happenstance. I needed, had to be near you. You’re in my blood, Caroline. My heart. My life is nothing without you. Without Kelbie. Without Cal.’

A strangled gasp escaped her lips and she pressed her fingers to his lips.

‘Shhh…Talk to me later. Kiss me. Now.’

Darc chuckled, ‘The woman that loves to talk before being intimate with her husband demands a kiss first? You have changed, wife.’

‘Now,’ she demanded again and parted her lips.  

Darc entwined his hands with hers and drew her close against his chest. He lowered his head and took the sweet offering her parted lips offered, delights he needed to taste. And kissed her until all thought left her head but the feel and smell of him.

When it came time for him to enter her and join their bodies, Darc hesitated and moved gently. But she protested and took over. He found himself shouting in joy as his wife turned into the aggressor. She was careful of her positioning as she welcomed him into her body and climaxing within seconds after his first few thrusts.  

Later, he caressed the curve of her left hip with gentle strokes when she took him into her mouth.  

‘Have a care, Caroline. My patience can only be stretched so much.’

When he could take no more he pulled her up and helped her onto her side. ‘Are you comfortable?’

‘Aye.’ She moaned and arched her back against his hardness as he lay next to her. ‘Are you?’

‘Nay,’ Darc teased. She craned her neck around to look back at him. He smiled, his fingers softly cradling her chin as he pressed tight against her. ‘Can you feel me?’

Her answer was a throaty sigh as he slid his burgeoning length inside her hot heat. Her muscles clenched him and with his thighs pressed tightly to hers, he moved. The friction brought deep cries of pleasure from her and Darc was pleased.

“Oh Darc, ’tis wonderful.’

‘Aye, you are indeed. Squeeze your legs together, wife.’

She did and his cry matched her own when the pleasure swiftly washed over them. His hot seed spurted deep inside her as he tilted her head back to kiss her deeply. Darc had felt the depth of her love just as he’d felt that she held back a part of herself.

As she trembled in her release again, he whispered, breathless, near her ear. ‘I love you, Caroline.’

Her sobs mixed with her pleasure and he pressed his head against her back and held her tight, still inside her, while she wept.

Caroline woke to see her husband’s head pressed against her belly. Enthralled, she watched and waited as his tongue flicked out and licked her navel. She giggled from the tickling sensation.  When he pressed his warm lips more firmly there, Caroline gasped at the tender gesture.

He leaned back up and took her mouth in a hot kiss, then he drew back as breathless as she. ‘Good morningtide.’

Caroline choked on her words. ‘Morningtide to you, husband.’

He winked at her and she felt the heat rushing up her chest. A knock came to the door.

With their breakfast spread before them, Darc bent over, naked and pulled on a sliver of roasted meat he took from the trencher. Mildred had delivered their full platter of delicious things to eat. She had smiled at Caroline from the door, but Darc, she had given him a look Caroline could only say was akin to a scowl. She still found it amusing now as she watched her husband.

He was carrying on about the maid’s behavior.

‘You know, that woman…’ he wagged the sliver of meat he held between his fingers. ‘Whilst you were gone, she took on some airs I will have you know. Ha! To be scolded by a serving woman is plain madness. The woman is not too old for a beating for not remembering her place. Or worse.’

Caroline snatched the piece of meat from him and popped it into her mouth and gave him a sidelong glance. ‘You would not dare beat, Mildred.’

Darc puffed out his chest and said firmly. ‘I most certainly would. I will not have any servant here speak to me or behave in the way that she did. Ever. Best you remind her of her station.’

Caroline looked at him, her expression dubious as she picked up her cup. ‘You lie. Had you any intention to have that carried out, you would have done it then. ‘Tis well over two months now and you had time aplenty to see it carried out. Besides had you done so, I would be even more sore with you.’

Darc stood with a grunt and strolled over to the window near her and pretended that something outside had caught his eye. ‘Mayhap what you say is true, but I will have her respect, Caroline.’

‘She respects you wholly, husband. She was worried. ‘Twas not only me she was concerned about.’

‘Your son and the babe. Aye, I know.’

‘Nay. Not just us.’

He turned and gave her a look. Caroline read the surprise in his eyes and the question. She smiled a little. ‘Your well-being as well. Believe it or not. She is a wise old woman indeed. And to think a beating as a reward for showing her lord some concern.’

His flush was immediate. ‘A scowl of concern? Hmm, funny way to show it.’

Caroline rose from her place at the table near the bed and walked over to stand next to him at the window. ‘She is not the only one that shows concern that way.’ She remarked. His response was a grunt. Caroline pulled his arm around her waist. ‘You are lord to many. You had their admiration and support long before I left and aye, it took change in some. But, they all respect you no less, Darc. You are no beast to them. They see the real you as…’ she reached up and cupped his scarred cheek, ‘as do I.’

Her soft palm against his skin released the ache that had seized his chest and Darc pulled her into his arms. He was pleased when she did not resist and settled in his embrace. God he loved this woman!

CHAPTER FIFTY-SIX

Early the next morning Darc entered Caroline’s chamber just as Laur was exiting with Kelbie in tow. Darc walked over to his wife and he returned the beautiful smile she bestowed upon him.

He could not stop himself from pressing a light kiss to her lips. When he pulled away her eyes were still closed and he was glad for it gave him the moment he needed.

Caroline opened her eyes and stared at his outstretched hand.

Her eyes shot back up to lock with his.

He said softly, ‘The last piece, Caroline.’

Darc opened his fist and in his palm there lay her father’s ring. Caroline could not move. After a moment she barely felt his fingers on hers to place the ring in her own hand. His warmth clung to the thick band and moved her out of her shock.

She was quiet for so long. The only sign of her emotion was the rapid rise and fall of her chest. Darc wished she would curse, just say anything.

Then she did as she closed her fingers over it in a tight fist.  ‘A favor, husband.’ She said in a low, but strong voice.

‘You ask and it shall be granted.’ He instructed.

Her eyes shot back open and she fixed her steady gaze on him. ‘Will you take me back to my home?’

‘Aye. I will take you wherever you wish to go.’

The strain and pain in his voice did not go unnoticed by Caroline. Still, she took great pleasure in his quick response and that he did not argue her request nor question it. She closed her eyes again and savored the warmth of his fingers on the back of her clasped hands.

She loved this man with a fierceness that scared her.

But her hurt still stained her heart.

Tears smarted behind her lids when she felt the light brush of his tender lips against them. He kissed each lid and his warm breath fanned her face when he said, ‘We will leave at first light. I leave you now to see that all is arranged for our journey. Rest easy, my love.’

Caroline did not move from her spot until the chamber door had shut behind him. Shaking, she lay down on the bed and curled into a ball, the ring in her fist, pressed against her heart and she let her emotions escape.

Home.

Finally.

Darc did not think he could hurt or suffer any more than he already did. Caroline wanted him to take her home. He’d thought all had been righted between them. How wrong he’d been on that.

She had spoken words of her love to him but something was still not right.

He watched her now through the carriage window.

Days had passed since he’d agreed to her request and still she had barely spoken much to him on their journey here outside of her short answers to his questions about her well-being. He had thought they were making some ground, some headway and that his determination to win her heart and trust back over the past month had begun to chip away at the glacier of ice she held for him around her wounded and bruised heart.

But nay, he’d made nary a dent.

Shouts from his riders up ahead came that they had reached her lands.

So much senseless death, sadness, heartache and greed Caroline thought. The long trip from castle Renald to here had put an ache not only in her heart but her back. She would say naught of it to Darc for he’d looked ready to turn back each time she peeked out the carriage window up at him.

The babe was safe and she knew the ride would do no harm. But he would worry and despite trying to win her back, he’d cast it all aside to see her to safety. The babe had slept for most of the journey. And now, aye, their child kicked, strong and healthy for the last half of it.

The gates to her childhood home were nowhere in sight. She feared she’d not be able to go through with it now that the memories came flooding back. But her father’s face swam before her and her heart filled with the love she held for him and knew she could not not do it. A weak smile came to her lips as she moved to get out of the carriage.

The sight that greeted them was naught more than ruins. One wall stood and the mound was caved in. What once had been a moat years ago, marsh plant had grown and tall grass made its bed in some places. Darc frowned.

Why had she wanted to come back to this?

Caroline’s mournful cry drew him to the carriage. She’d gotten out and climbed down before he’d a chance to help her.

He froze looking at her for a moment.

All color had drained from her face and she looked older, more frail than before and lastly afraid to him. The fear he felt moved him and he went to draw her into his arms.

‘Nay. Nay- all is well.’

‘Are you sure of this? You look…’

She gave him a sharp look and he was glad to see color bloom on her skin.  Two rosy faint circles appeared on her cheeks.

‘Just queasiness from being stuck in that carriage and the babe is all ‘tis, husband.’

The bite in her words almost made him smile. Some life back in her.  A man could hope could he not?

‘Your cry worried me. I just wished to help you is all.’

‘Then do so by helping me over those mounds of rubble there if that is what you wish to do.’

‘Aye,’ came Darc’s quick response and he almost cracked a smile at her haughtiness. It was better than her silence.

He knew not what she sought near the wall but he would see her to it as it was what she wanted.

Halfway there he picked her up in his arms and gazed down at her awaiting a blistering glare or words. But she only gave him a blank stare at his hasty explanation.

‘The ground is too soft. I do not wish for you to sink or lose a slipper.’

Her lips twitched and she looked away from him.

Once there he set her down on a hard piece of earth he tested with his own boot. She dropped to her knees and began to dig with her hands.

‘Caroline, stop! What is it that you do?’

‘Dig here.’

‘So the purpose of the spiked shovels, aye?’

She nodded and reached up to clutch at his hand. Dirt and the smell of wet mud met his nose. Darc drew her up against his side and enfolded her into the circle his arms, disturbed by the slight tremors that now shook her.

She said nothing as he leaned down and wiped away the smudges of dirt from her skirts.

She refused his order to return to the carriage hours later when the men broke through to steps made of smooth rocks that led down to an arched corridor.

He looked at her. She had gone a deathly shade of white.

‘What is this?’ he demanded.

‘The place my father was murdered. His tomb.’

A chill swept over Darc at her somber expression.

The steps had held up over the years and though she protested he carried her down after a few of his men went first and returned with a shout up that it was safe to enter.

The corridor, Darc saw, was actually a tunnel built into the ground, stone, rock and mortar interwoven among wooden sturdy beams, thick pillars supported even more tunnels.

Without hesitation the moment he set her down, Caroline headed for the one on their right.

Darc grasped her arm and told her with a warning. ‘I brought you here. But I go first, wife. Caution.’

She gave him an exasperated nod. ‘But I know where I go ‘tis safe, I assure you.’

Caroline gave up when he refused to budge on it. Stubborn man. She admitted his attentiveness warmed her heart.

One of his men lit an old torch that hung from the metal grate attached to the wall; giving them more light the deeper they went. But Caroline needed no light. She had not lied, she knew where the two things she sought sat by memory.

Darc watched her every move as he and the others followed closely behind her. There were several secret passageways, but she maneuvered through them with skill.

‘Cedric always coveted every little thing Halvard possessed, even if all he held was stolen and belonged to others, right down to his women. He broke Helen for naught. This ring holds all to my true dowry and ‘twould have been given to an English nobleman of my father’s choosing with my hand in marriage. But now, ‘twill go to my Norman husband.’

Darc said nothing and just watched her as she rubbed the big jewel.

They had traversed the passageways for a while until she had come to an abrupt halt to where they stood now in front of a flat smooth surface of one of the walls. She seemed to be so far away and lost in deep thought.