The Gorgon (28 page)

"Involved, yes," the
woman folded her translucent-white hands primly. "I am very close to Sir
Bose and in a grand position to aid you in your quest for the lady's
attention."

Breck eyed her, settling back in
his chair and eyeing the odd old woman. "And how is it you know of my
interest in the lady?"

The woman smiled again. "I
saw you drag her from the hall, of course. And I saw Bose follow in a rage. I
was standing in the entry when you came stumbling through, returning to your
seat in a battered heap, and can only assume that Bose punished you for your
interest in his whore. Am I incorrect?"

"Nay."

"Then accept my assistance.
If you want her, I shall aid you."

Breck refilled his goblet from
the pitcher he had stolen from the serving wench. "And how will you do
this, providing that I am interested in your proposal?"

The mysterious lady drew in a
deep, thoughtful breath. "Being exceedingly young and wise, I would assume
that you will think of a plan to obtain Sir Bose's lady if you haven't already
done so. Tell me of your plan and I will tell you how I can help."

Breck swirled the ruby-red liquid
about his tongue, eyeing the woman pensively. Not knowing who she was, he
wouldn’t say anything to her that could make its way back to de Moray.

"I have no such plans,"
he lied. "Even if I did, I certainly do not require the assistance of a
helpless old crone. Return to your cave, witch, and leave me be. If I want the
lady, I'll take her regardless of de Moray's interest."

The older woman snickered without
humor. "A brave front, young knight, but a foolish declaration. You know
as well as I that de Moray will kill you if you attempt any such bold action.
You need my help if...."

Breck slammed the chalice to the
table, spilling wine over the scrubbed wood. "Cease your foolery,
woman," he hissed. "Tell me who you are or I swear I'll slit your
throat and leave you for the dogs."

"Slit my throat and you
shall not obtain the lady."

"To the Devil with the lady!
My truer goal is to destroy de Moray as, I suspect, is yours as well.
Certainly, you would not be here if it were otherwise."

The woman produced a sinister
smile. "How true, my young lord. Place your trust in me and our goals
shall become reality."

"Then tell me who you
are!"

The lady reached for her own
chalice of wine. She suddenly felt very much like celebrating.

"The answer to your prayers,
Sir Breck," she sighed contentedly. "As you are, apparently, to
mine."

CHAPTER
TWELVE

Summer hardly remembered how she
and Bose had reached her chamber. Between heated kisses he had asked
instructions for navigating Chaldon's corridors and before she knew it, Bose
had entered the keep and wound his way through the maze of halls. Summer's
heavy oaken door loomed before them and without hesitation, Bose kicked the
panel open and ushered them both inside.

Aloft in Bose's arms, Summer was
aware of the familiar surroundings, the familiar scent of her possessions.
Removing her face from Bose's neck, she blinked her eyes as if emerging from a
deep sleep. Looking curiously to the dark knight, he met her gaze and smiled
gently as he lowered her to the floor.

"Why are we here?" she
asked, truly innocent of his intentions.

He continued to smile, stroking
her hair. "Because it is quiet and private, and away from the Breck Kerrys
and drunken fathers of this world."

She blinked again, regaining the
composure that his heated kisses had shattered. Smiling weakly, she nodded in
agreement. "I suppose so," unable to match his searing expression, she
turned away, unconsciously moving toward her massive bed. "It is much b-better
here, isn't it?"

He nodded faintly, watching the
delicious curve of her back as she moved away from him. God's Beard, he knew he
shouldn't be here, but he honestly could not help himself. The more he touched
and tasted, the more he wanted to claim her in every sense of the word.

"C-Come here."

Summer's voice roused him from
his train of thought. Realizing she was standing by the bed as she spoke, he
nearly tripped over his feet in his attempt to reach her. Ever cool,
customarily composed Bose de Moray was as giddy as a young squire and he nearly
laughed at himself for his clumsy, eager actions.

Summer, however, did not seem to
notice his ungraceful moves. As Bose reached the bed, she smiled sweetly and
pointed to the pillow. Tearing his gaze away from her beautiful face, his black
eyes located the source of her interest.

"Antony," his voice was
soft as he reached down to stroke his former pet. Wriggling and twisting,
Antony greeted his previous master by nibbling his massive fingers.

"He is rather fond of this
p-pillow," she said, her hand joining Bose's against the gray and white
fur. "In fact, he sleeps with me." 

Bose sat on the edge of the bed
and Antony scampered onto the massive lap. "As he used to sleep with Lora
and I," he said, caressing his fuzzy friend. "After you and I are
married, however, I shall find him a bed of his own."

Her eyebrows furrowed as she
leaned against the canopy post, watching him toy with the playful creature.
"Why would you do that? He will be comfortable with us."

Bose maintained a steady gaze
upon the animal. "Because I do not intend to share you with anyone and
especially not within the confines of our bedchamber."

She smiled. "Not even with
Antony?"

"Nay."

"B-But you shared Lora with
him."

"I had no choice. Antony was
her pet well before she met me."

"B-But you allowed her to
continue to sleep with him. Why not me?"

He frowned. "Because you
show far too much affection for him. I'll not be ousted from my own bed by my
wife's pet."

Summer laughed softly, sitting at
the end of the bed and calling softly to Antony. The ferret immediately left
Bose's lap and scurried across the heavy bedrug, writhing delightedly under his
mistress' delicate touch.

"Do you hear that?" she
crooned tenderly. "Sir Bose intends to oust you from our bed. What have
you to say to that?"

Bose stared at her in surprise,
noting that the stammer completely vanished from her speech as she spoke
sweetly to the little animal. True, sometimes she could speak a complete
sentence without stammering, but that was rare. Moreover, the way she spoke to
the animal was different... so confident.  He liked it. He wanted to hear her
speak that way to him as well, for always.

Summer caught Bose's expression
from the corner of her eye, a gentle quirk of a smile gracing his lop-sided
lips. Distracted from Antony's frenzied play, she cast him a curious look.

"W-Why are you
smiling?"

He continued to gaze at her a
moment before leaning back against the heavy pillows, his smile growing.
"Because I have listened to you speak to Antony without a stammer to be
heard," when she looked bewildered, he laughed softly. "I told you
that your speech was purely habit. You stutter because it is expected."

Summer watched the ferret as it
scooted away from her, returning across the bedrug and attempting to make a
nest in the mound of pillows. After a moment, she shrugged feebly.

"Y-You are speaking in
riddles," she said weakly, knowing in fact that his theory made a good
deal of sense.

Unable to match his argument at
the moment, she rose from the bed in an attempt to move away. Bose, however,
would have no part of her bid to put distance between them; reaching out, he
snatched Summer by the arm and pulled her down onto the mattress beside him.
Onyx-black eyes met with wide golden orbs.

"I am completely correct in
my assessment and well you know it," his bass-toned voice was a growl.
"You are conditioned to believe it is expected of you. But animals, like
Antony, cannot judge you by your speech and you are completely relaxed when you
speak to them. Consequently, you do not stutter."

She sighed with reluctance,
watching his lips as he spoke. "B-But I always stammer," she said
feebly. "Habit or no, I cannot help it."

"Aye, you can and you
will," he said firmly, with quiet authority. "I do not want to hear
you stumble over my name any longer. Look me in the eye, Summer. Look at me and
repeat my words: Bose loves me, therefore, I will not stammer any longer in his
presence."

Her brow relaxed with the
astonishment. A lovely smile creased her face, a gesture of joy and
fulfillment. Her soft hands moved to his face, touching his scarred, stubbled
flesh, hardly believing of the words he had uttered with such nonchalance.

"B-Bose…."

"Repeat the words,
Summer."

"B-But you said you loved me
and...."

It was difficult not to become
swept up in the light of adoration shining from her eyes, but Bose did his best
to ignore her for the moment. He was attempted to accomplish something this night
and would not be distracted. There would be time enough later to succumb to their
emotions later. He shushed her softly. "Say the words, Summer. Say them to
me and I will not hear you falter."

"B-But I do not want...."

He shook her gently, cleaving her
plea. "Say them."

Ever obedient, Summer forced away
her joy for the moment; Bose was demanding she speak flawlessly and she
struggled to complete his bidding. 

"B-Bose loves me..."

"Again without the stammer.
Bose loves me, therefore...."

She nodded faintly, swallowing as
she labored to concentrate on his order. "Bose loves me, therefore, I
w-will no...."

"Look into my eyes, Summer,
not at my mouth when you speak. Look into my eyes and repeat the words
flawlessly."

Her eyes came up to his piercing
black orbs, feeling the magnetism and power draw her deep. Her body relaxed,
her mind calmed as the magic of his gaze enveloped her.  Summer’s smile
returned and she curled against his mighty torso, pressing close. Gazing deeply
into eyes the color of a moonless night, her gentle hand continued to toy with
his scarred, stubbled cheek.

"Is that what you truly wish
to hear?" she asked softly. "W-Would not you rather hear of my love
for you as well?"

His gaze held even a moment
before, slowly, breaking into a tender smile. "I shall spend the rest of
my life hearing of your adoration. For now, I wish to hear my words repeated by
your utterly delicious lips. Say them, love. Say them and mean it."

Her smile broadened, her lids
seductively heavy as her gaze raked his rugged face. "Bose loves me,
therefore, I will not stammer in his presence any longer," when he did not
respond immediately to her perfect declaration, she cocked a well-shaped brow.
"Was that not satisfactory?"

Bose hadn't reacted immediately
to her flawless statement because, truthfully, the seductive expression on the
woman's face had nearly drained him of his concentration and self control. But
he had heard her nonetheless, and his gentle smile grew in intensity as he
pulled her more closely against him.

"Completely, love,
completely," he said with sincere emotion. "It was not so difficult,
after all."

She continued to stroke his
cheek, her smile fading. "It is not difficult when I speak to you. B-But I
doubt the same will hold true when I speak to others."

He squeezed her tightly, an
encouraging demonstration of his support. "All in time, love. With
practice, you will forget this nasty habit that has plagued you since
childhood."

A delicate finger traced one of
the three barbaric scars bisecting his right cheekbone. "Do you believe in
Fate, Bose?"

"I believe in God and the
Devil. Why do you ask?"

She maintained a delicate touch
upon his scars, pausing a moment before answering. "Because I believe Fate
has brought you to me. Of all the knights in England, the one man w-who would
understand my affliction has come into my heart and I cannot sincerely describe
my joy."

He gently touched her chin.
"Not affliction, love, habit. An affliction is a disease or physical
defect, such as leprosy or a missing limb. You, my fair lady, possess no such
ailments. You are the most perfect creature God has ever created."

A faint blush mottled her ears,
spreading to her cheeks. "You are my f-future husband and forbidden to
think otherwise."

He smiled and she touched his
lips as the uneven display split his face into two halves. "Every man who
sees you believes as I do," he shifted her in his arms, reclining on his
back and pulling her onto his mighty chest. "As for God and Fate, my lady,
I believe that both have kept you sequestered for all of these years, waiting
for the event of my arrival. Knowing that I was the only man worthy of your
beauty, your spirit, and the only man intelligent enough to break you of your
habitual stammer."