The Marriage Prize (19 page)

His demands were so loud, Rosamond feared everyone at

Deer-hurst would hear. With fire in her eyes, she drew back

the bolt and flung the door wide. "I wil not sleep with you

again!" Her anger melted immediately, for he held a pup in his

arms. She saw the amusement in his green eyes and knew he

was laughing at her.

"Nor wil I sleep with you, chérie; the torment is unendurable."

"Come in, you noisy devil."

"I brought you a little bitch. Giles had a Welsh terrier; this is likely one of her whelps. They are prized for ridding the

stables of vermin, but they make faithful companions."

She took the dog from his arms. "Thank you, Sir Rodger, that

was most thoughtful of you."

"Can you not cal me Rod?"

Rosamond blushed hotly. Indeed she could not cal him Rod

—the sexual connotation was too blatant for her tongue.

His gaze licked over her hair and her shift with the searing

heat of a candle flame, then came to rest on her mouth,

lingering there with a look of longing. "We'l ride out to the

tenant farms in the morning. Good night, Rosebud." He had

her and the dog in his arms in a flash, kissing her swiftly,

hungrily, then he was gone.

The kiss left her dizzy. She put the dog down and spoke to her.

"What shal we cal you? Something Welsh, I think. How about

Chirk?" The dog barked her agreement and it was settled.

When Rosamond

104

romped with the pup, her melancholy mood lifted, and she

reflected on how wise de Leyburn was. She was suddenly

glad that she had at last found the courage to come to

Deerhurst. When she climbed into bed, Chirk jumped up

beside her, proceeded to prepare a spot for herself in her

bedcovers, then curled up in it. "Your ancestors were wolves,"

Rosamond told the pup, "and instinct makes you dig a hole in

your cave before you can sleep."

Rosamond stayed awake a long time, apprehensive about the

trampling dream, but when she did final y fal into a deep

sleep, she dreamed of her cousin Harry of Almaine. In the

dream, their conversation repeated itself:

"Sir Rodger de Leyburn is paying unwanted attention to me,

and I need you to make him keep his distance."

"You must he daft in the head, Rosamond," Harry replied.

"Everyone loves Rod; he makes friends easier than any man

I’ve ever met. He has qualities that make others genuinely like

him. You should consider yourself lucky to receive his

attentions."

Suddenly she found herself alone with de Leyburn. He was

wearing a skul helmet and a wolf pelt and carrying her to his

Viking ship. Magical y the ship turned into a bed, and indeed

she did feel lucky to be receiving his attention. "I wanted you

to come," she whispered. She lifted her eyes to his and saw

that his need was even greater than hers. " Wil you ravish

me? "

"If that’s the only way lean have you."

He stripped off her shift and set his hot, hungry lips to her

flesh, then slowly, thoroughly, he began to make love to her

with his beautiful mouth.

Ten

When Rosamond and Rodger rode out to the tenant farms,

they heard no complaints. Though the children they

encountered seemed shy and quiet, at least they did not

appear to be afraid of them. Burke asked questions of every

tenant about their stock and about Gore, the head steward.

The farmhouses and outbuildings were not in disrepair, and

when she compared Deerhurst with the conditions she had

found at Pershore, Rosamond felt a measure of relief that

nothing was gravely amiss.

It was almost dark by the time they returned to the castle. As

Rosamond warmed her hands at the fire in the Great Hal , the

air was fil ed with the aroma of roasting meat. Rod handed her

a cup of mul ed cider. "Would you take dinner with me

privately, Rosamond? There are a couple of things I'd like to

discuss with you."

She suddenly felt apprehensive. "Wil we need to hold a

court? "

"No, I don't believe that wil be necessary. I heard no real

grievances."

"Oh, that's good, I was worried for a moment. Is there aught

amiss? "

"Not real y. We'l talk when we can be private."

Though his words did little to dispel her disquiet, Rosamond

nodded and went upstairs to bathe her hands and face. She

had no other gown into which she could change, but at least

she could freshen up and brush the tangles from her

windblown hair. When de Leyburn arrived at her chamber, two

servants carrying trays laden with food accompanied him.

"We'l serve ourselves, thank you," Rod said, dismissing them.

When they were alone, Rosamond smiled at him warmly. Not

only was she starting to enjoy their time together, she was

beginning to put

106

her trust in him. Her pulse quickened as she anticipated his

touch. She knew it would come sooner or later this evening,

and in her heart hoped it would be sooner. He was wearing a

deep purple doublet and chausses that complemented her

amethyst gown, reminding her of two lovers she had once

seen in a play, who were costumed in varying shades of the

same color.

When Rodger lifted the silver covers from the food, she

looked at his powerful hands and shivered, then wondered if

he had seen. De Ley-burn missed very little with those devilish

green eyes of his. Rosamond tried to focus on the food. The

soup made from leeks was thick with cream. It was

accompanied by a smal rack of lamb and vegetables. Rod

set the food on a smal table before the fire and held her chair.

Did she only imagine that he lightly touched her shoulders

before he took his own seat opposite her?

As the sexual tension mounted between them, they ate in

silence until he poured them wine and offered a toast. "I think

we should drink to Deerhurst, or rather to its future."

Rosamond lifted her goblet, then paused. "Its future?"

"The Deerhurst Castle and landholdings are run adequately,

but they don't prosper as they should. I would like to see the

tenants' children laughing, its pastures fil ed with milky herds,

its castle chambers replenished more luxuriously. Rosamond,

we can make Deerhurst thrive!"

"We?" Rosamond's pulse began to throb.

"My castle of Tewkesbury is so close, both would benefit from

joint management. If Burke was made castel an in charge of

both, Deerhurst would soon rival Tewkesbury. It would be a

great union ... as would ours."

Rosamond could not mistake his meaning. Her thoughts beat

about rapidly like the wings of a caged bird trying to escape.

She sipped her wine to gain time. He made no bones about

the fact that he wanted her landholdings, and he had almost

convinced her that he wanted her too. Perversely, she decided

to test him. "I have no objections to Master Burke becoming

my castel an, but you and I, my lord, can we not become

secret lovers, rather than husband and wife?" If Rodger truly

wanted her, he would be unable to resist her offer. If he wanted

only her wealth, he would refuse such an arrangement.

107

His gaze lingered on her mouth, then moved up to her eyes.

Rodger was far too wise to ask her why she did not wish to

marry him. Her bold suggestion showed him just how much

Rosamond did want him. He knew marriage would take a little

more sensual persuasion. "We can indeed become lovers,

my beauty." He immediately rose from the table and held out

his hand in invitation.

Rosamond drew in a swift breath and quickly set down the

goblet, silently cursing her impulsive tongue. After a slight

hesitation, she placed her hand in his, and in the next

heartbeat he swept her into his powerful arms.

"Open your mouth to me, darling, I want you to enjoy the feel of

me inside you." His lips persuaded hers to yield to his desire,

and in-standy her own desire blazed up to match his. She felt

the thril of his kiss spiral through her body. A curl of fire began

in the pit of her stomach and stretched its fingers upward into

her breasts and down to her most sensitive female place. She

could no longer deny the need she felt for Rodger de Leyburn.

His sensual masculine appeal made her weak with yearning.

Rod slowly pul ed his mouth from hers and ran the tip of his

tongue up and down the curve of her throat. When he heard

Rosamond moan with desire, he knew he had her where he

wanted her. He pressed his advantage, licking her ear and

whispering, "What if there is a child, my love?"

Rosamond drew in a swift breath, pul ing away from him. She

stared up at him aghast. Splendor of God, she had never

thought about a child. Babies were vulnerable little beings.

She knew it was not uncommon for them to die during infancy.

She could never risk having a child, loving a child, losing a

child! She took a deep, steadying breath. Was this the reason

she had sought to end the betrothal? Was she afraid of

marriage and motherhood? She had never thought of herself

as a coward before, but now she did. Was she so terrified of

death that she was afraid to live, afraid to love?

Rodger took both her hands in his, lifting first one and then the

other to his lips. Then, with his back to the fire, he went down

on his knees before her. "Rosamond, my love, wil you marry

me when we return to Kenilworth? "

The proposal caught her completely off guard. Rodger had

108

never asked her to marry him before! He had arrogantly taken

it for granted that the marriage prize was his for the taking. His

tender words melted her resistance. She felt his powerful

strength through his hands. She wanted that strength, lusted

for it. It would mayhap hold her safe against the Fates. "Yes,

yes, I wil !" she heard herself say quickly, making the

commitment before doubts and concerns could stay her

tongue.

Without rising, he pul ed her down to him before the fire. He

could not hide his exultance. He had besieged the castle and

it had yielded to him. Could the victor now enjoy the spoils?

Not completely, he warned himself. Rosamond Marshal could

change her mind right up until the moment they exchanged

vows. Rod decided he would give her a loving that left her

craving more.

He kissed her hungrily, possessively, mastering her with his

tongue until she clung to him sweetly. As their food lay

forgotten, his bold hand slipped beneath the folds of the

amethyst tunic and made its slow, purposeful journey up her

calf, across her knee to the soft flesh of her inner thigh. His

fingers trailed up past her garter to her bare skin, going ever

higher seeking the precious object of his desire.

She gasped beneath his lips as his fingertips circled her

woman's center. He toyed and teased and played there until

he felt that she was thoroughly aroused, then he withdrew his

hand from beneath her gown. The tiny moan of protest was

music to his ears, tel ing him he was free to undress her

completely. He unfastened the gold chain, lifted off the tunic

and then the shift.

She lay before him on the lynx fur in silken splendor with the

fireshine playing over her luscious breasts and golden mons.

Her black hose were such a contrast to her pale flesh, they

added to the erotic picture she made. Rod knew she must be

feeling deliciously wicked wearing only the hose, far more

wanton than being completely naked.

"You are so unearthly fair, perhaps I'l just look and not touch."

He heard the swift intake of her breath and watched her

breasts rise and fal . "I want to imprint this picture on my mind so that I can conjure you when we are apart." He opened her

knees, and his gaze smoldered as he saw the pink rosebud

nestled between her legs. Then he dipped his dark head and

kissed the honey-gold tendrils. 109

"No!" she cried out, but he knew she was not forbidding him; rather she was shocked that a man would do such an intimate

thing to a woman, and he felt exultant that she was so

innocent.

"Yes, Rosamond/' he murmured, blowing softly on the golden

curls to tease and arouse her. "I'm going to taste you."

Rosamond thought she must be dreaming; surely this could

not real y be happening. The moment his mouth touched her,

she shivered with pleasure and knew it was very real. She

opened her thighs wantonly and arched herself into his hungry

mouth. When she felt his tongue curl about her, licking and

tasting, she wanted to scream with excitement. She could feel

the heat from the fire on her naked flesh, but his tongue was

hotter than any flame.

For the first time, she realized she could give her body to him

without yielding her heart, and it was like a revelation. She

could feel passion without feeling love. She could lose herself

in the sensations he aroused in her and al ow him to teach her

the sensual secrets that would pleasure them both. They

would be united in marriage, in name, in lands and castles,