THE WARLORD (13 page)

Old Martha, the woman Tess had unknowingly attacked in her fever, also paid a visit and proved a most forgiving sort.
Especially after Tess promised to ask Kenric about finding an assistant for the spry old woman.
She needed someone to help gather herbs on her trips into the woods and Tess secretly hoped to be that
assistant
. A trip outside the walls to gather herbs might present another opportunity for escape. Although her first attempt was a dismal failure, she still hadn't given up her plan to reach the king. It just might take longer, now that she'd put Kenric on his guard.

After only three days, she was pacing the room like a caged animal. The gradual return of her health had resulted in a full-blown case of boredom, interrupted only by her dread of what would happen when that boredom came to an end.

Although Miriam tried her best to be good company, the forced confinement made Tess more restless than ever. Knowing she was not the most pleasant person to be around in this frame of mind, Tess took pity on the maid and gave Miriam permission to return to most of her usual duties.

Robbed of Miriam's company, Tess had only the distraction of exploring Kenric's plush room. The handsomely carved trunks that lined the walls of the room were locked tight against prying fingers, frustrating her to no end. Only the trunk cleared for her use and Kenric's clothes chest could be opened. But a discovery at the bottom of Kenric's chest eased her confinement considerably.

Kenric owned three books.

Tess was amazed to find books, of all things, kept in an unlocked chest. If such priceless treasures were so easily accessible, then the riches kept under lock and key must be fabulous, indeed. The king himself possessed only four books, and everyone knew those were locked away in the royal treasury. She began to wonder at the extent of Kenric's wealth.

She handled the precious objects with great care. Though no one could possibly see her, Tess looked around guiltily before opening the first finely tooled, leather-bound cover. Few men outside the priesthood could read, and the skill was unheard of in a woman. Friar Bennet had indulged Tess's thirst for knowledge shamelessly. Kenric would probably be scandalized if her unusual skills were discovered. At the moment, Tess was too excited about the unexpected entertainment to care.

The first book was in Latin, an introductory page explaining its translation from a group of Greek stories collectively named Aesop's Fables. The first letter of each page took up nearly a fourth of the space, drawn in beautifully vivid colors. The characters described in the story were artfully intertwined with the letter to depict their actions on that page. One almost didn't need the ability to read with such delightful drawings to accompany the text. Tess curled up in the center of Kenric's big bed and began to turn the pages. The sunlight stretched across the room with amazing speed, quickly slanting to long golden streamers of light. Miriam was at her door all too soon with her meal, driving Tess mad with her endless chatter. The riveting tale of a vain fox awaited Tess, half read under the pillow. An hour passed before the woman could be politely dismissed. That Miriam remained so long with the good intentions of relieving the boredom made Tess feel slightly guilty, but even Miriam's gossipy tales could not compare with Aesop's. By the end of the week, Tess had read Aesop's Fables four
times,
and the two dull books on military strategies twice.

Only one more night, she reminded herself for the hundredth time as she settled into bed for the evening. Kenric would return the next day and her confinement would be at a blessed end. She was almost ready to face the gallows if it meant leaving this room at last. She'd never liked being locked away in her room when the MacLeiths did it, but at least she'd known her punishment would be finished when her time was over. Being locked away to await a punishment was crueler yet.

If nothing else, her disastrous escape was proving that she'd been right to try in the first place. Everything she'd learned that week told her that she'd married a man no more fair or just than the MacLeiths, one who would exact his vengeance just as thoroughly. Still, she needed to regain a measure of his confidence if she ever hoped to leave this castle. Any thoughts of begging his forgiveness were immediately dismissed. She'd never been able to play that role very convincingly. But perhaps he would appreciate an apology. That might make him believe she was sorry enough to obey him in the future. It certainly couldn't hurt matters.

The candle on the bedside table finally flickered and died in a puddle of tallow, telling her the hour had grown late. She left the bed long enough to roll more logs into the fire, then curled up in the big bed and practiced her apology in quiet whispers. It was something to do other than dread her husband's return.

Another hour passed before Kenric entered the gates of Montague, surprising everyone with his early return, including himself. Returning early was a mistake, he decided. Tess would probably think he couldn't wait another day to see her. He went immediately to his
chamber,
intent on making sure his bride was where she was supposed to be. At least, that was the excuse he gave Fitz Alan. He didn't realize how anxious he was until he opened the door to his chamber and sighed in relief. Tess was fast asleep in his bed.

She'd kicked the covers off and her chemise was pushed up high on her hips to reveal long, shapely legs. The light from the fire cast a warm glow to her skin and made her hair shimmer with a golden fire
all its own
. This was the vision, the sight of her in his
bed, that
had enticed him from the moment he'd laid eyes on the woman. Well, almost, he decided with a frown. Her mouth should be curved with the satisfied smile of a wife well bedded.

A grim smile touched his lips and he almost laughed at his own fantasy. How could he believe that a woman who flinched from his most innocent touch would enjoy herself in his bed? Rather than mooning about smiles he would never see, he should be wondering if she would come to him willingly, or if he would have to take her as he took everything else in life.
By force.

Kenric shook himself from his musings long enough to slam the door shut behind him, purposely waking his bride. He had no intention of allowing her to sleep through
this
night.

"I thought you would be asleep by now," he lied, keeping his expression stern when a pair of sleepy eyes widened with recognition.

"
Kenric
!"
The careful speech Tess had planned flew out of her head the moment she spied him. She'd forgotten the strange effect his presence had on her senses, something she could never quite anticipate, much less prevent. Her eyes drank in the sight of him, and she felt the same flood of confusing emotions that had assailed her that first night in the abbey.
Fear, desire, and an overwhelming sense of familiarity, the disturbing feeling that she knew him better than any other.

He still wore his
armor,
his helm tucked under one arm, his other hand resting on the hilt of his broadsword. Her eyes drifted across what seemed to be acres of chain mail, idly wondering what vast amount of yardage was required to fashion his surcoat. Most men looked stiff and unwieldy in armor, the effort required to carry so much extra weight telling in their stilted movements. Kenric wore at least a hundred pounds of weapons and armor, yet moved as if he were clad in nothing more cumbersome than silk. In fact, it was his garments that seemed to strain under the effort of keeping so much strength contained.

The large room was suddenly smaller, yet Tess knew it was not only his big body, but his very presence that filled so much of the chamber.

"Come, wife. Help remove my armor," he ordered, already unbuckling his swords.

He released the breath he'd been holding when she drew back the covers and rose from the bed, walking toward him. She was as beautiful as he'd remembered, more so now that her health had returned. The thin chemise she wore left little to his imagination, and he turned away before he gave in to the urge to crush her against his chest, to tear away that dainty garment and feast his eyes on what belonged to him alone.

No, he would not take what was his just yet, not until he knew if it would be offered. That would make the taking all the more sweet, well worth the wait.
Best not hold your breath
, his conscience warned.
Better to prepare yourself for tears and pleading
.

With his back to her, Kenric placed his helmet on a clothes chest,
then
ordered her to unfasten his leggings while he worked on removing his hauberk. Her touch was disturbingly gentle, nothing like the efficiency he was accustomed to. She didn't work as quickly as his squire, for she had to search for the hidden buckles. Kenric ignored the feelings her hands roused, concentrating instead on the fastenings of his hauberk.

"Did you have a good journey?" she asked.

"Aye."
An excellent journey, Kenric mused, placing the mass of chain mail in a chest.
Just what he needed to regain his rigid control.
He would prove to her that she'd married a man, not some wild beast driven to ravage her. "You may await me in bed, Tess."

Kenric had removed his armor with care, but his tunic, shirt, and breeches were shed with abandon as his mind raced forward to the moment when he would climb into bed with his bride. He hesitated for just a moment,
then
decided his loincloth should stay. Even though he usually slept in the nude, he didn't want to make his intent too obvious. But the loincloth was hardly sufficient to protect him from his wife's assessing gaze.

When he turned to face her, it took less than a heartbeat for the look in her violet eyes to turn his bones to jelly, his flesh to tempered steel. Her gaze traveled boldly over every bit of exposed flesh, and his skin soon burned to feel her hands travel those same paths. His breath came out in a rush when her attention finally returned to his face.

His eyes never left Tess as he walked toward her. He stretched out on top of her on the bed, his hands braced on either side of her head. "Have you no
kiss
to welcome your husband home?"

Her eyes widened with uncertainty even as she nodded. Kenric lowered his head, savoring the warmth of her breath against his lips,
then
he covered her mouth completely. He lingered over the kiss, nipping and tugging almost playfully at Tess's lips before his mouth settled firmly against hers. He was pleased to discover she'd not forgotten his first lesson in kissing. He finally moved to the smooth column of her neck. He was hungry for her, as if he'd been without a woman for years. She would be his wife, his
willing
wife, he decided with a dark, hidden smile. His hands slid across her shoulders and down her arms, then up to her shoulders again to repeat the motion, as if to assure
himself
that she wasn't going anywhere. His hand wrapped around her wrist and he stretched out her arm, leaning over to kiss the throbbing pulse at her wrist. His lips grazed a path to the soft skin at the crook of her elbow, lingering there to savor the spot.

"I would like to—"

"You would like to become my wife."

"I am already your wife," she reminded him, tilting her head slightly to bare her neck as his lips skimmed over the capped sleeves of her chemise.

"You are my bride," he murmured, kissing the outline of her ear. His warm breath made Tess's own breath grow short. "But that will change soon enough, little one."

"I meant… I meant to say—" Tess gave up when she felt Kenric's tongue against her ear. Her whole body stiffened and there was nothing soft or sighing about the groan she gave him then.

"That you like what I'm doing," Kenric finished again.

"Aye," she whispered, curling her toes when she felt his tongue once more. He lingered there a moment, then used his mouth to trace the line of her jaw, moving higher until his lips were just touching hers.

He drew back abruptly and his gaze searched her face, as if looking for the answer to some question. "I want to see your back."

" 'Tis
healed." The injuries to her back were the least of her concerns at the moment. Her skin tingled so much that she felt nearly numb. She felt light-headed but not at all ill, and her heart ached but it didn't hurt. The feeling was
a warmth
that seemed to spread through every part of her body, a strange sensation that made her want to arch up against Kenric's body. Her arms slipped around his neck, pulling him without resistance to her lips.

Kenric ended the kiss by rolling to Tess's side, determined to see her back before he was too far gone with lust to care what his passion would do to her. His desire was ready to burst into flame, but he knew this first time was too important to let the fire burn out of control, to burn her carelessly beyond healing. He would treat her
gently,
show her his patience and skill by fanning the flames of her own desire slowly and carefully. But not until he knew how much her injured body could handle.

"Show me your back," he demanded simply. She blushed and lowered her gaze. He nudged her chin up, trying to show her that patience he'd silently promised.
" 'Tis
only natural to be shy about letting me see your body. Yet you must know I gazed upon you often while you were ill. I even bathed you."

She gasped. "You didn't."

"I did." He couldn't decide if Tess looked more outraged or humiliated, or an equal measure of both. He liked her shyness, but needed to think of a way to make her more at ease with this situation, a way that would demonstrate his patience. An idea came almost immediately. "If you'd prefer, I could wait until after my bath to look at your back."

" 'Tis
rather late for a bath, is it not, milord?" she questioned uncertainly. "The servants are sure to be abed."

"The servants have not been in a saddle all day and most of the night," he scoffed, already moving away from her. "I doubt they shall suffer overmuch by heating water and filling a tub for a man who has. Don't you agree?"

He almost smiled over Tess's reaction to the reprieve. Her head bobbed in quick agreement. "The ride from
Marshall seems to have stiffened my muscles," he lied. "A bath sounds like just the thing."

"An excellent idea, milord."

"I thought so." He smiled over his cleverness. With
his own
clothes shed, it wouldn't be long before Tess's followed. She would soon be as comfortable about his nudity as he was about her… Well, that wasn't quite it, but what better way to acquaint Tess with his body?
Every inch of it.

Kenric walked briskly to the door and gave several orders to one of the soldiers standing guard in the hallway. He busied himself by shaving away several days' growth of beard as a small army of servants began arriving in a steady stream. Most lugged buckets of steaming water to fill the tub that was hauled into place before the fire, but one carried a tray of food. He picked up the tray when he'd finished shaving and placed it at the foot of the bed, taking a seat next to Tess.

"Hungry?" he asked. When she nodded, he handed her a thick slab of buttered bread and a mug of thin ale.

"Do you always parade around your servants near naked?" Tess whispered. Her gaze dropped conspicuously to the loincloth he wore.

Kenric shrugged indifferently. "They do not seem to mind."

Tess's look said she did.

"You believe I should wear a robe?"

She nodded, her gaze wandering over his broad shoulders and chest. She stared so intently that he began to wonder if she was trying to count the scars that covered his body. He'd never given them much thought in the past, but he was suddenly aware of each ugly mark.

" 'Twas
forward of me to make suggestions, milord," she said a little breathlessly. "You must not wear a robe simply for my sake."

Kenric hid his smile behind the mug and downed its contents, his confidence in his ability to seduce his wife reinforced. She was practically devouring him with her eyes. The tray was pushed aside when the last servant departed, and he stood by the bed, watching Tess expectantly.

"Milord?" she questioned.

"I am waiting for your offer to assist with my bath."

"Oh!" Tess slipped from the bed and walked hesitantly toward the trunk where soap and bath linens were laid out. Her gaze lowered to study the carpet pattern while Kenric stripped off his loincloth and stepped into the water.

"Have you done this before?" he asked.

"Nay," she admitted. She was trying hard not to look below his chest. His big body nearly filled the tub that had looked so huge just a moment ago.

"Good," he replied smugly. "I would not like to think of you bathing those Scots."

He gripped the sides of the tub, closed his eyes, and leaned back to dunk his head under the water. He lifted his head a moment later and smoothed the wet hair back with his hands. Tess stood rooted to the spot, those simple movements more erotic than anything she'd ever seen in her life. The water made Kenric's skin glisten like molten bronze and the unstudied gestures displayed his physique to perfection. The warmth in her cheeks spread down her arms and into her belly.

Unaware of the effect on his bride, Kenric motioned her forward with one hand. "Start by washing my hair."

She stepped closer and began working the soap into his dark hair, enjoying the feel of the thick mane slipping through her fingers. He wore his hair longer than most knights, cut away into shorter lengths in front but flowing well past his shoulders in the back. She twisted her fingers through the longer strands, liking the way the ends curled around her fingertips.

Now would be a good time to apologize, a silent voice reminded her, now while he is not scowling at you. A seduction was surely planned tonight, but would the punishment come later? The thought made her hands still abruptly in his hair.

"I would like to apologize for what happened before I fell ill," she said hesitantly, forcing her hands to continue their work.