THE WARLORD (25 page)

"I cannot believe I was taken in so completely by Helen's mooning," Tess sputtered. "I truly thought she was falling in love with the man."

"People are not always what you think they are," he said quietly, his expression growing serious. Gazing into the depths of his smoky eyes, Tess knew he was no longer talking about Helen. "Sometimes you must look beneath the surface to discover a person's true character."

He'd been showing her what was beneath the surface for nearly a fortnight, Tess realized, struck by the sudden insight. He probably wasn't even aware that he'd shown her the man beneath the mantle of a fierce warlord. She liked what she saw, liked it so much that it terrified her. She had been so concerned with controlling her reactions to what she saw on the surface, that she didn't take time to guard against what went much deeper. Her eyes widened over the knowledge. Kenric didn't find her disgusting. He hadn't lost the least bit of interest. He was waiting for her to tell him that she felt the same.

"I have looked beneath the surface, milord."

Kenric's hand rested on the table and she reached out to stroke her fingertips across the dark skin. He didn't move. His gaze dropped to their hands, his expression never changing as she shyly withdrew her hand.

"Touch me again," he whispered hoarsely.

Tess hesitated. She knew what he was asking, knew it went far beyond a simple touch. Her hand moved of its own accord, coming to rest on his.
As if he were afraid of startling her, his other hand reached out to cover hers, holding her.
His eyes were closed, an expression on his face she'd never seen before.

He finally turned her hand over and pressed a lingering kiss in the palm, never letting go of her hand as he stood up and led her from the hall. He remained silent until they reached their chamber. After closing the door behind them, he leaned against the heavy oak panels and finally released her. His gaze began at her slippers and traveled slowly upward, lingering on her breasts, even longer on her mouth.

"Show me," he said simply, waiting for her to come to him.

Tess took one step, then another,
then
she rested her hands lightly on his shoulders and leaned up on her tiptoes to press a kiss against the cleft of his chin. His hands moved up to his chest, covering hers, as if he treasured the feel of them against his body. Then he caught her in his arms, drawing her up against the length of his body as his lips descended to hers. It was a slow, drugging kiss, urgent yet patient at the same time. He kissed her mouth, the curve of her cheek, her temples, then back to her mouth again for a full taste of her. His hands moved carefully, loosening her braid to let her hair spill over her shoulders.

"Spun gold," he murmured against her lips, sifting the golden strands through his fingers. One hand cupped her cheek, stroking the smooth contours, trailing lightly down the pale column of her throat then moving beneath her chin, holding her to receive his next kiss. He used his lips to trace the outline of hers, touching rather than kissing, finally covering her mouth to take what she offered.

His arms slipped beneath her legs and he lifted her into his arms, never breaking the kiss as he carried her to the bed. Tess thought he meant to lay her down but he turned at the last moment and sat on the edge, cradling her in his lap. He used his mouth then to show her what it meant to be tormented, thrusting deep with his tongue then slowly withdrawing, giving then taking away, teasing, tantalizing, stroking her again and again, drawing her into his mouth to let her taste his power then dominating once more. His arms tightened around her, holding her completely, one hand beneath her head to keep their lips firmly joined.

One of his legs slipped out from under her, moving slowly over her legs to trap them between his, pulling her closer until her thigh was pressed firmly against his hard arousal. Tremors shook Tess's body and her groan was matched by his, joining in the soft song of love. Vaguely aware that her arms were twined around his neck, her hands fisted tightly in his hair, she reluctantly loosened her grip to slide the flats of her palms over the corded strength of his neck, cupping his face between her hands. The sandy roughness of his cheeks, the way he moved beneath her hands while pleasuring her mouth engulfed her in waves of dizziness. She was falling, deeper and deeper, but Kenric was holding her, protecting her from the fall, making sure there was no end to her tumbling emotions, no end to the sheer delight and exhilarating terror. Tess finally pushed against him, the feeble, gentle pressure the only effort she could summon up to save herself.

His kiss became less erotic, drawing away from her until their lips were just joined and he could look into her eyes. He deepened the kiss once more when he saw their color, unable to resist the lure. Drawing back again, he reluctantly parted from her when he saw a dim light of panic in the amethyst depths.

"What is wrong, sweet?" he murmured, pressing tiny kisses against her dewy lips. Until now, Kenric had had no idea that making love to a woman's mouth could be every bit as pleasurable as making love to her body. He was anxious to enrich his knowledge. "Tell me, and I will make it better."

"I… I think I'm going to faint," she whispered weakly.

Kenric smiled, tracing the outline of her lips with the tip of his tongue. She shuddered against him. He lowered his head and whispered seductively in her ear, his mouth exploring that part of her just as thoroughly. "Should you swoon, I will hold you safe and pleasure you with caresses until you arouse to me once more."

Her eyes fluttered closed.

"Tess?" he asked hesitantly, thinking she might be playing out his teasing. She didn't respond. Kenric leaned back to take a better look. Her body was completely relaxed against his, her breathing deep and steady. He shook her gently.
Nothing.
Good God, she'd actually fainted.

Kenric smiled hugely, suddenly feeling like the most powerful man on earth. The wait had been worth every single second. He trailed the backs of his fingers against one powder-soft cheek then used his fingertip to trace every line of her face. He hadn't even made love to her yet, but he knew he'd already won the battle. Tess accepted him, knowing what he was, knowing he could never change the circumstances of his birth. Her surrender was sweet beyond bearing, arousing feelings he'd never guessed were lying dormant. He'd never dreamed that this test of willpower would have such remarkable results. Tess began to stir in his arms and he smoothed her hair away from her face.

"Welcome back," he murmured softly, watching her eyes drift open.
Deep purple, laden with passion.
His body responded unconsciously to the knowledge that she was still aroused.

Tess lifted one limp hand to her forehead. "I don't know what happened."

"I do," he answered, his smile growing broader. "Though I'll admit, I thought it an exaggeration until now." He leaned down and pressed a gentle kiss against her forehead. "You have proven it truth, Tess; a woman can indeed be overcome completely by her passions."

"I… I'm sorry," she apologized, blushing as she struggled to sit up in his lap.

"I'm not." He loosened his grip and allowed her to rise, brushing her hair over her shoulders as he bragged of his prowess. "I know of none other who can claim such skill. This must surely make me the most potent of lovers."

Tess smiled over his arrogance, even as her heart grew heavy. Kenric might have won their silent war, but he didn't know yet what it cost. This would be the last time she allowed herself to turn traitor, but tonight she would turn traitor completely. She deserved that much for what she would be forced to sacrifice tomorrow. A wave of sorrow swept over her, and self-pity, too. It seemed her whole life had been filled with sacrifices, all for the sake of the cold-stone towers that were her home. Her parents had died for Remmington. Tess had kept herself alive at Langston Keep for the sake of Remmington. She'd even considered marrying Gordon MacLeith, knowing her child would eventually inherit. Now Remmington would force her to forsake her husband.

"There's no need to cry over a simple exaggeration," he admonished, frowning at the tears that spilled silently from his wife's eyes. He brushed them away with his thumbs. "Was it so hard to come to me?"

"Nay," she answered, trying to smile through her tears. Her plan was still the best. Truly, she told herself, even as she buried her face against Kenric's shoulder to cry in earnest. "I'm sorry!"

"I thought you knew I was waiting for a sign from you," he said hesitantly, trying to guess the source of her tears. The weeks of separation had certainly been trying. He supposed Tess could be moved to tears by what he simply found frustrating. "Didn't you know?"

She shook her head, using the sleeve of her gown to wipe away the tears as she lifted her head. "I thought you didn't want me anymore. I thought you'd taken a mistress."

Kenric mentally kicked himself for not being more obvious. "You needed time to become more accustomed to the notion."

"What notion?" she asked, sniffing away the last of her tears.

"The notion that you'd married a bastard," he said quietly.

Tess scowled. "I told you the truth that day. I don't care."

"Every noblewoman cares," he answered harshly, waiting for the telltale sign that would say she was lying. His frown faded to confusion.
" 'Tis
the reason I've rarely been pursued for marriage. Most at court know or suspect the truth, and none would dare mingle their highborn blood with that of a bastard."

"Good Lord. Your father is the King of England. You have more royal blood than any other nobleman, save the royal family itself. Do you honestly think yourself lacking because of it?"

"Nay," he admitted, giving her a pointed look. "But most do."

"Well, I don't," she said simply.

"Then why did you try to deny me after learning the truth? Why did you spend the last weeks avoiding me?"

Tess's eyes narrowed. "I tried to deny you because Helen had me convinced that you made a habit of slaughtering women and babies. I was furious with you for thinking you could demand your husbandly rights after treating me like a wayward child."

Kenric regretted asking the question. "All right, I will admit that my timing left something to be desired that day. What about all that followed?"

Tess eyed him warily, as if she didn't believe he'd dismissed her argument so easily. "When a man is finding pleasure elsewhere, he has no need of it from his wife."

One brow rose over the challenging tone of her answer. She was asking a question of her own. Tess really had no idea that he'd lain awake for hours on end, tormenting himself into an agony while she stewed with jealousy over an imagined mistress. It was almost laughable.
Almost.

"You have lost time to make up for." He decided to let her wonder about the mistress. No need to let her become complacent. He stood up with Tess still in his arms then let her slide slowly down the length of his body, his eyes still locked with hers. "This night you will make up for all the nights of pleasure you have denied me."

"You are—"

Kenric placed his fingers over her mouth. "This is not open for discussion."

Tess nodded slowly.

"I will make up for your lost time as well."

Tess smiled.

Within the strong circle of his arms, Tess found thoughts of anything but her husband amazingly easy to push aside. She allowed herself to think only of Kenric, only of giving herself to him completely. And she was greedy, the sure knowledge that this was their last night together pushing aside any temptation to sleep once they both lay sated. She used her hands to memorize his body, committing every part of him to memory. She started on his back, still marveling at the power she held over him, watching his muscles flex instinctively in response to her soft, exploring caresses. By the time he turned over, his desire had already stirred to life again and her explorations came to an abrupt end. At last the sleepless nights finally caught up with him and he rolled to his back, cradling her at his side. He was asleep within minutes. As the cold gray light of dawn pushed away the darkness, Tess felt her tears begin to fall again in a steady, silent stream.

A weaker woman would stay within the circle of these strong arms. She wouldn't think of the consequences of her selfishness. Tess forced herself to picture the battle that would result if she remained with Kenric, images of people she'd known all her life falling beneath his sword, villagers and serfs dying the slower, crueler death of starvation. Hers was one life, theirs were many. Her father told her often that it was her responsibility to do whatever was necessary to protect the people of Remmington, that the burden she would bear as his only heir would be both blessing and curse. Turning to place a gentle kiss in the center of Kenric's chest, tasting her own tears, Tess decided that her father had been wrong about the blessing part. It was time to leave.

Tess stayed within the circle of Kenric's arms as long as she dared, glad of his exhaustion as she slipped from the bed without disturbing him. She pulled out the dress with the saffron bodice and colorful skirt, knowing what she had to do today would likely see a gown damaged beyond repair. After dressing and quickly braiding her hair, she tucked her cloak under one arm and crept quietly from the room. There were two young soldiers asleep in the hall, the guards who relieved Simon and Evard at night when she was with Kenric. She stepped soundlessly over the guards and made her way down the tower steps. An hour was all she needed to get away from the castle. She would gain an even greater lead when the fortress was searched to no avail. If her luck held, Kenric wouldn't know anything was amiss for hours. She didn't want to think of his reaction when he opened their chamber door and discovered her guards still waiting for her to emerge for the day. She would never allow herself to picture that image.

The great hall was still quiet, but Tess could hear the muted sounds of servants beginning their day in the kitchens. The sun had peeked over the horizon by the time Tess slipped through a small door and hurried down the path that led to the gardens.

Missing Tess's warmth, Kenric reached across the bed to pull her closer. His hand swept over the sheets, his search not finding even the lingering warmth of her body. He opened one eye then the other, his gaze moving from the bed across the empty room. She was probably off to one of her projects already, he decided, closing his eyes again. She should have stayed with him this morning, knowing he'd not want to part from her company soon this day. Hell, she should have known he'd want to spend the entire day with her. Disgruntled, he opened his eyes again, deciding to seek her out and make his wishes known. No more beating about the bush.

The warmth of his bed lulled him into remaining there a few minutes longer. He stretched his arms and legs out as far as he could and yawned hugely, wondering if Tess might have gone to the kitchens for his breakfast. What a treat that would be. Knowing Tess, he supposed it more likely that she was already up to her elbows in some scrub bucket, yet he decided to give her a few more minutes in case she was doing what she should this morning: returning with his breakfast.

He was very good at waiting. He crossed one ankle over the other and propped his hands behind his head again. Hadn't he waited nearly an entire fortnight to bed his wife, handily resisting temptation every single night? Aye, everyone knew he had the patience of Job when it came to waiting. Tess was probably making her way down the hall right now. He uncrossed his legs then switched positions, propping the other leg on top. Patience was definitely a virtue he possessed in great quantity. Any minute now the door would open. The foot that was propped in the air began to wiggle back and forth in a steady, irritated rhythm. Where the hell was his breakfast?

With a snort of disgust he rose from the bed. He would give her a few more minutes, he decided, walking toward the window. The days were growing warmer and he pushed aside the shutter that kept out drafts at night. The sun was already peeking over the horizon and it promised to be a fine day.

A movement far below caught his eye and his gaze swept over the gardens that were still shadowed from the morning sun by the battlements. A servant woman was making her way through the maze of rose arbors. He would have dismissed it as a lover's tryst if she wasn't making her way so determinedly toward the south wall. It was the most remote part of the gardens and well suited to rendezvous, but the prickly vines that covered the wall also concealed the castle's only bolthole.

The servant's cloak caught on one of the thorny hedges and she was forced to back up a step to untangle the garment. After tugging twice to free the cloak, the woman tossed the edges over her shoulders to avoid further entanglements and Kenric caught sight of her gown. Only one woman at Montague owned a gown that ugly.

She was simply going for a morning stroll. Kenric had repeated that silent litany five times when she reached the shrubs that concealed the bolthole. His blood turned to ice as he watched her bend toward the shrubs. Even from this distance he could make out the shape of a linen sack as it was pulled from its hiding place. From the way she was tugging away the vines, it would only be a matter of minutes before she was in the tunnel that led underneath the walls. She truly intended to run from him.
Again.

Liar
!
his
mind shouted, recalling every word she spoke the night before. Everything she'd done and said had been a lie. How she must have laughed at her besotted husband. She was good at playacting, he'd give her that much. Something inside he'd never known was there began to die, its dust blown away in a gale of mounting fury.

"
TESS!
"

Kenric watched the distant figure freeze and he knew she heard his bellow. She frantically stuffed the linen sack back into its hiding place and hastily rearranged the vines. Satisfied that she wasn't going to make a run for it, he stalked across the room to the chamber door, flinging it open just short of the force required to remove it from its hinges. His wife's two guards were already stumbling to their feet, one with a drawn sword.

"If either of you wish to live long enough to see the sun set, you will get to the gardens and bring my
wife
back here immediately!"

He slammed the door shut then marched over to a trunk, jerking out a handful of clothing. This time he was going to kill her. He was certain of it. Last night had been an act. Tess hadn't meant one word. She'd avoided him as long as she could, submitted when she thought he would tolerate no more,
then
fled after making certain he slept in the sated exhaustion of her lies.
Deceitful little bitch
.

His fingers flew over his laces, dressing with military precision, tugging on his boots with one vicious jerk each. He needed her alive. That thought made him livid. He needed her alive and she knew it. If she said one word to him, one lie, he would take her slim throat between his hands and choke the life from her. He'd enjoy doing it.

Kenric left his chamber and made his way through the great hall to the barracks. A few soldiers had already risen but more remained in their beds. Kenric marched down the long room until he found one of the two he was looking for. One booted foot shoved Evard from his bunk to the stone floor. Simon was there already when Kenric turned on his heel to start searching for him.

"Both of you come with me," he told them in a deadly voice.
"Now!"

Simon was dressed, but Evard had to make a hasty grab for his breeches, pulling them on beneath the linen shirt he'd worn to bed the night before. The baron led them back through the great hall to the castle's solar, where he simply paced the room for a good quarter hour.

"Evard," he finally said. "My wife will be in my bedchamber by now. If she is not, you will return here immediately and tell me so. If she is, you will make certain she remains there. The two guards who were on duty there last night will be confined to their quarters to await my judgment. Go now."

Evard didn't even bow in his haste to leave the room. Kenric continued to pace. Simon wisely remained silent.

Kenric tormented himself by remembering every single moment of the night, how he'd treasured the touch of her hand on his, feeling as if she'd just bestowed the greatest gift in the world. It meant nothing to Tess. He'd treated her with near reverence, cherished her. She had cried her eyes out, doubtless aggrieved because she faced an entire night of his unwanted lovemaking. Her sweet surrender in their chamber had been nothing but a duty she could no longer avoid.
Their chamber.
His jaw
tightened,
the muscle there working spasmodically. It was not
their
chamber, it was his. He'd not share it with her again.

Another hour passed before he felt ready to face her. His bedchamber held too many memories. He would summon her to the solar where he would be less tempted to violence. He continued to pace, knowing it mattered little if he faced her here or in his chamber. He wanted to see her suffer and it didn't matter where.

"Send her."

The two words were all Simon needed to make his exit from the room.

Tess was doing her own share of pacing at that moment. She knew without being told that Kenric had guessed the reason for her absence. She just wasn't sure how much he knew. From the look on Simon's face when he arrived at her door, Tess knew the answer was not far off. By the time they reached the solar, her knees were nearly knocking together. Simon rapped once on the door then pushed it aside, giving her a reassuring nod as he whispered under his breath. "I will be just outside the door, milady."

Tess returned his nod but didn't think it very encouraging that he would be outside the door. Her trouble lay on the other side. She took a few quiet steps into the room and bowed her head to wait. Kenric's back was to her as he stared out the long, mullioned window, directly into the harsh morning sunlight that streamed into the room. He was dressed all in black. Tess supposed that was fitting enough. She could feel nothing but malice in the air.

"Who told you about the bolthole?"

She couldn't detect a trace of emotion in his voice. She hadn't expected any. Her heart sank as she realized he'd likely watched her from their chamber window and knew all.

"The steward," she said quietly. "He told me that the bailiff must have used it for his escape."

"What did you plan, once you reached the other side?"

Tess remained silent.

"Answer the question!"

"I meant to go to my uncle in
Scotland."

"His king would have ordered him to send you to MacLeith. Do try again."

Tess wished he would turn around and face her,
then
decided she liked his back better. She'd rather remember the way he looked at her last night, the warmth in his eyes as she laid her heart at his feet. Today he would crush it beneath his boot. She should have fled the instant she heard him shout her name, should have known that he was not simply angry over her absence when he awoke.

Thinking she could conjure a lie to explain away her absence, then escape later was a huge mistake. She had thrown away her last hope.

"I meant to appeal to his priest," Tess began, knowing he would have the truth sooner or later. "I have known since our marriage that there is but one way to avoid bloodshed at Remmington. The church is the only law MacLeith would dare not defy. Even
his own
men would not follow a leader who lost the sanctions of the church."

"You meant to annul the marriage," Kenric stated flatly.

Tess could admit anything but that. She couldn't bring herself to speak the truth.

"I will assume your silence is an admittance of guilt."

She heard the finality in those words, knew he'd made a decision about what she'd done. Yet he knew none of her reasons. "It seemed
best
, milord. My lands would revert to King Edward. 'Tis a certainty he would name you lord, yet you would not have to war for the estates. Without a wife, you could keep the oath you made to your brother, Guy, although—"

"
Silence
!
You will never again speak to your lord unless you are spoken to."

The room fell silent. Tess had no idea what he planned to do with her. Something unpleasant, she was sure. It didn't matter. Nothing mattered anymore. She'd done what she could to save Remmington and she'd failed. With failure came a defeat greater than any she'd ever known. Remmington would not be the only thing she lost today. She'd also lost her husband.

"Go to my chamber and collect everything that is yours. You have a quarter of an hour to pack your belongings. I will not be fouled again with your presence."

Somehow Tess made her way from the solar, so numb that she could barely feel her legs beneath her. Packing her belongings meant she was leaving. He would no longer live with her; he made it brutally clear that he never wanted to see her again. Whether he sent her from the fortress or kept her somewhere within it, what did it matter? Nothing mattered. There was no point left to anything, no purpose. She'd done all she would be allowed to do. Remmington would fall in a sea of blood.

She moved around the room in an unconscious haze, packing the remainder of her clothing in one of the linen sacks she'd brought from Langston Keep. Half her belongings were already in the sack hidden in the garden. She no longer had any use for them.

Having packed her bags in half the time allotted, Tess sat down on the edge of the bed and waited, staring sightlessly into the fireplace. No troublesome thoughts ran through her head, only peaceful silence. The minutes drifted by quietly. Her gaze moved from the fireplace to her hands held limply in her lap, watching the pulse that beat almost imperceptibly in her wrist to mark off the seconds of her life.

"Milady?"
Simon asked hesitantly from the doorway. He turned to Evard and two other soldiers who lingered curiously in the hallway. "Evard, you will go on ahead. You two go back to the great hall."

Simon waited until his orders were obeyed then took another step into the bedchamber. "Milady, you are to return with me to the solar."

Tess stood up like a puppet and followed Simon from the room, barely aware of his guiding hand on her elbow as they walked the long hallways back to the solar. Kenric was gone by the time they arrived.