Yearning Heart (36 page)

New Sarum was a different place when Lady Rebecca resided there.

He would have to make sure Rebecca was happy even if she preferred the old home place to New Sarum. It made him blink to realize that he wanted Rebecca to be happy no matter the cost, no matter where she chose to live.

That's what love does to a man. Stephen's mouth curved in a tiny smile. He loved Rebecca. Yea, that hot-tempered, tiny elf who could make his heart thunder and his blood boil. Who could arouse his body with one kiss and satisfy his desires with a night of wild passion. He trembled with wanting her.

“Ho, Aubin,” Stephen called. “I will alight here. See to bringing the small case up the steps.”

He stepped down, waved to the servants he could see, then walked alongside the railing, across the stone porch. The door opened ere he could reach for it, and he stepped into a warm, fragrant hall. He took a deep breath. Cooks had been busy with baking, and he was hungry. But not hungry enough to put off seeing Rebecca.

Malvina came through a doorway and curtsied.

“My lord, welcome home.”

“I thank thee. Rebecca?”

He was sore afraid to ask, and he waited with held breath.

“The Lady Rebecca's wounds have healed, my lord. She is asleep.”

“Art certain she sleeps?”

“Yea, my lord.”

He took off the heavy hat and wiped his face with his sleeve. He was tired and hungry. And anxious to see, and hold, Rebecca.

“I will eat ere I see her.”

Malvina's eyes searched her master's face. If ‘twas her doing, she would send him up the stairs to Lady Rebecca to tell her of his love. She sighed. It was not her place to say such things, but she was sure her mistress would agree.

Stephen ate quickly, taking big bites of hot bread filled with butter and honey, and his empty stomach quieted. He took tea instead of spirits but did not admit it was because Rebecca did not care for kisses laced with wine. And Rebecca was to have kisses, whether she wanted them or not.

He stirred with the beginnings of heat in his loins.

Appetite appeased, Stephen made his way up the stairs and into the orchid room where Rebecca slept.

Rebecca did not move as Stephen sat beside her on the bed. She lay on her back, hands straight by her side, her face turned away from him. He sat a long time, watching the soft rise and fall of her breasts, the pulse in her throat. Her hair was unbraided, spread across the pillow, strands lying like silken threads over the linen sheets that were pulled to her shoulders. He could not see if she still had bruises and scratches.

She was pale, and he wondered at her weight loss. She was a small woman, but she seemed to be lighter than ever. She had not spoken of all the happenings at the stone city where the young king held her for ransom. Instead, she had turned bitter coldness towards him and would not accept any offer of kindness or concern from Stephen.

For truth, he expected her to be gone when he returned to New Sarum. Even with loyal servants watching her, Stephen knew now the cunning mind of his wife and that she would find a way to get out of New Sarum if she so chose.

Why are you still here, my love? he wondered. Art unwell and mayhap hiding that from Malvina, saying thou dost not want to go? He shivered at the thought she might be hurt and would not let her maidservant know because she did not trust Malvina.

“Rebecca?”

He leaned over her, his breath stirring a wisp of hair on her cheek.

Rebecca's eyes flew wide. All sleep vanished as she stared at her husband bending over her. One hand came up to touch his cheek.

“Thou art home,” she said simply.

“Aye.”

“For how long this time, Stephen?”

“My plans are for a long time, Rebecca, but thou knowest when King Henry calls, I will go.” He stood. “I need help to remove this chainse. Wouldst unhook it for me?”

Rebecca sat up and slid from the bed. She was clad in pale ivory satin and lace, the gown gathered tightly at her small waist, floating to the floor in thick folds. Stephen caught his breath at her loveliness, but stood so that she could manage the heavy hooks, then helped him remove the chainse.

He sat on the bed then, undoing his silk shirt. When he sat bare-chested in front of her, he held out his arms.

“I am tired to the bones, Rebecca, and need thy tender massage. Too, a kiss would be a nice welcome home.”

Rebecca stepped backwards, hands behind her, chin lifted.

“Tell me,” she demanded.

“I have told all thy need know,” Stephen said. “Now do as I command thee.”

“Command me, my lord? Nay. Answer me ere you command me to do thy bidding.”

“And what woulds't have me say, Rebecca?”

“Tell me. Tell me thy thoughts, thy plans for me, thy feelings for me and if I may know some of these to ease my mind.”

Stephen's temper flared. He was tired. He wanted Rebecca with a sudden savage hunger that wished not to be denied. Truth, he did not intend her to deny him.

Enough is enough, he thought savagely. He moved quickly, his hands hard on her arms, his anger uncontained.

“You should have red hair, you stubborn, lovely child,” he raged, his mouth close to hers.

“I am not a child. I am a woman, and I am your wife. I desire to be treated as such, to have you speak true words to me if I am to remain here.”

Entranced in spite of himself, Stephen looked into her bewitching eyes. They flashed bright blue fire and something else. An emotion he had seen but taken no notice of before now. Her pink lips parted.

“Knowest what thou asketh of me, Rebecca?”

Defiant, she remained stiff in his arms.

“Aye, Stephen.”

“Then thou must accept my answer as the truth.” His hands grew tender, rubbing the firm flesh of her arms. “I love thee, Rebecca.”

Rebecca brought her arms up ready to strike, hurt anger filling the empty void where Stephen's love should be. At his last words, she went still, eyes searching his face, finding tender beseeching there, seeing for the first time the tired lines around his mouth, the worry in deep-set blue eyes.

“What say, Stephen?” Her voice quavered with hope.

“I love thee, Rebecca.”

“For how long?” She hardly dared breathe.

“Forever, Rebecca. Mayhap since the day I first saw you with wet, muddy feet, dirt on your face and blood from the fresh killed animal on your hands. Since the first time I tasted of your warm beauty and your untouched body. The night our son was conceived and through sorrow when he was lost. All the endless days when you were away from me, I loved thee. When you fought the highwayman, thought your way out of the dangers from his rogues and fell into my arms. I have loved thee always, my darling.”

They stared at each other, and suddenly, Rebecca flung her arms around him, knocking him off balance, and they fell across the bed. They laughed together as he held her tightly to him.

“Oh, Stephen, thou sayest wonderful things.”

“And thee, Rebecca. Dost love me?”

“Ah, my love, surely thou knowest that I could not have been so opposing of thy rules had I not loved thee greatly. ‘Twas only to get your attention.”

“Thou art a great success, my darling wife,” he said.

He kissed her and groaned as Rebecca's warm response brought instant arousal. He cradled her head on his shoulder where he could whisper the tender words she wanted to hear.

“Might we engage in doing wonderful things together, my love?”

Her yearning heart opened, taking Stephen's freely given love, letting her lasting affection flow warmly between them. Trust and love bound them together, finally, as was meant to be.

“Oh, now and always. I love you. Forever, Stephen.”

* * * *

The End