“I do not want to join the cloister, Richmond,” she whispered against his hair. “I want to be with you. I want to love you.”
His mouth was on her neck, both hands on her magnificent breasts. “And I want you, Riss. God only knows, I have wanted you for nearly as long as I can recall.”
She moaned as his fingers traced the outline of her puckered nipples. “Will you talk to my father?”
His mouth moved down her neck to the valley between her breasts. He was mindless with the intoxication of her. “I shall do whatever it takes. You shall marry me, Riss. Not the damn church.”
She smiled, a gesture of genuine joy. “Do you love me, Richmond?”
His head came up, the beautiful blue eyes focusing on her. “More than words can express, kitten. I have always loved you.”
She traced his lower lip, new tears springing to her eyes. “Truly?”
He kissed her finger, her hand as it touched him. “Truly.”
She gazed into his eyes a moment, scarcely daring to believe that a dream that had been a daily part of her existence had actually become a real part of her life. Tears found their way onto her temples again, bathing her hair.
“Thank you.”
He dipped down, kissing her more sweetly than life itself. “Nay, kitten,” he murmured. “Thankyou.”
She wound her arms around his neck as their lips fused once more, becoming familiar with the taste of one another. After several moments, she realized his kisses had slackened in intensity and she opened her eyes questioningly.
He was staring at her. “How is it that you have fallen in love with a man twenty-two years older than yourself?” he whispered. “Why have I become the fortunate one, Arissa?”
She shook her head, touching his face with delicate hands. “I do not know,” she murmured. “I cannot remember when I haven’t loved you. As a child, I used to dream that we would be married someday and that I would bear you a host of strong sons.”
He smiled faintly. “Why do you think I have never married? There was only one woman for me, in spite of the fact that she was pledged to a convent.”
“I have heard you say that before. I thought you were jesting.”
He shook his head slowly. “Nay, lady. I have never been more serious in my life,” he studied her porcelain features for amoment, the enormity of the situation beginning to saturate his mind. “But I cannot promise that we will meet with immediate success, Arissa. You have been pledged to Whitby for eighteen years.”
A look of desperation crossed her features. “I cannot take my vows before God, not when I love you. I do not want to….”
He shushed her quietly, leaning on his elbow as he touched her beautiful face. “You will not have to stay there any longer than necessary. If my petition meets with rejection, I shall simply abduct you and we shall flee to France. I have relatives in Normandy, and we can be married.”
She swallowed. “You would give up everything you’ve worked for? Richmond, your reputation is flawless. To end a brilliant career by abducting a novice nun and fleeing the country is certainly no way to cap off your success.”
He stroked her hair. “I have waited my entire life for you, Lady Arissa. My success, my reputation, means nothing without you.”
She seemed to be particularly emotional this day, with good reason. She cradled his face, touching him as she had longed to touch him for years. “I am so unworthy of you,” she whispered. “You are a great man, and I am a foolish girl with grand dreams. I simply cannot believe that you would make such a monumental declaration so easily.”
He leaned down, kissing her tenderly, as tenderly as he had always wanted to kiss her. “This is not a hasty decision. All I know is that I love you, and I will do what is necessary. But not a word to anyone, Riss. This must be between us for now. If your father found out….”
She nodded rapidly. “His rage would know no limits. My father’s temper and I are well acquainted.”
Somewhere, voices began floating into the small solar and Richmond leapt to his knees, his ears piqued. When the voicesdrew closer, he pulled Arissa to her feet and sat her in a chair. With a quick kiss to the top of her head, he barely had time to move a respectable distance away before William and Maude were entering the well-appointed room.
William’s eyes were wide on his daughter. He passed an inquisitive glance at Richmond as he moved towards her. “I trust Richmond has straightened you out, young lady?”
Arissa nearly choked;Sweet St. Jude, what monumental implications his simple statement encompassed! Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat very lady-like. “He has, my lord. I apologize for my display of bad manners.”
William drew in a long breath, offering his daughter a single nod. “Well and good. I would hope that you would apologize to Sir Tad, as well. Your words offended him deeply.”
Arissa nodded submissively, looking to her hands. “I shall apologize if that is your wish, father,” she said softly. “But I do not wish to be alone with him. I…. I do not trust him.”
William cocked an eyebrow and opened his mouth to question her when Richmond stepped in. “Tad de Rydal was less than courteous with her earlier, William, which explains her attitude towards him. And I hardly blame her.”
