He lowered his mouth to hers again. And she discovered that she wanted him desperately. To emphasise the point, she wrapped her arms about his neck and held him close. The pressure of the kiss intensified, and she moaned in the back of her throat.
He scooped her up, carried her over to the fur-covered bed and gently set her down. She fell back amongst the furs.
He carefully undid the brooches which held her apron up and placed them to one side before palming her breasts. At the gesture, her nipples instantly tightened, rasping against the rough linen of her under-gown.
‘I know we should undress, but I need you too much.’ He caught her hand and placed it on his member. Underneath his trousers, he was hard and thrusting.
She closed her hand about him and gently squeezed. He threw back his head. ‘Undo me.’
She fumbled with the laces but managed to get them untied without knotting them and he sprang free.
He lifted her skirts and his questing hand nestled in the curls at the apex of her thighs. Round and round in a figure of eight until she was slick with wanting.
Then he opened her thighs and thrust home hard. Her body trembled before unfurling about him. She grabbed his shoulders and they rocked back and forth until they reached the shuddering peak together.
He collapsed down on her as if some great storm had passed and appeared to fall instantly into a deep sleep.
She stroked his back and he tightened his arms around her, murmuring some indistinct pleasantry she wanted to assume was meant for her.
She knew she couldn’t ask him what it was or why his demons had suddenly gripped him. She had to wonder if it was somehow connected to thetaflgame he’d destroyed. She only hoped that she had brought him a small measure of solace. She pressed her fingertips to her temples. What she did, she did for Agthir, not because she had feelings for him, but she had trouble remembering that and greatly feared that what she did, she did for Rand as well.
His steady breathing indicated that the crisis had passed.
‘Are you going to trust me with the reason?’
His only answer was to murmur something indistinct and clutch her closer.
Her heart squeezed because she knew she was starting to care deeply about him and hoped he’d start to care for her, but he’d warned her against that possibility. All she had to do was to look at this room to know where his heart lay.
Unfortunately, her heart refused to listen, even though she knew it would most likely lead to tremendous hurt and humiliation in the future.
Chapter Thirteen
Svanna’s entire being tingled from their exertions, but her mind refused to rest and kept going back over the problem of the missing couple and why they wanted Birdie. She levered herself up on her elbow.
‘Rand? I want to see that loom your sister-in-law left behind, the one Birdie mentioned. Is that possible?’
He murmured something indistinct and turned over, clutching the pillow. Svanna frowned. He appeared to be in a deep sleep, the sort he’d sworn he never had. Worrying that she might wake him, she rapidly dressed and went in search of Birdie’s nurse.
In the round tower’s main room, Birdie was awake but clung to her nurse’s skirts and hid her face as soon as she spotted Svanna. ‘She’s from the North.’
‘Like your papa,’ Svanna said.
Birdie appeared to think about this for several heartbeats. ‘Like my papa? Truly?’
‘Yes, truly.’
Birdie wrinkled her nose. ‘I’m not sure I like you.’
Svanna inwardly sighed but resolved to win the girl’s affection with patience. ‘You have just met me. Liking a person takes time. We will have time.’
The little girl stuck her thumb in her mouth and peeped out at her without saying another word.
‘You didn’t bring a servant with you, did you, my lady?’ The elderly nurse gave a quick curtsey. She clearly wanted to smooth over any awkwardness. ‘Begging your pardon for my forwardness, but why?’
‘My foster-mother always told me that the best way a peace-weaver can learn about her new country is to ensure she has servants from that country, rather than relying on servants from her old one,’ she said, taking care to pronounce each Gaelic word carefully. Making sure she could speak the language fluently was imperative, particularly if she hoped to provide a shield for Birdie at court, but she didn’t confide that to the nurse. ‘It means I will learn to speak your language more quickly. Hopefully, there is a woman who will be willing to assist me.’
The elderly woman’s eyes widened. ‘You wish to learn our language? And you trust me to find you a servant?’
