He gently traced the delicate lines of her face with his fingers. “Ah, Gytha, can you blame this poor man for wondering how he could hold on to such a prize? Every morning I wake up to find you curled up in my arms, I wonder if I am but dreaming. ’Tis the same feeling I have when you warm to my touch. I feel as if, somehow, some great mistake has been made and that at any moment someone will come to rectify it, to take you away.”
Touched by all he was telling her, she nevertheless remained fixed upon one thing he had said that had startled her. “You were terrified of me?” She sat up to stare at him in disbelief.
“Aye.” Lying fully on his back, he kept one arm tucked around her waist.
“But I am just a woman. A tiny woman.”
“Gytha, you could wound me more deeply with a word than could any man with sword, arrow, or mace.”
Thayer was a little surprised to find her staring at him in astonishment. He had not said anything particularly shocking or revealing. His weakness there was painfully clear to all. He was certain of it. Pickney had definitely seen it.
“You love me.” Even as she blurted out the words, Gytha felt a shiver of fear that she was wrong.
“Of course I do.” He caught her when she flung herself into his arms, then frowned as he felt a slight dampness where her face pressed against his chest. “God’s sweet grace, Gytha, do not cry.”
“I am not crying,” she lied as she tried to hug him using her whole body. “So I did finally reach your heart. I was feeling so defeated because it appeared as if I never would and I had no more ideas on how to do it.”
“Surely you knew.” He suddenly realized that she had been suffering the same uncertainty he had and wrapped his arms more tightly around her.
“And would you have known how I felt if I had not told you?”
“Nay. I needed the words. You know,” he murmured, “the ones you screamed at me in the hall?”
“Oh? That you are the stupidest man in all of England?” When he laughed, she smiled at him and slipped her arms around his neck. “I love you, Thayer Bek Saitun. I love you, m’lord, my husband, my life.” She decided she would have to say it often, for it made his fine eyes darken, and soften in a way that warmed her as no fire ever could.
“And I love you,” he murmured, cupping her face in his hands and tugging her mouth to his.
Even after the kiss ended, it was a long while before Gytha could speak. She felt choked with emotion. The truth of his declaration had been fully conveyed by that tender kiss. She decided that this moment was worth every minute of doubt, fear, and defeat she had suffered through. Curled up in his arms, her head resting upon his hard chest, she listened to the steady beat of his heart and knew she had never felt so content, so at peace.
“When did you know?” she asked as curiosity crept through her sense of quiet contentment.
“I think I saw my fate the moment I set eyes upon you.”
“But when did youknow?” she pressed, moving slightly so that she could comfortably watch him as he answered.
“When Pickney took you. I was like a madman. I could not even do what I had always done so well before—fight my enemy. Never have I felt so afraid. Oh, I knew you were vital to me before that, but I stoutly refused to see why.” He brushed a kiss over her forehead. “After that I was forever trying to decide if or when I should tell you. When you gave me our son…” He frowned, lifted his head a little, and looked around the room. “WhereisEverard?”
“With the women in the ladies’ bower. You shall see him soon. This is our time. He has more than enough of my time each and every day.”
“Aye.” He settled back down. “Having been away, I forgot how much he can demand of you. I can recall feeling jealous at times. And, tell me, sweet wife, when did you know you loved me?”
“I knew from the very start that this was right.”
“Right?”
“Aye. Right. When you were presented as the Saitun I was to wed, I felt only a sense of rightness, that this was how it must be.”
“You did not feel right with William or Robert?”
“Nay. With William I accepted. He was handsome and amiable. With Robert? Well, I fear I was disappointed, for the only real feeling I had was the urge to cuff him as everyone else did.” She smiled faintly when he chuckled. “But with you, I had no qualms, felt no hesitation.
“As for when I actuallyknewI loved you? Well, that was when you were wounded on our journey here. I had given a lot of thought to how I felt, but that was when I was really sure. That was when I began to wonder how to make you believe in me and get at least some feeling from you.” Laughing softly as she settled herself in his arms, she murmured, “Feelings aside from passion that is. I had no trouble getting that from you or giving it.”
“Mayhap we both tried too hard not to put too much faith in what that passion signified. I begin to think,” he whispered as he nibbled her ear, “that the sudden, strong desire we felt for each other was a sign we should have read with much more care.”
“Mmmmm.” She closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of desire’s warmth stealing through her veins as he covered her throat with soft, warm kisses. Sliding her hand down his leg, she brushed the edge of his new, ragged scar with her fingertips and frowned slightly. “Thayer? Will this injury add more danger when you go off to battle?”
“This injury will probably allow me to elude most battles in the future.” He rolled so that she was beneath him and kissed the tip of her nose.
