He led the way with such long strides that Alyx would not have been able to keep up if Raine hadn’t grabbed her arm and pulled her behind him. He’d better enjoy this time while she had no voice, she thought.
The monk in the study protested a woman’s presence, but the men ignored him.
“Here!” Gavin said, thrusting paper, pen and ink before her.
It took her several minutes to write the story of Pagnell’s tying of Elizabeth Chatworth and his plan to deliver her to Miles. Raine and Gavin hung over her shoulder until her palms began to sweat.
“Elizabeth Chatworth,” Gavin said, “I thought she was still a child.”
Alyx shook her head.
“What does she look like?” Raine asked seriously.
Alyx’s expression was enough to make them understand.
“The King isn’t going to like this,” Gavin said. “He has placed a heavy fine on the Chatworth estates and ordered Roger away from all Montgomery land.”
“Land!” Raine shouted. “Is that all you care about? Chatworth kidnapped Bronwyn and killed Mary. What does it take to make you consider people instead of land?”
“I care more for my brothers thananyland. What will happen if Miles rapes this Chatworth girl? It will look as if we are disobeying the King, and who will suffer then? You! He will never pardon you and you will have to spend your life in that forest with that army of cutthroats. And how will the King punish Miles? By outlawing him, too? I’m worried about losing two of my brothers because of Pagnell’s nasty tricks.”
Raine was still glaring at his brother while Alyx looked at Gavin with new respect.
“It’s been days,” Raine said finally. “I’d put my life on it that the girl is virgin no longer, and I’ll wager that Miles raped no one. Perhaps if he knew who she was, he released her, and all we can do is pray she doesn’t bear his child.”
Gavin’s snort said a great deal. “I’ll take half my men and leave now and try to find Miles. Maybe I can talk some sense into him. Perhaps the girl’s fallen in love with him and won’t demand his head.”
Alyx grabbed Gavin’s arm and shook her head vigorously. Elizabeth Chatworth was never going to fall in love with a Montgomery in less than a fortnight.
“A hellion, is she?” Gavin asked, then paused and raised Alyx’s hand to his lips. “Raine is going to take you home and you’ll meet my Judith. I’m sorry your wedding has been such a hurried affair. When this is all settled we’ll give a tournament in your honor.”
Still holding her hand, he looked back at his brother. “You’ll be safe at the Montgomery castle for a while. Take her there, let her rest. You haven’t seen my son yet, either. And buy her some clothes!”
Alyx was sure Raine would take offense at Gavin’s tone, but Raine was smiling. “It’s good to see you again, brother,” he said softly, his arms open. The brothers clasped each other fiercely for a long moment.
“Give Miles my best and try to keep him out of trouble,” Raine smiled. “And when he returns he can meet my wife.”
With one flashing grin, Gavin left them.
Raine turned back to Alyx. Her cloak had fallen open and the damp gown clung to her. “Now, if I remember correctly, we were just starting something when my little brother’s problems interrupted us.”
Alyx took a step away from him, gesturing toward the room they were in.
With a laugh, Raine swept her into his arms, carried her through the courtyard and back to their room. Heedless of the piles of dirty armor on the bed, he tossed her in the midst of it and in one gesture stretched out on top of her.
“Will I hurt the child?” he murmured, biting her earlobe. Her headshaking was so vigorous that he gave a warm, seductive laugh as his hand trailed downward and pulled at the linen gown. The coarse, poorly sewn garment came away from her body with one easy tear.
Alyx had never been very proud of her body, always wishing for more curves, but now, bloated with child as she was, she didn’t want him to see her in daylight. Her attempts to cover herself were brushed away by Raine.
Moving off her, he kissed her stomach, caressed it. “It’s my child who distorts you, and I love it as well as his mother.”
“Daughter?” she managed to say, hurting her raw throat.
“I only ask for your safety and, if God wills, the life of the child. I would love to have a daughter. With you for a mother, Bronwyn and Judith for aunts, I will gladly leave her all my estates. I’m sure she’ll run them better than I do.”
She tried to speak again, but he didn’t let her as he began kissing her neck again. When she felt him remove his loincloth, knew his skin was next to hers, she forgot her worries about how she looked.
She had no idea how much she’d missed him physically, how much she needed the caress of his hands. He touched her body all over, running his hard fingertips over her skin from toes to head, making her feel cherished, loved. Even now when she could feel the power of his hunger for her, he took his time, loved her, touched her.
