His words brought her pleasure, and to hide it, she ducked her head, rubbing her nose into the thick hair of his chest. How could she be so contented? In the back of her mind, what was always there, nagging, niggling, annoying, and now wrenching, surged forward. This is not real, her inner voice said. You have seduced him for a purpose—and do not forget it!
She wanted to forget it, she realized, aching now in her entire being, her entire soul. Even if it was only to forget it until the day came when she must be a spy. When she had agreed with her brothers to become his mistress, she had never dreamed it would be like this; had never dreamed he would be like this. Oh, yes, he was arrogant, he was autocratic, he could be harsh and demanding, but he could also be infinitely gentle. She knew she no longer hated him. In fact, she could barely think about anything other than him when they were apart, she quickened at mere thoughts of him, much less the sight of him, and since she had come unbidden to his bed, she had discovered that she longed to be there, in his embrace, more than anywhere else.
She would not think of the future, she decided, and for now, she would pretend that this thing between them was real, unfettered by politics and treachery.
She was inadvertently caressing his arm, enjoying the many textures, the slightly coarse hair, the hard, hard bone, the nearly as hard muscle, the silky skin. She propped her chin up. “My lord? Do you not grow bored?”
He smiled slightly. “Bored?” He grinned. “Have I acted bored this night? Are you not pleased? If not, that can be remedied instantly.” His hand swept from her head to her buttocks and delved immediately lower.
She wiggled and caught his hand, stilling it. “I am most satisfied, my lord. Be serious.”
“Serious? But you would have me spend all my time playing games,” he said, and he nipped her ear. “With you.”
She pushed his jaw away. “I do not want to play games now. In all truth, you are not bored?”
He sat up, bringing her with him. “What is this about?”
“You do not want,” she said cautiously, heart pumping, “me to send for another? Mayhap Lettie, or Beth?” She looked at him.
“You wish to make a threesome?”
She punched his bicep softly. “You know I do not! Please”—and her tone was tinged with anxiety—“tell me the truth.”
His smile faded. “I am not bored, Ceidre, not with you. I do not want Lettie, or Beth, or another. I want you.”
Her heart leapt. She was exhilarated and she could not contain her feelings. She was beaming.
“This pleases you?” he asked softly, his thumb tracing her jaw.
She lowered her eyes. “Yes.”
He shifted her abruptly, so she was on her knees astride his lap, one on each side of his thighs. “I like pleasing you, Ceidre,” he said, low. “I like the way you have been looking at me this night.”
Her thoughts had started to spin away, for his shaft was tumescent again, and the tip was poised against her femininity. “Again?” She gasped.
“I wish to prove, beyond any doubt, that I am not bored,” he said.
“My lord? I beg a word with you,” Alice said, poised in the doorway of the solar, where she was confined.
It was still pitch-black out, but soon dawn would lighten the sky. Rolfe was just returning from the stable, but he was unperturbed to be caught coming in at this hour. “What is it you wish, Lady? You are up early this morn.” His tone was pleasant.
Alice stared at him. His mood was good, because he had been rutting away the night with her bastard sister. Did he think she would not know? Or did he even care? Did he even care that all the serfs were gossiping about him and that witch—and about her, his true wife? They had even been fornicating like two animals in the dirt in the orchard in the middle of the day— Mary’s husband’s brother had seen them. She knew that to show her hatred would undermine her cause, but for the life of her she did not know how she could keep her emotions out of her eyes. Yet he, the fool, was so besotted he apparently did not notice. He leaned relaxed against the wall, waiting with unusual patience. She thought she saw the hint of a satisfied smile in the corners of his mouth.
“My lord, I beg you to tell me, when will you lift my punishment?”
“You could have killed your sister,” he said, pushing off the wall, all signs of pleasantness fading. “A few days’ confinement is nothing. You have yet, I presume, to consider what you have done, yet to understand how you have defied me and displeased me. I am not ready to lift your penance, Lady, by any means.” His gaze pinned her.
“I did not know,” Alice flung bravely, “that she was your leman, or I would have treated her otherwise. She was only a traitor to my knowledge, and I treated her as such. I was looking out for your interests, my lord—for our interests.”
“Do you truly think me a fool? You despise your sister, and your jealousy has proven dangerous. Were you a man, I would do more than confine you to your chamber with your servants at your beck and call. Do not test my charity,” he warned.
“Does Guy know you are cuckolding him?” Alice snapped.
“Is your pride hurt? I am sorry, but I never intended fidelity when I married you. I do not give fidelity to any woman. If you expected such, then you were sorely deluded. Good night, Lady.”
“But with her! With that witch! With my sister!”
He turned back, livid. “I owe you no explanations. I will fuck where I will; return to your chamber.”
