Page 32 of Lord of Misrule

Chapter 9

Tolin didn’t think she would come. It was already getting late into the night, and it was hours ago that the dishes from the meal were cleared away and the trestle tables were taken down, making room for the Christmas games as well as dancing.

Tolin had kept one eye on the door leading to the kitchen as he first watched the mummers put on a Christmas play. Then the jester made the rounds, playing pranks on everyone. Jugglers and musicians filled the room. Everyone seemed to be having a good time. Everyone but him. He couldn’t stop being bothered by what had happened with Kit.

“Let’s play Blind Man’s Buff,” said Raven, taking a cloak and putting it backward over Tolin with the hood covering his face.

“Nay. I don’t want to play,” he protested, trying to push it away, but Raven held it in place.

“You love this game,” said his sister. “And there hasn’t been a time yet where you weren’t able to identify the person you catch. Now, come on, Tolin. You are usually a lot more fun than this! Especially at Christmas.”

“All right,” he mumbled, handing her his tankard of ale.

“Hold on,” said Rook, spinning him around so hard that Tolin got dizzy and nearly fell.

“Rook, you’ll pay for that!” Tolin reached out to catch his brother, but Rook darted away.

“Over here, Bean King,” shouted Daegel, causing Tolin to spin around the other way and reach out once again.

“Back here,” cried Jarvis from behind him.

Tolin wasn’t at his best tonight, being so distracted by Kit and the way she’d reacted earlier. Every time someone taunted him and he tried to catch them blindly, they jumped out of the way leaving him empty-handed.

“That’s enough!” he shouted, rushing forward, grabbing for whoever might be too slow to get away. He latched on to someone, and by her gasp he could tell it was a woman. “Hold still. I will identify you,” he said.

Kit froze, not expecting to have Tolin rush forward and grab her like that. She had just entered the great hall looking for him to join him for the required dance, when she stumbled into the middle of a game called Blind Man’s Buff. She didn’t know at first who was under the cloak. Not until she had heard his voice. It was Tolin. And although he was not able to see her, he was using his hands to feel her and to guess who she was.

“I can tell by the coarseness of your gown that you are not a noble,” he said.

She opened her mouth to say something, but spied Raven with her finger to her lips telling Kit to stay silent.

“Go on,” Raven called out. “What else?”

“Well, let me see.” His hands slid up her arms ever so slowly and then around to her back as he pulled her closer to him. Instantly, her body became hot. This was such an intimate position she was in. And right in front of everyone! Kit wanted to turn and run, but knew she couldn’t. This was just a game she reminded herself. She couldn’t leave now even though she wanted to.

“I feel something else,” he said, letting his hands slide down to her waist. She wickedly liked the way he touched her, even if he didn’t know it was her. “You seem to be wearing an apron. That tells me that you are probably a kitchen worker. A cook or a scullery maid, perhaps.”

His hands brushed past the sides of her breasts and she couldn’t help but gasp aloud once more. He came so close to touching her too familiarly.

“I need to feel your face,” he told her. His big palms cupped her cheeks. “You feel warm to the touch,” he surmised, getting a lot of whistles and off-colored comments from the men. “That either means you desire me, or mayhap that you work close to the kitchen ovens.”

She really wanted to say something, but once again Raven motioned to her to stay silent.

“You need to make your guess,” called out Rook. “Who is she, Brother?”

“Well, let me check one more thing.”

Tolin knew damned well the woman in his arms was Kit. He could smell the scent of bread on her, as well as feel a streak of flour on her cheek under his fingers. He purposely stalled, not wanting to make his guess yet. The longer he kept her there the better. At least right now she couldn’t leave him.

“I need to feel your hair,” he said, his hands going to her head, his fingers rubbing her soft locks together. “Nice. Soft. Pleasant.”

More whistles and shouts came from the crowd.

“God’s eyes, Tolin,” growled Rook. “Stop fondling the girl and make your guess.”

“Hold on. I need to be sure,” he said, stroking her cheek with the back of his hand, feeling her head tilt and lean in to his touch. Good. That meant she liked being touched by him, even if she wouldn’t admit it. “Soft skin. Let me feel her lips.” He cupped her chin in his hand and gently stroked his thumb first over her top lip and then her bottom one. He swore he heard her stifle a soft moan. Her mouth opened, her lips parted. Damn, her actions were making him hard. Even if he couldn’t see her. “I smell the aroma of bread,” he finished, not able to stand here any longer stroking her cheeks and lips without being able to stop himself from wanting to do so much more.

“Who is it?” asked Raven.