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“Are you strong enough to face this?” he asked, his voice gone soft. “You have me now and will never be rid of me.”

She grinned, “I dunna want to be rid of ye, English. And, aye, I am strong enough. I vow it.”

He went back over to her and kissed her tenderly. “I know you are. Now, go to sleep and I shall see you on the morrow.”

He moved for the adjoining antechamber, his boots heavy on the floor. Watching his exquisite backside, she was reminded that the last time she had seen it, he had been escorting Analiese. That thought made her flare with jealousy.

“English.” she called him.

He paused. “Aye, love, what is it? And do not ask me to bed you again, for I cannot although I would dearly love to.”

She fought off a grin, trying to look suspicious. “You left with Lady Analiese this eve from the dining hall. Should there be something I must know about?”

He made such a horrified face that she laughed out loud. “Surely you jest, madam.” Giving her a final reproving look as if to tell her just what he thought of that awful scenario, he left.

When she heard the door close softly she lay back happily on the bed, her smile fading as she drifted off into a deep, contented sleep.

CHAPTER NINETEEN

William sat in the earl’s bower, a large cup of wine in his hand. He had just finished running over the entire trip for the man up until they had entered the gates of Northwood. He was trying desperately to act normal, not like the guilty man who had just bedded the earl’s virgin bride.

“Well, lad, that was quite an adventure,” the earl said wearily. Wine always made him tired. “And you still do not know why you were attacked?”

“Nay, my lord,” William replied. “We most likely never will.”

The earl looked hard at him. “You do not believe that Lady Jordan had any hand in it, do you?”

William shook his head. “Nay, my lord, she is not the political type. She is innocent, I am sure, as is Lady Jemma, though to look at her that is hard to believe.”

The earl raised his eyebrows and stared into his cup. “What did you say the men took to calling her? Banshee? ’Tis fitting, I think.”

William agreed. “Lady Jordan and her cousin are very different. Lady Jordan is quite gentle, qualities which Lady Jemma seems to lack. It was an interesting trip, to say the least.”

The earl pondered the information. “Were you able to befriend Lady Jordan somewhat?” he asked. “She seemed rather nervous.”

William shrugged casually. “We were forced together much of the time. I tried to make it as comfortable as possible for her.”

“And what of the men’s reaction to her?”

William smiled wryly. “One look at her beauty and they forgot she was Scot, I think. She charmed any hostility they had right out of them, including Deinwald.”

“Deinwald was pleasant?” The earl was surprised. “He was the one I worried over the most. Pleasant, did you say? Amazing.”

William chuckled. “She taught Kieran how to insult Deinwald in Gaelic. You should have heard the hooting and quarreling between those two. I thought I was going to have to beat them both to a pulp at times.”

The earl snickered. He snickered again, louder. Then he burst out laughing like William had not heard him laugh in years. Wiping at his eyes, he said, “I would have given a year’s revenue to see that.”

William was smiling broadly. “Then you would have been amused to see Lady Jemma and Deinwald go at it. It was like watching two rabid dogs.”

The earl laughed again until he cried. “Maybe I will still get the chance. In faith, it sounds as if your trip was not the least bit lacking in entertainment, in spite of the unfortunate attack.”

William sat back in his chair. “Speaking of Lady Jemma, sire, what do you plan to do with her?”

The earl took a swig of wine. “Nothing, I suppose, although Analiese will be furious. Hell, she is already furious because Lady Jordan is so lovely. She was hoping I’d marry a hag.”

“Then I shall release Lady Jemma come the dawn,” William stated. “A night in the cellar should do wonders to tame her tongue.”

“Let us hope,” the earl agreed disinterestedly. “Mayhap I should consign an English lady to assist the future countess. After all, she is English now, is she not?”