Candace C. Bowen - Knight Series 03 (10 page)

Fear at the unknown suddenly had her tensing. “How will I know when I am ready?”

“If I do my part correctly, you will know.” Seizing her lips in a bruising kiss, he slipped his tongue inside her mouth the moment she opened to him.

Lost to the pleasurable sensations he elicited, her hands wound in his hair to bring him even closer. She moaned against his lips when he broke contact to trail hot kisses along her throat. Caressing the pert bud of one of her full breasts with his fingertips, he captured the other between his lips. Flicking his tongue, he drew it into his mouth until Mylla strained against him. She stiffened only slightly when his roaming hand made contact with the most intimate part of her. 

“Trust me.” He looked up long enough to whisper.

Wanting more, she could only sigh in response. His fingers worked magic, carrying her to a place she never knew existed. It was at that moment she knew what he meant. “I am ready, my heart.”

Sweat glistened on Talan’s body from the effort required to proceed slowly. He entered her moist heat until he encountered her maidenhead. Fighting the urge to thrust fully into her, he said, “The pain I cause you now is inevitable. Forgive me.” Seating his manhood to the hilt, he absorbed Mylla’s soft cry with his lips. The strain was evident in his face when he raised his head to look at her. “The discomfort will pass after you have grown more accustomed to me.”  

Mylla wrapped her arms around his neck to kiss him with every ounce of love she felt for him. Slowly the banked embers of her passion were once again reignited into a fierce flame. The moment she slid her hands down to cup his buttocks, Talan began to slowly thrust himself within her. Straining against him, she never wanted him to stop loving her. 

“Look at me, Mylla.” Stilling his movements Talan waited for her to comply.

Mylla’s eyes snapped open. Panting heavily, she slid her hands along his perspiring back.

“I want you to know that whatever happens to me. Whatever happens, I will always love you.”

“And I will always love you.” Pulling his face down for a kiss, she wrapped her arms around his neck. “Always.”

Thrusting into her once again, Talan closed his eyes and threw his head back in order to maintain control.

Mylla gasped when she felt herself reaching a precipice. She reached down to once again clasp his thrusting buttocks. “Talan,” she breathed. “What is happening to me?”

“Reach for it, Mylla. Feel what I feel when I am within you.”

Her body shaking, Mylla’s toes curled with the explosive force of her climax. Catching her completely unaware, she cried out to the night sky.  

After a few more powerful thrusts, Talan let out a low throaty moan of pleasure. Catching his breath, he rolled onto his side taking Mylla with him. For a time their breathing drowned out all other sound. Caressing her back, Talan shifted to see her better. “Would it be wrong of me to thank you for seducing me?”

Mylla gazed up at him. “Had I known what to expect, I would have attempted it some time ago.”

“And no doubt you would have succeeded.” Talan covered her exposed back with his cloak.

“Does this mean you will no longer put me off your horse?” she teased.

“The odds of staying put are now in your favor.” Kissing the tip of her pert nose, he laughed.   

They lay content listening to the sounds of the night for some time.

The moon was high overhead when Mylla traced a finger along Talan’s chest. “Are you awake?”

He lightly kissed the top of her head. “Can you not sleep either?”

“Nay, for fear you are vexed with me.”

“Vexed with you?” Talan rose up on an elbow. “Why in heaven’s name would I be vexed with you?”

“Because I forced you to do something you did not want to do, and now you have had time to dwell upon it.”

“My little innocent,” Talan said with a chuckle. “I have wanted to do that with you more than you will ever know.” Rising above her, he nudged her legs apart. “Shall I prove it to you?”

Drawing his head down for a kiss, she smiled. “I shall expect you to prove it to me again and again.”

Completely sated, Mylla later lay in the crook of Talan’s arm. Trailing her fingertips along his chest, she peered up at him. “May I ask you something?”

“Anything.” He waited with a slight smile.

“I know we spoke of unchaste women,” she hesitated, “what I would like to ask is how you knew what to do with a chaste one.”

Knowing she was merely curious and did not seek to reproach him for his past, he propped himself up. “Are you sure tis something you wish to hear?”

“I may not like it,” she admitted, “yet I would still like to know.” 

“Very well,” he said. “I told you about my uncle, Sir Hewett. When I became a knight, I met the daughter of a crofter. When she expressed an interest in me, I made it a habit of being in the village at the end of the day to greet her on her way home from the fields.”

“What was her name?”

“Ingrith,” he replied.

“Did you love her?”

“You are the only woman I have ever, or will ever love,” Talan said. “To be perfectly honest, I was curious about sexual relations like any untried lad. To lessen the degree of our sin, I convinced myself that I would one day wed Ingrith. Afore that happened, my eyes were opened to the truth.”

“She no doubt loved you,” Mylla said with a twinge of jealousy.

“For a time I believed she did,” Talan said. “Albin bluntly stated that love had nothing to do with my relationship with Ingrith. He said she saw me as an opportunity to better her lot in life.”

“Sir Albin said that?” Mylla looked surprised. “Is that also part of the reason you did not get along with him in your earlier days together?”

“One of very many,” Talan said with a laugh. “In that particular instance, Albin had assumed rightly. Ingrith wanted out of the fields. When I did not immediately pledge my troth after we lay together, she all too soon turned to another. The last I heard she was a scullery, wed to one of Sir Hewett’s stable-hands. She at least succeeded in making it out of the fields.”  

“I do not believe it,” Mylla said softly.

“Mon coeur?” Talan appeared taken aback.

Mylla cupped his stubbled jaw. “I cannot believe Ingrith would be foolish enough to let you go.”

“I love you.” Capturing Mylla’s lips, Talan proceeded to prove it.

Chapter Ni
ne

Justice de Glanville used a piece of linen to wipe the blade of his bloodied dagger. Resuming his seat, he flicked his hand in the direction of Chaucey’s body. “Sheriff, take care of that.”

“My lord justice, your clerk was a breathing soul,” the sheriff said, “not a piece of refuse to be discarded.”

“To all intents, constructions, and purposes, I am the law.” Sheathing his dagger, the justice appeared bored. “There is only one man more powerful than me in the realm, and he is not present. Now do as I command.”

Heeding the unspoken warning, Richard faced his sons. “One of you needs to summon Father Bartolomeo.”

“The priest is unnecessary,” the justice said. “Strip the lad of my insignia. If your sons are not up to digging a hole out back, summon my personal guard to do it. You will find them outside waiting with the horses.”

Leofrick was about to speak when a look from his father kept him silent.

“My lord justice,” the sheriff said, “surely your devoted clerk deserves a proper Christian burial?”

“I gave you instruction, sheriff. If you had a plan of your own, you should have held your tongue and got on with it.”

“I shall see it done.” The sheriff deliberately misconstrued the justice’s words. “Caine,” he said, “you and Edmund carry Chaucey into the shed. Leofrick, go to the carpentry and have a coffin made. Frederick, inform Father Bartholomeo he is needed for a private burial afore vespers in lieu of the wedding ceremony. There will be no wake. I will have John prepare him. If anyone asks, he had a fit and collapsed.” Once his sons left to do his bidding, Richard turned back to the justice. “Will that suit you, lord justice?”  

“Do what you must, sheriff. We ride for Castell Maen at sunrise. If Erlegh’s man was indeed foolish enough to flee with my intended, he is bound to feel protected there.” The justice’s eyes narrowed. “How quickly he will learn otherwise.” 

“Very well,” the sheriff said. “If you will excuse me now, I will instruct my man on what needs to be done, and see to my wife’s needs.”             

“Have a servant bring me more wine afore you do.” Examining his blood encrusted fingernails, the justice pulled out the bloodied square of pocket linen he had cleaned his dagger with.

“It shall be done.”

“One moment, sheriff,” the justice called. “What were the last words my clerk spoke to you?”

Sheriff Richard stopped in the doorway. “I beg your pardon?”

“My clerk,” the justice reiterated. “What were his dying words?”

“He merely asked for God’s forgiveness,” the sheriff said. “I did not think it important enough to tell you.”

“Why do you think he needed to be forgiven?”

“Every man is born of sin, is he not? I do not find it remarkable that your clerk expressed repentance with his final breath.”

“If that is indeed what he did,” the justice uttered low.

“Will there be anything else, lord justice?”

“There is one more thing.” The justice held up his hand. “If I were you, I would convince your family to forget what happened here this day lest you all come to regret it.”

†

A nightmare woke Mylla. Her breathing rapid, she lightly touched Talan’s cheek in the dark to reassure herself he was safe.

He instantly awoke at her touch. Capturing her cold fingers, he brought them to his lips. “You caught a chill.” 

“Nay, I am fine.” She blinked away the tears of relief blurring her vision. “You need your rest. I apologize for having woken you.”

“Knights are trained to subsist on very little sleep.” Sitting up, Talan leaned over her. “Did you have a troubling dream?”

“I dreamt that you were being tortured, and I was forced to watch,” Mylla said softly.

“You can see for yourself that I am well,” Talan soothed. “The mind has a way of playing tricks on us when we are troubled.”

“Will you love me again?”

“I will never cease to love you,” he whispered against her lips. Nudging her legs apart with his knee, he rose above her when she opened herself to him. He inhaled sharply when his questing fingers found her ready for him. In a single fluid movement, he entered her. Slowly flexing his hips, he thrust into her. “How you make me feel… I did not believe such things to be possible.”

“Is it always like this?” Her hands touching him everywhere she could reach, Mylla attempted to pull him even closer.

“Never before,” he breathed against her lips, “but ever after it shall be.”

“Do not stop… never stop, Talan.” Gripping his thrusting buttocks, she now knew what to expect. “I think I am going to…” Throwing her head back, the force of Mylla’s climax left her speechless.

Not wanting it to end, Talan held himself back until she raked her fingernails along his back. Seeing her lose herself in the throes of passion and knowing it was he who brought her there carried him to the edge. Thrusting into her a few more times his climax left him crying out in triumph. He rested on his elbows while he caught his breath. Kissing her lightly, he pulled her with him as he rolled onto his side. “Je t’aime.”

“I love you too.” Content, she cuddled into his side. 

They lay quiet listening to a serenade of early birdsong. 

Reluctantly rising with the first rays of the sun, Talan pulled on his braies. “We must go. I will stoke the fire to drive the chill away so you can dress. Tonight if it can be arranged, we shall sleep in a bed.”

Mylla observed his lithe movements with longing. “So long as you are with me, I do not care where we sleep.”

“Until we reach the safety of Wales, I would prefer to have four walls and a roof over our heads. It is far easier to protect you that way.” With the fire stoked, he finished dressing.

“Talan, what do you think the justice would do if he were to find us?” Wrapping herself in her cloak, Mylla sat up. “Would he put me on trial like he did to Lecie?”

“The man will do you no harm,” Talan said matter-of-factly. “I would slay him first.”

“You mistake me. I am wise enough to have figured that your life is sure to be forfeit if we are caught. I would like to know what would happen to me because I could not bear to live without you.”

“And I would not have you think such thoughts.” Drawing Mylla to her feet, Talan held her close. “It gives them power over how we think.”

“Tis true though,” she said. “If you are lost to me—”

“You are not going to lose me,” Talan gently interrupted.

“Then you believe we will be safe in Reading?”

“I do, for a short time anyway. The justice is likely to search Castell Maen first giving us plenty of time to reach safety in Wales.” Reluctantly releasing her, he began to gather their belongings. “The new abbey in Reading has already been sanctified. Should we be captured, you will be safe from the justice by claiming sanctuary. It has been a royal legislative command carried on from Roman times. Even King Henry would not dare go against the church were you to claim its protection.”

“I will be safe?” Retrieving her chemise and kirtle, Mylla dropped her cloak to dress. “Is that why you chose Reading?”

“Aye, it is the closest abbey on the route to Wales.” Having banked the fire, Talan stepped back. “I have taken every precaution to protect you.”

“What about you?” Mylla blocked his path to the horses when he was about to tend them. “Have you given no thought at all to your own safety?”

Talan clasped her shoulder. “My duty is to see you safe.”

“Your duty.” Mylla shrugged off his hand. “Is that all I am to you? Someone you are honor bound to protect? Have you even given a moment’s thought to how I would feel were harm to befall you? Nay, you did not.” Snatching up the coverlet, she shook it out. “Your honor means more to you than I do. Afore I join you in the nether, I shall be sure to have ‘A Knight of Valour’ chiseled on your grave stone.” To conceal her tears, she kept her back to him.

“Mylla.” Wrapping his arms around her from behind, Talan buried his face in the nape of her neck. “Nothing in this life means more to me than you do, but I cannot change who I am. I will always put the needs of others above my own, yours most of all.”

“I know.” Turning into his chest, she wrapped her arms around his waist. “Only I would have you protect yourself as well.”

“Unlike a few of my fellow knights, I am not known to be reckless with my person.” Easing away from her, he smiled. “I vow to place my safety after your own so that we may live a long, happy life together. Does that ease your mind ever so slightly?”

“I know you are not reckless.” Mylla eased back to look up at him. “Please forgive me for being so foolish. I do not know what comes over me.”

“Of all the things that come to mind when I think of you, foolish is not one of them.” He hesitantly released her. “Now we must be off. I would like to reach town afore there are too many people about to notice our arrival.”

Giving Mylla a few moments of privacy to tend to her personal needs, Talan returned with the horses. He frowned to see her flinch when he assisted her into the mare’s saddle. “Are you too tender to ride this morn?”

“Please stop worrying so much about me.” Mylla shifted to adjust her skirts. “The slight discomfort I feel now is well worth the pleasure I received last night.”

“I am glad to hear it. Were we further away, I would have you ride with me.” Talan mounted with a pleased smile. “I was, however, referring to your backside.”

“My backside would be grateful if I were allowed to ride astride.”

“Astride?” Talan nudged his mount closer to hers. “Did you learn to ride astride?”

“Do not look so scandalized.” Mylla giggled. “Until yesterday it was the only way I knew how to ride.”

“Who instructed you?” Talan still looked stunned.

“Leofrick taught me. I wore an old pair of his breeches beneath my skirts so my honor remained completely intact.”

“I have little doubt your honor was ever at stake,” Talan said. “I only wish you would have informed me sooner. It would have quickened our pace considerably and saved you much of the discomfort you are feeling now.”  

Now it was Mylla’s turn to look stunned. “You would allow me to ride astride like a man?”

“Of course I would, Mylla. We would have plenty of warning were we to come upon someone.” Talan spurred his horse into a brisk trot. “I shall see about purchasing you a proper saddle in Reading.” 

Following after him, Mylla beamed.

The road leading into the town widened once they approached the main thoroughfare. Waking at first light, tenant farmers carrying spades and shovels chatted amongst themselves on their way to spend a long day in the fields. Empty market stalls set in the square stood waiting for vendors to fill them with fresh fruit, vegetables, baked goods, flour, grain, fish, meat, and poultry. The wealthy merchants who owned shops lining high street were busy removing shutters or sweeping the cobbles beyond their front doors. Set on a rise well beyond the town square rested the massive stone foundation of the abbey currently under construction. Scaffolding consisting of wood branches tied together with flax rope reached high into the sky waiting for stonemasons to begin the day’s work. Founded in 1121 by King Henry, the abbey had been dedicated to the Virgin and St. John the Evangelist for the Cluniac Order. Situated between the rivers Thames to the north of it, and Kennet to the south, King Henry colonized it with monks from Lewes and Cluny. Rising well before lauds, monks wearing brown woolen albs could be seen in the outer courtyard hastily preparing for the hour of prime.

Trotting past the smithy, Talan spotted the local public inn and tavern, The Prince and Maiden. “I shall see about securing us a chamber. After we break our fast, I will hire a messenger to carry word to your family that we have arrived. I think it best if you were to remain inside until I make a thorough sweep of the town.”

“Will you be gone long?”

“I will be back afore you can even miss me.” Talan grinned to lessen her worry.

“That is highly unlikely.” Despite her misgivings, Mylla smiled. “If it will have you return to me all the sooner, I shall leave you with an image.”

“Pray tell,” Talan said. “It sounds enticing.”

“Imagine me reclining unclothed in the comfort of a bed, eagerly awaiting your return.”

Talan’s mouth dropped open at the thought.

†

The church bells announcing prime were tolling when the sheriff and his sons heard the justice’s booted steps forcefully approaching the dining chamber. Abruptly ending their conversation, the men focused on their meals.

“Where is your wife this morning?” Justice de Glanville demanded when he joined them.

“She is unwell, lord justice.” Sheriff Richard slid an empty trencher across the table for his guest. “Her servant is tending her.”

“Nothing contagious I hope,” the justice said perusing the modest fare.

“I am sure my wife will be feeling more herself after some much needed rest.”

“Women are always falling ill for one reason or another.” The justice speared a slice of cold pork with the same dagger he used to slay Chaucey. “I find it most irksome.”