Seduced (2 page)

Sorrow for what he asked of her.

Letia squeezed her hands together on her lap
and clenched her teeth to still her wobbling chin.

How selfish she was. Since Stephen had
usurped the throne from his cousin Matilda, anarchy was rampant. So
many castles had fallen. The victors turned widows and the infirm
out as if they were naught but flea-bitten mongrels. Warin not only
wanted to keep her safe, but also the many people they had rescued
and cared for at Seton.

His plan depended on her placing her faith in
Raik of Raptor Castle, Ranald’s cousin. A Scotsman who had looked
at her with much displeasure and scorn.

"Humpf! I do not trust Raik. What of the
times he has raided our cattle? Those skirmishes took their toll on
you."

Warin grunted softly. "He never injured me
overmuch. Or I him."

For answer, she leaned close and ran a
fingertip over the white ridged scar low on his jaw.

He chuckled then winked at her. "Aye, there
is that. But I returned the favor when I fetched our cows
back."

He sighed and enfolding her hand in his,
cuddled it to his chest.

"I took Raik’s measure when we were at Raptor
Castle. He is faithful to those he deems family or friends, and he
is as skilled at fighting as Ranald and myself. Never did I hear a
woman or man say he had mistreated them."

"We have only seen him in the best of times,
husband. And you know he does not think highly of me."

"I will learn more when Ranald arrives on the
morrow." Warin gently brought her fingers to his lips to kiss each
one. "You are right, beloved. I am weary. Give me your potion and I
will sleep."

She picked up the cup then slipped her left
arm under his neck to lift his head. "I added extra honey to the
mead to lighten the medicine's bitter taste."

He drank it without complaint, though the
mead was not as warm as he normally liked it. He sighed and smiled
up at her when he was done.

"Come, beloved. Lie beside me. You, too, are
tired." His lips lifted in a mischievous grin. "Your creative
squire near fell over the wall laughing, you know."

Letia shrugged out of her robe and slid naked
between the sheets. "Uh huh," she murmured. "He found the
volunteers to fill the bladders."

Turning to him, she stretched her body
alongside his and put her head on his shoulder, her arm across his
chest. Her body heat would help keep him warm throughout the
night.

Trying to stifle a yawn, he rubbed his cheek
against her curls. His lids started to droop.

"Few women have the skills to defend their
castles. And now you have defended two against the same man.
Julian." He blinked, fighting to stay awake, his words spaced
apart, pulled from his mind with effort. "Any man would be proud to
call you wife, belov..." His voice faded in a sigh as he fell
asleep.

Letia didn't sleep, though. She listened to
the sounds of his light snores, thankful that she could hear them.
As she rubbed her cheek on his shoulder, she tightened her arm
across his muscled chest and hugged him as closely as she
could.

She wanted to cry. She wouldn't. If they
could count on King Stephen to protect Seton; if unrest didn't
cover the land; if Julian wasn't sniffing around, Warin wouldn't be
so fearful for her.

Her father had protected her by betrothing
her to the one man he trusted. Warin. Now it fell to Warin to do
the same. She knew he had thought long and hard on it. If she had a
child, or if she was breeding when he passed away, King Stephen
would seek an honorable man to husband her and be Seton’s new
baron.

She remembered Raik's face when he learned of
her skills the last time they were at Raptor. His expression had
hardened and his compelling blue eyes had narrowed and stared at
her as if she was some unnatural creature. Disapproval smoldered
from every inch of his taut body.

How could she deceive a man who stared into
her eyes as if he bored into her very soul?

She kissed Warin's neck, nuzzling her face
beneath his chin and taking comfort from his warm, spicy scent. She
sighed.

How did one mislead a man such as Raik? Her
heart thudded. Her skin prickled. He was vital to Warin's plan.

If there only was another way.

Imagining his fury if ever he learned of it,
she shivered with fear. She hadn't a glimmer of doubt he would deal
harshly with her.

Sounds in the night did naught to ease her
mind. Someone or something cried out. Nay, surely, not human. A
beast...mayhap a dog? Could a dog shriek as loudly as that? And
howl? Chill bumps stole over her body. Her scalp felt like it crept
down the back of her neck. From the dreadful sounds of it, it was
in terrible pain.

God in Heaven! Could Julian be venting his
hatred on a defenseless animal?

Silence. She held her breath. Her throat
thickened. Had it died?

All throughout the night there would be
periods of quiet, then the eerie howls and cries would knife
through the darkness.

Finally. A long howl, cut short. Then total
stillness.

Fear kept Letia awake. Fear that if she
slept, Warin would slip from her and she wouldn't be able to
comfort him in his last moments. Fear, too, that Ranald wouldn't
come. After what she had done, Julian's rage would be
boundless.

Exhaustion finally took over and she fell
into a sound sleep. It seemed like she'd no sooner closed her eyes
than the chamber lit up as if the sun appeared at her window. It
was most strange. From one opening, light flickered; from the
other, that last darkness before dawn.

Ever since unrest had taken its hold on
Northumbria, she had formed the habit of putting the next day's
smock and kirtle atop the clothing chest before she went to bed.
She eased away from Warin, careful to put her pillow against his
back to keep him warm then made swift work of donning her
clothes.

Leofwan's soft scratch on the door found her
already dressed and bending over Warin to listen to his breathing.
Now, she held her breath as she went to ease open the door. Relief
flooded her, for Leofwan was smiling.

He leaned close to whisper, "Lord Ranald sent
the bastard's army scrambling to get away even afore we could see
him."

Letia's brows rose. "How could he do
that?"

"Arrows. Flaming arrows. His men unleashed a
goodly number that lit up the sky."

"How long before they arrive?" Warin's voice
was stronger than it had been the night before.

"Time enough for you to don your clothing and
go below to the great hall."

When Warin's back was turned, Letia
approached to lend a hand. Leofwan shook his head at her. Her
husband's dignity was more important than any help she could give
him. No man's pride could stand having his wife dress him as if he
was still a youngling.

"I will leave you to your preparations,
love," she said, flashing him a smile.

He straightened his shoulders and grinned as
he stood on his own with no need to brace himself against the
table. She wriggled her fingers in a sassy wave as she left the
room. Instead of going below to the great hall, she hurried to the
corner tower. Standing atop the wall walk, she studied the
approaching army and took deep breaths of the cold morning air.
Gusts of wind pried her unruly brown curls loose to blow across her
eyes. Raising her hands, she swiped them aside.

Hidden by darkness, her eyes probed the mist
to study the man who rode beside Ranald. Her senses screamed it was
Raik. The men were alike in size, both controlling horses larger
than most—Ranald's, deep black; Raik's the color of a young fawn.
She said a swift prayer that she need not face him this day.

Seeing Raik below made her want to hide, to
disappear. How could she face him, knowing what Warin planned?

Even distant as he was, his presence filled
her mind. He removed all other sights, all other feelings from
her.

'Twas not true!

Shivering dread remained.

o0o

"No one can mistake yer presence, cousin."
Raik's deep baritone voice rang with mirth. "When that beast ye
straddle reared up as the men loosed the arrows, the superstitious
coward feared the Black Raptor was about to fly down the hillside
to seize him in his talons." Pulling off his helmet, he freed his
hair.

Though it was still near dark, the flaming
arrows had created small fires that gave light enough to see
Julian's men flinging themselves on their horses and fleeing.

Ranald of Raptor Castle studied the scene
below them. "I dinna ken why they leave all behind."

"Mayhap Julian is afeared of matching swords
with ye."

Ranald snorted, not bothering to look at his
cousin. "More likely, he fled from ye. He remembers ye were without
a weapon when he carved that scar on yer neck."

"There is that. I thought old King Henry
would have him flogged when Julian used the king's ceremonial
sword. The king grew even more livid hearing Julian yell he would
someday have the pleasure of killing me with it."

"Aye. As if it would ever belong to him. He
was a coward then and an even bigger one now." Ranald's voice
echoed his scorn.

Raik's keen eyes probed the darkness,
studying the field outside the castle walls.

"When they first spotted us, did ye see his
back as he scurried away?"

"Me? Ye are the one with an eagle's eyes. Ye
see things that mere men like I canna hope to see." Ranald grinned
at his cousin.

A cloud shifted, allowing a glimmer of light
through. A movement on the corner tower drew Raik's interest. His
eyes narrowed, his nostrils flared. The woman had an athlete's
body, alluring to some men, intimidating to others. Irritating to
him. He did not need to see curly, brown hair or eyes the color of
dark wet earth after a summer rain to know who it was. He could
picture the small nose that wrinkled when she disapproved of
something. Mostly, when she gazed at him.

It was Letia de Burgh lurking behind the
merlon.

Humph! Why was she on the battlements and not
in her bed where she belonged? Had she slipped from her husbands
arms to seek those of a young, virile warrior? He clamped his teeth
together and watched her every movement. He wanted to shake her.
Wanted to shove her back through the tower door and order her to
return to her room.

What was it about this woman that caused such
harsh feelings? Feelings he had never felt about any other
lass.

Raik rode in silence, then made up his mind
and pulled Storm to a slow walk. Ranald raised his brows and held
up his right arm, stopping the men behind them.

"What?"

"Ye no longer need me at Seton."

"If I did not ken ye better, I would think ye
avoid seeing the de Burgh's."

"Nay. Not Warin. I like the man. I enjoy our
skirmishes too much to end them. 'Tis his Letia that rubs me
wrong."

"For truth?" Ranald's eyes widened and he
tilted his head studying Raik's face. "I find her admirable."

"Huh. Ye admire a foolish woman who does not
know her place? That seizes a man's duties? No man should ever have
given the lass such freedom."

"Given? Freedom? She had to defend her
father's castle to keep anyone from knowing of his death until de
Burgh arrived."

"That is another reason. Why did she marry a
man who was her father's friend? She should have let the king
decide who her husband should be."

"By the time Stephen decided, Julian would
already have taken her and the castle."

"De Burgh is too gentle. He should not allow
her the use of weapons. 'Tis not a woman's place to wield
them."

Raik frowned. Aye, she was beautiful. But her
air of confidence made the hairs on his arms tingle, his stomach
clench. His hands twitched and wanted to grasp her flesh and force
her to be naught but a woman. A soft woman. One a man could take to
his bed and teach her how to please him.

"Ah. She riles ye because she
isna
helpless. She does not need ye as a man." Ranald shook his head at
him. "Well, she does not. She has Warin."

"Ye make it sound like she threatens my
maleness."

"Does she not?"

Raik sucked his teeth. "No mere woman
controls my manhood. I'm the one with a tarse. She is only a
vessel." He huffed, disgusted. "Nay, she is no threat to me."

Ranald snorted. "If someone penned this cock
and hen together, I think feathers would fly. The cock would have a
battle on his hands to control that particular hen."

"Ye make no sense, cousin. I leave ye at the
bend."

They were nearly even with the corner of the
curtain wall. Before Ranald's herald could announce his presence,
the screech and grind of the portcullis rising rent the air.

"When will ye return?" He twisted slightly on
the saddle to look squarely at Raik.

"I thought to explore a bit to sample these
English lasses panting for a real man's cock." He grinned wide, his
startling blue eyes crinkling at the corners. "Before I return, I
plan to retrieve the cows Warin last thieved from Raptor."

"Dinna get caught. One of these days, ye will
carry this game too far. Ye might find yerself a prisoner in
Warin's dungeon."

"Tsk! How frightening. And I suppose the Lady
will have her way with me?"

As he kicked Storm into a gallop, his ringing
laughter traveled on the wind.

o0o

Prickles of fear danced over Letia's flesh
much like drops of snow sliding off her hair and finding their way
down her quivering back. Hearing Raik's laughter drifting up to her
as he veered off to the right, she heaved a sigh of relief. God
must have paid heed to her prayers.

She folded her arms and hugged herself as she
watched his back disappear. Ashamed, she took a deep breath. Never
had she been weak-kneed or a fearful fool around men. Yes, she had
been leery of some, cautious with many. As with Julian. She knew
better than to ever turn her back when he was near. He was a man
she would distrust even if he were on his deathbed.