Telepathy of Hearts (33 page)

“Yes, I begged him give me leave to the abbess but he would hear of it not. He cut his hand and blooded the sheets
…and well, just held me.
”

“Well child, your knight sleeps, and we await his awakening. As I think, does the whole village
…listen. They sing
…oh and Sline
—his head is in a bag in the stables. They will say Matheus took his head in temper, for his attack on the King. Well, we know better for as he fevered he muttered
‘mine, she is mine.
'
”

Matheus opened his eyes to the sight of a soft, gentle gaze. His body still in sleep, he found his movement restricted. Hot breath was followed by a lick. Gelert obviously delighted in nuzzling his Master. Licking his face, the excited hound started to bark.

Curled up at the bottom of the bed the sound alerted an exhausted Eleanor. Raising a sleepy head, she caught Matheus
's smile and returning the intimacy with a beam of her own.

His voice weak, he whispered,
“For that is a sight that no angel could better.
”

“My love
'tis good to see you rally. Oh husband, in fact
'tis wonderful.
”

Her voice croaked. Matheus noticed the pain on her face as she strained to speak. He drank her in. From every lash that framed her beautiful hazel eyes, to every contour of her belly and thighs. To the
most beautiful curve about her
—
her smile.

At his side, she kissed him lightly. A tender touch that meant so much.

He whispered,
“Your voice
…you.
”

She replied,
“Sang
…
”

He said,
“As if
…
”

“Your life depended on it,
” she finished.

He wanted to hold her. Envelope her, kiss her until his lips bruised. His battered body denied his heart
's desire. No acknowledgement of Godwin, Lady Bruce, or Goody was made by the couple, as they closed the door behind them and walked away.

Absorbed in each other, starving with need, they hungrily fed off the intensity of the power between them. Blissfully unaware of the peel of bells that rang out from the cathedral in celebration of their earl
's safe return, the couple clung to each other and drifted into the security of sleep, still castled in each other
's arms.

* * * *

It was late afternoon when Matheus woke again. Eleanor was having a bath prepared for him. The scent of camomile and lavender filled his nostrils as the rising steam perfumed the room. It was quite a heavenly
scent
. Months of foul smells had invaded his nose and he took great breaths of it.

Dear Lord,
'tis fine, and I am thankful to wake in my own bed with my wife not an arm
's length from me.

He watched his wife as she busied herself, flushed as the steam settled on her skin, her pale skin tinged with a hint of pink. He compared her to the rose posy aside his bed
.

Like the dawn rose, so delicate and pure. Its petals seem to blush pink, embarrassed at its beauty, so doth my wife. My wife. Two words and what words they are
…my wife.

Her hair was escaping its confines of plait and comb, as it tumbled about her shoulders in rivers of rich, golden curls, cascading as if flowing all the way to her waist.

Enjoying the vision his eyes feasted on, Matheus did not talk. It was almost as if speech would shatter this spell. A word uttered would return him to hell of Dwilthorpe Mound.

“Ladies look, my knight has beco
me most idle since we wed. H
e lays in his bed well past noon watching women about their work and he cares not about it.
” Her grin was quite wicked as she spoke and her stance challenging him in jest. With her hand upon her hip and her finger wagging.

“Lookie
,
good ladies, my Lady has become most shrew-
like since we wed
…as she speaks sour
to me, wags her finger and
cares not about
my aches and pains
.
” His eyes twinkled as he returned her jest and raised his brow in a challenge.

Amongst giggles and knowing glances the maids helped Eleanor to aid Matheus out of his bed and to the tub.

“Thank you ladies
…I will see to my husband now.
” Eleanor grinned, saying,
“For I need to scold him further.
”

Matheus felt the water, warm and comforting, wash over him. It seemed like an age ago that he had been brought to the peep hole to watch his wife be bathed on their wedding day.

Now he looked to the same maid. But she was different. The maid he had left behind had been a girl. The woman he looked upon now had supported the village and protected his folk. Taken a knight of the realm on and saved her husband. He had noticed the callouses on her once soft hands and how gaunt her face had become. But to Matheus she could not be more beautiful. For this was the woman he desired. Strong of soul and kind in heart.

“A penny for them,
” she asked as she lifted his hand out of the tub to wash it.

“I
'm just really proud of you
… Opening the castle up to the needy. Feeding the children and even gathering wood from the forests. And dear God, taking on
Pike
… She-
Wolf you certainly are
…my Lady, I am honoured to call you Wife and yield to you all my life, I will.
”

She took his hand to her chest. The warm water trickled down his arm and wet her gown.
Pushing his palm flat she purred.
“Feel it
…all yours, every beat
…A knight once pressed me with his groin quite lewd and he said to me that he would be in my head as I hated him or in my heart as I loved him.
”

“And this Knight, this knave
…where is he now
—head or heart?
” Matheus replied. His heart quickening as he awaited her response.

Squeezing his hand tighter to her chest, her eyes told him before her voice.
“Here
…here
…right here.
”

As she helped him from the bath he could see her looking at his injuries. Her hand gently touched his bruises and the sorrow in her eyes was clear to see. Her fingers traced his newly sewn wounds and she kissed the scars on his back.

“They are just injuries, Eleanor
… Only the loss of you could wound me now
…given a little time these will heal whereas the loss of you I fear,
would be
fatal,
” he replied to her silent question.

Her touch, so sensual, so light. His body responded, rasping slightly in his throat.

Injuries be damned, for I must take her, she is wrecking me. Just as surely as if I was a galleon broken upon her shores.

Her gaze was still on him. Matheus observed her with a grin.
“Have you found what you are looking for, Wife?
”

Eleanor blushed. Wringing her hands, she looked at him coyly from under her heavy lashes, and whispered,
“Does it hurt
… it looks swollen and sore?
”

Matheus
's chuckled.
“My manhood?
”

Eleanor nodded and pulled her lip into her mouth, nipping at it nervously.

Trying to supress a chuckle, he too pulled at his lip. His face broke into a beam.
“No Eleanor
,
it does not hurt. Although it can ache sometimes
…especially around you.
” Taking her hand, he led her to the bed.
Cupping her face, he brought her to his lips, testing the seam with his tongue.

Yielding to him, she collapsed into his
arms. Moving her under him so he could ease her gently on
to the bed, he brought himself down
on her
—j
ust enough for her to feel the weight of his thigh and the strain in his groin. His voice rasped as he spoke.
“Dear Lady
,
I love you because I have no choice but to
do so
. My heart instructs and I follow. Every beat is your name. I have a thirst and a hunger that only you can quench and feed.
”

Her soft mewl fuelled his craving.
His fingers were in her hair, h
is breath on her neck and the smile of his kiss on her shoulder. Skilled fingers, the hand of a lover, made light work of her gown. He felt her stiffen, rigid to his touch. Lifting her chin so he looked into her eyes that twinkled from gold to green and burnt with amber.

“Do not fear it, Eleanor run to it
…run to me. The more you acquiesce to
my touch, the gentler I can be.
Eden is here; I am and always be your Eden.
” He trickled a tender touch of his tongue across her d
écolletage
—she moaned. Matheus felt the heat in his blood. He was burning, aching. Every cell, every sinew alive and eager, molten and moving the hot flow of desire seeping through muscle cell and bone. Slipping his hands under he lifted her to him.
Pulling her up to meet his groin. Needing her to feel, to know, how she shaped his body, hard and taut for her.

She shivered.

Matheus answered her trembling by sliding down her body. Smiling against her skin with a kiss on her navel.

“You are exquisite, Eleanor, so ripe so ready.
” His voice husky and low. He felt her pull away a little. But Matheus held fast.
“Why so chary, my love
?
'T
is your Husband
's hands upon his wife
's body. There is no shame to be found here, just our pleasure. Your delight in me, and my body lost in yours.
”

Cupping her, he revelled in the sound of her catching her breath. Hands that moments before were trying to push him away, stoked the taut back of the man who anchored her. His knee nudged at her thighs. Encouraged by his hand, spreading at her cleft, she yielded. Matheus eased himself into her. Holding her tight to lessen the shock, he pushed.

Eleanor gave a sharp intake of breath. Followed by a gasp. The cry of a woman
—a maid no more.

Nuzzling at her neck and nibbling on her ear, he whispered,
“The worst is over now, my love.
”

Eleanor clung to him as if drawing on his strength.

Smiling upon her neck he whispered.
“Better now
…strength enough for two
… always.
” His lovemaking was gentle and his words sweet.

Eleanor met his kisses. Matheus gently rocked her, responding to the gentle mewls she gasped. Letting her set the pace, conscious not to overwhelm her. She trembled underneath him and he followed with his release after hers, just moments later.

Sitting upon the throne
she had stood on
that sixteen years before, instructed by a boy knight, Eleanor of Lincoln was dressed in fine brocade edged with ermine. In her arms, a baby girl slept soundly. Upon her shoulder lay the hand of her husband. The bells of Westminster Abby rang out
, announcing
there had been a coronation that fine Sunday morn.