The Dark Lady (32 page)

He waited until she was seated and took his place at her side. “What is wrong?”

Vanessa shook her head. “Nothing, my lord.” She smiled and took a deep breath. The next smile looked slightly more real, but not quite. He asked her several more times, but the answer was always the same.

He gave up and said little more through the entire meal.

He was unable to come to terms with his feelings and concerns. Unable to determine if she was playing the meek woman once again to trick him or if she was being sincere, he drank more than usual.

That night he took her twice, making sure she came to pleasure each time. At the end of the second bout, he was unsure if he had fallen asleep or fallen unconscious. It was late into the night, and he had drunk deeply into his cups at supper. The last thing he remembered was hoping his head would not pound in the morning.

Reaching across the bed sometime in the dark of night, Peter found nothing but cold empty space. He slowly opened his eyes. It was still dark and his pounding head felt fogged. “Vanessa?” He got no answer from the darkness.

He assumed she had gone to her chambers. He was sure she was just unaccustomed to sleeping with him and had gone to her own bed. Well, he thought with irritation, if she did not want to be in here with him then he was too tired to argue.

He closed his eyes and rolled over. Her side of the bed was cold. He groaned and shifted to find a comfortable position. When that didn’t work, he moved back to his side. It was now cold. He tossed and turned for a several long minutes before cursing loudly and getting up.

If she didn’t want to sleep in his chambers, then he would go to her. He walked naked to her room. He moved toward her bed slowly, but it was empty. He scowled and went back to his room. Looking longingly at his bed, he considered going back to sleep.

He cursed again knowing it was useless, but not understanding why. He had slept alone for many years. Even with Rebeka he had slept alone most nights.

He stood there for a moment then realized what had to be wrong with him. He was worried because she was wandering out in the dark and when he knew where she was he could sleep.

Peter pulled on his dressing robe, lit a candle, and he walked out into the hall. He opened his mouth to yell for her before reminding himself impatiently that everyone was asleep. He looked up and down the long hall. Where would he look? “Knowing her, she could have gone anywhere.”

“
Excuse me, milord?”

Peter jumped, spinning to the sound of the voice. It was one of his oldest maids. She had been around since his father was young.

“
Margaret, my dear, what are you doing up at this hour?”

She was an old woman, who had no responsibilities in the home anymore. She also had no family, no one to take care of her, and he was loath to let her go. So he had asked her to stay.

“
Oh, my boy. I did not mean to wake you. It is just hard for an old woman to walk silently.”

“
You did not wake me, I reached for—”

She smiled knowingly at him. “It has only been a few days and you already feel her absence.” Her laugh quickly turned to a cough.

“
I did not say that. Do you happen to know where she is?” His head was beginning to pound, his stomach rolling.

“
In the nursery.” With that she walked back toward the servants’ hall, and to her bed.

In the nursery, a single candle lit a beautiful face. She lay with her arms wrapped around a sleeping Joseph. Her head lay gently against his, his face against the silk of her robe. Her eyes were shut and her breathing gentle.

Joseph opened his eyes, letting out a soft cry.

“
It’s all right, it is just me,” Peter said in a low voice. “Are you all right?”

“
Aye milord, I had a bad dream.”

Weaving gently in the doorway, Peter watched a tear slide down Joseph’s cheek. “Can you sleep now?”

“
I should...” He pulled at Vanessa who had awakened and was now holding him tightly. “I am all alone and it is so strange to be here. I dreamed of the fire.”

Peter’s eyes drifted shut. He leaned his head against the door frame. His mind had fogged further and his thoughts were slow. He could not see straight. Between the drink and the lack of sleep, he was about to fall where he stood. “I am sorry, my boy. As tired as I am, I could not return to sleep with an empty side on my bed.” He took a deep breath and swayed. “Insolent old woman was right,” he added to himself.

“
What woman, my lord?”

Peter’s eyes opened. Vanessa’s brow was crinkled with wonder and surprise.

“
Never mind. I am too tired for this. Come. Let’s go. Bring him. He can sleep in your chambers, so he can be close to us, at least until he gets more comfortable in the nursery.” With that Peter took her hands, pulling her and Joseph up.

With the small child tucked into her large bed, and Vanessa back in his, Peter pulled her tightly into his embrace. Sleep found him quickly.

***

Walking silently through the servants’ chambers, a dark figure made his way into the castle without the aid of a candle. Accustomed to seeing through the darkness, no candle was needed to accomplish what he needed to do.

He crept silently past many closed doors, but did not pause. He knew exactly where he was going. He shifted the rag that he carried in one large hand and slinked close to the walls.

He stopped before Lady Vanessa’s day maid’s chamber. He lifted the latch and pushed the door. It swung open silently on well-oiled hinges. Slight moonlight fell through the openings in the walls, illuminating Amy’s sleeping face.

She lay comfortably and undisturbed by his presence. He walked silently toward her. Towering over her sleeping figure, he smiled. Excitement thrummed through his veins and he began to harden.

He shook his head and forced himself to focus. He must get her out of the castle first. Once safely out of the castle, he could take her. Then, when he was sated, he would complete his task.

He adjusted the rag once more and clamped it over her mouth. She struggled violently, but was unable to scream as he tied the rag tightly behind her head.

She kicked hard and swung her arms as he threw her over his shoulder. He rushed out into the darkness. He noticed with elation that clouds had concealed the moon. His movements were lost in the darkness as he rushed to the stables. He wrapped an arm around her tight round bottom in order to keep her from falling.

Once inside the stable, he gently tossed Amy to the hay littered ground inside one of the stalls.

He pulled the rag from her mouth and pressed his lips to hers, cutting of her screams just as they had begun. The horses snorted from the stalls beside them. Amy pressed her lips tightly together and punched and kicked.

Kissing her harder, he ran his hand down her leg pulling her sleeping gown up and out of his way. He forced his knee between her legs and pulled off of her to speak.

Her knee connected. His words were lost and his swelling manhood retreated in agony as he groaned loudly and rolled off her. Amy tried to run, but he shot a trembling hand out and caught her ankle. She fell.

She began kicking at him, but his words finally stopped her. “Wait. Amy, please.”

“
Devon?” The moon peeked from behind the clouds, and she stared at him dumbfounded. “What were you thinking?” She pulled herself toward him and laid a hand on his heaving chest. “I am sorry if I hurt you, but you are lucky it wasn’t worse.”

“
How could it be worse?” He laughed breathlessly, the movement causing pain to shoot up his stomach. Horses grumbled and pawed at the ground in their stables while Amy helped him to a sitting position.

“
I could have been wearing the dagger Lady Vanessa gave to me,” she said with a small, insolent grin.

“
Aye, well.” He pulled her quickly into his lap and was pleased when a small grimace of pain was all that was detected. “I started to tell you who I was, but then your knee found me.”

He didn’t wait for a response. He began kissing her roughly and hoped that she had not hurt him too seriously, for that would spoil all the plans he had for the night.

Her response was warm and inviting. When her hand slid into his shirt, twinning into the tight blond curls, his response showed him that she had done no permanent damage.

Amy did nothing to stop him as he flipped her onto her back and followed her over. He pushing her night rail around her waist and pressed her thighs apart with his knees and freed himself. He would love to feel her skin on his, but that would have to wait. He had to be prepared in case someone came in.

She hesitated only a moment when he lay upon her. Then she relaxed and returned his kisses. He placed his throbbing member up against the warm folds of her sex, allowing her to feel the way it moved and jumped in response to her. He rocked the head of it across the small knob where her folds met. She groaned lightly and clung to him.

He would take his time with her. They had all night. He had only been with one virgin, but the older women he had been with had taught him how to go slow, how to ready her. So that he would not hurt the next one as he had the first.

He slid his hand between them, feeling her, caressing her, until she rocked her hips in time with his searching fingers. Her head fell back and he ran his tongue along her exposed neck. He kissed it gently and then more aggressively careful not to leave marks. Her body shuddered below him and her hands threaded through his hair as she began to writhe and moan.

He listened to her harsh breathing and soft moans and moved his lips back to hers. He kissed her deeply. Sliding his fingers down between her swollen folds, he slipped one of them into her now moist hole. It was tight, but he would not hurt her more than necessary.

She gasped and tried to struggle beneath him. He pulled his lips away, but left his finger inside her warmth. “All you have to do is tell me to stop.”

She said nothing. She looked up at him with trust and he had to struggle to keep control. He began to kiss and nibble at her neck and ears as he pushed his finger deep inside her. He could feel the thin membrane that spoke of her purity.

He increased his rhythm to match her rocking hips as he pressed on the walls to loosen them. He gently added a second finger and, pushing them into her gently, readied her to accept him. He allowed her to set the pace, although it was hard. The feeling of her body beneath him had his blood boiling and his heavy shaft jumped with anticipation.

Her face glowed with pleasure and her moans washed over him. Her eyes widened in shock when he hit a spot that must have sent jolts of ecstasy through her. He was almost undone and had to fight to keep himself from plunging into her before he felt she was ready.

Just as he was sure he was going to lose the battle of wills with himself, her rhythm suddenly became frantic and her cries so loud that he quickly covered her mouth with his. As she lost herself in the feelings he had drawn from her, he positioned himself. He pulled his fingers from her and quickly pressed the tip of himself into her. It was all he could do to keep from plunging it in deep.

He pushed in until he felt the restraining barrier and then withdrew. She stiffened below him and he slid his hand between them once again. He began to manipulate the pulsing knob at the apex of her folds. “Relax,” he said against her lips.

Kissing her, biting on her lips, her chin, and her neck, he fought to hold on. Amy began to squirm beneath him and he increased his speed.

Suddenly her muscles tightened around him and her fingers dug painfully into his shoulders. He deepened his kiss and caught the sound of her cries as the waves of pleasure grew. She rocked her hips forward and he plunged deep and hard inside her. She stiffened in pleasure as the waves crashed over her. He moaned her name against her lips as her warm juices pushed him over the edge.

With one hard thrust he plunged forward and spilled his seed. Lying still, he began to kiss her gently and lovingly as she began to cry.

“
Did I hurt you badly? It will not hurt the next time.” He rose up on his elbows, easing some of the weight from her, while still remaining inside her. She would soon get accustomed to him, and if he were a lucky man, he would get to take her again this night.

“
Nay, it did not hurt too awful, but we promised Lady Vanessa that we would be respectful. That we would wait,” she said in a small tearful voice.

Relieved that that was her only problem with it, he smiled, kissing her again. “Nay, I promised her I would not get you pregnant and not marry you. That I would leave you be until I made a decision. I would like you to marry me.”

Her eyes widened in shock and she just stared at him. Letting her have time to think it over, he began to kiss her. Gently at first until he felt the stirrings of life in him once again. He made love to her gently once more, smiling when he brought her to pleasure.

He pulled himself out of her and cringed at the blood on his manhood. He moved to her side and pulled her against him. “I decided, I think, when I first saw you, that I loved you. I know I still need to get permission from Lord Grayweist, but I would like for you to be my bride.”

“
Lord Grayweist?” she asked in apparent confusion.