smiling that very same smile and dazzling him with her emerald eyes.
“I have need of your squire.” She continued to look at Yorath rather than him. “So that my women may consider your wardrobe.”
He kept the horse between them. It was that or throw her down in the straw and have his way with her. “My wardrobe is fine.”
“Did you bring garments appropriate for our wedding?” Her emerald eyes pierced him.
“I am certain I have something that will not shame you,” he replied. She raised a shoulder as if she were doubtful. How smooth was the skin of that same shoulder? How would it look when she did that and her shift slid low, down her arm, to expose her breast? Yorath shifted and bumped him. He grunted in pain and gritted his teeth.
“Are you injured, milord?” A finely arched brow rose questioningly.
“You may find Mathias over there,” he said, pointing in the direction Mathias had gone. She turned to go. Rhys made some adjustments to his chausses before he stepped to the rope across the stall and watched the gentle sway of her hips as she moved away with the dog by her side. She stopped to talk to a tall and painfully thin young man with a mop of brown hair. Sheplaced a hand on his arm and the two laughed as if they shared a private joke.
She should not be so easy with a stable boy. She should not be so easy with anyone but me. Rhys stepped back into the stall and placed a hand on Yorath’s neck. Was that jealously he felt? She was just giving the boy instructions as was her right. “See to milord’s needs. Care for his horse as you would care for mine.” What else could it be? He chastised himself for being foolish; still, he looked once more in her direction and found the stable boy grinning at him. The lad yanked on his forelock and walked away, whistling, with a shovel placed over his shoulder.
I should beat him…along with Mathias …Rhys realized his will had not yet mastered his body. He’d better find someone to attend to his needs, and soon. Or the next three days were going to be painful.
Renauld Vannoy spared a glance at his traveling companion as they rode north toward his lands. Peter Salisbury had to be delaying on purpose. There could be no other reason for the constant stream of bad luck that had occurred on their trip. The first instance was on the morning they were to leave, when the man’s wife suffered a spell that demanded Salisbury’s immediate attention, delaying their departure until the noon hour. Renauld would have gone on without Salisbury except the king had commanded that they go together.
There was also the fact that he needed to give his messenger time to get to Chasmore. It would do no good if he arrived before the deed was done. Renauld gritted his teeth and put up with the delay.
The second morning on the road, Salisbury realizedthat he’d forgotten some very important business, so he took time to write a letter and dispatched his squire, along with two men at arms to deliver it. Then he discovered that his horse had a loose shoe and insisted that they detour to the closest blacksmith. Since Salisbury was well acquainted with the lord who owned the keep where the blacksmith lived, they were invited to dinner. Salisbury enjoyed the meal so much that their host insisted they spend the night. Though Renauld was grateful for the bed to sleep in, he chafed at the delay.
On the morning of the third day he realized that they still had two days of travel to arrive at Aubregate. And that was if the weather cooperated. Fortunately for him, it seemed as if it would. Still, he was as impatient as Salisbury seemed reluctant.
Does he know something? Something about de Remy’s trip to Aubregate? Renauld watched from the back of his horse as Salisbury walked back to their host as if he’d forgotten to tell him something. If that were remotely possible. The two men had talked about everything under the sun the night before. Finally, Salisbury mounted his horse and
“I have need of your squire.” She continued to look at Yorath rather than him. “So that my women may consider your wardrobe.”
He kept the horse between them. It was that or throw her down in the straw and have his way with her. “My wardrobe is fine.”
“Did you bring garments appropriate for our wedding?” Her emerald eyes pierced him.
“I am certain I have something that will not shame you,” he replied. She raised a shoulder as if she were doubtful. How smooth was the skin of that same shoulder? How would it look when she did that and her shift slid low, down her arm, to expose her breast? Yorath shifted and bumped him. He grunted in pain and gritted his teeth.
“Are you injured, milord?” A finely arched brow rose questioningly.
“You may find Mathias over there,” he said, pointing in the direction Mathias had gone. She turned to go. Rhys made some adjustments to his chausses before he stepped to the rope across the stall and watched the gentle sway of her hips as she moved away with the dog by her side. She stopped to talk to a tall and painfully thin young man with a mop of brown hair. Sheplaced a hand on his arm and the two laughed as if they shared a private joke.
She should not be so easy with a stable boy. She should not be so easy with anyone but me. Rhys stepped back into the stall and placed a hand on Yorath’s neck. Was that jealously he felt? She was just giving the boy instructions as was her right. “See to milord’s needs. Care for his horse as you would care for mine.” What else could it be? He chastised himself for being foolish; still, he looked once more in her direction and found the stable boy grinning at him. The lad yanked on his forelock and walked away, whistling, with a shovel placed over his shoulder.
I should beat him…along with Mathias …Rhys realized his will had not yet mastered his body. He’d better find someone to attend to his needs, and soon. Or the next three days were going to be painful.
Renauld Vannoy spared a glance at his traveling companion as they rode north toward his lands. Peter Salisbury had to be delaying on purpose. There could be no other reason for the constant stream of bad luck that had occurred on their trip. The first instance was on the morning they were to leave, when the man’s wife suffered a spell that demanded Salisbury’s immediate attention, delaying their departure until the noon hour. Renauld would have gone on without Salisbury except the king had commanded that they go together.
There was also the fact that he needed to give his messenger time to get to Chasmore. It would do no good if he arrived before the deed was done. Renauld gritted his teeth and put up with the delay.
The second morning on the road, Salisbury realizedthat he’d forgotten some very important business, so he took time to write a letter and dispatched his squire, along with two men at arms to deliver it. Then he discovered that his horse had a loose shoe and insisted that they detour to the closest blacksmith. Since Salisbury was well acquainted with the lord who owned the keep where the blacksmith lived, they were invited to dinner. Salisbury enjoyed the meal so much that their host insisted they spend the night. Though Renauld was grateful for the bed to sleep in, he chafed at the delay.
On the morning of the third day he realized that they still had two days of travel to arrive at Aubregate. And that was if the weather cooperated. Fortunately for him, it seemed as if it would. Still, he was as impatient as Salisbury seemed reluctant.
Does he know something? Something about de Remy’s trip to Aubregate? Renauld watched from the back of his horse as Salisbury walked back to their host as if he’d forgotten to tell him something. If that were remotely possible. The two men had talked about everything under the sun the night before. Finally, Salisbury mounted his horse and
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