usual mindless chatter. Arissa
listened, but she did not comprehend their words. Her mind was else occupied.
She
had no idea what to think. Confusion reigned supreme as she pretended to
respond to the conversation going on about her. Richmond, several paces ahead,
was all but ignoring her as he and Daniel conversed. Truthfully, her mind
hadn't been working correctly since the moment he had touched her cheek; it was
as if the world had faded until all that mattered was his tender touch against
her skin. The sensation had been so overwhelming that she had completely given
in to the heat flooding her limbs, causing her eyes to close and her knees to
weaken.
She
hadn't even been aware of her lolling head until he had grabbed her by the
neck. A powerful bolt of excitement had slammed into her body, a sob escaping
her lips from the sheer force of the blow. Next she realized, he had pulled her
against him.
And
then her eyes had opened. His eyes, blazing hotter than the sun, had made her
smile. Gazing into the blue flame, she knew. He wanted to kiss her as badly as
she wanted him to.
Damn
Mossy for interrupting them. Had they been allowed to progress, she might have
been able to taste his lips as she had always wanted to. But now, he was all
but ignoring her and her heart was breaking. Mayhap.... mayhap he had come to
realize the foolishness of her brazen actions. 'Twas she who had melted against
his innocent touch, and it was she who had unskillfully seduced him with her
naive grin and eager manner. She had all but thrown herself at the man.
Richmond
procured the entire group a spit of roasting gamecocks. Arissa accepted the
food from him, picked at it, and tossed it to the ground. Her stomach was
churning with humiliation and she was no longer hungry. She could feel Richmond
watching her, a familiar heat she was well acquainted with, but she simply
could not bring herself to look at him.
She
wished she could get away from him, anything to ease the tension in the air.
She knew, however, he would shadow her wherever she went. The only way he would
not follow her was if she was escorted by another capable knight, a man he
trusted. Or....
"My
lady, a pleasure to come across you again," Tad de Rydal was suddenly in
front of her, his arrogant face flushed with joy. Arissa gazed up at him,
suddenly seeing an escape to Richmond's presence. Although she had no liking
for the pompous knight, he would be a safe enough diversion from the situation
at hand. With enthusiasm she did not feel, she smiled brightly.
"And
you, Sir Tad," she said. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"
"Indeed,"
he replied. "But I would enjoy it a far sight more with a beautiful maiden
on my arm."
Emma,
realizing the fabled Tad de Rydal was in their midst, wedged herself next to
Arissa, hoping her friend would introduce them and thereby open the door for
Emma to escort Tad about the grounds. Arissa knew how badly Emma wanted to meet
the de Rydal heir. But instead, Arissa did the unexpected.
She
extended her slender hand. "I would be honored to accompany you, Sir Tad.
Would you be so gracious as to allow me?"
Tad's
blue eyes gleamed, Emma's face fell, and Richmond was, frankly, shocked. Before
anyone could utter a word of protest, Arissa tucked her hand into the crook of
Tad's armored elbow and they strolled off across the compound companionably. In
tears, Emma turned away.
"I
shall never forgive her,” she hissed. “She knows I was desperate to meet
him!"
Penelope
patted her friend on the shoulder. "He’s her guest, Emma. We cannot
monopolize all of her time. I am sure she will introduce you to him
later."
Instead
of being placated, Emma stamped her foot and sniffled loudly. "She’s
preparing to join the damn church. What can she possibly want with a man? I
wanted Tad de Rydal!"
As
Penelope attempted to comfort her, Richmond watched the distant couple like a
hawk. Daniel, beside him, scratched his head.
"De
Rydal's a rake," he murmured. "You had
listened, but she did not comprehend their words. Her mind was else occupied.
She
had no idea what to think. Confusion reigned supreme as she pretended to
respond to the conversation going on about her. Richmond, several paces ahead,
was all but ignoring her as he and Daniel conversed. Truthfully, her mind
hadn't been working correctly since the moment he had touched her cheek; it was
as if the world had faded until all that mattered was his tender touch against
her skin. The sensation had been so overwhelming that she had completely given
in to the heat flooding her limbs, causing her eyes to close and her knees to
weaken.
She
hadn't even been aware of her lolling head until he had grabbed her by the
neck. A powerful bolt of excitement had slammed into her body, a sob escaping
her lips from the sheer force of the blow. Next she realized, he had pulled her
against him.
And
then her eyes had opened. His eyes, blazing hotter than the sun, had made her
smile. Gazing into the blue flame, she knew. He wanted to kiss her as badly as
she wanted him to.
Damn
Mossy for interrupting them. Had they been allowed to progress, she might have
been able to taste his lips as she had always wanted to. But now, he was all
but ignoring her and her heart was breaking. Mayhap.... mayhap he had come to
realize the foolishness of her brazen actions. 'Twas she who had melted against
his innocent touch, and it was she who had unskillfully seduced him with her
naive grin and eager manner. She had all but thrown herself at the man.
Richmond
procured the entire group a spit of roasting gamecocks. Arissa accepted the
food from him, picked at it, and tossed it to the ground. Her stomach was
churning with humiliation and she was no longer hungry. She could feel Richmond
watching her, a familiar heat she was well acquainted with, but she simply
could not bring herself to look at him.
She
wished she could get away from him, anything to ease the tension in the air.
She knew, however, he would shadow her wherever she went. The only way he would
not follow her was if she was escorted by another capable knight, a man he
trusted. Or....
"My
lady, a pleasure to come across you again," Tad de Rydal was suddenly in
front of her, his arrogant face flushed with joy. Arissa gazed up at him,
suddenly seeing an escape to Richmond's presence. Although she had no liking
for the pompous knight, he would be a safe enough diversion from the situation
at hand. With enthusiasm she did not feel, she smiled brightly.
"And
you, Sir Tad," she said. "Have you been enjoying yourself?"
"Indeed,"
he replied. "But I would enjoy it a far sight more with a beautiful maiden
on my arm."
Emma,
realizing the fabled Tad de Rydal was in their midst, wedged herself next to
Arissa, hoping her friend would introduce them and thereby open the door for
Emma to escort Tad about the grounds. Arissa knew how badly Emma wanted to meet
the de Rydal heir. But instead, Arissa did the unexpected.
She
extended her slender hand. "I would be honored to accompany you, Sir Tad.
Would you be so gracious as to allow me?"
Tad's
blue eyes gleamed, Emma's face fell, and Richmond was, frankly, shocked. Before
anyone could utter a word of protest, Arissa tucked her hand into the crook of
Tad's armored elbow and they strolled off across the compound companionably. In
tears, Emma turned away.
"I
shall never forgive her,” she hissed. “She knows I was desperate to meet
him!"
Penelope
patted her friend on the shoulder. "He’s her guest, Emma. We cannot
monopolize all of her time. I am sure she will introduce you to him
later."
Instead
of being placated, Emma stamped her foot and sniffled loudly. "She’s
preparing to join the damn church. What can she possibly want with a man? I
wanted Tad de Rydal!"
As
Penelope attempted to comfort her, Richmond watched the distant couple like a
hawk. Daniel, beside him, scratched his head.
"De
Rydal's a rake," he murmured. "You had
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