Viking's Desire: Sexy-Romance Novel: A Viking Love Story by Catherine Sharp Page A

hate to way lay you but it looks as if I need to get dressed now. And please don’t breathe a word of this to anyone.”
    “Yes my lady .”
    She put on the dress she was planning to wear to dinner since she would have no time to change with this clandestine meeting taking place before dinner.  She hoped making her way through the labyrinth of the dank and musty tunnel wouldn’t completely ruin the new frock she had picked out.  Why was this priest making it so difficult, why couldn’t he have just brought the ring and Father’s letter to her at dinner?  He seems to insist on making this covert.  “Perhaps other priests feel the same way about Eriik,” she thought.  Still no reason to take me on a wild goose chase .   The farther she went, the angrier she became.  She should have told Eriik and had him come with her and straighten this whole thing out.  Knowing about this would have made him furious!  Just about the time she decided to turn back, she heard a voice shouting her name. 
    “Lady Lillian, it’s me Ulric.  I ’m here, just a little farther.”
    “Oh thank goodness, I was just about to turn around.”
    “That would not have been a good idea.” He retorted, his eyes seemed to gaze furiously at her. 
    She really wished now that Eriik was behind her.
    “Okay, you’ve gotten my full attention, so please let me see my father’s letter. 
    “Of course princess.”
    He pulled it out of his robes, crumpled and soiled and handed it to Lillian, holding the torch so she could read it.”
    Sweet Pea,
    I’m writing you in hopes this finds you well.  I am bereft to tell you your mother has succumbed to the sickness that took many of our fine people and I am now alone.  I miss you so very much.  Lord Montfort has put a rescue mission in place and I am in his debt.  I hope to see you soon.
    Your loving father.
    She looked at Ulric with amazement, “You’re here to take me home?”
    “Yes.  We should leave immediately.”
    Her mind was racing.  She could go home if she wanted to…but she didn’t.  She could not, would not leave Eriik.  How obvious it was all of a sudden here in this dark, musty tunnel.  She was already home. 
    She looked steadily at Ulric and said in no uncertain terms, “I’m sorry you made such a long a nd treacherous trip to take me home, however I am already home.  I will be going nowhere with you except to the great room for dinner.”  She smiled a gracious smile.  I can assure you, however, that nothing will happen to you at the manor.”
    “I’m fairly sure they would not approve of what I’m about to do.”
    “And what is that?”  She was still smiling.
    He brought his hand back and with all the force he could muster, slapped Lillian full in the face until her head snapped back and hit the rock of the wall hard. 
    She couldn’t believe what had just happened.  Was this a bad dream or had a man of the cloth just slapped her violently?
    She was gasping and there was blood in her mouth.  All she could say was, “Why?”
    “Well lady,” he spat, “Mostly because I’ve been wanting to do that for a very long time.  This just seemed like the right moment.
    “But why would you do that?  You came to rescue me.  We just met, you couldn’t possibly hate me enough to do such a thing.”
    “Oh nay princess, I have known you many years.  You see, your highness, while you were parading around your grand castle like a bloody deity in the finest silks and velvets, feasting every eve, the peasants, like myself, were in the fields, laboring, barely keeping our bellies full.  I decided long ago that an honest day’s work gets a man sodding nowhere.  That’s especially true when regal scum like you and your father hold court. Now get going.”  He grabbed her roughly and started leading her out of the tunnel. 
    Lillian was still in shock.  As she got her bearings, she broke loose and started to run back up the tunnel, but before she got too far, two