WINDKEEPER by Charlotte Boyett-Compo Page B

ribs. "Introduce me to her, you dolt!"
    Conar turned to him, his face devoid of expression. "What?"
    "Introduce her!" Galen hissed. He pushed past his twin and started around the table, his hand outstretched toward the girl. "My lady! Welcome to my home!"
    It took Galen’s movement to break the spell under which Conar had fallen. He snapped his mouth shut with an audible click of his teeth. He hurried to outdistance Galen, rudely shoving his twin out of the way and reaching for Liza’s hand.
    Liza smiled warmly at him, amusement coming through. Her dazzling smile was like a ray of sunshine in the dismal room, lighting the darkened corners and warming the dank chill pervading the stone walls. As her hand slipped into Conar’s, she laughed, for he immediately brought her fingers to his lips, his eyes never leaving hers. "Good eve, Mam’selle."
    Galen was transfixed by the woman’s beauty as he walked toward her. Long black hair hung loose around her creamy shoulders, cascaded down her slender back to her shapely hips. One thick tress hung over her bodice and was braided with pale peach ribbon. Soft peach-colored blossoms nestled at her right ear, bringing out the rose blush on her high cheekbones.
    The gown she wore was pale green, cut low in the bodice to reveal the budding cleavage of her high breasts. Gathered in the center beneath those upturned mounds of perfection, the gown fell in gentle folds and ended in deep, lace-edged scallops as it swept the floor. Peeking out from under the gold lace scallops, were mint green satin slippers studded with golden sparkles.
    There was a hint of peach at her eyelids and her mouth had been darkened to a deep coral. Around the upper part of her left arm, a thin gold ribbon of serpentine chain banded the tender flesh. Tiny coral studs sat in the flesh of her earlobes. The only other jewelry she wore was a black rune stone on a thin silver chain around her slender neck.
    Struck mute by the elegance and ethereal grace before them, neither man could think. They had both lost their hearts and souls. They had given them to the Lady Liza.
    "Am I late?" she asked and her voice was a whisper of soft, throaty laughter.
    "Never," Galen said courteously, reaching his brother’s side, taking the hand Conar did not hold. "You could never be anything but perfection." He smiled the first genuine, true smile he had ever bestowed upon a female. He brought her wrist to his lips and planted a gentle kiss on the upturned flesh.
    Liza felt a shock of revulsion run through her at his touch and she shivered. She tried to smile, but her flesh felt as though maggots were crawling over it. She had to stamp down the urge to wipe her wrist on her skirt when he released her hand.
    "I am Galen."
    Conar noticed the look on his twin’s face and could not mistake the sexual arousal. If he hadn’t known better, known in which direction his brother’s interests lay, he would have been angrier still. As it was, he had the strongest urge he had ever had to slap Galen’s face. An intense prick of jealousy raced through the Prince Regent. "My brother, Mam’selle," he explained to her in a clipped voice shot full of wintry chill. He stared at Galen’s inquisitive eyes. "Her name is Liza."
    "Liza." Galen made the name sound like the soughing of a soft breeze in the forest. He murmured the name again, silently, to himself, and his face took on warmth rarely seen. "It suits you, Lady Liza. It is a very sensual name."
    "We’re so glad you approve since it is the only name she has!" Conar snarled. Reaching for Liza’s arm, he pulled her away from Galen. "I know you’re hungry!" He pushed her to the table.
    Stunned by Conar’s proprietary manner, Galen could only gape at his twin as Conar seated the lady beside him, well away from the place where Galen had been seated.
    "Aren’t you finished with your meal, Conar?" Galen ground out from between tightly held teeth.
    "No, I am not."
    "I thought you were," Galen hissed,