Page 145 of Historical Hotties
He emitted a long, heavy sigh that sounded suspiciously like a growl. It was evident that he was reluctant to answer her. “What do you think?”
“If I knew, I wouldna have asked.”
The fiery little personality in her flared up, like a blaze that suddenly rears and then just as quickly dies. He realized he likedthat aspect of her very much. It was entertaining to watch her rise. Kissing her swiftly on the lips, he pushed himself off the bed and discreetly adjusted the bulge in his breeches.
“I think you already do.”
She stood up from the bed, a bit unsteadily, still flushed from their whirlwind encounter. He could see the flame in her eye even though she was smiling. “Ye’re an evasive man, Creed de Reyne. When I ask a question, I expect the courtesy of an answer.”
His reply was to whip her into his arms and kiss her again, so strongly that she was gasping for air when he finally pulled away. He grinned at her as she struggled.
“Was that enough of an answer?”
He was moving to the door, leaving her stunned and breathless. When she did not reply to his question, he paused at the door, his hand on the latch.
“Now go to bed,” he ordered softly. “I will see you on the morrow.”
She swallowed, her wits making a slow return. It was all she could do to nod her head like an idiot. The man possessed the power to still her tongue as well as flutter her heart. When he winked at her and finally shut the door, she continued to stand there for an unknown amount of time, reliving their kiss over and over in her mind.
When sleep finally claimed her, it was deep and dreamless.
*
“You know thatunder normal circumstances I would never bring an issue like this to your attention, but I feel that I must in this case. The man is a fool and a danger, and he seriously disrupts the harmony of my knights.”
Richard had been listening to Ryton for the better part of the hour. In his private solar in Prudhoe’s thick keep, the focus of conversation was Jory d’Eneas, a sore subject for them both. But it was also a very political subject and Richard sighed heavily to Ryton’s latest tale of brutality and poor judgment. Though he was not surprised, he was nonetheless disheartened.
“What would you have me do?” Richard finally asked, weary and wanting for the comfort of his bed. “The man is the son of an ally and friend and I cannot cast him aside easily. You know this, Ryton.”
“I know it, my lord.”
“Then what would you have me do?”
“Send him back to his father. Let the earl deal with his ill-mannered bastard son, for he is only succeeding in upsetting the peace of Prudhoe. I fear that one day he will go too far and have his neck snapped by a fellow knight.”
Richard eyed Ryton, hearing the ominous tone. “Is that what is happening within your ranks? Is that why his face is so bruised?”
Ryton nodded slowly. “He attacked the hostage on our trip south. Creed dealt him a harsh blow and so did Burle.”
“Then perhaps he has learned his lesson.”
Ryton’s impatience slipped through. “He has not learned it yet, my lord. In all of the years the man has served me, he has never shown hide nor hair of an ability to take heed of a lesson taught. I am not sure why the latest incident would weigh any differently on him.”
Richard’s gaze lingered on his captain. “Then I will repeat the question; short of sending him back to his father, what would you have me do?”
Ryton’s jaw ticked; he could see that ridding himself of Jory was out of the question. It was not that his liege was weak; it was that he truly worried for the alliance implications of sending thedisgraced knight home to his father. Ryton understood very well his fears, but it did not make their issue with Jory any simpler to resolve. Still, he felt some disgust that Richard was unwilling to take the chance of upsetting an ally over the reality of upsetting his entire castle.
“Perhaps you should have a word with him, threaten him with returning him to his father at the very least,” Ryton said, a measure of defeat in his voice. “Even though you have no intention of doing so, perhaps the threat will be enough for him to amend his behavior.”
Richard nodded, toying with his chalice that was long since empty of wine. Ryton watched his liege closely, for he could see that the man was thinking.
“The hostage,” Richard finally said, somewhat hesitantly. “She is something of a firebrand, is she not?”
Ryton could see their conversation about Jory was over. “She is spirited,” he sighed, knowing it would be of no use to try to continue with Jory’s punishment.
Richard stood up, stretching his lanky body. “I cannot imagine that Creed took the assignment to protect her willingly.”
“He did not. But he is the best one suited for the task. He is the only one of my knights I would trust with her.” Ryton cast his liege a sidelong glance. “You should know that Jory seems particularly interested in her. It is my suggestion that we assign Creed to protect the lady even while she is here at Prudhoe. The last thing we need is for Jory to compromise her, or worse, and have the entire Clan Kerr down around our ears.”
