Bond of Passion (31 page)

He couldn’t seem to get enough of her sweetness. Perhaps, he thought through the haze of passion she aroused in him, it was because they had been separated and would again be separated. His hands could not seem to cease in their caressing. His lips and his tongue followed his hands in a frantic rush of pure, hot desire. He buried his face in her mons, inhaling the elusive and seductive fragrance of her. He kissed the plump flesh beneath his hungry lips, then peeled apart her nether lips to find that tiny jewel of pure lust that he knew would explode with a mere lick of his tongue.

He licked, and she cried out. But he needed more. His lips closed over the delicate bud and he sucked harder and harder.

Beneath that wicked mouth and tongue Annabella’s need mushroomed. She gasped as the pleasure erupted, and then she begged. “Ohh, Angus, ’tis good! So good! But I need ye inside of me. Fill me full! Oh, please!
Please!
”

He was hard as rock, and the need in her voice was enough to drive a sane man wild with his own desire. He waited no more, covering her body with his own, pushing his cock slowly, teasingly into her fevered body. Then he lay still atop her.

She felt as if she were sucking him inside her. He was deep, and then he stopped. She felt the length of hard and lustful flesh throbbing as the walls of her sheath closed around him. She squeezed him, and he groaned with delight. “Fuck me!” she whispered hotly in his ear. She pushed her tongue inside the channel and wiggled it before nipping the lobe. “Fuck me hard, my dearest lord! I can never have enough of ye, Angus! Never!”

He remembered the first time she had been so bold as to instruct him. It still gave him a thrill every time she whispered the demand in his ear. “Nor can I have enough of ye, Annabella, my love, my sweet wife.” And then he obliged her, thrusting himself hard and deep over and over and over until she was keening with her pleasure and his head was spinning with his. Their juices burst forth simultaneously. They cried aloud! And then all was silent in the bedchamber.

Finally he arose, bending down to kiss her a quick kiss. “I must get some rest,” he said. “Dinna arise to see me off on the morrow. I dinna think I would be able to leave ye if ye did. And I must. I will nae tarry in France, Annabella.” Then he was gone from her.

“Godspeed, my sweet lord,” she said to him as the door between their bedchambers closed with a tiny click. Then she closed her eyes.
Merciful Mother!
Were all women this happy, this content, with their husbands? She was still tingling with his touch, and then she giggled to herself. How surprised everyone would be to know they were so divinely happy with each other.

It seemed she had gotten no sleep at all when Jean came to awaken her. Yet she knew she had slept at least several hours. Annabella arose, grumbling, bathed herself in her basin, and pulled on her clothing. When she had finished dressing she looked at herself in the long looking glass that had belonged to Angus’s mother. She was wearing dark woolen breeks, a linen shirt, and a sleeveless leather jerkin with horn buttons. Her own leather boots were suitably worn so as to not arouse suspicion, and beneath them she wore woolen socks.

Jean braided Annabella’s long dark hair tightly, and then pinned it up before tucking it beneath a cap with a narrow brim. “Remember, dinna take yer headpiece off, lest ye be discovered,” she warned. “Come along now. We must hurry. Tormod hae just come up the stairs and gone into the earl’s apartments. Ye need to be gone before Angus.”

Annabella took another quick look at herself in the looking glass. For the first time in her life she had an advantage in her face. As a girl, others had looked at her and felt sorry for her plainness. But as a lad, no one would pay her the least attention. Pleased, she followed her tiring woman quickly from her chambers. Was she really doing this daring thing? Leaving her bairns and following after her husband? And if he caught her before he reached France? Would he kill her? Or have to turn about and bring her home? It was incentive enough to make certain she didn’t get caught.

Jean led her through the silent castle. They saw no one. In the yard she kept to the shadows, as her guide did. Reaching a small gate Annabella had never noticed before, she waited for Jean to open it, and then passed through. Together the two women slipped down the hill and walked to the cottage belonging to Jean’s mam. There in the little open stable that was really no more than a shed, they found the horse Jean had picked, waiting.

“Angus will leave his horse at the Mermaid in Leith. Stable yer animal there too. It’s reasonably respectable, and the beast will be awaiting yer return. Dinna gie the stable lad any more than three coppers. Tell him that if more is needed, he’ll get it on yer return.”

“What will my passage cost?” Annabella asked her.

“It depends upon how far the ship is taking ye,” Jean said. “It should be nae more than an unclipped silver piece. There is one in yer purse. Dinna display it, but keep it hidden in yer shirt, and dinna let anyone see where ye’ve put the purse lest they rob ye.”

Annabella was suddenly realizing how serious her determination to follow Angus was. She was now afraid, and questioned her intent.

“Ye dinna hae to do this,” Jean said.

“Aye, I do. My instinct tells me ’twill nae be as simple or easy as Angus thinks,” Annabella responded. “As he would protect me, I must protect him.”

“Trust nae one, and be wary at all times of yer surroundings,” Jean advised.

Annabella nodded. It was good advice, and she knew it.

“There is a path around the village proper. Take the fork to the left when ye reach the crossroads,” Jean said. “On the other side of Duin ye’ll see a stand of trees. Hide yerself there until Angus passes by. Then wait at least a quarter of an hour before ye follow him. There is nae other road he can take until he reaches the Edinburgh Leith road. After that ye should follow more closely, for there will be more traffic and he will nae notice ye amid it. If ye lose him, dinna be fearful. He always goes to the Mermaid in Leith. He’ll seek a vessel there to take him to France.”

Annabella nodded. “I’ll remember,” she said as she mounted her horse. “Thank ye, Jeannie. Watch over my sister and my bairns.”

“I will,” Jean promised.

Following the careful directions Jean had given her, Annabella reached the far side of Duin village and secreted herself in the stand of trees. After a surprisingly short while Angus cantered by. Annabella began counting off the minutes in her head, and when they totaled fifteen she exited the trees and followed the road as instructed. It took several long days to reach Leith, which was the port for Edinburgh.

During much of that time she had to rely on her faith that Angus was ahead of her. She rode until it was dark each night, sheltering where she could, eating her scant rations from the packet she found in her saddlebag. She became more comfortable when they reached the main road to the port and she could keep her husband in her sight amid all the traffic coming and going. But when Angus stopped at an inn, Annabella rode by, afraid to test her disguise amid a taproom of rough males. Instead she asked permission from a farm wife to shelter in the farmer’s barn.

“Why, what pretty manners ye hae, laddie,” the woman said. “Aye. Hae ye anything to eat?”

“Aye, mistress, thank ye,” Annabella said, lowering her voice just slightly.

The farm wife nodded, but later came to the barn with a large slab of fresh bread with cheese. “A lad always needs food, especially one as slender as ye are.”

Annabella thanked the woman for her kindness, eating her offering, saving her own oatcakes for the morning. She did not sleep heavily, afraid of missing Angus when he came riding by. She was up before the dawn, and saddled her mount, watching through the open barn door, feeling relieved to see him go by. Pulling an oatcake from her saddlebag, she mounted up and joined the early morning traffic upon the road. She ate the oatcake as she rode. At a fork in the road she saw a sign pointing in one direction to Edinburgh and in the other toward Leith. She reached the port that afternoon, going directly to the Mermaid to stable her horse. It was by good fortune she overheard her husband speaking with the innkeeper.

“What ships sail for France on the evening tide?” Angus asked.

“Two,” the innkeeper said. “One for Calais and the other for Brest in Brittany. Merchant vessels both, wi’ room for passengers. Which do ye prefer?”

“The ship bound for Brest,” Angus said.

“Captain is in my taproom right now,” the innkeeper said. “Come along, my lord, and I’ll point him out to ye.”

Annabella followed at a discreet distance, watching as her husband booked his passage and paid the captain. When he had completed his business the earl sat down at a table and ordered a good hot dinner. Annabella went to the ship’s captain.

“I should like to book passage on yer vessel bound for Brest,” she said.

“Would ye now, lad?” The captain grinned. “Ye’re a wee bit young to be making such a long voyage. ’Twill be at least ten days.”

“And I’ll probably be sick most of the way,” Annabella said, chortling. “Nonetheless I must get to Brest, sir, though I not be fond of the sea.”

The captain laughed in return. “ ’Twill cost ye a silver piece. Unless ye would prefer to work for yer passage.”

“My mistress would nae like that,” Annabella said, handing him the fare he required of her. “She’s a jealous woman.”

The captain laughed heartily this time. “Ye’re yer lady’s pet, are ye? Yet she sends ye off on some secret errand.” He fingered the silver piece, noting it was unclipped.

“Her husband dallies in France, and she is suspicious that he has taken a mistress for himself there. I am to go and learn the truth of the matter,” Annabella said.

“The lady trusts ye, which is to the good, but yer master will nae thank ye if his wife’s suspicions prove truth,” the captain said.

“He’ll nae ever see me,” Annabella confided, suddenly enjoying her ruse.

“We sail wi’ the tide just after six this evening,” the captain said. “My ship is called the
Gazelle
. That gentleman over there will be sailing wi’ us too.” He pointed to the earl. “Be on time, lad. We’ll nae wait for ye!”

“I’ll be there,” Annabella said. Then, taking the earl’s lead, she found a quiet corner where she could watch Angus. When he got up to leave, she would too.

A serving wench came over to her table. “What will ye be drinking?” she asked.

“Cider, if ye hae it,” Annabella answered, “and some bread and cheese.”

“Cider, is it,” the girl teased. “A fine laddie like yerself?” She leaned down, revealing a pair of very plump breasts.

Annabella swallowed hard, then said, “I’ve nae a head for spirits, and as I am on an important mission for my mistress, I dare not miss sailing on the
Gazelle
this evening.” She chucked the servant beneath the chin with what appeared regretful interest.

The girl giggled. “And I’ll wager the lady gave ye scant coin for yer travels. I’ll see what I can find in the kitchens besides the bread and cheese.” Then she turned about, swinging her hips as she hurried off.

Mother of all mercies
, Annabella thought.
What that poor lass must do to earn her keep. I ne’er really thought about such lasses before.
She turned so that she could not be seen, and reached into her shirt to pull two coppers from her purse, one for the meal and one for the serving wench. Across the room her husband ate a small meal as she surreptitiously watched him. Her own plate came with the bread, the cheese, and a slice of goose. She thanked the barmaid, and then daringly dropping the large copper down between the girl’s breasts.

The wench giggled. “Are ye sure I can’t do anything else for ye, sir?” she tittered, bouncing up and down on her toes so that her big breasts jiggled.

“Nay, nay!” Annabella assured her, feeling her own cheeks grow warm. “Thank ye.” If the lass only knew the truth.

The girl turned away.

Annabella ate the food on her plate quickly. Angus was still seated at his place, sipping from a pewter tankard. When he finally arose she was too fearful of losing sight of him, for she was certain he would go directly to the ship. She didn’t want him catching her, especially before they sailed. He would be furious. He would feel he had to take her back to Duin, and that would delay his quest close to a month. Annabella walked slowly, keeping to the shadows. The street was still busy enough that she would not raise suspicion. Finally she saw a vessel ahead, and across its bow was written in gold letters, THE GAZELLE
.
The earl strode up the gangway.

Annabella waited a few long moments. She could hear her own heart pounding in her ears. Could she do this? Did she dare? But she had to, for every instinct told her that Angus would need her whether he realized it or not. She took a long, deep breath, exhaled, and walked up the gangway of the ship.

A boy of perhaps eleven years of age awaited her as she stepped onto the vessel. “Ye’ll be the lad spying in France for his mistress,” he said. “I’m the ship’s cabin boy. Me da is the captain. Do ye hae a name? Me da dinna say.”

“He never asked me, but ’tis Robert Hamilton,” Annabella replied quickly, combining her father’s name and her mother’s maiden name. “Where am I to shelter?”

“Ye’ll hae to share a space, as we only hae two cabins for passengers,” the cabin boy said. “The captain said ye hae good manners, so he ordered me to put ye in the large cabin. Ye’re fortunate. In the smaller cabin is a French wine merchant and his son. They’ve traveled wi’ us before. I call the older man Master Heave and Blow, for he’ll vomit and fart all the way to Brest. His son will simply vomit and moan until we sight land again. Do ye get seasick?”

“I’ve never been to sea,” Annabella said.

“Dinna drink too much until ye get yer sea legs,” the cabin boy advised. “Yer cabinmate is already on board. He’s a nobleman, he is.”