Kiss of the Dragon (34 page)

Whose jealousy knew no bound.

It was evil’s ambition to send the Fair Maid to ground.

And if she refused not go of her own accord,

Then hers was a lonely existence in a tower behind locked
door.

The design was made and the trap was laid,

With no escape in sight for the Knight or the Fair Maid.

Bianca slept so soundly that she did not realize she had been
left alone in the big bed until the light tapping at her door broke through her
dreams. She awoke from her deep slumber and stretched her arms out, realizing
the space beside her was empty. She opened her eyes and stared at the
indentation in the mattress and sighed with disappointment that Draco had left
her so soon. But a moment later, she was grateful he was not there.

“Bianca. Are you awake?” The voice on the other side of the
door called quietly after an insistent amount of knocking. It was Modesta.
“Open the door, Bianca. Let us in.” Bianca thought about pulling the covers
over her head and ignoring her cousin’s early morning intrusion but at
Modesta’s persistent knocking, she gave a deep sigh and threw back the bed
covers.

It was then that she realized that she was naked. A rosy
blush stole over her entire body as she thought back to the wondrous night she
had spent in Draco’s arms. His ardent lovemaking still left certain parts of
her body tingling and she groaned at the aches as she moved off the bed.
Another knock on the door had her hurrying to retrieve her nightdress, which
she slipped over her head, thrusting her arms into the sleeves. She glanced at
her mirror as she moved by it to see if her appearance had somehow changed
after a night of passionate lovemaking but her reflection showed only a
rosy-cheeked maiden with unruly locks flowing about her shoulders. She thrust
her hands through her hair to give it some semblance before she padded across
the room and opened the door.

Bianca was somewhat surprised to find not only Modesta but
also Veryalda waiting impatiently for her to bid them enter. At the knowing
grin on her grandmother’s face Bianca’s blush deepened noticeably. The older
woman swept her from head to toe with a shrewd eye and nodded in satisfaction.
It was not until then that Bianca realized that spending the night with Draco
was no longer a secret.

It was apparent that at least one other person knew about
it. Veryalda with all her dark, mystic means had knowledge that Bianca had not
spent the night alone. Indeed Veryalda acted as if she had expected nothing
less. But of course, there was always the chance that one of the servants had
found out about the lovers’ tryst and the shocking tidings now buzzed about the
castle, going from ear to ear that the Lady Bianca had taken a lover to her
bed. The thought that her indiscretion could be public knowledge drained the
color from her cheeks. She stepped back to let the two women into her
bedchamber, closing the door after them.

“I suppose I am the talk of the castle.”

“Of course you are, my dear. You are the Beauty de Neige,”
Veryalda chortled. A sound that was very odd coming from one so old, but it was
a joyous sound that echoed about the room and only escalated as Veryalda
watched Bianca’s face turn from white to a lovely shade of deep crimson.

“Oh, good Lord! You cannot mean it! What am I to do? I will
never be able to face anyone in Castle Neige again, least of all Draco.”

“Why is that, dear?” Modesta asked.

“What?”

“Why would you not be able to face anyone?” Modesta
reiterated.

“Because of what happened…last night.” Bianca’s words came
to a slow halt as she noticed the questioning look on Modesta’s innocent face.
What was going on here? She glanced at her grandmother and noticed the devilish
twinkle in her eyes.

“Something happened last night?”

Bianca made an impatient noise as she sat down on the side
of her bed and then fell backward drawing the bedcovers over her face. A
muffled answer was all that was discernible.

“Excuse me, dear. My ears are simply not as good as they use
to be. What did you say?”

Bianca lowered the bedcovers and glared at her grandmother.
She glanced at Modesta and then back to the older woman giving her a pleading
look that was supposed to remind Veryalda that the younger woman was also in
the room and that Bianca was uncomfortable about revealing her night activities
to her innocent cousin.

“You know very well what happened last night.”

“Yea. But so far I am the only one.”

“But you said I was the talk of the castle this morn,”
Bianca accused coming out from underneath the covers once again.

“And you are, dear. Just as you have been every day from the
day you were born, and will be until you are dead. And probably not even then
will the gossips’ lips stop wagging about you.”

“Oh, you! You are a terrible old tease,” Bianca scolded. Her
grandmother’s calculating look had her blushing anew. But it was evident that
Veryalda had no intention of demanding the details about last night, at least
not at the moment. “We will talk later on your behavior, young lady.”

But she had not reckoned with Modesta’s intuition.

“You regret what happened between you and Lord Draco, then?”
At the young maiden’s outrageous question both Bianca and Veryalda turned and
stared at her. Modesta did no more than blush prettily as she forged on. “I am
not as innocent as you would like to believe, cousin. I too have tasted the
sweet pleasures of being in love.”

Modesta’s face turned the most brilliant red at her
admission. And at Bianca’s skeptical expression, she continued, “It is true.
Lord Charles is a very admirable lover. His kisses literally take my breath
away.” Her ingenuous notion of lovemaking was truly naive and it proved that
Lord Charles courted Modesta with gentleness and patience.

“No!” Bianca exclaimed fervently. “I am not ashamed of what
has transpired between us. But I do not want to brave the sense of outraged
righteousness of others either. I know it is too much to ask, but I want my
life to be my own. I want to experience delight at the tenderness that has
grown between Draco and me, for the joy and pleasure he has given me. Is that
so wrong?” Bianca lifted one hand to wipe away the wetness that covered her
cheeks as her emotions threatened to swamp her.

“Do you understand that I want Draco to be mine
forevermore?” Her whispered plea for comprehension brought a sob from Modesta
who rushed to her side and wrapped her arms about her shoulders. “Oh God, I
want him to love me as much as I love him! I want to hear the words from his
lips that Draco loves me above all else so that I might share my feelings
instead of holding back the words. I want to be able to tell him that I love
him and know that he will not look upon me with disdain, and turn from me.” She
turned her tear-stained face to her grandmother, her eyes begging for assurance
that she knew no one could give her.

“No, my child. No.” Veryalda had moved across the room and
sat down beside Bianca. She gathered her granddaughter in her arms and tried to
comfort her. But her words were not very reassuring. “I understand perfectly
well what you want, Bianca, but what we want from life is not always what we
are granted. And unfortunately you cannot expect to have your way in this
without mutual acceptance. Because of your position in society, certain rules
and traditions bind you.

“And Lord Draco understands this. He does not see himself as
good enough for you. He is after all, a bastard first and foremost, and that
makes him unworthy in the aristocracy no matter that he is the king’s champion.
It would behoove him to take you as his wife for your wealth and beauty but he
is a man of great integrity and he will not saddle you with one so disdained.
In your choice of mate, you are bound to select a nobleman who is acceptable to
your social milieu.”

“No!” Before Bianca could protest further, Veryalda placed a
finger to her lips. “I did not say that I agreed with these conditions, but you
have to make a choice that you can live with for the rest of your life. Choose
wisely, my dear.”

It was suddenly apparent that to her that her grandmother
was pleased with the turn of events. In fact, it suddenly occurred to Bianca
that was the reason the old woman had come up to her room. She had come to let
her know that she supported whatever the younger woman decided on the matter of
the Black Dragon and her claim to keep him.

It took Bianca only a moment to decide. She smiled at her
grandmother’s words and turned then to glance at Modesta who sat at her side
giving her comfort and support by just being there. Her cousin had covered her
mouth with her small, slender hands and there were tears in her eyes. It was
evident that she was upset and trying not to interrupt.

“Worry not, cousin. I know what I must do.” She stood
resolutely and turned to face the two women who sat on her bed watching her
expectantly. And her courage wavered.

“I love him so much, grandmother. What if I cannot hold him?
What if he simply rides away in two days’ time?”

“He is a hard man to read, my child, a man who has been
stung by past indifference and coldness when he offered himself and all that he
was. His uncertainty in his adequacy is understandable. The Black Dragon guards
his heart well. He may need a bit of a push before he declares his true
feelings.”

“Do you propose that I tell him how I feel?” Bianca wanted
to know.

Veryalda gave her a long, soul-searching look and then
slowly nodded her head.

“But what if he does not love me?”

“Then he does not love you. You cannot force a man to love,
just as you cannot force a bird to sing, or a fish to take the hook.”

“I suppose you are right.”

“Of course I am, Bianca. Now get yourself dressed before the
gossips talk about what a slug-a-bed you have become and everyone starts to
wonder about it.” A sly wink followed her witticism.

* * * * *

Draco was fast becoming irritated. He had come to the Rom
encampment hoping to speak with Veryalda but when they had arrived in the early
hours of the morning, she was nowhere to be found. The only information he
could get from one of the younger men was that she had gone on an errand and
had not yet returned. Upon hearing that news, he had had thoughts of pursuing
his quest to find Jabulani by questioning the man about the giant but he did
not think he would get an honest answer.

Draco would wait for the old gypsy woman. He knew she would
not give him the information he wanted without a little persuasion, but he
trusted that whatever she told him would be the truth. Draco was not so certain
that the rest of the community would be so inclined to help him. Bianca’s
grandmother would be more forthcoming, knowing that her granddaughter’s
happiness was at stake.

They had made the early morning journey to the north woods
just as the east began to grow light. As a cover, they had let it be known that
they had come seeking the old healer. But now that their alibi had fled the
encampment, they had to think up another reason to remain. It had been Cynric’s
pleasure to offer a motive even if it meant that he had to sacrifice himself.
After a few terse words about self-discipline and restraint, Draco gave his
young brother leave to visit a sloe-eyed young beauty in her wagon for a short
interlude of pleasure. That had been a while ago and Draco began to wonder if
the boy would ever slake his youthful lust.

As he stood waiting impatiently, a young boy appeared with
the offering of a steaming cup of refreshment, which he accepted. As he watched
the youngster run back across the camp, he found that the drink had been sent
to attract his attention. He watched as a woman patted the boy who delivered
his drink on the head and sent him on his way. Having disposed of the child,
she turned and smiled enticingly at Draco. Her sultry eyes moved over his tall,
broad form with appreciation giving him the impression that she was mentally
undressing him as she perused him from head to toe. It was apparent that she
expected him to follow his brother’s manner. With a come-hither look, she swept
her skirt up high as she stepped up into her wagon showing a goodly amount of
leg as she did so. She paused long enough to wriggle her finger in his
direction. Draco smiled slightly at the obvious invitation. He lifted the cup
in a small salute of thanks but shook his head in answer. There was a look of
disappointment, but then she shrugged her shoulders and disappeared inside.

As Draco sipped the drink slowly, savoring the delicious
taste, he perused the rest of encampment in detail. He searched for anything
out of the ordinary.

“Perhaps, m’lord, you would like a little of what the young
one is getting.”

The sultry purr drifted his direction on the morning breeze
accompanied by the scent of exotic perfume. Draco knew before he turned who had
come up behind his back. And for a moment, he thought about fleeing back to the
castle and leaving Cynric to find his way back alone. Draco knew from
experience there was nothing more dangerous than a hungry woman on the prowl
for an unwilling man. It would serve the young pup right to be left to the
wiles of a greedy tigress.

“I did not come here to indulge myself in physical pleasure.
My brother is young and insatiable in lust. I am here to keep him out of
trouble,” Draco replied, keeping his voice even. He was not about to give away
his real reason for being there. If Veryalda did not return soon, he would be
dragging Cynric from his lover’s wagon and they would be riding out as fast as
their mounts could move.

Now he had this seductive creature making a move for his
attentions and he had no desire to accommodate her. Fortunately, he did not
find her at all desirable. Something about her reminded him of Deidre. As a
young man, inexperienced in the ways of women, he had believed himself to be in
love with just such a cold-hearted little bitch as the one standing beside him.
He’d learned his mistake in a most painful manner when she had thrown his love
in his scarred face, shrieking her horror and disgust. Deidre had shown him
just how shallow and conceited a woman could be.