Telepathy of Hearts (12 page)

The sweet sensual timbre of tone enveloped both the man and the nature he stood in. It was if this maid were a s
i
ren calling to him.
The sound of song resonated deep in him.

Dear lord
,
the charms of her body torment me and this pray,
this
is
the sound of my seduction. Nymph
—
nay siren
,
witch or wolf
—
tame her I must. For live without her I ca
n
not.

Matheus swooned. His body unsteady, his long loins fa
l
tered.

Whoa. T
is me, not the ground that is unsteady
.

Matheus stumbled, h
is boots heavy upon the ground. The sound of breaking twigs
,
with a life of its own
,
reve
r
berated out across the lake.

Eleanor
—
still comb
ing her hair and r
unning her fingers through the length of her glorious golden tresses
—s
topped
.
S
tartled, she turned to face the direction of the sound. The last of the winter light illuminated her pale skin. The play of light danced upon it as if it w
ere fashioned of
pearl. The warm, golden tone of the dipping sun kissed the horizon a
l
most level against th
e lake, making an aurora frame, l
ighting her face as if she had a halo.

The singing stopped. Her voice
quiet
ed.
Concern dar
k
ened her expression. Doe eyes glittering between amber and green search
ed
the lakeside for a figure.

“Who is there?
Pray show yourself.
”

Matheus watched her slip down into the lake. Leaving only her head and shoulders visible, she continued to search the lakeside and question who had noticed her.

Enveloped by her song and inflamed by her body, he wished he could stay there forever. But he had noticed the alarm in her voice. Walking out from the camouflage of the low boughs, Matheus spoke loudly and clearly as he revealed himself.
“It may
be to my eternal damnation, if only for the thought of it, but there are things I would do to you
,
Eleanor of Lancaster
,
right here and now to sate the hellish desire you have urged in me. God help me, for I have to find the strength to rein in what you are awakening in me until you are mine.
” He stood with his hands on his hips, a slight smirk upon his lips

“Do not speak to me so. Turn around and stay that way. I will come to the edge. Stay facing away from me. Then hand me my clothes.
” She was staring right at him as she gave Matheus instruction.

“My Lady,
if
I was used to taking orders, I would be a foot soldier
,
not one of the King
's knights and more likely answer to errand boy not Earl. And, my dear Lady, it would be more likely that this knight who stands before you as the jailor of your clothes would take instruction from th
e devil himself before you. A
nd I would see myself in hell before I did so.
”

Picking up some smooth stones. Matheus began to skim them across the water
and continued.
“Now if you say
please, my lord
in the sweet manner that is fitting for you to speak to me as your husband-
to-
be, I may turn my back and allow you your clothes. I am a patient man. I have sat and waited for my quarry to tire when I have hunted for many hours
—days even.
”

Matheus had a grin on his face. He laughed.
“You ho
w
ever
,
my Lady, well let me see
—from my experience you are quite impatient, nay very impatient. The water is cold, the wind is picking up. The eve is fast coming upon us, so there lies your predicament.
”

Eleanor screamed at him.
“You are a beast. Now turn your back.
”

Matheus ignored her. Dropping from his standing pos
i
tion he lay down. His hands behind his head. Looking up at the sky, humming a rhyme, he yawned a little as he settled himself and closed his eyes.

“
Please,
” she whispered, her head straining to see him without leaving the water
's protection and revealing her charms.

“I
'm sorry, did you speak
, my dear Lady?
P
ray speak louder
,
for I cannot hear you
,
” Matheus replied, struggling to subdue his laughter.

“
Please
,
my lord.
” She sobbed her reply.

The sound of her cries stirred him still further, the coil of his groin responding to the soft sound. Matheus su
c
cumbed to her tears and rose up.
Picking her clothes up, he took them to the edge of the lake, just shy of the water, and lifted his face to look at hers.

Eleanor
's big eyes blinked back
,
starry with tears. Her nose had turned red with cold and her skin still paler. Little ripples surrounded her as she agitated the water, trembling as the chill went right through into her bones. Tears rolled down her cheeks
and
she pouted
.

Oh priest
's bones, that
pout.
His heart awakened to the vision of vulnerability his eyes were enjoying and pounded his ribcage, begging to be let free to fly. It was challenging yet powerful to view her suffering as she cried. Try as he might
,
not to let Eleanor take a piece of his heart, it was to little avail; this was a battle he feared
already lost.

Speaking softly, he shook his head in bewilderment.
“Jesus, woman, for this day you are wrecking me.
” Then, whistling loudly, Matheus turned his back.

His destrier raised his head and whinnied. Hooves cla
t
tered on the pebbles as Matheus
's mount cantered to its ma
s
ter
's side. Opening the pack on his saddle, he pulled out a wool blanket.
Patting his horse on the back he signalled the horse was free to wander back up the water
's edge towards some grass.
“If only my Lady, you did my bidding with as much good grace as Simon. Now I will bring your clothes and this blanket. I will turn my back on you. I give you my word I will not turn and take in the naked sight of you. I have enjoyed a little taste of what treasures await me. The full pleasure will be a gift revealed to me on our wedding night.
”

From the lake came the sound of a loud intake of breath as he spoke. Funny. For a maid who had risked skinny di
p
ping alone, why was she was so afraid of her deflowering? And quite wickedly, he delighted a little in her reaction and laughed.

“Will I be rewarded with a pat on the back, sir?
” she quipped.

Matheus smiled.
“My dear Lady
,
if you are as compliant as Simon I will even give you an apple.
”

It was good to hear her so agreeable. Feelings of prote
c
tiveness overwhelmed him as his body smiled in recognition.
Perhaps she was more willing than wild after all.

Eleanor stepped from the water. With only the sound of her steps, Matheus imagined what a wondrous sight it would be.
Dripping wet and naked, her harvest hair cascading down her back. OH and that skin, the smell of her.
Priest
's bones
,
what would she taste like?

Fearing he was dwelling a little too long on
Eleanor
's
obvious charms, he requested.
“Are you dressed
yet
, my L
a
dy?
”

There was no reply. Not even the sound of her breathing as she shivered in the cold. Eleanor was silent.

“
Come now
,
my Lady, you will catch your death.
Pray
,
are you dressed?
”

Matheus shook his head, rolled his eyes and sighed, re
c
ognising the sound of light feet on pebbles. Turning to watch, he did not stir to catch her. His eyes followed her up the water line, with nothing but her chemise upon her back. Eleanor was running up the water
's edge with such a desire to flee, it was as if the devil himself had designs to catch her.

Turning her head over her shoulder
,
she look
ed
straight at Matheus, with quite an unholy expression of glee. From under a fringe of willow-
coloured lashes
,
her bright hazel eyes glittered green
in delight
at her deception.

It was fair to say Eleanor was pretty proud of herself and she flushed a little with self-
admiration.

Matheus met her gaze, watching with interest as she mounted his destrier. Laughing to himself as he enjoyed the wicked expression of glee that had spread across her face.

Oh mistress
,
I have never failed to break a filly yet, and you will be quite a delightful challenge. The best are always the ones
who
buck
at the onset
.

Eleanor
's self-
satisfaction appeared to be short-
lived
,
f
or as she kicked the horse
,
he stood steadfast. Almost as if tethered.
“Move for pity
's sake, Simon move,
” she hollered, kicking the ribs of the beast with all her worth
, but
to no avail.