The Mermaid's Knight (9 page)

Royce ignored him, focusing on Leah. She held the nearly empty goblet between them like a shield until he plucked it from her fingers and leaned closer. “Keep doing that, lady, and you’ll find yourself in my bed tonight.” His voice was husky as he reached over and rubbed his thumb against her wet lower lip.

Feeling brave – and a bit tipsy – Leah shivered at the feeling of power his attentions gave her. She felt beautiful, eminently desirable – like the most gorgeous woman in the room. Heck, in the world. His thumb caressed her lip, doing marvelous things to her nerves, and she opened her mouth a little and bit the tip of it suggestively.

“My lord,” the page said again, plaintively. “We have visitors.” His voice broke. “From court.”

Silence descended on the room.

To Leah’s surprise, Royce shot away from her as if he’d been stung, his head whipping around. His eyes seemed fixed on something at the far end of the room, and Leah’s gaze followed his.

A woman stood at the far end of the great hall, dressed in vivid red, her pale golden hair pulled back into an elaborate braided coronet. She was beautiful, with a sweet face and a dainty figure. A thick golden necklace dominated her throat, and the suggestive belt at her hips was not gold cord, but golden links.

Leah immediately felt underdressed.

“Lord Royce,” the woman said, her voice sweet and shrill all at once. “Will you not come and greet your bride?”

His bride?

Royce was married?

She looked up at him in shock, hurt spiraling through her. Just when she’d relaxed her guard with the man…

He wasn’t looking at her anymore. Instead, his entire body radiated tension as he stood and crossed the room to the delicate beauty. “Lady Matilda. I had no idea that you were to be coming out to Northcliffe so soon.”

His voice was just as stiff as his posture, Leah noted. Gone was the teasing affection and smoldering sensuality. In its place was the curt, efficient warlord.

“I insisted on seeing
our
castle once I’d heard you were successful in retaking it.” Matilda’s voice was imperious as she placed her hand in his outstretched one and picked up her

skirts with an elegant, pale hand. “I had no idea that it would be quite so grand… or that you had set up your whore in my place of honor.”

Leah’s face burned. She stood, shoving her chair out abruptly and stepping away from the table. Escape was the only thought on her mind – escape from the staring eyes, the judgmental looks of the beautiful woman, and escape from her own heartache.

A hand stopped her, grabbed her arm. She looked down and saw a red sleeve, embroidered with golden thread. Silk, her brain noted. Leah looked up and stared into the face of Lady Matilda. The woman’s pretty features were twisted into a scowl. “How dare you,” she hissed. “Who do you think you are, to take my place?” When Leah remained silent, the woman’s grip on her arm became painful. “Answer me!”

Leah stared at her mutely and shook her head. As she watched, the woman’s hand reached back, ready to strike.

The hand was stopped mid-swing by Royce himself. He clenched Lady Matilda’s hand in his own, and gave her a tight smile. “That is not your right, my lady.” Immediately, Matilda’s voice changed to a soft whine. “I am terribly sorry, my lord. I was just upset by the sight of her.” Fat tears rolled out of her blue eyes, and she turned and buried her face against his tunic, sobbing prettily.

Stunned, Leah could only watch as Royce hesitantly patted the woman on the back. What was happening? Why hadn’t he mentioned that he was engaged to this horrible witch of a woman? Tears welled up in her eyes and she fled the room, humiliated.

Her skirts tangled about her legs as she ran, hampering her progress. The castle inhabitants ignored her as she dashed through the halls, heading back to her room. It was when

she turned down the wrong hallway for the third time that Leah realized she’d become lost in the maze of castle hallways and sank against one of the stone walls, tears sliding down her cheeks.

‘Hurt’ wasn’t the best word to use. Oh no. It went so much deeper than that. Humiliated.

Disappointed. Pissed. Out-and-out furious at Royce for leading her on. He’d teased her, caressed her lip, whispered sweet nothings in her ear, and she’d sat there and giggled like a fool. Leah closed her eyes, miserable.

“Leah,” Royce said softly against her ear, his hands sliding over her shoulders.

Startled, Leah jerked away. The last thing she wanted was to be touched by a jerk like him. Her anger found an outlet when she smacked her hands against his chest, over and over again.

Clasping her hands in his, he pulled her close to him. “I’m sorry, Leah. I had no idea that she was coming tonight.”

Not ‘I’m sorry I didn’t tell you’. She stiffened against him and tried to jerk away.

“Matilda de Beaumanoir is not my betrothed,” he explained, looking down into her furious face. “Her father wants to merge his lands with mine, and she has great wealth. No contracts have been signed. I haven’t yet decided if we will marry.” Gee, how
kind
of him. Leah tried to pull away. He wouldn’t let her. His hard, massive frame held her own slender one against his, one hand stroking her hair to soothe her. “It doesn’t change anything, Leah,” he said, and she could hear his voice rumble in his chest. “You’re still mine. I won’t allow Matilda to hurt you, but make no mistake – I will have you. A wife and a mistress are two different things entirely.”

She pulled back to hit him in the face with her fist, fury and anger taking hold of common sense. He grabbed her hand, and she stared up at him, all her emotions swimming in her eyes.

Damn him for being attractive to her.

His mouth descended on hers and they kissed.

It wasn’t a soft kiss or a tender kiss. It was a conquering kiss that made Leah’s toes curl in her pointed shoes and made her blatantly aware that she belonged to him. His mouth pressed against hers, his lips insistent, and she felt his tongue slide along the seam of her surprised mouth.

Frozen for a moment, she hesitated, then opened her mouth and his tongue touched her own. She nearly lost control of her knees then, and leaned into him. He was devouring her with his mouth, and the world didn’t exist outside his touch and kiss. Her nostrils filled with the scent of him – thick and masculine, and he tasted like the spiced wine she’d been drinking.

He tasted wonderful, and Leah melted against him, giving in to the kiss.

He must have sensed her acquiescence, because he groaned into her mouth, and then his hands pulled her toward him, hips against his own. “Say you’ll come to me tonight.” It was like a splash of cold water against her face.

Leah jerked away from him, tearing her lips away from his wonderful kiss. How dare he try and placate her with kisses? As if it would make Matilda go away?

She shook her head at him and pushed him away. He let her go this time, which surprised and disappointed Leah all at once. She turned and ran.

#

Muffin was not at the beach that evening.

Leah swam just enough to ease the ache in her legs, then dressed in her shift. She sat alone on a nearby rock, watching the waves crash against the pebbly shoreline. Her mind was awash with thoughts of Royce. His kiss, the way he’d held her against him. Her lips could almost taste the memory of his.

But she couldn’t forget that the hateful Matilda had called her a whore in front of everyone. Matilda, with the pretty face and beautiful gowns and who had everything Leah wanted.

Like a life.

Like Royce.

Her cheeks flushed at the thought. Did she really want Royce, or was she just falling prey to Muffin’s schemes? Sometimes she wondered, but then she’d think back to the tender way he held her, or the way he kissed the inside of her palm. His thick, callused hands were always careful with her, and his eyes held a special look for her alone.

Leah sighed. Like it or not, she couldn’t claim it was all entirely Muffin’s doing anymore.

Which was why the betrayal stung so much. Tears pricked at her eyes again, and she dashed them away, angry at herself for moping and crying. It never solved anything, and she didn’t have the time to waste feeling sorry for herself. She tilted her head and stared up at the cliffs where Northcliffe castle rested high atop the crags.

A shadow moved between the rocks.

Leah froze and turned that direction, squinting and trying to make out the small movement. What was it? A wild animal? A spy? Royce? If he caught her out here on the beach…

Cautiously, she tossed her loose kirtle over her shift and pushed her wet hair off of her face, heading slowly for the rocks to investigate. She was barefoot, and her hands clasped her skirts high above her ankles, just in case she needed to run.

“Yoo hoo, Leah!” A cheerful, familiar voice called from just down the opposite side of the beach. “How are you, my dear? What’s with the long face?” Leah turned away, glancing over at Muffin with a puzzled frown. “I… I thought I heard something.” She touched a hand to her throat, realizing she could speak. “I suppose it was nothing.”

Muffin patted Leah’s arm absentmindedly. “Of course it is, dear. Nobody wanders around on the beach at night except me and you.” The woman was dressed in a bright pink fluffy bathrobe and slippers.

“And men about to storm a castle,” Leah added dryly.

The fairy godmother tittered at Leah’s joke. “True indeed! How are you, my dear? How is everything going?”

Leah’s jaw clenched at the question. “Did you know the bastard was engaged?” Muffin blinked up at her. “I thought the contracts weren’t signed?” Was everyone on a different page than her? Leah frowned down at the diminutive woman. “It doesn’t matter if they’re signed or not – that horrible woman is here and she’s…

she’s messing up everything!”

“Everything? Everything like what?”

Everything like Royce kissing her
, she wanted to blurt out. Everything in her fragile new life that she was starting to become accustomed to.

“I see,” Muffin said. “So you’re just going to give up now?”

Her brows drew together as she stared down at the fairy godmother. “Of course not. I’m going to have to win him away from that bitch.”

Muffin cackled, a loud, delighted laugh of glee. “That’s the spirit, my girl! I knew there was a spitfire behind those big green eyes of yours. All it took was a little waking up.” Gleefully, she rubbed her hands together and sat down on a nearby rock. “So what’s the plan?”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” Leah confessed. “If she’s going to be around all the time… I don’t know what to do.”

“You make her look bad,” Muffin said. “You smile and you act pretty and you bat your eyes at him.” She demonstrated, flittering long, fake eyelashes at Leah. “And when he’s panting at your skirts, she’ll look like an even bigger shrew.” Leah mulled it over in her head. It did sound rather simple. “But I can’t talk to him…

how do I get his attention?”

“You really have to ask that?” Muffin hitched up her robe and fluffed her bosom.

“You’re a woman, aren’t you?”

A woman that wanted to die of embarrassment at being taught seduction by an eighty-year-old fairy godmother, but a woman nevertheless. “Uh, I don’t think that gives me a leg up on her. Last time I checked, she was a woman too.”

Muffin toyed with one of her springy curls and fluttered her eyelashes. “I think you know what I mean.”

This was getting weird. “I’ll give it my best.”

Chapter Eleven

The next morning, she set her plan in motion.

Shortly after Leah woke, Ginny arrived with a tray for breakfast and a grim look on her face. “I’m glad you’re up, mistress.” She glanced at the door behind her and frowned. “A certain lady instructed that I should not bring you a tray, but force you to go and dine in the kitchen with the rest of the… staff.” The girl’s voice strangled on the last word. “I couldn’t do that though, mistress. It’s just too cruel, and you’ve been so nice to me.” That was loyal of Ginny, and Leah’s heart warmed.

“Besides, he doesn’t look at her the same way he looks at you. Like he wants to take you into dark corners and kiss you.” Ginny whispered the scandalous words. “It’s the talk of the keep, the way he eyes you.”

Talk like that made Leah’s cheeks burn, but it also brought a smile to her face.

“Come, let me help you dress.” Ginny set down the breakfast tray and bustled over to her side. After Ginny had laced her into the green dress, she braided Leah’s hair into one long, fat braid. Then, Ginny handed her a white square of cloth and helped Leah tied it under her chin –

this must be the wimple-thing she’d mentioned before. It felt odd to wear, but the servingmaid made approving noises in her throat.

Leah hadn’t taken more than a few bites of her breakfast when Ginny wrung her hands impatiently. “Hurry, my lady, or we’ll be late. Father Andrew insisted you should be there this morning, if you were up to it.”

Late? Late for what?

This was one of those times that Leah really wished for her voice. Cramming a decidedly unladylike portion into her mouth, she followed behind the servant down the maze of corridors in the castle.

Much to her surprise, Ginny led her through the castle, across the courtyard, and into a small stone building on the far end of the castle. All heads turned when she entered, and she noticed Father Andrew standing at the front of the room, standing before an ornate cross. The women’s heads were covered, the same as her own, and their hands clasped at their breasts. The men were neatly groomed, and she noticed Royce had shaved.

Church. Mass. Of course. Today must be Sunday.

Father Andrew looked up and his lips pulled down in a slight frown. Leah felt like a jerk for interrupting mass, and crossed herself quickly, moving to the back of the room and bowing her head in prayer. The priest resumed after a brief moment of silence, beginning to recite in Latin once more. The crowd murmured the appropriate responses and Leah had to settle for crossing herself in response.

Leah found her attention wandering the room as the priest delivered his sermon. No benches or pews adorned the small chapel, which she thought was odd, and it didn’t help her legs much when the priest continued to drone on and on. The familiar mermaid ache began to flow up her legs, and she bit her lip, hoping for the service to be over soon. As her gaze focused in on the front of the room, she noticed Royce’s bent head was turned toward her. So he was watching her? Leah straightened a little and assumed her most pious expression.