A Year & a Day (26 page)

"Really? That seems like an unnecessary expense for my lord with her belly expanding every day."

"Well, that's the only reason he handfasted her, so she would breed." Kate couldn't disguise her envy.

"Do you know if plans are being made for a wedding?"

"Nay, none that I know of, but my lord did promise to wed her if she conceived."

That's the only hold the little slut has on him, Alicia thought. Eliminate the child and you eliminate the wedding!

*

Just after sunup, almost two hundred men left for the two-day hunt. Jane watched from her tower window, wondering if she had done the right thing in refusing to marry Lynx. He had not come to her chambers last night, and though he had sat next to her in the hall, he had been polite but aloof. When the mood took him, Lynx deWarenne could be cold and remote. She'd missed the warmth she knew he was capable of showing.

After breakfast, the sewing woman brought all the dresses she had made for Jane. When she received more praise than she had ever heard in her life, the woman was suddenly mollified over the extravagance of the garments.

"Thank you, I never dreamed I would ever have such lovely clothes."

"An' why shouldn't a Scots lass be dressed as pretty as the English?"

When she was alone, Jane couldn't resist trying on every one of them. Until lately, clothes had meant nothing to her. Now she realized they were one of women's greatest pleasures. When she tried on the white silk, she was enchanted with her appearance. Nothing she had ever worn contrasted so dramatically with her long red-gold hair. White was sinfully impractical, but it made her feel like a goddess.

Jane was so absorbed in her lovely new clothes, she had no idea that Robert Bruce had ridden in.

She finally tore herself from the mirror and hung all of her new garments in the wardrobe. Jane couldn't resist showing Jory how she looked in the delicate white silk, so she decided to return the gowns Marjory had lent her.

When Jane arrived at Jory's tower room, she wasn't there. Jane suddenly remembered the plan to go hawking and concluded Jory was probably at the stables. As she was hanging the gowns in the wardrobe, she heard the deep voice of a man and recognized immediately that it was the Bruce. She also heard Jory's provocative laugh.

"I'm going to make love to you until Lynx returns," Robert Bruce declared passionately.

Jane's jaw dropped open. She quickly climbed into the wardrobe and pulled the door half-closed behind her. She could see the couple plainly in the mirror on the other door of the wardrobe. Jane closed her eyes and prayed that they would soon leave. She could not close her ears, however.

"Where is your sense of honor, sir, to take advantage of me in my brother's absence?" Jory purred.

"I have no sense of honor, and that enhances all my other senses," Robert warned intensely.

They stopped talking, but Jane could hear rustling. She opened her eyes and was stunned to see them both naked. She watched, mesmerized as Robert lifted Jory high and let her slide down his body.

Then they went wild.

The things the Bruce did to Jory aroused her until she was panting and scratching and biting him.

Jory slithered to the floor and Robert mounted her, unleashing all the sexual energy that had been dammed up inside him since they'd last touched.

Jane watched in shocked fascination as he arched and spent himself. But, as if he'd never have enough of the delicate beauty beneath him, he went on his knees, thrust his dark head between her legs, and began making love to her with his mouth. Jane could not believe what she was witnessing. She had a dizzying sense that this couldn't really be happening.

Marjory began to writhe and cry out her pleasure, becoming so splendidly uninhibited that she arched hermons into his demanding mouth, threading her fingers into his hair to hold him close for the ravishing. Dear God in heaven, would they never be finished? Jane wondered frantically. Finally, Jory screamed and clung to him as if she were about to die. They lay still, catching their breath, looking into each other's eyes.

Jane heaved a sigh of relief as she saw Robert get to his feet, but her mouth gaped open as she watched him liftJory in his arms and carry her tothe bed. They whispered and murmured 198

love words and endearments so intimate, Jane knew that they had been lovers for some time. They made love so tenderly, it seemed a sacrilege to watch and listen. Lovemaking such as theirs demanded privacy.

Jane crouched in the wardrobe, her emotions so entangled she began to tremble. Marjory draped herself in a sheet as she watched her lover dress. Before he departed, he gave her a swift kiss and murmured, "I'm staying the night."

Jane had a cramp in her back and could remain still no longer. When she reached behind her to rub it, her elbow hit the wardrobe. Jory flung open the door with a cry of outrage. "My God, what are you doing in there?"

"I wasn't spying, Jory. I brought back the dresses you lent me, I recognized the Bruce's voice when he said he was going to make love to you . . . and I hid." Jane stepped from the wardrobe looking pale and upset.

"Oh, Jane, Janie . . . I've shocked you!"

Marjory led the trembling girl to the bed. Her mind darted about like quicksilver, trying to recall the things she and Robert had done. Jane was so unworldly and innocent, she must be deeply shocked by the things they'd done. "I'm sorry, Jane, please don't be upset. I know the things we did must seem wicked to you, but you must understand this is what lovers do."

"Oh, Jory," Jane whispered huskily, "what you have with Robert . . . that's what I want with Lynx."

Jory's legs turned to water and she sank down on a stool. "Oh, darling, we are mad in love with each other."

"Yes," Jane said dreamily.

"A passion like ours is rare. I didn't have it in my marriage, though I loved my husband," Jory tried to explain.

"I want Lynx to love me," Jane said wistfully.

"He has never been in love; he told me so himself."

"But he was married."

"Marriage doesn't guarantee love, Jane. In fact it is very

often the death knell to love. Most married couples merely tolerate each other."

Jane thought of her brothers' and sisters' marriages and knew there was truth in what Marjory said. "I don't show it, but on the inside, I feeljust as passionately about everything as you do." As she spoke, Jane caressed her baby with loving hands.

"Well, I don't think it's hopeless. Lynx already loves his child and is passionately protective of it."

"Once I have the baby, he won't notice me anymore."

Suddenly Jory knew she had to redouble her efforts to make Jane so desirable, Lynx wouldn't be able to resist her. "You'll have to learn how to attract a man's attention. Let him see some of the passion you feel inside. Refuse to be ignored. Think of yourself as the Chatelaine of Dumfries. Put yourself in charge here. Let Lynx see your fine hand in everything."

Jane smiled. "I'll storm the castle."

"Actually, that's not a bad idea. Think of it in terms of a military campaign. You not only want the castle, you want to capture its lord. Don't settle for anything less than unconditional surrender! You'll need men to practice on and who better than the Bruces?"

"Are they all here?" Jane blushed to the roots of her hair.

"Robert brought two of his brothers. We'll recruit them."

"Jory!" Jane protested.

"Robert will enjoy making Lynx jealous and it will throw the scent off he and I being lovers. It's a secret you alone share, Jane."

"I won't give you away, I promise."

"Let me get dressed and we'll meet downstairs. I suggest you save that exquisite white silk for Lynx's return from the hunt tomorrow eve."

******************

He looked down at his daughter dressed in brilliant turquoise. "Ye look very grand today, lassie."

"I need your help. I must learn to be the Chatelaine of Dumfries and I want to do it well, not just adequately. How shall I address you? I cannot call you Jock."

"Ye will address me as 'steward'and I will address ye as 'Lady Jane.'"

"Very well. Since we are entertaining the Bruces, what do you plan on serving for dinner?"

With twinkling eyes he listed what was on the menu, though he did it with every formality.

Jane considered, then made a couple of suggestions of her own, purely for the practice.

"That sounds excellent, Lady Jane." He bowed and was about to continue to the kitchens when she said, "And, steward, I was not informed when the Bruces arrived, as I ought to have been."

"An oversight on my part, Lady Jane."

"Please see that it doesn't happen again." She looked at him gravely. "Was that all right?"

"Aye. Always use a high-handed tone with servants."

"That's what Jory told me, but I wasn't sure."

"Lady Marjory has the right of it."

Jane next sought out her brother Andrew. She briefly explained about her position of chatelaine and told him she would need his help. "The Earl of Carrick and his brothers are our guests, but Dumfries lacks entertainment in the hall. Get a piper for us, but also see if you can find jugglers or acrobats.

Elizabeth de Burgh has told me her father's castle employs strolling minstrels and actors who put on plays in the hall."

"But the Earl of Ulster owns half of Ireland. He lives like a king in his palatinate."

"Surely we can do something on a small scale. At least let's be civilized."

Andrew stared after his sister in amazement. He'd never realized it before, but there was more to Jane than met the eye!

******************

head to foot.

"Lady Jane, you are absolutely blooming." He lifted her fingers to his lips in a gallant gesture. "It looks like we'll be celebrating a wedding soon."

"Perhaps not as soon as my lord would like," Jane said shyly.

"You refused him?" Robert asked incredulously.

"I told him I needed more time."

Robert threw back his head and laughed. "Lady Jane, I'd like you to meet my brothers Nigel and Alexander."

"I am delighted to meet you. I am so sorry Lord de Warenne is off hunting."

"Must be daft in the head to desert such a beautiful lady," Alexander declared.

"Never fear," Nigel said, tucking her arm into his. "I'll take good care of you in Lynx's absence."

Eighteen

Up on the dais, Jane asked Marjory to sit in Lynx's place and she directed Robert Bruce to sit on her other side. The moment the meat was served, Jory leaned forward and said, "Jane knows about us."

Jane closed her eyes in mortification.

Robert leaned forward and looked at the two ladies blankly. "Oh, you mean that we were childhood friends."

"Jane knows all," Marjory murmured.

The Bruce still looked baffled. "Do you mean that my mother is your godmother?" he asked politely.

"Give it up. Jane was in my wardrobe this afternoon."

"Ah," Robert replied, realizing his bluff was pointless. Then he took one of Jane's hands and squeezed it. He smiled into her eyes and said, "Celts don't betray each other."

Alexander, sitting next to him, said, "They do it all the bloody time!"

"Who the hellfire is interested in your opinion?" Robert asked.

Alexander grinned. "Lady Jane is—just ask her."

Nigel Bruce, seated on the far side of Marjory, leaned forward and said, "If you two uncouth swines don't stop making Lady Jane blush, I'll wipe the floor with you."

With a rapt look on her face, Jory declared, "This is such fun, it takes me back to when I was fourteen."

Robert teased, "The only difference is that back then we were all in love with you. Now it is Jane who has our hearts."

*

Early in the afternoon of the following day, the hunters began to return. Jane and Jory were in the meadow beyond the stables where the Bruce brothers were giving them pointers on flying hawks.

Lynx hailed Robert Bruce from his saddle as he galloped across the meadow. Jane handed her goshawk to Robert so that she could greet Lynx, but the Bruce put a protective arm about her to hold her back. "Don't touch him, Jane, he's all bloody."

Lynx's gaze flicked over Jane's primrose velvet gown and flushed cheeks, and thought once again how pretty she was. Her hair reminded him of a cloak of fire. No other woman he had ever known had such glorious hair, and her figure was so softly rounded and lush it aroused him.

"We're back early. We bagged more game than we could carry. If I'd known you were coming, Robert, you could have hunted with us."

"Your lady entertained us royally in your absence." Robert grinned. "Congratulations are in order.

You are a very lucky man." Both Alexander and Nigel pounded Lynx on the back and shook his hand.

"Shall I prepare a bath for you, my lord?" Jane offered sweetly.

Taffy, whose brows lowered the moment he saw the Bruce put his arm about Lady Jane, said, "I'll do it, my lady, there is no need to trouble yourself."

"I'm learning the duties of a chatelaine," Jane explained.

Lynx, who thought he might have enjoyed Jane's attentions if Taffy hadn't interfered, said shortly, "I'll bathe myself. Robert, you have information for me?"

The Bruce handed the goshawk to Nigel and he and Lynx went off toward the castle.

"Taffy," Marjory said, giving the squire her most seductive smile, "Lady Jane needs your help. She needs to practice her social skills on the opposite sex. Can you pretend to be utterly devoted to her?"