A Year & a Day (36 page)

A long procession climbed the stairs of the Master Tower, led by Grace Murray carrying the baby and his squires and castle servants carrying up the gifts. Lynx followed Jane, barely able to bank the fires of his desire until they could be alone. He watched her hang her precious new gown in the wardrobe with loving hands, then he helped her remove the fuchsia velvet dress that had made her so vividly beautiful today. His hands cupped her soft shoulders possessively as he waited with barely concealed impatience for the last maidservant to leave.

Lynx had forgotten that Jane would have to feed his son. He sat down on the bed to watch her lavish her baby with love and attention. Finally, when she had fed him and tended to all his needs, she laid him down beside his father and climbed onto the wide bed.

"At long last I have you to myself," she murmured. She touched the tawny tufts on his head then traced her fingertips

along his cheek. "Who is the most beautiful boy in all the world?" she whispered, totally engrossed.

As the baby gurgled and waved his tiny fists about, Lynx knew Jane had eyes only for her child; all his waiting had been in vain. With resignation he dropped a kiss on her head and then one on his son's.

"Get some rest, Jane. Tomorrow the celebration begins all over again."

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

and the townspeople of Dumfries never flagged. Finally it was time to christen the baby, and as the celebrants packed inside the tiny chapel, the atmosphere was jubilant. Lynx de Warenne, with his firstborn in his arms and Lady Jane standing beside him, looked and felt triumphant.

Robert Bruce stood as the child's godfather, and Jory his godmother. The priest let each of them hold the infant for a special baptismal blessing, before formally christening him Lincoln Robert de Warenne. Then the godfather, carrying the child, led the procession through the castle and down to the hall.

Lynx saw his sister, Jory, wipe away a tear and he slipped a comforting arm about her. He looked down into her green eyes, so like his own, and murmured, "Thank you, I know how difficult that must have been for you."

Jory dashed away another tear. "Why difficult?" she demanded, ready with a denial.

"Because I know you would give anything to have his child."

Jory closed her eyes. "We've been so careful; how did you know?" she whispered.

"There is little about the Bruce that I don't know, Jory." He hugged her close, then tipped her face up so that their eyes could meet again. "He'll not wed you, Jory: His driving ambition to be King of Scotland stands in the way. The people would never accept an English queen."

"I know that, Lynx. I live for today; I'm not greedy enough to want tomorrow also."

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

watched Jane's delight as she listened spellbound to the mythic tale, accompanied by the haunting notes of the minstrel's harp. Lynx became aware that he wasn't the only man who watched her. His squire Taffy imagined himself in love, and at least two of his younger knights paid constant homage to her. During the last few days of observing her, he had seen that the glances of many of his Welsh bowmen were openly covetous and smoldering whenever they fixed upon her.

Along with his desire, a feeling of possessiveness was growing within him. It was a new emotion for Lynx. Though he was not much given to introspection, Lynx admitted to himself that these feelings were prompted by jealousy as well aslust. He almost resented it when Jane bestowed her sweet smile upon another, or when she shared a moment of laughter that excluded him.

During the past week he had grown to begrudge the innocent kisses she received beneath the mistletoe and had begun to crave them for himself. Lynx knew that he could not go on in this aroused state any longer. He would erupt into violence if one more man so much as looked at her. Tonight he would put his mark upon her so that from this night forward she would be his alone.

His eyes licked over her as she came toward him. She was wearing a pinklamb's-woolgown that clung to every curve of her body. The silver chain that Jory had given her was fastened cunningly about her hips, so that its single ruby sat upon her highmons, tempting every male eye. Damn Jory, she had taught Jane too many tricks! It was time for him to take over as her tutor to teach her the things that would awaken her slumbering sensuality and fulfill her as a woman. It was time for him to take possession.

Jane held out a small package; a shy smile accompanied it. "I was very hesitant about giving you this because our beliefs are different. But it is a gift from the heart. You have given me so much, my lord; this is one of the few things I can give in return."

"Jane, you have given me a son . . . you have given me immortality. It is I who must gift you." He took a big box from beneath his carved chair and they exchanged presents. Lynx slipped the Celtic touchstone from its leather pouch and gazed with delight at the image of the proud lynx she had painted for him. It was in full flight, ready to pounce upon its prey, and it reminded him of himself.

"Thank you, Jane, I shall wear it with pride." He watched her face intendy as she unwrapped the gift he had had made especially for her. Tonight he wanted to bring her more pleasure than she had ever known.

She gasped as she held up the emerald velvet cloak, lined with silver fox. "Oh, Lynx, it's magnificent!" She held it out to him. "Help me try it on."

"No!" He drew her close, then bent his head until his lips touched her ear. "When you try on your very first fur, I want you to be naked so that you will experience the luxurious, sensual softness against your skin."

Jane's lashes lifted in surprise. The corners of her mouth went up, revealing her dimples. "Do you often get what you want, my lord?"

"Always." His green eyes purposefully filled with wild surmise to set her all ashiver.

Twenty-Five

.Lynx de Warenne signaled Grace Murray to carry his son upstairs, knowing full well that Jane would immediately retire. He bade the company good night, pitying the poor devils who would amuse themselves with their dice half the night and made his way to the Master Tower.

He stayed in Jane's chambers only long enough to retrieve his black velvet bedrobe, but she didn't even notice. As usual, Jane only had eyes for her son once she had him to herself. In his own chamber, Lynx stripped, bathed, and donned his favorite robe, allowing Jane ample time to feed his son. Then he opened the door at the top of the stairs that led to the chamber below and stood quietly observing the maternal scene.

Grace stood by with a fatuous look on her face as Jane cuddled, kissed, and cooed at the baby, far too absorbed in her motherly ministrations to be aware of the man who looked down at her with hungry eyes. When he spoke, his deep voice startled her.

"That young cub takes up every living, breathing moment of your time. You lavish all your attention upon him. His father would like some of that attention. Grace will stay with him tonight, while you come up here where you belong." Having delivered his ultimatum, Lynx withdrew inside his chamber.

Jane handed the baby over to Grace, then moved hesitantly to the foot of the stairs. She gazed up into the shadows, pondering what had just happened. Her pulse quickened with excitement. So, it hadn't been her imagination after all. During the past week, Lynx had hardly taken his eyes from her as she flirted outrageously with all the males who had conspired to lavish her with their attention. She had followed Jory's advice meticulously and

at last it was going to pay off. For the first time Lynx de Warenne was seeing her not as the mother of his child, but as a female in her own right ... a desirable female from the hunger she heard in his voice.

Jane glanced questioningly at Grace Murray. The nursemaid waved her hand, urging Jane to mount the staircase."Go, go!"

With her heart hammering inside her chest, Jane took the first two steps slowly, tentatively.

Suddenly she turned, ran back across the chamber, and picked up her fur cloak. Then with eager steps, she climbed the stairs to do her lord's bidding.

Jane secured the door, then turned to face him, breathless from her eager climb. Her breath deserted her entirely when she saw him clad in the robe. As his eyes fell on the far she had brought up with her, he smiled in approval and held out a powerful hand. "Come to me. It is time we got to know each other . . . intimately."

His voice had the same black velvety texture as the robe she adored. Jane's heart turned over in her breast. How long had she waited for this moment? A lifetime? An eternity? It seemed she had waited forever and a day, but at last the night had finally come.

"Have you enjoyed the weeklong celebration, Jane?"

"Oh yes, it has been the happiest time of my life."

He took the cloak from her and laid it aside. Then he took hold of her hands and raised them, one at a time to his lips. "For me also, and you are the one who is responsible for bringing me the pleasure I've enjoyed. I want to repay that pleasure. Tonight is for you alone." His glance lingered on her lips, her breasts, then lowered to the ruby. "Have you the faintest notion how tempting you look?"

Jane thought she had a vague idea, until he drew her to the mirror and described what she looked like in his eyes. "Look at your face. Your eyes are like brown velvet pansies and your slanting cheekbones make you look like a witch at her enchanting.

When you glance at me sideways or over your shoulder, I want to follow you to paradise.

"When you are happy or when you wish to tease me, the corners of your mouth lift and I find myself holding my breath, hoping that your elusive dimples make an appearance. The shape of your lips is utterly wanton." He ran his thumb along the fullness of her lower lip. "Your mouth makes a littlemoue when you concentrate upon my words, and I am left wondering if you want to spit on me or kiss me."

Jane's cheeks tinted pink with pleasure. She had known he was watching her, but hadn't the faintest idea that he saw her in such minute detail.

"A woman's hair is one of the things that attracts a man and holds him in thrall. Your long, silken mass floats about you, whispering in your ear, clinging to your shoulders, sometimes caressing your breasts or curling about your waist; always brushing and caressing your back. It makes me want to play with it. It makes my fingers ache to touch you as possessively as it touches you. It conjures visions of lying with you and becoming erotically entangled in it." Lynx threaded his fingers into her hair, lifted it high, then let it fall about her like a waterfall.

"This soft wool dress clings to your breasts so cunningly, it has been more arousing to me today than if you had walked about naked." He moved behind her so that he could cover the upthrusting globes with his palms. Jane watched in fascination as her nipples peaked and stood out jewel-hard. She gasped with delight as his thumbs brushed over the sensitive tips.

"And now we come to the heart of the matter. Your woman's center is decorated with a ruby! It has winked at me, teased me, taunted me, and tempted me to madness the entire day. Even in the chapel, or I should say
especially
in the chapel. I wanted to lay you on the altar and sacrifice myself upon you."

His bold hands moved down the curves of her rib cage, down across her belly, and came to rest upon her hips. Then he pulled her back against his hard length to let her know the

marked effect she had on his body. "I have been waiting over twelve hours to get you out of this provocative dress. Who said I wasn't a patient man?"

As his fingers undid the tiny buttons down the back, his lips traced the satiny flesh that covered her spine. Jane shivered over and over as his mouth went lower. One moment her skin was on fire, the next, icy cold. The effect he had on her was intoxicating and she adored every moment of it.
Please God, don’

t let him stop!

But Lynx had no intention of stopping; he had only just begun. When he removed her gown, along with its silver chain, he laid them aside with reverence."We must never let anything happen to this pink lamb's wool or the magic jewel."

Jane stood mesmerized by their reflection in the mirror. Her fine lawn shift was in startling contrast to his black-clad body towering behind her. She watched his hands pull up her shift inch by inch to reveal her creamy thighs. "The only time I've ever seen you completely naked, you were full term with my child.

I found you absolutely beautiful that night, so can you imagine the effect your slim body is having on me tonight?"

She gave him a sideways glance up over her shoulder and Lynx groaned at the impact she had on his arousal. She could not have been more seductive if she had been an experienced courtesan. The shift followed the gown and Jane stood absolutely still while he looked his fill. She knew if he touched her bare flesh she would scream with excitement, but Lynx did not touch her. He simply stared at her reflection hungrily, devouring her with his eyes.

She held her breath as she saw him reach for the emerald cloak. When the fur touched her nude flesh, Jane gasped then moaned at the silken torment she experienced. The nerve endings over her entire body were heightened by her arousal. Beneath the silver fur her skin felt like hot silk and she began to quiver.

Lynx took her hand. "Come," he urged.

Incredibly, Jane realized he was taking her outside onto the parapets into the cold winter night.