Sharon Lanergan (16 page)

Chapter Twenty-One

“Why do you look so sorrowful?” Brian asked Constance.

They watched the king’s party disappear over the hill, banners flying behind them. The other Fitzroys had already gone back into the castle.

Constance could still see the riders in the distance. The king and his party had finished the midday meal with the Fitzroys a short time ago and then decided the king was well enough to continue their journey.

“I worry about His Majesty a little,” Constance admitted, lifting her face so the late afternoon sun could warm it. “He seems so sad.”

“His reign is not without difficulty.”

“I know,” Constance replied, remembering the tales of the murder of the king’s favorite. “He has always been very kind to me, to us. I feel sorry for him.”

Brian smiled crookedly. “You are soft-hearted. Come, ‘tis a beautiful day.” He took her hand in his as though to lead her somewhere.

“Where are we going?” Constance wanted to know.

“The falls.”

“The falls?” She repeated. “I have not been there since I was a young maiden.”

The waterfalls were actually not on Fitzroy property but just beyond it. They were a series of waterfalls creating a pool of water hidden amongst a grove of trees. The area was breathtakingly beautiful. Constance had been there only twice. Once with her mother and father and the second time with only her father because her mother had passed away. The day had been filled with such sorrow.

“Then ‘tis time to go again,” Brian announced, threading his fingers through hers. “There should be enough daylight left to go there and back before dark. If we ride.”

Constance allowed herself to be dragged to the stables. She had to admit she was becoming excited at the idea of sneaking away to the falls for a little play.

“I didn’t know you ever went there,” she said to Brian as he helped her to mount Valiant.

“I went there often, actually. Not always for innocent reasons, though.” Brian grinned.

Thinking about his escapades with other women was not the way she wanted to spend her afternoon, so she quickly pushed the offending thoughts from her mind. Brian was in a rare good mood and she intended to take advantage.

Brian swung up on Valiant behind her, his hands encircling her waist. She leaned into him, enjoying the feel of him against her. He inhaled the scent of her hair.

“Shall we ride?” he asked huskily after a moment.

To Constance his words seemed a double meaning. She nodded her agreement.

Brian handled the large horse well, especially considering his years of non-activity. She suspected he’d been practicing the skill as well.

A few of the Fitzroy guards they passed gave them strange looks, but most paid them little heed. No doubt used to seeing their lord riding about.

The day was perfect. Not too cold, not too warm. The sky above was crystal clear blue without a cloud to be seen. Unusual for this time of year, Constance knew.

Birds sang cheerful tunes around them. The wild flora gently swayed in the light breeze. It was as though God himself approved of their outing.

Entering through the small opening among the trees, Constance felt as though she were in another world. No one around them, complete solitude, and she welcomed it.

It had been so long since she’d come this way, Constance had forgotten the way the branches of the trees dipped down as though they were reaching out to embrace those who entered their home.

In amongst the giants, she could not even see the sky above. Brian had taken her into an enchanted kingdom.

Then he headed toward where the branches parted, Valiant steadily prancing in the direction as though he’d been there many times before. Constance wondered aloud if Brian had been there recently.

“Aye,” he replied. “Sometimes I come here to think.”

Constance warmed, gladdened he had decided to take her to an area he came to think. She’d never felt so close to anyone. She snuggled further.

They broke through the trees and faced the most breathtaking sight Constance had ever seen. Three waterfalls, one right next to the one before it, poured out into a circular pool. Above them were the sky and the warm afternoon sun. It reflected on the water in the pool.

“It’s so beautiful,” she whispered.

Brian nodded, resting his chin on her head. “Shall we swim?”

She turned, aghast. “Swim?”

Brian grinned. “Aye. Remove all our clothes and take a dip in the pool.”

“I—I don’t know how to swim,” Constance reluctantly admitted.

“I’ll teach you.”

“What if someone comes?” Constance asked, still hesitant.

Brian jumped easily from the horse and reached up to pull her down. “What if someone does?”

“Well…”

He laughed. “No one will come, Con. We are completely alone. Don’t you feel it?”

Constance returned his smile. Lord, had she thought the waterfalls were the most breathtaking sight she had seen? Even their beauty paled compared to that of his smile and his laugh. When had she heard him laugh so heartily?

“Very well. But will it not be cold?”

“Indeed it will,” Brian told her, sitting down on the soft dirt to remove his boots. “But we will dress in our warm cloaks and hurry home to the hearth afterwards.”

Constance laughed. “You have it all planned, don’t you?”

His dark eyes sparkled with warmth and mischief. “Wait and see.”

Shaking her head, Constance sat and started removing her slippers and her clothing.

“I hope I do not regret this.”

Brian grinned. “No doubt you will when you feel the chill of the water.”

“That is what I am afraid of,” she retorted. “That and you will let me drown.”

“Never,” he assured her, serious. “While I have breath, I will ever protect you.”

Her heart picked up its steady pace at his words. Lord, she did adore this man. But she wanted to lighten the mood she had invariably darkened. She reached out and tweaked his nose.

“Hey,” he yelped and swatted her hand. Then he pounced on her and started to tickle her ribs.

Constance was laughing so hard she could barely catch her breath.

“Pl-please stop,” she begged.

Brian released her, a triumphant smile on his handsome face. “I guess you’ll think twice about tweaking my nose, next time, eh?”

“Hmm.” Constance turned her back on him and removed the rest of her clothing.

With her clothes gone, she turned shyly toward him, covering her breasts and lower body.

“Lord,” Brian said, chuckling. “Do not tell me you are embarrassed. You are beautiful. Besides, I have seen it all.”

Constance threw one of her slippers in his direction. “You are still wearing your breeches,” she accused.

Brian divested himself of the offending material and stood naked in all his glory. It was difficult to look away. Since he’d been training, his muscles had grown more pronounced, his unnatural thinness had been replaced by toned, hard strength.

“If you continue we will not make it to the pool,” Brian told her.

Constance noticed then his manhood had risen in response to her perusal. She reddened.

Brian grabbed her hand and led her to the clear, inviting pool of water at the bottom of the three waterfalls.

“Mayhap, I should dip only my feet,” Constance suggested, peering nervously into the depths.

Brian nodded. “You could.”

Constance started to sigh with relief.

“If you want to be a coward,” he continued, shrugging.

“A coward is it? Very well, my lord, let us enter this freezing water.”

Brian stepped toward her and before she could fathom what he had in mind, he scooped her naked body into his arms.

“I’ll have you the entire time,” he assured her, brushing her mouth briefly with his.

She encircled his neck with her arms. “Do what you will, my lord.”

He stepped into the water and though he did not protest, Constance heard his sharp intake of breath.

“Is it very cold?” she whispered against his chest.

“Aye,” he admitted, his laugh a low rumble.

“Mayhap…”

Brian cut off her words with another kiss, this one not quite as brief as the last.

“Hmm.” Constance sighed and rested her head against him.

Brian was up to his waist now in the pool and Constance’s feet became immersed.

“Ah,” she cried, kicking up her feet to keep them out of the frigid water. “Are you mad?”

“Nay, just thick skinned.”

“That’s thick skulled,” Constance said.

“It’s really not so bad. I’m already getting used to it,” Brian said.

“More likely your extremities are going numb.”

“I never knew you were such a complainer.”

“Me?” Constance cried in outrage. “A complainer? How dare you! Put me down in this pool.”

“Constance…”

“At once! I’ll show you who is a complainer.”

She struggled out of his arms and dropped down into the water, still clinging on for support.

“Sweetheart, you don’t need to,” Brian protested.

“I do so,” Constance insisted. The frigid water touched her like fingers of ice. On her backside it was colder than her feet. She pressed against him, trying to absorb his warmth. “‘Tis not so bad.”

“Then why are your teeth chattering?” Brian tilted her chin so she could look directly into his eyes.

“Because I’m freezing.” Constance thumped him on the shoulder. “Brian, I’ve had enough swimming.”

He grinned. “We haven’t even started.”

“You can show me when the weather is warmer.”

“This pool never gets warmer than this, love,” Brian warned her.

“Well.” Constance shrugged, leaping fully into his arms. “Then I will simply admire its beauty. Will I really need to know how to swim?”

Brian laughed. “All right, all right. Out we go.” He walked back up out of the pool to the dirt where they’d left their clothes.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been so cold,” Constance said, snuggling into his larger cloak he held out.

“I thought you weren’t a complainer.”

“Do be quiet. You don’t have to be so smug, you know.”

“Don’t I?” Brian teased. He sat down, wrapping the cloak around them both, pulling her close.

“I don’t think you’re human,” Constance said. “How else do you explain you aren’t even blue?” She shivered.

“I’m used to it. I told you I came here often.”

Constance nodded. “Aye, not always for innocent reasons,” she mocked.

He leaned his chin on her head. “Jealous?”

“Why should I be?”

“No reason at all.”

“Unless, you’ve been here recently with some other wench.” Constance sniffed.

“There is no other wench, Constance.” He ruffled her hair. “I do not think of you as a wench.”

She tilted her head back and studied him. “What do you think of me as?”

“A fine and beautiful lady.”

Constance sighed, an overwhelming warmth seeping down to her bare toes. “It amazes me that you think I am beautiful.” Brian did not respond. “Brian?”

He met her gaze, his midnight eyes dark and fathomless. “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever known.”

Her breath caught in her throat and Constance did not know how to respond. She thought her chest would explode from the leaping her heart was doing.

But Brian did not wait for some sort of response from her. He looked up at the sky and pronounced it time to leave.

“Do we have to?” Constance asked, disappointment making her pout.

Brian unwrapped himself from the cloak and stood to dress. “I am afraid so, sweetheart. ‘Tis growing late and we must get back before nightfall.”

“I suppose you are right.” Constance reached for her own gowns.

“If we do not return soon, no doubt my brothers will come looking for us,” Brian said.

She frowned. “I had not thought, but you are right. I love your family, Brian, they are my own family, really, but they do get in the way.”

“That they do,” he agreed. He had finished with his own clothes and he helped her pull on first her kirtle, then her surcoat.

Constance slipped her feet into her slippers and then stood on tiptoes to kiss him. “This was wonderful, thank you.”

“The pleasure was mine, my lady.” He bowed, then helped her on to Valiant once more. “‘Tis not over though.”

“Nay?” She snuggled against him when he mounted the horse.

“I told you when we returned we would warm ourselves by the hearth,” Brian reminded her.

“Ah, you did.”

“And then when we are done, we will yet warm each other in better ways,” Brian whispered close to her ear.