The Lion and the Crow (12 page)

Christian bit his lips as desire slammed into him. He could not stop his hips from thrusting upward. But William only lay on him more heavily still.

“If you ever do such a thing again, Christian, I
will
never forgive you.”

“I swear,” Christian promised. And then he added, “I would do anything for you.”

The words were said in lieu of
I love you
, because he was unable to stop himself from saying
something
.

With a sigh of release, William crashed his lips down on Christian’s. And for the first time since he’d passed through the walls of Somerfield’s castle, Christian tasted William’s kiss, felt the possessive press of his body. He moaned as aching need ran straight through the center of his soul, not only for William’s body, but for the return of his love and admiration. He arched up into that sweetness as William ground down.

“Take me,” Christian said.

This time William didn’t argue. He used his spit to open Christian up and press himself inside. His thrusts, the grip of his hands, his grim face staring down into Christian’s, were all rough and demanding in a way he’d never been before. But even so, he was slow with the breaching, watching Christian closely for signs of pain. That mix of tenderness and aggression inflamed Christian’s blood all the more.

When the motion became easy, and they were deep in the throes of it, Christian watched the emotions flicker over William’s face.

Mine. Submit. Safe. Last time.

Remember me.

****

CHAPTER 17

Two weeks after Lord Somerfield’s murder, Sir William Corbet rode into Somerfield’s castle bailey. He came on his mount, dressed in armor and looking every inch the seasoned warrior. By his side was another knight, dazzling in a royal blue tunic and silver mail, a quiver of arrows on his back. The upper part of his face was covered by the plate of his helmet, and he said nothing, only stood silently with the horses as William went into the castle.

The very next morning the pair rode out again. This time they were accompanied by Lady Elaine, her two young children, the children’s nurse, and an older male servant who had begged to go with her.

Christian had been right. The next in succession to the title was a cousin who’d be arriving at the castle in a fortnight with his large family in tow. Lady Elaine had failed in her duty to give the family sons for the line of succession. They seemed relieved to hand her back over to her brother and get rid of her permanently.

Lady Elaine rode next to William at the front of their small procession. Christian, riding behind her, saw her turn her delicate head and
spit
on the ground as they cleared the castle’s walls, anger tight in her proudly-set shoulders. He felt a vengeful sense of pride at the gesture and smiled darkly.

They rode only until mid-afternoon before making camp that first day. The children were restless and fussy and Elaine was drooping with weariness. Christian wondered when she’d last had a decent night’s rest.

He’d never seen the children’s nurse in the castle. And the older male servant he’d glimpsed once or twice, but only from afar. One thing his time in the castle had taught Christian; people saw what they expected to see. He removed his helmet on their ride, as it was a warm day, and he didn’t think another thing about it until he was on his knees making the fire at their camp that evening. Lady Elaine stepped up to warm her hands— and suddenly gave a small cry. Christian looked up to find her wide, frightened eyes on his face.

He stood slowly and carefully so as not to alarm her. She continued to stare at him as realization dawned, writ plain on her face. Then her mouth opened and her eyes grew bright with tears. Christian gave her a tiny, courtly bow, not knowing how she would react. Elaine covered her mouth with her hand, breathed a sob, and flew around the fire to throw herself into Christian’s arms.

He held her, feeling both embarrassed and deeply moved. His mind went to Ayleth and he was very grateful in that moment to have been able to repay his sister’s kindness, even if it was to another woman. William was watching them as he tended the horses, his face pensive.

“Thank you,” Elaine whispered into Christian’s ear. They were simple words, but the emotion in them was anything but.

“My lady.”

Elaine collected herself, wiped at her eyes, and nodded at him. She turned away to see to the children.

William came over. “She knows?” he asked Christian quietly.

“Aye. She recognized me from the castle.”

William clapped a hand on Christian’s back, his eyes still on Elaine.

“We are much in your debt,” William said in a raw voice. It was more of an acknowledgement than Christian had ever expected to hear from William. William’s hand fell away and he went back to the horses.

****

That night, when the children and servants were asleep, William, Christian and Elaine stayed by the fire for a good while, enjoying the silence and the fire’s warmth. Elaine had taken a nap and then said very little all evening other than gentle words to the children and their nurse. She stared at the fire now. William studied her face. Her petite features were still as attractive as William remembered, but they’d changed. The laughter and spark, the sweetness, were gone, replaced by a flat affect. Her eyes were haunted by shadows upon shadows, and he had the feeling that if he looked too deeply into them it would break his heart.

He wished, with a surge of impotent anger, that he had his hands around Somerfield’s neck right now. But that fare had already been paid.

“Where will you take me?” Elaine asked, looking at William.

William came back from his thoughts with a start. He realized that he’d been so preoccupied with the task of simply getting Elaine from Lord Somerfield’s castle that he hadn’t given any thought to what would happen next.

“I suppose… home. Father will shelter you and the children now that Lord Somerfield is dead, though it will take him some time to forgive me for leaving without permission.”

“No.” Elaine eyes as they met William’s were filled with rage. “Father sold me to Somerfield when even
I
had heard rumors of the man’s cruelty. He assured me they weren’t true. I’ll never forgive him for that, Will. And I’ll never place myself back under his care, where he might force me into another marriage.”

William felt the passion behind her words, but he didn’t know what to say. As his father’s heir, he didn’t have lands, or a home, of his own. He served as his father’s right hand— or he had until he’d abandoned all that to rescue Elaine.

“Where would you have me take you?” William asked her.

Elaine looked pained. “I would enter a convent if I could. But I’d have to leave the children with someone else. That, I cannot do. I will not blame my sweet babes for their father’s sins.”

“I’m sure Father would not… if I explained. He’d give you time.”

“No! He held my life in my hands once and nearly destroyed me. I won’t give him the chance again.”

William nodded. In truth, he did not blame Elaine. He himself had been away in battle when she’d been hastily betrothed and wed to Lord Somerfield. He’d not even known of it until he’d come home and found her gone. He’d been angry, but his father had assured him it was for the best. And when the news had come recently of her abuse, he’d been shocked that his father had only shrugged.
What a man does with his wife is his own affair. She is his wife now, not my daughter, not your sister.

William had thought otherwise.

“In truth, sister, I have not much love for Father myself. Perhaps I could give my allegiance to another lord who might grant us a small—”

“Marry me,” Christian interrupted. He’d been silent all this while, so much so that William and Elaine had almost forgotten his presence, speaking freely of family matters. But now his voice was firm, and it cut through the night like an arrow shot from his bow.

Elaine and William both stared at him, but Christian’s dark eyes, dancing in the firelight, were gently fixed on Elaine.

“Pray forgive me, but I will
never
marry again,” Elaine said with conviction. Her eyes fell modestly to her skirts.

“I swear to you on my vow as a knight,” Christian said, laying his palm on his chest, “That I will never lay a hand on you in anger and never in passion either. You may live chaste in your own rooms, and your children will be well cared for.”

“Christian,” William growled, finding his tongue. By the saints, Christian was serious. William was profoundly surprised but underneath that was something he never thought he’d feel— intense jealousy. Did Christian really want Elaine?

“William, my father said I must wed upon my return. This is the perfect solution. Elaine will have a safe harbor, and you and I—”

“
Christian
,” William warned again, loudly.

Christian bit his lip and fell silent, but he returned William’s stare stubbornly.

Elaine was watching them both now, her brow furrowed in confusion. William could feel the sweat pop out on his brow. His extremities suddenly felt numb. He poked at the fire to avoid her gaze even as his face burned.

But Christian— the man could simply not stay silent for long. He went on, his voice low and soothing, as if speaking to a child, but it was strung through with excitement. “I told you of my father’s land in Scotland. If I wed, perhaps he’d allow me to take over the management of it. We could live there, you and I, Elaine and the children.”

“You swore to me you would stop scheming,”

“I swore to you that I would never again hide my plans from you. I’m not hiding them! Think on it! This will allow us to all get what we want.”

William glanced up at Elaine to find her gaze on him from across the fire, questioning and intense. He felt shame surge through him at the idea of Elaine knowing his unnatural desires. What would she think? He dropped his eyes.

“William?” Elaine asked him quietly.

He couldn’t answer her. He sensed Christian stiffen near him on the log. But Christian said nothing.

Finally, Elaine spoke. “When I was living in that castle for six long years, there was only one person who was truly kind to me. Her name was Muriel and she was my lady-in-waiting for a time.”

William raised his eyes to find Elaine looking at him. There was no judgment on her face.

“I loved Muriel and she loved me, even though our relationship was a chaste one. But when my dearest husband saw that I cared for her, that I had one thing in my life that gave me courage and hope, he had her thrown from the top of the ramparts.”

“
Elaine
.”

She shook her head, her face dead of emotion. “If I ever let another person into my heart or my bed— and right now I cannot even imagine it— but
if
I ever did, it would be someone like Muriel.”

William shut his eyes and took a ragged breath. He was reminded of why he’d always loved Elaine. She had such a generosity of mind, was so wise beyond her years and her proscribed station. He should have known; if there was one person he could count on to stand by him no matter what, it was her. But that did not fully erase his sense of shame.

“You will change your mind,” William insisted softly. “Time heals. Now you say you do not want another husband, but you are young. In a few years you’ll want the warmth of a man in your bed, more babes. Do not decide hastily and trap yourself in a loveless match.”

“No, brother. You are wrong.” Elaine began to undo the laces at the front of her gown.

“You don’t have to prove anything to me,” William said.

Elaine ignored him and, when her bodice was loosened, she stood up and turned her back to them, pushing her gown off her shoulders so that it revealed her back. It was covered with a hideous maze of red and white scars.

Christian cursed under his breath. William gave an involuntary cry, his eyes stinging, his fists clenched painfully tight. “Somerfield had you
scourged
?”

“No. He scourged me himself,” she said quietly. “Part of his bedroom games. It roused him. And when I was bloody and wrecked, he raped me. It happened again and again. He liked to show the power he had over me.” She pulled her gown back up and laced it. When she turned around her face was unmoved. “I swear to you on my ruined virtue, brother. I will take my own life before I let another man touch me.”

William nodded, his tongue thick in his mouth. “And I swear to you, sister, that none ever shall against your wishes. I’m sorry I was not there for you till now. I didn’t know.”

“But can you not see?” Christian said fervently. “We can best protect Elaine if she and I were to wed. She’d have a husband who would never be tempted to her bed. And it would be only natural that, with our union, you pledged alliance to my father. We might all live together and—”

“And act like thieves in our own home? Hide from our own servants?” William demanded roughly.

“Well… we would have to choose servants carefully, but—”

“Lie to your family? Lie to our neighbors?” William insisted.