The Marriage Priza Page 5
Rodger de Leyburn could see how shaken she was, and it dawned on him just how innocent Rosamond Marshal must have been until tonight. She had intended to catch him alone with Alyce, but the sexual act she overheard had shocked her badly. "Come, I will see you safely back to the Lady Tower." He reached out to pull her hood forward, but she drew back from him to avoid his touch. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he opened the chamber door and led the way up onto the moonlit ramparts.
When they passed a guard, Rosamond pulled her hood close, but Rod exchanged a quiet greeting with the man, as if it were a natural occurrence for him to be on the castle roof with a woman. When they reached the Lady Tower, Rod paused and leaned a powerful, muscled arm across the door, effectively blocking her escape.
She whirled to face him and found him towering above her, their bodies almost touching.
"Will you keep the secret, Rosamond?"
Silence stretched between them.
He reached out with firm fingers and raised her chin, forcing her to meet his eyes. "Will you keep silent?" he demanded.
"Will you end our betrothal?"
He stared at her with disbelief. "You dare to bargain with me?"
"You want to prevent a horrendous scandal—"
"I want to prevent murder! You know Richard of Gloucester's temper and towering pride. He would take it as a personal insult from the crown. His quarrel with the prince could end in death for one of them."
"If I swear I will be silent... will you release me from the betrothal agreement?"
He took hold of her shoulders with powerful hands. "No, Rosamond, I will never let you go. I will have you at any cost!"
The appalled look on her face scorched his pride. His knighthood
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and high royal office seemed to mean nothing to her. "Why do you not wish to marry me?" he demanded.
"Why must I be forced to honor a promise I gave when I was twelve?" she countered defiantly. Rosamond knew she did not want to be uprooted from her serene life at Kenilworth. The dark man who towered above her both frightened and fascinated her, though she would not openly admit it. If she placed her fortune and her future in this man's hands, she would lose control over her own destiny.
"Spend time with me . . . allow me to court you ... I will soon change your mind, chérie," he promised persuasively.
She felt the heavy oaken door against her back and was forcibly reminded of the sexual encounter she had overheard. For one blinding moment, she thought Rodger de Leyburn would sweep her into his arms, take possession of her mouth, and dare her to defy him then! All her senses were heightened as she became aware of his strength, his masculine scent, and his ruthless determination. Her heartbeat accelerated and she began to pant in anticipation of what was to come. When he removed his hands from her shoulders, she swayed toward him, then steadied herself with a hand against his chest. Her thoughts and her emotions were in total disarray. What the devil was the matter with her? She prayed it was the wine on an empty stomach that made her thoughts so fanciful. When he opened the tower door for her, Rosamond fled through it.
Hoping not to awaken Demi, she entered her bedchamber quietly, although her heart was pounding. She undressed in the dark, laying the cloak and her tunic across the bottom of the bed, and slipped beneath the covers. As the events of the evening replayed themselves in her mind, Rosamond trembled with humiliation and anger, most of it directed at herself. Why was she so headstrong, so impulsive? Why had she gone to Rodger's chambers? Her tranquility was shattered, her peace of mind destroyed. If only she could turn back time and start the evening all over again, she would put on her prettiest gown and gladly go down to the Great Hall for dinner. Rosamond didn't want to know anyone's secrets, least of all the prince's. Resolving to put Rodger, Alyce, and Edward out of her mind, she escaped into blissful sleep.
Slowly she became aware of his masculine scent. "No!" she breathed. He
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swept her into his arms and took possession of the mouth that dared to deny him. When she struggled, he pressed her back, imprisoning her against the hard oaken door. Then he slid a hard, muscular thigh between her legs and deepened the kiss until she stopped struggling and clung to him. It was forcibly brought home to her that she had no defense against his powerful strength. Only when he had mastered her resistance did he lift his mouth from hers.
As she looked up into his intense green gaze, she realized how pleasurable it was to feel the hard door pressing against her bottom, and to feel his hard length pressing against her belly.
"Say it again," she whispered.
"I will never let you go, Rosamond. I will have you at any cost." He gazed deeply into her eyes.
Excitement rose within her. He wanted her not just for tonight, but forever. He wanted to marry her, not for just her castles, but for herself How delicious it was to keep him waiting, keep him begging, keep him aching for the consummation. Her fingers traced across the pulse beating in his throat, then up across his lips. He had the most beautiful, demanding mouth she had ever seen. Surely it could not lie to her? He had pledged that he wanted her for herself alone, not her Marshal inheritance, and more than anything in the world she longed to believe him, longed to have someone love her.
Rosamond caught her breath on a shiver. She was intoxicated with the nearness of him and swept her lashes to her cheeks lest he see the wild desire she was feeling. His hands moved up her body, then his fingers slid into her hair to hold her captive for his mouth’s ravishing. His lips claimed hers with such ferocity, Rosamond was lost, lost. She opened her mouth, welcoming his thrusting sleek tongue deep inside. Then she rubbed her woman’s center against his hard body until she could feel the heat of him. I am no longer an ice maiden in need of a thawing... love me, Rod, love me!"
When Rosamond opened her eyes in the morning, her dream still lingered. As she recalled all the sensual details, she was shocked by her wanton feelings for Rodger de Leyburn. How could she have allowed him to kiss her and touch her intimately, even in a dream? Rosamond denied that she found him attractive and put the blame on last night's actual events, as the memory came flooding back to her. She blushed deeply, covered with shame for the sexual encounter she had overheard.
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That the lovers were Lord Edward and Alyce de Clare made it a thousand times worse, shocking her beyond belief. She took refuge in anger; it was all that devil de Leyburn's fault that she had accidentally learned of the scandalous affair!
Rosamond did not want to share this shameful secret with him, nor share anything else, despite the fact that she had found him attractive in her dream. Blood of God, if he had his way, she would soon be sharing his bed, sharing his life! As her eyes fell on the purple garment at the foot of her bed, her blush deepened. Whatever had possessed her to conceal herself with the cloak and go to his chamber at midnight? It was time she stopped behaving recklessly and acted with reason and resolve. She would go to the one person who would help her, the lady who had been both mother and guardian angel to her since she was a child. Rodger de Leyburn was no match for Countess Eleanor de Montfort!
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"Lady Eleanor, may I speak with you about something that has been deeply troubling me?" Rosamond dipped a curtsy, and the chatelaine of Kenilworth, who had just finished breaking her fast and was about to leave the hall, sat back down at the table.
Eleanor patted the seat beside her. "It's about your betrothal, isn't it, Rosamond?"
"Yes! How did you guess?"
"You wish to end the betrothal and marry."
"Yes ... no! I want to end the betrothal, Lady Eleanor, but I do not wish to marry!"
"Rosamond, dearest, you are seventeen, quite old enough to be a wife. You have learned your lessons well and will make, not only a beautiful bride, but a most efficient chatelaine."
"I don't want to wed Rodger de Leyburn; I don't want to leave Kenilworth."
"Oh dear, I'm afraid we've sheltered you too much from the worl
d. I should have encouraged you to visit your own properties more often, so you could take a hand in running them. I fully understand that Kenilworth became your refuge when you were a young girl, but now you are a grown woman. I want to see you spread your wings and take your rightful place in the world."
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"Rodger de Leyburn wants only my Marshal inheritance!"
"Rosamond, that is not true. As Lord Edward's steward, Sir Rodger is a wealthy man in his own right. If the thought of becoming part of the royal household intimidates you, put your worries aside. Ancient Westminster Palace allows you to live right in the city of London, and Windsor Castle is a wondrous place with many newly built towers right on the River Thames."
"It is Sir Rodger who intimidates me," Rosamond blurted.
"Rosamond dearest, Sir Rodger took breakfast with me this morning. He sang your praises to the high heavens and is obviously besotted with you. Take my advice and don't hold out against marriage as I did with Earl Simon. It will do you no good; a man as determined as he will have his way at any cost."
"Goddamn the man!" Rosamond cursed. "The devious devil got to you before I did. He is not in the least besotted."
"Rosamond, you haven't the faintest idea how lovely you are. Your hair is the most glorious shade of gold, and your eyes are like violets. You remind me of a long-legged gazelle I once saw in the Arabian desert. Your explosive reaction to Rod tells me you are not indifferent to him, by any means. A clever woman like you should be able to wrap him around your little finger. Learn your feminine power, Rosamond, then don't be afraid to use it!"
Four
During the next week, Simon de Montfort and Edward Planta-genet spent every waking moment in each other's company. Clearly, Earl Simon was trying to woo the prince to side with the barons. He was a persuasive man who focused on his goal single-mindedly, and as the days passed, the two powerful men, one dark, the other fair, found they had a great deal in common. Both were big men with abundant energy and driving ambition. They could hunt all day, then stay up all night discussing weapons, warfare, and military maneuvers. With great enthusiasm they organized training exercises for their men-at-arms and personally demonstrated the best way to wield a broadsword, mace, or battle-ax.
Simon pointed out that the leadership qualities required to direct men in battle were similar to those needed to lead a country. It took courage, foresight, strategy, determination, tenacity, generalship, and an unswerving belief in your own destiny Lord Edward had these qualities in abundance, and Simon recognized, too, that the prince was developing a shrewdness as keen as his own. De Montfort was an ambitious man who knew Edward had the qualities of leadership. How long would it be before Lord Edward exercised his shining magnetism and royal aura to draw men to do his bidding and transfer their loyalty from Simon to himself? Before Edward recognized his full power, de Montfort wanted him to sign a solemn oath that he would abide by the Provisions of Oxford.
To this end, Earl Simon sought out Rodger de Leyburn, another shrewd young man, but one who was passionate about the baronial cause. "Rod, you are closer to Edward than any other of his captains. Am I right in thinking him persuaded to our cause?"
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"He would like to heal the rift between the barons and the royalists, because he knows it would be best for the country. Continual hostility leads to the people's discontent and enmity. He has no objection to Parliament meeting on a regular basis to enforce the laws of the land and discuss state problems. He hopes a stronger government will solve problems, not create them. He now agrees with you that the king's advisers should be Englishmen of vision who will follow wise policies, encourage trade alliances, and veto expensive foreign wars that drain the treasury."
"I too think he will not oppose the Provisions, but I need more," Simon said. "Before Parliament convenes at Candlemas, I would like his signature swearing that he will abide by the Provisions."
"I will use whatever influence I have, Earl Simon."
"You are a good man, Rod. Have you set that wedding date yet?"
Rodger laughed ruefully. "There is a problem; my betrothed has no interest in marrying me. Lady Eleanor advises me not to take no for an answer, but it seems to be the only word Rosamond wants to say to me."
Simon threw back his head and laughed. "You think that a problem? Have you any idea of the obstacles I had to overcome? Eleanor had taken a vow of chastity, so we wed in secret. When the marriage was discovered, the church declared it invalid. I had no choice but to go to Rome and bribe the Pope! All you need do is persuade one small female!" Simon clapped Rod on the back. "If all else fails, surely you know the tried-and-true method of changing a lady's answer from no to yes? Get her with child!"
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Rosamond found the Demoiselle in the stillroom, where she was crushing some red berries to add to the wax of the Yuletide candles she intended to mold. The air was redolent with the piquant fragrance as Rosamond took a deep breath and announced, "I have decided to journey to my property of Pershore." She wanted to get away from Rodger de Leyburn, and her conversation with Lady Eleanor about her own properties had provided her with the perfect solution. It was obvious that her guardian welcomed and approved of her imminent marriage to Sir Rodger de Leyburn, which greatly disappointed her. But Rosamond stubbornly refused to resign herself to the arranged mar-
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riage. A visit to Pershore would delay the nuptials and give her time to find a way to put an end to the betrothal.
Demi lifted the pestle from the mortar and stared at her friend. "Has Mother given her permission?"
"It was she who suggested it," Rosamond said airily, assuring herself it was only a tiny lie. "She reminded me that I am a grown woman and should take a hand in running my own properties."
"I suppose that is so. How exciting for you! Pershore must be close to twenty miles away. Will you also visit your castle of Deerhurst?"
Rosamond lowered her lashes to hide the stab of pain she felt. Deerhurst Casde had belonged to Giles, and she hadn't been there since her brother's death. It was now hers, of course, but she didn't think she could face going there. "I doubt there will be time if I am to return to Kenilworth in time for the holy days of Christmastide."
"Oh, you must be back in time for the feasting and celebrations, because I heard a whisper that we might be going to London after the Yuletide!"
"Of course," Rosamond said thoughtfully as her mind darted about like quicksilver, "there is to be a Parliament at Candlemas." Lord Edward and his knights would soon depart for London; perhaps they would be gone before she returned from Pershore ... if she lingered there.
That night Rosamond wore a fetching gown of carnation red velvet and sought out her cousin Richard de Clare in the Great Hall. She had learned that when a woman wanted a favor from a man, she was far more likely to get it if she looked her prettiest. She spotted him quickly and made her way to his table. "May I sit with you tonight, my lord?"
"It would be my pleasure, sweeting. You have grown unearthly fair, Rosamond; what is it you want from me? No, no, don't protest, when a woman seeks out a man, she always wants something."
She gifted him with a dazzling smile. Though he was in his mid-thirties and a good twelve years older than his half-brother Harry, Richard had inherited the Marshal looks of his mother, Isabella, and was still a handsome man. "I am traveling to my property of Pershore and need an escort," she said.
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"Well, that's an easy enough favor to grant. I have knights and men-at-arms returning to Gloucester every day, who pass close by Pershore."
"Thank you, Richard, I knew I could count on you. Please don't tell Harry, he will blab it to that devil de Leyburn."
"Oho, a lover's quarrel, eh?"
"Yes," Rosamond said faintly, "something like that."
At that particular moment, the devil's green eyes were upon her. Though the Great Hall of Kenilworth held over two hundred tonight, Sir Rodger had seen her the moment she ar
rived. Not only was she the tallest female present, she was the only one with a glorious mass of golden hair. When she walked a direct path to Richard of Gloucester, Rod held his breath. She wouldn't dare be so reckless, he told himself fiercely. He leaned over to Lord Edward and spoke briefly. Edward summoned the squire standing behind his carved chair and sent the youth hotfoot with a message for Gloucester.
"Lord Edward begs the pleasure of the lady's company, my lord."
Rosamond overheard and hissed, "Edward never begs, he commands."
Richard grinned. "And a command from a prince cannot be ignored; royalty has its privileges, you know."
Rosamond closed her eyes and felt the color drain from her cheeks. Blood of God, Richard, you have no idea!
When she arrived at the head table, a place had been set for her between Edward and his steward. As Rod gallantly rose and held her chair, Lord Edward's blue eyes glittered with amusement. "Sir Rodger craves the pleasure of your company."
"The pleasure is all his." Rosamond darted a swift glance of annoyance at the dark face beside her, and suddenly she realized why she had been summoned away from Gloucester. "Give me credit for some intelligence, my lord."
"Beauty, intelligence, and a temper of fire are a combustible combination."
"Aye, come too close and you'll get burned!"
Rod immediately took up her challenge by covering her hand with his. Rosamond wanted to jab the point of her dinner knife into his hand,
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but controlled the impulse and instead pinched him hard, drawing blood with her fingernails. He didn't even wince at the pain, but his green eyes narrowed dangerously. "You are too impulsive for your own good. It is time you were tamed." Desire flared in his eyes and his groin, and he made no effort to conceal it.
"Would you like the job?" she taunted, tossing back her hair.