A Knight In Her Bed (4 page)

C
urtseying low before him, Juliet expected him to dismiss her without a word, but then she heard him say, “So this is your Juliet, Wulfrich?”

“Yes, Sir.”

His eyes sparkled at Wolf. “My orphaned knights are all finding mates. First Grendell and then Alric and now you, Wolf. Only two left who remain free of the chains of matrimony.” But he smiled when he said it, as if he were joking and those chains were something to long for rather than escape from. It was well known how happy he was with his own wife, Maud.

The king had turned to her.
“Do you know why they called him Wolf at the orphanage, Juliet? Because of his eyes. They were quite wild, like an animal who has been betrayed and must learn to trust again.”

“His eyes are not wild to me,” she said firmly.
“And I would trust Lord Wulfrich with my life. Sir.”

Stephen nodded, watching her. “I am glad to hear it, lady.”

Wolf’s hand squeezed hers. “Juliet has come to find her friends,” he said after a beat. “I need your permission to reunite them, Sir.”

The king nodded. “You have it,
Lord Wulfrich.” He reached up to signal his servants.

There was a stir near the door, and then s
uddenly they were there, rushing into the room. The minstrels. Henry with the little bells on his shoes and Leonora twirling about with ribbons tied to her wrists, and all the rest. Juliet felt tears warm on her cheeks, as they gathered about her, drawing her away from the king and Wolf, encircling her with their friendship.

Eventually it was
Renton who explained to her what had happened.

“
We were performing before Lord Edward of Kendall Castle and his guests when Lord Wulfrich arrived. We could tell Lord Edward was angry. They were talking in low voices, when suddenly he rose to his feet and pointed at Lord Wulfrich and roared out something about him being a usurper who should have died years ago. Lord Edward drew his sword and the two men fought, but Wulfrich killed him. We learned later that when Wulfrich was a child this man came to Kendall and killed his family and took all that was his. Finally he had come to take it back, although he wanted to do so peacefully, with words rather than spilling blood. Lord Edward had other ideas.”

So Wolf had taken his revenge, although it was an unwilling one.

Juliet looked about at their eager faces. “But why did Lord Wulfrich take you all away?”

“H
e had to bring us back to the court to tell the king, so that he would not think the fight was unlawful. Wulfrich has a horror of murder in cold blood. So we came to tell the king that the act was self defence and then we stayed to entertain the court. We sent for you, we tried, but you had left the inn and disappeared.”

Henry declared
, “Juliet, will you stay with us?”

But something in his voice already told her that he did not expect her to say yes.

And it was true. She still loved them and was very glad to see them unharmed, but she didn’t want to stay with them. When they had returned to their duties Juliet made her way back to the reception room. Wolf was standing by a wall covered in beautiful tapestries and at his side was Lady Rowena. For a moment doubts assailed her. How could he want her when a woman like that loved him?

At that moment Wolf looked up and met her gaze and the flare in
his
silver eyes filled her with
joy.

He came striding toward her, the king and court forgotten, and taking her arm, led her outside. The ride back to his camp was done in moments, and he lifted her off his horse and carried her inside
his tent.

“
Kendall Castle is mine,” he said, “and I intend to live there and keep it for the king.”

“And you need me to entertain your guests?” she asked, tongue in cheek.

He shot her a frowning look and then smiled. “No, I need you to entertain me, Juliet.”

“Oh? What sort of entertainment would that be, Lord Wolf?” she asked saucily.

He dropped her onto the furs on the bed, none too gently, and she squealed. “The dress!”

“It’s what’s in the dress that interests me.”

Soon she was naked, her body gleaming, and he stripped off his own fine clothing, tossing it carelessly aside.  

He pushed against her, gently, and then when she thrust back he eased himself all the way inside, making her muscles tremble and contract about him. His open mouth pressed to hers, his tongue moving in an echo of his cock.

At first it was slow, languid, and then the excitement grew and they moved hard, eager to reach a climax. She came first, her legs entwined about his hips, pressing upwards toward him, and then Wolf roared out his pleasure, the final thrusts savage in their intensity. As if he was claiming her, making her his forever.

“I will come with you,” she murmured, when she could breathe again. “And I will stay with you as long as you want me.”

“Then that will be forever,” he said. With his silver eyes on hers, he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips to hers, binding his vow with a kiss.