Claiming (10 page)

His chin was roughened with stubble but it could not hide the strength of his face. No softness of line or feature now. She turned away, remembering the admiration she’d seen in his eyes at the port, the respect he’d shown for her when she’d handled the falcon, and the passion and tenderness that had been for her only, when they’d made love. Now all she could see was the veil of strength and control he showed to the rest of the world.

They were nearly home when, instead of continuing along the lane that led down into Gresham valley, they turned right and took the woodland path that led to the ridge. The ancient trees spread their thick canopy overhead and the deep orange glow of the late sun barely penetrated the thickly interlaced branches.

They climbed up through the shady forest, its coolness a relief from the heat that lay heavy over the land. Then they stopped. Without saying a word, he swung her down from the saddle and threw the reins over a tree branch.

He took her hand and pulled her out of the trees, toward the clearing. She knew where they were now. How could he, she thought? How could he take her to this place, the tower that represented so much heartache and fear for her?

She refused to look up at that bleak, decaying building, circled by its remaining habitants of rooks whose ever-present dark halo always sent a shiver of fear through her veins. She refused to accept what he was so obviously forcing on her. The tower that represented the loss of her freedom.

“Look, Rowena.”

She did, but not toward the tower. She looked at him and shook her head. “No, I can’t.”

“Look up.” His rough growl of command was louder this time.

Just at that moment a skylark burst into song far above them and she looked. Looked up at… nothing. Gone was the tower, a symbol of hatred and fear for so long. There was nothing but a rubble-strewn hilltop under a wide sky, streaked with the orange-pinks of sunset.

“This was my ‘secret’ plan, my lady. To rid you of the spectre that so evidently haunted you. I wanted to see the shadow of fear vanish from your eyes. I would banish everything that placed such a shadow in those beautiful brown eyes. The tower and all it meant to you had no place on this land, on this estate, in our lives.”

His words sent a thrill through her body and his hand that reached out to hers reignited a connection that she’d recognized from the first moment they’d met.

Together they walked up to where the tower had been, to the stones that had been piled according to their size, ready for re-use elsewhere. There was no trace of the footprint of the tower, of the room, high above the ground floor which had been her mother’s solar and the small hall where she’d lived the last years of her life. “It’s gone…” she muttered under her breath. “Saher,” she shook her head, “I didn’t know.”

“No. ’Twas something I thought you’d like. ’Twas also something I didn’t want here. You see, Rowena, the tower stood for something I am also deeply against.”

She frowned. “Tell me.”

“I tell few people. I abhor violence done to women. I know the results well. I was raised by a woman whose every move was driven by fear. She’d been raped and I was the result. I adored her and was determined to never be the man my father had been.”

“But you were your father’s heir?”

“After my mother died, my father claimed me and adopted me. I hated him, but I was prepared to use his connections to get me out of the poverty my mother had lived in. And so I went into the world full of ambition to prove myself and make a life away from my father, with an abhorrence of violence to women. Rowena, I swear by Almighty God that I will never hurt you as your father hurt your mother. I destroyed the tower as testament to that.”

The walls of defence she’d built around her heart crumbled under the onslaught of that fierce, honest gaze. Tears pricked her eyes. “Saher… I’m so sorry. I was scared you would take everything that I had and leave me with nothing. I did not know—”

His fingers came up to her mouth and touched it gently, stopping any further words. “And how could you? I am still a stranger to you. I wanted your trust but all I’d done is claim your lands, and then claim your body.” His fingers gently swept around the outline of her lips that opened in immediate response. “Now, come, ’tis getting late. We’ll return to the castle tonight and then, tomorrow, if you wish, I’ll escort you back to the priory to take the silver.”

His words came to her through a haze of desire that the trail of his fingers over her skin had ignited. “The silver? You’d allow me still to do this?”

“I bring silver of my own and your estates are prosperous enough without me gaining your own…” He hesitated as he searched for a word, a slow smile resting on his lips. “
Savings
, shall we say?”

She looked at him quickly. “Yes… savings.”

“Savings the King should probably not know about, eh?” His smile broadened and she smiled back, shaking her head.

“No. ’Tis best. My aunt will keep the silver safe until…
we
need it.”

“Good.” He unlooped the horse’s reins from the tree and lifted Rowena up onto its back, his hands lingering around her waist. “So tomorrow we will travel, but tonight—”

“Tonight.” She reached out her hand and moved it over his chest. “I would show you my gratitude.”

The immediate flare of lust in his eyes and its corresponding flare inside herself made her shift in her seat. He jumped up behind her and pulled her bottom until it was tight against his hardening groin. “I like a grateful woman.” His whispered words made her shiver with anticipation.

CHAPTER TWELVE

It was still early when they retired to their chamber. The lazy, flickering flames of the brazier illuminated his eyes, hooded with intent. She stood, unmoving as he undressed her. First unlacing her bliaut which clung tight to her body, and then lifting it from her shoulders. She shivered, but not from cold, as he unclasped the silver brooch at the throat of her robe and despatched that in the same way. Now she stood simply in her linen chemise.
 

His hands swept up her body, pushing up her breasts before grabbing the chemise and lifting it away from her. Then he took her breasts that spilled on to his large hands, and dropped a kiss on top of each one before moving his hands to her bottom, pulling her hard against him, and claiming her mouth with his until she was dizzy with desire.

She whimpered against his mouth, as her hands fumbled with the ties to undo his breeches. He stepped away and pulled his tunic over his head. She took a sharp intake of breath at the sight of his muscled stomach and broad, strong chest. She ran the palms of her hands over his skin, the white scars of warfare, like silver streaks through dark marble. She suddenly felt shy of this warrior of a man and rested her cheek against his chest, listening to the rapid beat of his heart. Then she turned and kissed his chest, sinking lower until her lips touched his stomach and her hands caressed his cock that jerked under her tentative touch. He growled and lifted her in his arms and laid her on the bed. She reached for a cover but before she could reach it he grabbed her hands and stretched them above her and knelt between her legs.

“No cover. I want to see you. You are too beautiful to be covered.”

His kisses on her skin sent slivers of sensation slicing through her belly, moistening her quim, making it throb with need. She opened her legs, willing him to give attention to where she wanted him most. But he moved up, suckling each breast as he went, before reaching her face. He kissed her then and her mouth melded to his as exquisite sensations shot through her body. Then he lifted her hips and slid the length of his cock inside her, inch by slow inch, until he filled her completely. Slowly he pulled out until the tip of him quivered against her sensitive skin before pushing fully into her once more. She used her heels against his back to bring him more fully into her.

He rolled her over and she was atop him. His hands reached up for her breasts as she moved up, tentatively at first, and then down, and her eyes closed in bliss. She continued until the rhythm increased and she rode him hard, and harder still, until the coiling of desire exploded inside her and she cried out as she pulsed around him.

He drew her into his arms and then, still joined, side-by-side, he pushed into her. It would not be over so quickly this night, she thought to herself. Nor, she realized with a gasp, did she want it to be. The candlelight flickered gently in the summer breeze that blew in from the unshuttered window, cooling their sweat-slicked bodies that raised and lowered in an age-old dance of sensuality.

She rolled onto her back, while he continued to thrust slowly and rhythmically into her, bringing her to another wave of pleasure. But it did not stop then. He continued as before, holding her, kissing her, as his thrusting slowly increased in tempo. His body and face tensed as he thrust harder now into her, taking her with each thrust to a place she couldn’t have imagined. All she could do was hold on tight to him, her fingernails digging into his resistant shoulders, her legs tight around his body as he blasted both of them into a frenzy of cries as he pumped his seed deep inside of her, her body taking all that he could give.

They rolled to the side once more. “You are mine, Rowena.” He thrust his fingers in her hair and held her face firmly as he took his fill of her mouth. “Forever. I claim you and I will cherish you.”

Claimed
. It was a word that a short week ago would have sent terror through her body.
Claimed
. The word sent a slice of lust through her belly and she wriggled against him as he became as hard as he was before.
Claimed
. His eyes met hers in an understanding and appreciation that she knew instinctively would never die.

She was claimed, and she never wanted to be unclaimed.

THE END

Dear Reader,

I hope you enjoyed Rowena’s story. Her sisters’ books are now available—Seducing is Melisende’s story and Awakening is Angelique’s story. The three novellas can be bought together in The Gresham Chronicles Boxed Set.

Reviews are always welcome—they help me, and they help prospective readers to decide if they’d enjoy the book.

I love to hear from readers and can be contacted on [email protected].

Happy reading!

Saskia

Booklist

—The Gresham Chronicles—

Claiming (Book 1)

Seducing (Book 2)

Awakening (Book 3)

The Gresham Chronicles Boxed Set

containing Books 1-3 plus epilogue

***