The King's Falcon (Roundheads & Cavaliers Book 3) (75 page)

Wordlessly, Pauline finished the task for him and helped him out of his coat.
 
She didn’t know whether she wanted to pour vitriol over his head or smother him with kisses; but, because practicality was called for, she did neither.
 
She merely moved on to his shirt and calmly set about removing it.

Finally realising that she was
de trop
, Athenais stopped hovering in the doorway and went back to watching the street from the parlour window.
 
Something didn’t feel right.
 
But until Ashley walked through the door, she wouldn’t know what it was.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, Pauline unwrapped Francis’s arm and took stock of the damage.
 
Then, keeping her tone perfectly matter-of-fact, she said, ‘This isn’t good.’

‘I know.’

‘There may be some injury to the muscle.
 
And the scar’s going to be a lot worse than it was before.’

‘I know that too.’
 
Reaching up, he brushed away a tear he knew she was unaware of having shed. ‘Will you mind?’

‘What?’
 
She stared at him.
 
Then, ‘Don’t be ridiculous.
 
Of course I won’t …’ She stopped, recognising the trap.
 
‘Oh.
 
Very clever.’

‘Not particularly.’
 
He smiled and drew her down beside him in order to kiss her, slowly and thoroughly. ‘I’ve come back safe … and I’m more or less in one piece … so I account my promise fulfilled.
 
How do we stand with regard to yours?’

Pauline drew an unsteady breath and laid her cheek against his so that she wouldn’t have to meet his eyes.
 
‘As I recall, there was some stipulation about you being of the same mind?’

‘There was – and I am.
 
If anything, even more so than before.’
 
Francis slid away from her to drop on one knee at her feet.
 
Taking both of her hands in his, he said softly, ‘Look at me.’
 
And when, with reluctance, she had done so, ‘I love you.
 
And I believe that you love me.’

‘You know I do.’

‘Yes.
 
I do know it.
 
And so you’ll marry me.’
 
His smile gathered a hint of teasing laughter. ‘You’ll notice that I’m not asking this time.
 
I think we’ve gone beyond that.
 
You made me a promise … and I’m calling it in.
 
But, if it’s not too much trouble, I’d very much like to hear you say the words.’

She shook her head helplessly.
 
She couldn’t resist him in this mood and he knew she couldn’t.
 
So, as evenly as she was able, she said, ‘Then yes, Francis.
 
I’ll marry you.’

He bent to place a kiss in each of her palms and then rose to sweep her back into the curve of his good arm.
 
‘Thank you.
 
I’ll do my damnedest to make sure you never regret it.’

*
 
*
 
*

The rest of the afternoon wore by still with no sign of Ashley or Jem. Since carrying water upstairs wasn’t feasible, Francis took a bath in the kitchen and, when he was finished, Athenais set more water to heat so that Ashley could do the same when he came home.
 
If
he came home.
 
She was beginning to wonder whether the English King had found him some other labour to perform. In the end and purely for something to do, she retreated to her bedchamber and changed into the new gown which had been delivered the previous day and at which she hadn’t so far even bothered to look.

It was of silver-grey brocade and it left her shoulders virtually bare.
 
At any other time, she’d have enjoyed the feel of it against her skin and spent time admiring herself in the mirror.
 
Now, she merely pinned up her hair, decided that the dress looked well enough and thought only of returning to her vantage point in the parlour.

She was half-way down the stairs when the front door opened and Ashley walked in, closely followed by Jem. Joy, relief and sheer love washed through her, flooding her heart and stopping her breath for a moment. Then, just as she was about to go skimming down the stairs and into his arms, something stopped her.
 
The set of his shoulders spoke of weariness; the way he threw his hat at the table, of something else entirely. She froze, her fingers tightening hard on the bannister and waited. Jem said something she couldn’t hear and received a short, hard negative.
 
She frowned a little, feeling suddenly uncertain and aware that, thanks to her grey gown blending into the shadows, he hadn’t yet seen her.
 
Then, forcing herself not to hurry, she continued down the stairs.

Ashley turned and looked at her.
 
She watched him straighten his back and summon a smile.
 
A smile she felt fairly sure meant absolutely nothing.
 
Then he said, ‘I don’t know whether to begin by apologising for my tardiness or by telling you how beautiful you look.’

Taking the final step into the hall, she heard herself say, ‘Or then again, you could begin by explaining why you found it necessary to lie to me?’

His jaw tightened. ‘I thought it was for the best.’

‘And of course you always know what that is?’

‘No.
 
But it was well-intentioned.’
 
He swung round to face Jem.
 
‘Can you --?’

Mr Barker flung up one hand.

‘Don’t mind me,’ he said, half-way between caution and amusement. ‘I’m off to the
Chien Rouge
.
 
That blasted Frenchman owes me a mug or two of ale and a fresh pair of dice.’

He disappeared back the way he had come, leaving Ashley and Athenais staring wordlessly at one another.
 
Finally, Ashley said distantly, ‘I’m sorry I deceived you.
 
But if you’ve anything further to say on the subject, do you think it might wait until I’ve bathed and changed?’

Athenais advanced to within two steps of him, thinking,
It can wait forever, if you like.
 
I don’t know why I said it at all when the only thing I really want to do is hold you very tight and tell you how glad I am you’re safe.
 
But, sensing the invisible wall about him, she said, ‘The bath is in the kitchen. I’ve put water to heat and left towels and a clean shirt out for you.
 
It’s Suzon’s day off, so you can be assured of privacy.’

‘Thank you.’
 
There was a moment of uncharacteristic hesitation before he said, ‘I’m sorry.
 
I realise you must have been worried but I need … I just need a few minutes.
 
If that would be acceptable?’

‘Perfectly.’
 
She gritted her teeth against both the pain in her chest and the urge to splinter his infernal courtesy so that he’d tell her what was wrong.
 
‘I’m happy to see you safe – so nothing else matters very much. But later, if you feel like talking, I’ll be in the parlour.’

And she walked away from him before he could reply.

~
 
*
 
*
 
~
 
*
 
*
 
~

Ashley reclined in a welcome tub of hot water and attempted to dispel the fury that was still raging inside him.
 
He couldn’t believe what Hyde had asked him to do.
 
Worse still, he couldn’t believe that the man had tried to force the issue, arguing with him until he’d finally lost his temper.
 
At some point during the outburst that had followed, the King had walked into the room and asked what was going on.
 
Briefly and without much attempt at civility, Ashley had told him.
 
And then, with a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, realised that – although, unlike Hyde, Charles was prepared to take no for an answer – His Majesty clearly seemed to think he was the right man for the job.
 
At which point, he’d walked out before he said something completely unforgivable.

Well, he’d refused and would go on refusing – though they’d be stupid if they asked again.
Or would they?
 
Perhaps what seemed so incredible to him was less so to other people. Francis, for example, had looked at him differently since Honfleur … because, just for a moment, Francis had thought him capable of killing an unconscious man.
 
Well, in a sense, that had been the point, hadn’t it?
 
Convincing the unconscious man’s brother he’d do it without a single qualm?
 
He’d just never thought that Francis would swallow it too.
 
And the fact that he
had
said that Ashley had come further down this road than he realised; that he’d become the kind of man Hyde would ask to – no. He shut the thought down. The matter was closed so there was no reason to think of it again.
 
And he needed to let it go before he made an even bigger mess of his homecoming than he had so far.

He washed his hair, tipped jug after jug of water over his head and started to feel marginally better.
 
Then he set about scrubbing away several days’ worth of sweat and dirt.
 
By the time he had finished, the water had cooled and his temper along with it.
 
He hauled himself from the bath, dried himself off and got dressed.
 
He emptied the water away in the yard and replaced the bath on its hook in the scullery.
 
Then, before he thought about food or drink, he went in search of Athenais.

She was sitting in the parlour, her back ramrod straight, studying a script but she looked up as he entered the room, her eyes wide and searching.
 
Belatedly discovering that he had no idea what to say, Ashley made a small, indeterminate gesture with one hand and waited for her to speak first.

Athenais didn’t know what to say either. She only knew that he looked tense and uncertain; as if he thought anything he said might be wrong. And it was more than she could bear. Tossing the script away, she flew across the room to throw herself against his chest. His arms wrapped tight about her, he pulled her close and buried his face in her hair.
 
For a moment or two, they held each other in silence, wanting nothing but the reality of being together.
 
But eventually, Ashley said unevenly, ‘For the last two days I’ve thought about little except the prospect of coming back to you.
 
Of seeing your smile and being able to put my arms around you, if only for a moment.
 
I wanted it so
badly
… yet was still stupid enough to let other matters get in the way when the time came. I’m sorry.’

‘Don’t be.’ Lifting her head to look up at him, Athenais stemmed the flow of words with a finger placed lightly against his lips. ‘You’re here now and may hold me for as long as you wish.
 
You could even kiss me – though it’s dispiriting that I always have to ask.’

 
‘You don’t. I just didn’t want to … presume.’ And he possessed her mouth slowly and sweetly but with a hunger he couldn’t quite hide.

Athenais gave a long sigh and slid her fingers up into his still-damp hair.
 
She melted into him, offering everything she had and rejoicing when he allowed the kiss to deepen into something hot and gloriously seductive. His hands stroked her back and anticipation stirred in her body.
 
Then, with a tiny groan, he pulled back and said, ‘God, I’ve missed you.’

‘Good.’
 
She waited and when he showed no sign of continuing where he’d left off, drew him to sit beside her on the sofa. ‘Pauline told me the truth. Eventually. Was it very bad?’

‘Honfleur?
 
No.’ He kept his arms around her and rested his chin on her hair. ‘It didn’t quite go as expected … but no.
 
It wasn’t bad.’
 
None of us died
.
 
‘Francis got the worst of it.’

‘He’ll be fine in a week or two.
 
And Pauline has said she’ll marry him.’

‘Has she?
 
It’s an ill-wind, then.’

‘Yes.’
 
Athenais turned her head so that she could look at him.
 
‘So if it’s not what happened at Honfleur … what is it?’

He moved then but she didn’t let him pull away.
 
‘What is what?’

‘What’s wrong?
 
I know there’s something. I knew it as soon as I saw you. So tell me.’

He shook his head in instinctive denial. ‘I can’t.’

‘Can’t – or won’t? You’ve invited, encouraged and sometimes pushed me into confiding in you … so take your own advice and trust me.’
 
She smiled again and stroked the hair back from his face.
 
‘Something happened at the Louvre, didn’t it?
 
What?’

Ashley could feel himself drowning in those beautiful storm-grey eyes and tried to pull back.
 
He didn’t want to tell her.
 
He really didn’t.
 
On the other hand, perhaps she had a right to know to what depths other men thought he had sunk.
 
He said abruptly, ‘We sent a Commonwealth agent back from Louviers and brought the chief assassin with us from Honfleur.
 
Hyde has them both under lock and key, pending interrogation. He’s learned precious little from the first man and is determined to do better with the second. So he wants me to conduct the … interrogation.’

For a moment Athenais looked faintly baffled.
 
Then, her gaze widened and she said, ‘He wants … you’re saying he asked you to
torture
them?’

‘Oh – only if absolutely necessary,’ returned Ashley aridly.
 
‘He was very clear on that point.
 
Unfortunately, he was equally clear about ‘making them talk by any means available’.’
 
He paused and looked away from her, as disgust welled up afresh.
 
‘He thinks because I’ve sometimes had to kill people – men who were always in a position to fight back – that I’m bloody Torquemada.’

‘I imagine you’ll have told him that you’re not.’

‘I tried.
 
I said no.
 
Several times and rather forcefully.
 
But --’

‘But what? He can’t
make
you do it, can he?’

‘No.’

She could still see trouble clouding his eyes and said, ‘So what else is worrying you?’

Ashley sighed.
 
‘The fact that he asked at all – and his utter incredulity when I refused.
 
He behaved as if he expected me to say, “That sounds fun.
 
Just show me the thumbscrews and rack and I’ll have it done before supper.” I don’t know what he thinks I am … but it scares the hell out of me in case he’s not alone in thinking it. Or worse … that he’s right.’

Athenais closed her fingers around his arm and gave him a slight shake.

‘He’s not.
 
No one who knows you could
possibly
think so.’

It was a long time before he replied but finally he said reluctantly, ‘Something happened in Honfleur.
 
The details don’t matter save that Francis was already wounded and I saw a way of ending it before anyone else was. It was a bluff – admittedly, not a very nice one – but I had to make it work. And I did.
 
Too well, perhaps.’

She could hear the hurt beneath his even tone and realised how rarely he allowed it to show.
 
Her heart contracted and she said, ‘Francis.
 
You think Francis believed it?’

‘Yes. We haven’t talked very much since.
 
But I suspect he may have done.’

‘I doubt it,’ she replied firmly.
 
Then, as he would have spoken, ‘No.
 
Just listen.
 
When Francis got home, Pauline made some remark about you not having taken proper care of him.
 
And without a second’s hesitation, he told her that you’d put your own body between him and the man who’d hurt him. His words, not mine.’

Ashley shrugged uncomfortably.

‘Under the circumstances, anyone would have done that.’

‘No.
 
They wouldn’t. Francis knows that. And if he doesn’t … if he doesn’t know better than to think ill of you … I’ll have something to say to him.
 
Quite a
few
somethings, in fact.’

He rewarded her with a small laugh.

‘You’re very fierce.’

‘You have no idea.’
 
She reached up to place a kiss beneath his jaw and let her tongue slide over his skin, making his pulse jump. ‘Now we’ve cleared that up, do you think you might relax a little?’

‘I could try.’
 
He cupped her chin with light, insubstantial fingers so that he could read her face. ‘No doubt you think I’ve still got some making-up to do?’

‘Quite a lot of it, actually.’ She looked up at him between her lashes in a way he remembered only too well and her voice grew slightly husky. ‘Don’t you?’

And that was when he finally realised something he should have known the instant he’d kissed her. He’d drawn back because he thought he should, not because she’d wanted him to.
 
And along the way, he’d somehow managed to miss the fact that the girl in his arms now wasn’t the pale, fragile shadow he’d left behind six days ago; she was once again the warm, confident, loving creature she’d been before.
 
And she seemed to be issuing a shyly teasing invitation.
 
His breath stopped for a moment as he contemplated it.
 
Then, because he had to be sure that wishful thinking wasn’t confusing the signs, he said, ‘More than I can possibly complete in one lifetime, love.
 
Indeed, I’ve no idea where to start.’

‘Really?
 
That’s disappointing.’ Colour bloomed in her cheeks but she didn’t look away. ‘But if you need a suggestion …?’

‘Please.’

‘I thought you might perhaps take me to bed.’

The words came out in a rush and this time, everything inside him seemed to disintegrate.
 
He said, raggedly, ‘Oh God, Athenais.
 
If you’re sure … if you’re quite sure … I’d willingly go down on my knees and beg you to let me.’

She slid from his arms and stood up, extending her hand to him.
 

‘I’m sure.’

Taking her fingers, he continued to hold them as he came to his feet.
 
Then, because it seemed important, he said baldly, ‘I promised to wait.
 
I still can.’

‘I know,’ said Athenais.
 
‘I know you can.
 
But I can’t.’

*
 
*
 
*

Upstairs in her room, with the door bolted behind them, Ashley began by slowly pulling the pins from her hair and letting them fall where they would while he watched her eyes darken and her breathing quicken.
 
Then he took her in his arms again and kissed her with a tantalising lack of haste that sent desire raging through both of them.
 
When he released her mouth to feather a trail along her cheekbones and jaw, Athenais pushed his coat from his shoulders and tugged at his shirt until she could slide her hands beneath it. A sound almost like a growl rumbled low in Ashley’s throat and he reached for the laces of her gown.
 
Then, when he had them unfastened and was about to slide the dress away, he suddenly paused and said, ‘If you change your mind … if you feel the tiniest shred of hesitation … tell me.
 
And I’ll stop.
 
I promise.
 
The moment you ask me – I’ll stop.’

‘I know.
 
You’ll stop if I ask.’ She abandoned the struggle to rid him of his shirt in favour of shrugging the gown from her shoulders.
 
‘But you have – and I haven’t.’

Laughter flared in his eyes but he said, ‘My rules.
 
Remember?’

Athenais mumbled something that sounded very like, ‘Bugger your rules,’ and resumed her assault on his shirt.

This time, Ashley laughed out loud and, batting her hands away, finished the job for her.