Vow of Seduction (12 page)

So much had changed since that day in the Holy Land when Luc had saved his life. Alex and Sir Luc had been among a contingent of crusader knights who had been returning to Acre when the Mamluk cavalry, garbed in white robes, had swarmed them unexpectedly. The hot, blistering Eastern sun beat down on Alex and glared off his chain mail and helm. Steel clashed, arrows flew and cries of agony filled the air around Alex. Blood from a gash on his neck trickled down inside his sherte, the sensation like a spider crawling over his skin.

A loud pop, followed by a flash of light, spooked Alex’s mount, and the animal tossed him to the ground. He landed with a jarring thump, and then rolling to his feet, swung his sword at an attacking Mamluk. He severed the warrior’s arm below the elbow and as the infidel cried out in agony, Alex dealt a killing thrust.

Suddenly the skirmish was over, and the attackers retreated, slinking over the rocky hills on their horses to await the next raid. Then from his unprotected side, Alex saw a flash of steel, and knowing it was too late, he turned anyway, raising his shield to deflect the attack. Barely planting his left foot forward, he met the glittering gold eyes of Sir Luc. Alex hesitated in stunned surprise, dropping his shield, leaving him vulnerable. Sir Luc’s lethal blade slid past Alex’s guard, but Alex felt no pain. A sudden, agonized cry erupted behind Alex and he spun, to see a wild-eyed Saracen glare at him and then crumple to the ground, dead.

Alex had turned his stunned gaze back to the man who had saved his life. Sir Luc had wiped his bloodied steel on the yellow and red braies-like garment of the dead man, then sheathed his sword.

“You are unharmed, Sir Alex?” Shock had held Alex immobile and he had not answered Luc immediately.

“Alex, are you all right?” Luc had repeated.

“Alex, answer me.” Rand’s insistent voice pulled Alex from his memories.

Alex shook his head. “Aye, I’m fine.” The cool spring breeze, so unlike the scorching heat of Palestine, cleared his head as he breathed in the sweet scent of crab apple blossoms.

Rand looked at him with concern, his hand on his shoulder. “You could have fooled me. You appeared to be in a realm far away and none too happy to be there.”

Alex laughed without humor at the accuracy of his statement. “’Tis of no import. Come, let us be off. I would not be late and give Kat an excuse to escape my company this afternoon.”

When Kat arrived at the stable, she found Alex waiting for her. He emerged from the building’s shadow, his gaze soft and admiring. “You look lovely, Kat. That color suits you well.”

Kat blushed, unaccountably pleased.

For riding, she wore her usual attire, a dark green wool tunic she had specially designed to allow her to ride astride more comfortably. The skirt was split up the front and back to the knees like a man’s surcoate, but the voluminous folds concealed the vertical seams, unless one was looking for them, or until she was mounted on her horse.

“Shall we,” he said, gesturing to the groom, who brought out Lightning and Zeus, the big black stallion Alex had commandeered from his father.

The stallion was a rare breed, both proud and stubborn—the irony did not escape her that the same could describe the Beaumont men. Lord Briand was no doubt glad to loan out his favored stallion to his son, in order that the beast got regular exercise while he was laid up in bed with a broken leg.

The groom handed Zeus’s reins to Alex then led Lightning to Kat. Kat turned away and without waiting for assistance mounted her mare.

Astride her horse, though she was still modestly covered, the arrangement of her skirts emphasized the long line of her leg and inner thigh area. Alex, his expression arrested, stared at her aghast, and a wicked idea sprang to mind. Taking advantage of his distraction, Kat prodded her horse with her knees and spun her mare around in a complete circle.

“Race you to the road to Kilburn in Hampstead. If I win, you must release me from your company this day. Or do you fear a mere woman can beat you?” Knowing Alex could not resist the challenge, she charged out of the palace gate and onto King Street, her triumphant laughter ringing out behind her.

Alex stared after Kat, stupefied, his mouth agape. He snapped it shut when he realized his quarry had escaped, and with a substantial lead. No way would he let a woman, and especially his wife, beat him in a contest of endurance.

Throwing the reins over Zeus’s withers, he vaulted onto his mount, spurred his horse, and shot out after her. His heart pounded with the thrill of the chase, matching the staccato beat of the thundering horse hooves.

Alex saw Kat had already left the highway and headed northwest through the field of St. James. As she approached Spital Street, Kat climbed up the gravel terrace, and then urged her horse faster in a race to cross the road before a rapidly approaching horse-drawn cart. Alex watched, horrified, his heart palpitating. Lightning surged forward at the last moment, coming within five feet of the carthorse. Alex swore, furious. The woman was reckless and willful, a real danger to herself. And he was just the man she needed to rein her in.

When he caught up with her, he had a thing or two to say about her atrocious behavior. The odd skirt she wore drew attention to a part of her anatomy he considered his alone.

Conversely, unwilling admiration filled him. One thing he could say about the saucy wench, she certainly made his existence very interesting. She was bold and unpredictable, and he thrived on the challenge she presented.

Alex dug his heels into Zeus and urged him to go faster. The wind, crisp and cool, buffeted his face, making it tingle. His long hair came free from the leather thong and whipped about his face. He laughed again, feeling more alive than he had felt since waking up in that rotting, stinking hole in the ground.

Nay, Alex thought, one could never describe his courtship of his wife as boring.

Kat soared over a ditch—one of many that bordered the well-drained fields of Westminster—her blood still pounding with exhilaration. She desperately wanted to look back to see how far Alex was behind her, but she did not want to lose the lead she had gained. As she rode through a grove of trees, their dappled shadows washed over her like a cool wave, soothing her over-excited nerves.

Triumphant laughter resounded behind her. Startled, Kat turned her head and cursed. Alex had closed the gap between them to a considerable degree. Only at the halfway point to Hampstead, blood roaring through her ears, Kat snapped the reins and urged her horse faster.

“You shall not win,” she hollered back. She would pit her riding skills against any man, confident of her abilities. But Alex was not just any man.

The wind snatched at her plaited hair and full skirts. Zeus’s hooves thundered nearer. Her breath hitched with excitement and a laugh of pure joy escaped her. In the distance to the northeast, no more than a mile away, she saw the two-story Norman tower of the Hampstead manor chapel. Straight ahead, in a more northwesterly direction, she headed along Watling Street towards her destination on the outskirts of the manor.

The temptation too great, Kat looked back. Alex, nearly on her horse’s heels, snared her gaze. Unable to look away, she stared, the satisfaction in the glittering depths of his blue eyes holding her as though spellbound. Or so it seemed, for the connection lasted but a beat of her heart before she faced forward again.

“I have you now, Kat. You may as well concede defeat graciously.”

Her hands tightened on the reins. Forcing them to relax, she shouted back, “Only when I am dead.”
And probably not even then,
she thought.

Alex’s laughter floated to her on the air. “You cannot escape me, Kat,” he shouted, “although I am enjoying the attempt.”

She ignored him. Kat bent forward over Lightning’s neck, so close she breathed in the musky scent of horseflesh, and urged her mare into a sprint. “Aye, that’s my girl. Just a little farther. Such a brave beauty, you are.”

Lightning sprinted down the stretch, her forelegs churning up dirt. Once more Kat dared to look over her shoulder and saw Zeus inch forward, his head coming even with her mare’s flanks.

Fifty feet up ahead, a stand of beech trees marked the turnoff to Kilburn Priory.

Reverberating in her ears were the harmonic sounds of shifting saddle leather, hammering horses’ hooves, and labored breathing of man and beast.

Thirty feet.

From the corner of her eye she saw Alex and his mount draw alongside her mare, nearly nose to nose. She shivered. She swore she could feel Alex’s hot breath on her neck. Tension built between her shoulder blades.

Fifteen feet.

For the first time fear of defeat engulfed her. He would not win! Five feet.

Not much longer, almost there.
Three. Two.

Alex and his stallion lunged forward, edged past Lightning by a nose and crossed the intersection before Kat. Cursing fluently, volubly, Kat pulled on Lightning’s reins and gradually slowed her mare to a gallop, a cantor, and finally a walk.

Alex turned and sidled up next to her, grabbing the reins to prevent her from escaping. They sat there, breathing heavily, their mounts jostling one another on the shoulder of the road.

His eyes alight with laughter, Alex said, “I see you have grown quite proficient at cursing in my absence. Much more colorful than I remember.”

Kat glared at Alex, too disgusted to reply.

A cocky grin spread across his normally austere face, further irritating her. “I won. No matter your devious attempt to get an unfair advantage. What shall be your forfeit?”

Kat bristled. Because she was a woman, her cunning abilities were considered sly and underhanded, but in a man these same traits would be admired as astute and shrewd.

Relaxing her tense shoulders, she stroked her hand down her mare’s neck. “I did not cheat. I did no more than any other man would do.”

His heavy lidded eyes dropped to her lips, his gaze smoldering. “Despite your attire, you look like no man I have ever seen.”

Kat felt her breath stop. Alex was going to kiss her. She read his intent before he dipped his head, his black hair falling in front of his shoulders. Slowly, his sculpted, sensual lips came closer. Closer. Her breath hitched. His nostrils flared. Closer. Desire arced between them, her lips tingling with anticipation. Then he stopped, his mouth inches away from hers. He hovered above her, his breath warm and sweet against her lips. Her anger long forgotten, she wanted to surrender, her need for this man a growing obsession, the masculinity he exuded irresistible.

Indeed, the desire was so strong to surrender everything for a few moments of pleasure—even her pride and self-respect—that Kat suddenly panicked. She raised her hand and shoved Alex away, but in a sudden movement he lunged at her, wrapping both arms around her torso. His chest collided with hers and his forward momentum knocked them off their horses, just as an arrow whizzed past and embedded into a tree trunk with a distinct
thunk
behind them. They landed with a bone jarring thump in the ditch—air whooshed from her lungs and she lay stunned, trying to inhale a deep breath without success.

Untangling his legs from her skirts, her husband grabbed her around the waist, scooped her up as easily as a goose down bolster, and smacked Zeus’s rump yelling, “Yaaa.” Zeus took off, Lightning following behind. Kat still breathless, Alex half carried, half dragged her into the stand of trees.

Their mounts charged deeper into the trees and disappeared, but Alex pulled her behind the nearest beech. He pressed her face against the trunk, his body covering her back and shielding her body. Air suddenly rushed into her lungs and she gulped each breath greedily.

Her surge of fear from the attack metamorphosed into danger of another kind. A hush descended, not a creature or leaf stirred, except for wisps of her loosened hair where Alex panted against her neck and cheek. Still, against her will, her body reacted to his nearness and her nipples peaked with excitement.

Alex absorbed a ripple of tension going through Kat as he held her close. Despite the danger that stalked them, or perhaps because of it, he could not resist taking just a taste. He kissed the back of her moist neck and cupped her breast, squeezing the lush flesh. Her erect nipple abraded his palm, scorching his tingling flesh. Alex groaned. Kat cursed.

With extreme reluctance he pulled away. “We will continue this later.” Peering from behind the tree, he gazed across an open field at a collection of low-lying, dilapidated buildings where the arrow must have come from. “Stay here. I shall return shortly.”

Without seeing if she obeyed him, he dashed across the road and into the field, bent low to the ground.

It seemed his enemy had made his first move. Which brought up another possible problem he had not thought of before.

Is Kat a target now because of her connection to me?
Alex wondered. Or, had the timing of the attack been purely coincidental?

Kat stopped outside the door of an abandoned cottage Alex had entered and saw him poking around in a pile of rotted wood in one corner. “Did you find aught amiss?”

He spun around, a scowl on his face. “What are you doing here?” he exploded. “I told you not to move.” Then he sheathed his sword.

She gave an unladylike snort. “I don’t take kindly to commands,
Sir Alex.
And since when have I ever obeyed one of your orders, especially when danger is afoot? Do not expect me to start now.”

Tension flared between them as they both remembered the day of their betrothal when an assassin had attacked Alex on Montclair lands. Alex had been furious that day, too, when she rescued him from the murdering whoreson. She shot the man in the arse with an arrow and had no regrets about her actions.

Alex stepped out of the cottage, grabbed her arm and propelled her back towards the road. “You are incorrigible.”

“And you are a boor.” Kat tugged on her arm as he practically dragged her away. “Alex! Release my arm. You need not haul me about as though I’m a criminal.”

He released her and slowed his steps to match her slower pace. “Aye, you are right. I
am
being a boor. Are you hungry?”

Caught off guard by his apology, she responded without thought. “I am fam—” Kat stopped mid-sentence, but not before she realized how neatly he had trapped her.

Alex nodded. “’Tis good I brought a large repast, then. I remember what a great appetite you have.” His eyes devoured her, clearly conveying he was not referring to her hunger for food.

Embarrassed, Kat raised her chin. “How would you know what kind of appetite I have? Perhaps I have changed. You have been gone—”

Alex bent down, wagging a finger in her face. “Ahh…Ahh…Ahh. We have a bargain, remember?”

She snapped her mouth shut. Alex smiled with devilish pleasure.

Damn. Damn. Damn. Did I leave any out?
she wondered.
Oh, aye, DAMNATION!

“Did you find anything back at the cottage? Who do you think shot the arrow?”

“It was most likely a hungry serf poaching his next meal. He’s probably long gone by now. Speaking of which, why do we not find a spot to partake of the repast I packed? I know of a nice private glade not far from here.”

When they approached the road, Alex placed two fingers in his mouth and whistled. Not long after, Kat heard their horses approach through the trees. Zeus drew up before them first, followed by her ‘loyal’ mount. Almost as though in contrition, Lightning nudged her nose against Kat in greeting. She grabbed her mare’s reins, unable to blame her for her desertion. It seemed males of any species enjoyed dominating their female counterparts, be they sire or husband.

Alex indicated the horses with a nod of his head. “Shall we?”

Kat shrugged. As if she had a choice.

“Good. I’m famished, too,” he said dryly. “Let’s be on our way.”

He grabbed her waist to lift her onto her mount, but held her suspended in the air. His warm hands penetrated through layers of linen and wool like a brand. “No more tricks, Kat. We are going to have a pleasant ride and then share a meal before we have to return to court. Do I have your promise?”

The heat of him scorched her, his fingers skimming the plush underside of her breasts. “Aye, just put me on my blasted horse!”

Kat nearly sighed aloud when he did as she bid. The man was a temptation the likes of which a nun could not resist. But she must find a way to do so. They kicked their mounts into a trot, Alex leading the way.

Riding along a narrow track, which was the southern boundary of Hampstead manor, Alex pointed up ahead to the woods of Chalcots. “There is a little-used cart track in the woods up ahead beyond the next bend. It will take us to the glade I told you about.”

Kat nodded her head in understanding and followed him when he turned right onto an overgrown track and entered Chalcots woods. The trees closely abutted both sides of the track, and forced their horses to walk single file. Kat was perfectly happy with this situation, until she realized she had an unimpeded view of Alex’s strong broad back and his long dark hair, which hung down to the top of his shoulders.

She remembered running her fingers through the blue-black strands on their wedding night. Silky and thick, it had brushed her cheeks as he came over her, curtaining her face, giving her the illusion they were the only two people on earth. That she was safe and no harm would ever endanger her as long as they were one.

They were bitter memories now, for she knew it had just been a cruel trick of her imagination. As long as they were married, she would never be safe from heartbreak. She needed stability with a man who wanted her not only for her beauty, but her intelligence and strengths as well. A man who would love her unconditionally for who she was, and not what he wanted her to be.

Alex selfishly thought of only what he wanted and expected her to be obedient to his every command, as though she had not an intelligent thought or was incapable of defending herself. She could never be the kind of woman he wanted. But she had always been different and had long accepted that her unorthodox behavior and beliefs alienated her from her peers.

“You appear lost in your thoughts. Care to share them?”

At his question, Kat gazed around and saw Alex had dismounted. Surrounded by woodland, they stood in a small yard before a stone and wooden structure two stories high. The stone foundation rose six feet high and had shuttered windows on either side of the door. The upper story was of wattle and daub construction. The building looked to be at least a century old, except for a recent addition onto the structure that included a chimney. On the other side of the courtyard, a large, open shed held three stalls.

It looked like a secluded abode for lovers. Kat bristled at his arrogant assumption.

Alex watched Kat study her surroundings, wondering what was going through that facile mind of hers. Then a muscle in her cheek began to twitch and her fists clenched, sure signs of agitation. Alex sighed inwardly, perplexed by what had triggered her hot temper this time. She never kept him guessing for long.

Her beautiful wide eyes blazed down at him. “How dare you bring me here? You assume too much if you think I shall step one foot in there so you can have an intimate setting to seduce me.”

Alex held up his hands in innocence. “You misunderstand. I intend no such thing. The lodge is locked and I don’t have a key. There’s a small dell with a pond just through those trees.” He pointed the way.

Before she could rebuff him, he slid his hands around her waist and helped her down. Hands still at her waist, he said, “I can control my base urges if you can.”

Although it was faint, she colored prettily.

“See that you do,” she said and stepped away. Turning back to the building, no doubt trying to hide her embarrassment, she added, “What manner of dwelling is this anyway? I ride this way nearly every day and never knew it was here.”

“’Tis a little-known, old hunting lodge built by the first Plantagenet king, Henry II. Edward came here quite often to hunt in his bachelor years. Though rarely used now, it is kept in readiness whenever the king and queen are in residence at Westminster Palace.”