The ultimate, of course, would be if Jasmine loved him, but he was a practical man and he would settle for much less than love. Al he asked was that she desire him . . . no, even less than that. He would be over the moon if he could pleasure her make her o.r.g.a.s.mic. He lowered his body over hers and reached down to guide his shaft with trembling hands. His fingers forced her open further to accommodate his size.
Because he took her so seldom, he could not control his peaking pa.s.sion, then he surged upward pouring a throbbing, white-hot o.r.g.a.s.m into her.
Jasmine felt panic rise within her, for before G.o.d what he was doing to her made her feel like nothing else mattered but his body inside hers. And she didn"t even love him! Yes, you do, a voice said inside her head. "No, 1 don"t!" she screamed the denial aloud and looked straight into the eyes of Morganna, who had entered his chamber without knocking.
The scene spread out before Morganna was like a knife twisting in her guts. Hatred exploded inside her brain as she saw that Falcon"s need for his wife had been so great, so urgent he hadn"t taken the time to disrobe.
When de Burgh realized the appal ing intrusion he commanded harshly, "Get out!"
Blinded by hatred, Morganna fled.
"I"m sorry, Jasmine darling," he soothed softly.
"I"m sorry, Jasmine darling," he soothed softly.
"Don"t apologize," she said breathlessly, "I"m glad she saw you making love to me." There was a note of triumph in her voice that Falcon found disconcerting. He looked down at her in amazement. He could see the pearl drops of his sperm on the inside of her thighs and he was hard again instantly, o.r.g.a.s.mic but nowhere near sated.
She saw his intent and tried to rise. She got only to her knees before he pressed her to him with powerful arms.
"Not again!" she cried.
"Yes again," he insisted urgently.
"It"s too soon," she protested.
"It"s never too soon, I know strokes to soothe you, Ja.s.sy."
She pul ed from him with blazing eyes. "Your sensual excesses are inexcusable! Have you forgotten I"m with child?"
"If that b.i.t.c.h hadn"t interrupted me when she did . . . I had you one stroke from climax!"
"That b.i.t.c.h walking in was the only part I enjoyed," she spat cruel y. It was suddenly too much for Jasmine. She began to sob and shake. In truth he had brought her to climax, and her first release was so great the tears came flooding. She would never let him know what he had done to her . . . and she would make sure she control ed her betraying, treacherous body in future.
Chapter 33.
That night Mountain Ash was raided. The invaders took sheep, cattle, fodder, and valuable horses. The thatched huts of the vil agers that had sprung up outside the castle wal s were set ablaze as a diversionary tactic to effect a clean getaway. Fire in the night was a terrifying experience, as the raiders wel knew. In the blackness the flames crackled and roared, enjoying their wicked orgy of destruction.
The vil agers were brought into the castle, and the next day was spent rebuilding their huts for them. Estel e and Jasmine were busy tending burns and comforting the children. Falcon de Burgh bided his time. He would be very sure of his target before he struck back. Once he did, he would make certain Mountain Ash was never raided again, for when the Welsh got inside a castle they kil ed, looted, and raped like wild beasts.
In the hal at supper his eyes sought out Morganna. She felt his eyes on her immediately and smiled with satisfaction. The moment he finished eating he excused himself to Jasmine and left the hal . Morganna fol owed him to his chamber, as he knew she would. He was stripped to the waist when he opened the door and drew her inside.
She could not keep her hands from him as she hoped to arouse him to untold heights. He undressed her quickly and lifted her to the bed, but then his caresses slowed in a tortuous, maddening, drawn-out session of foreplay that she neither wanted nor needed. In an amazingly short time she was mindless, begging him for the fulfil ment she knew only he could give her.
Falcon, his hot mouth against her breast, said, "Where does Llewel yn store his treasure?"
"Mmmm . . . treasure?" she murmured thickly.
"Which castle houses what he has stolen from English castles?" He suspected she had been in communication with Llewel yn, as she rode out often through the mountains.
She didn"t care if she betrayed Llewel yn to this man. She would do anything for him. Al he had ever had to do was ask.
Her fingers closed about his swol en member. "Please, please." She rubbed and writhed against his marblelike thigh.
Through the red haze of pa.s.sion she sought a name.
"Penderyn." She gasped.
He blew his warm breath over a distended nipple. "No, Morganna, that is where he stays in winter, where he launched the raid from. Where has he hidden his treasure . . . gold . . .
jewels?"
"Ohhh . . . Brecon . . . now, please!"
Brecon! He might have guessed. It was a mountain fortress where at least three rivers joined to prevent attacks.
"Falcon . . ." she beseeched. He gave her thirty seconds of his attention. He manipulated her briskly with his hand to give her release, then quit the bed. Already he was miles away from her, his quick mind total y absorbed with a plan of revenge against Llewel yn. Though the hour was late, he did not hesitate to go down and rouse Gervase and Montgomery from their beds. He wanted to set his plan before them to see if they could pick any holes in it.
Morganna fel asleep in his bed, and H was there that Jasmine discovered her the next morning. She had wanted to tel Falcon that she would have her household servants move the vil agers back into their rebuilt huts and supply them with food and blankets. When she saw the lithe brown form of Morganna curled up in his bed, her heart stopped. Tears immediately fil ed her eyes and she ran blindly down the tower steps and out into the cold morning, fighting a great wave of nausea. She leaned against the bailey wal and vomited, but somehow instead of making her feel better, it made her feel worse. She knew she was going to faint and realized how dangerous it would be to lie long in the freezing cold without a cloak. Blindly she reached out her hand then crumpled beside the wal .
Tam strode swiftly toward her and scooped the smal , Hmp form into his arms. He swept into the hal and came face to face with de Burgh. "My lady is il ."
Falcon was startled to hear the protective tone the young knight used as he cal ed her his lady, but he was so knight used as he cal ed her his lady, but he was so concerned over Jasmine that he let it pa.s.s. "Bring he upstairs," Falcon directed, and the two men swiftly climbed the tower steps. Tam natural y carried her into de Burgh"s chamber. By this time Jasmine had opened her eyes and begun to protest weakly, "No, please."
Tam stopped only two long strides into the room and Falcon almost crashed into him. Tam took in the shameful scene of the naked girl in the bed and turned accusing eyes on de Burgh.
Jasmine turned her face into Tarn"s broad chest and whispered, "Please take me upstairs."
Falcon was racked with worry, anger, and guilt. He said shortly, "I"l get Estel e."
Morganna slipped on her tunic and sneaked away with excitement bubbling inside her. If Jasmine miscarried it would save her the trouble of destroying the child.
Estel e accompanied Falcon to the tower room, both deeply concerned. However, they were vastly relieved to see Jasmine sitting up in bed looking ethereal because of her slight pal or but unbelievably beautiful. Tarn"s doublet sported a pink and silver ribbon, and Falcon experi- enced a stab of jealousy as he realized Jasmine had given it to the young knight to wear as a favor. Then his common sense told him a knight who wore the ridiculously feminine colors of pink and silver would be a laughingstock. Tam averted his eyes from de Burgh and excused himself.
Estel e went to the bed and asked anxiously, "Are you bleeding?"
"No, of course not. Don"t worry so, Estel e, I"l be perfectly al right. And please don"t alert Big Meg or she"l keep me here for a week."
"I"l get you some chamomile and mint for the nausea," said Estel e, hurrying off to her stil room.
Falcon sat down careful y on the edge of the bed. "Jasmine, if I am the cause of this I must ask your forgive-.ness."
Her best weapon she decided was indifference. "You? How could anything you do affect me?" she said lightly. "This is simply one of the smal joys of pregnancy."
"I"m going lo be away from Mountain Ash for a few days, but natural y I won"t leave until I see you are recovered."
She knew immediately he was riding out in retaliation for the raid and icy fingers of fear crept around her heart. She might have clung to him and begged him to stay if she hadn"t found Morganna in his bed. Instead she said indifferently. "Don"t alter your plans on my account. I shal be up and about in an hour."
"I"m not taking al the men, I"l leave you wel guarded," he rea.s.sured her.
She turned amethyst eyes upon him. "So long as you leave Tam, I"l feel perfectly safe," she said with the innocence of an asp.
He bit back a very nasty word, yet he was relieved. If she felt wel enough to taunt him she couldn"t be too il . Nevertheless, he postponed leaving for one more day.
That night in the hal he was amused to see at least fifty of his knights sporting pink and silver ribbons. He also found himself on the receiving end of quite a few disapproving glances.
Later he dreamed he had to comfort and rea.s.sure a tearful Jasmine who was terrified for his safety. He held her against his heart and stroked her to sleep as the terror of losing him slowly melted away with his kisses- When he awoke a glum feeling descended upon him that Jasmine was indifferent as to whether he would make her a widow. However, his spirits lifted when he saw that she seemed perfectly recovered. Soon the hour drew near when he and forty of his best would ride through the night to plunder Brecon.
He would have been very gratified to know that Jasmine watched him leave through the narrow tower window. His men were laughing boisterously, jousting at one another with rough hands. The cold wind whipped their cloaks about them as they clattered over the stones of the bailey and through the gates.
She saw Falcon lift his dark head toward her tower, his great destrier reared up, its forelegs pawing the wind, before he wheeled away from the castle. She thought man and beast were perfectly matched with the same strength and violence that was beautiful to watch. She shuddered, already lonely for him. How many times down the years to come would she stand so and watch him go directly into danger?
It took de Burgh two ful weeks, for the mountain pa.s.ses were treacherous and once they reached Brecon they had to build siege engines on the spot with their great axes. He knew that in the middle of winter the fortress would be manned by only a few good fighting men. Most of Llewel yn"s army was kept close to the border of England where they could profit from quick raids on wealthy English castles. Before de Burgh quit Brecon he had two ful chests of gold and a cache of precious jewels. But of more importance to him, he left not one man alive nor one wal of Brecon intact. His mangonels and trenchbuts had battered down the palisade and the curtain wal , and left gaping holes in the tower. Every outbuilding was burned to the ground. He took a grim satisfaction in the methodical destruction, which would never have happened if the Welsh hadn"t struck first.
Jasmine and Estel e had consulted the crystal bal after careful y performing the magic ritual, and they had seen clearly that de Burgh would overcome al danger and come away with treasure enough to build half a dozen castles if he so desired.
Morganna was devastated to see Jasmine up so quickly from her sickbed because it meant she must stil be carrying the child. She was actual y singing and the bloom in her cheeks made her look stronger, healthier, and happier than she had made her look stronger, healthier, and happier than she had ever been. Morganna decided to put an end to al that. She asked Estel e for an abortificant for herself. Natural y Estel e was only too wil ing to rid the Welsh girl of de Burgh"s b.a.s.t.a.r.d.
Morganna waited until she saw Jasmine go to the kitchens as she did every day now, then took out the vial of rue, which she intended to pour into the mead Jasmine always drank. She stole up to Jasmine"s tower room, terrified lest she be discovered. Once she thought she heard the padding of soft footsteps so she quickly took the stopper from the vial and reached for the mead. Suddenly she screamed as she was pounced on from behind and rol ed to the floor. For a moment terror gripped her as she stared up into the amber eyes of a great mountain lion. She reached for her knife, but found her leather sheath empty. Quickly she rol ed away from the cat toward the door, the spil ed vial forgotten in her panic to get away. Later as she examined the two deep horizontal claw marks across her bare breast, she knew they would probably leave a scar. With great cunning, she found her knife and scratched a vertical cut to join the others, forming a perfect letter F for Falcon.
Estel e found the empty vial she had given to Mor-ganna. As she bent to retrieve it, a vision came to her of what the girl had tried to do. She picked up the mead but could discern no tel tale smel of rue; however, to be on the safe side she threw away the flagon"s contents. Estel e did not wish to estrange Jasmine and Falcon further by explaining that Morganna had asked for the rue to get rid of Falcon"s child. She would simply have to watch the girl closely, for she had almost succeeded in carrying out her destructive plan.
When de Burgh and his men returned triumphant, it was cause for a great celebration. Since it was wel into December, they decided to hold the Christmas festivities early. The hal was decorated with hol y and mistletoe, an enormous Yule log was fel ed and made ready, and the oxen sent from Chepstow were put on the spits to roast.
Jasmine was dressing for the celebration with the help of Glynis when Falcon pushed open her chamber door and strol ed in. She was sitting in her brief shift pul ing on her stockings. "I"m not dressed," she protested with a gasp.
He grinned. "So I see," he said.
She glanced guiltily at the scarlet gown laid out on the bed.
"I"m wearing red," she said defiantly.
His grin widened. "So I see," he said again.
Little Glynis made a hasty departure before the sparks began to fly. Falcon drew close, drinking in the heady sight of her, which he had thirsted for while they had been separated. His eyes swept down over her tiny waist and flat bel y. "You"re even slimmer than when I left."
"My b.r.e.a.s.t.s are ful er," she said, then blushed hotly.
His grin showed his even, white teeth. "So I see," he repeated, this time running an appreciative finger over the swel of her breast. He was glad she had chosen to wear red; he had known she would. The diamonds he intended giving her tonight would be set off magnificently.
His eyes grew smoky with desire, and she warned, "De Burgh, don"t you dare!"
He teased, "Can"t you find it in your heart to be kind to me after a two*week absence?" . "No," she said firmly.
"Let me take you to bed, just for an hour?" he teased.
"No!" she said sharply.
"Then take off your shift and let me see your lovely body for a little while."
"De Burgh!" she protested.
"Selfish little wench!" He gave a mock sigh. "Ah wel , I"l just have to settle for the taste of you then," he said, picking her up and setting her down in his lap. His lips brushed hers. "Did I ever tel you," he said, brushing her lips again and again, "that your little bottom is heart-shaped?"
She was unused to this gentle loveplay and was quite wil ing to be teased and touched. His hand ran down her silken stocking. "Did I ever tel you," he said, brushing her lips, "that you have the prettiest slim legs?" He put his fingers beneath her chin and raised it so he could look into her eyes. "And what"s this you have between your pretty legs? Did you ever tel me?"
She jumped off his lap quickly and grabbed up her gown. "De Burgh, we wil miss al the fun."
He sighed. "We wil if you don"t let me take you to bed."
"There"s going to be dancing," she said with excitement.
He mocked, "Why didn"t you tel me? Why are we wasting time in the bedroom when we could be having fun downstairs?"
She giggled. "Wil you dance with me?" "I thought al your dances would be reserved for Tam. Don"t tel me you"d favor an old man like me with a dance?" He turned her around and hooked up her gown. Then he lifted her pale tresses and pressed a kiss to the nape of her neck. "Lord G.o.d, how you make me quiver," he murmured, al teasing gone from his voice. He knew if he didn"t remove himself from her presence, her clothes would be strewn across the chamber and she"d be beneath him in the bed. Alone together in a room, the torment and temptation were too great for him. His eyes grew serious.
He dropped a chaste kiss on the top of her head and hastily left her to finish dressing.
Chapter 34.
The tables in the hal groaned beneath their succulent burden of food. The roasted oxen were supplemented by venison; it took a score of red deer to feed two hundred. In the dead of winter there were no fresh vegetables available, but the icy rivers teemed with fish, game was always plentiful, and the cooks had baked dozens of loaves, pastries, and egg dishes.
Apple and mincemeat pies and gooseberry and quince tarts smothered in thick, rich cream were washed down by old ale, hot spiced cider, and the wine sent from Chepstow.
Laughter and music were the order of the night. Tam was the first knight to gather enough courage to ask Jasmine to dance, but he was fol owed in quick succession by his brother Gower, Montgomery, and Gervase. Jas- mine tried without success to keep her eyes from the dark head that leaned against the wal watching her from across the hal . He was so easy with everyone, even the scul ions cal ed him Falcon, she noticed. Trust Gervase to deliver her to her husband after they had danced, she thought rueful y.
Falcon laughed down at her. "You haven"t asked me to dance."
She tossed her hair back. "An ugly lout like you deserves to stand against the wal !"
His hands shot out to seize her about the waist and draw her close. "I"ve a present for you tucked inside my doublet," he said temptingly. Her eyes met his and she took up his chal enge. Her hand slipped inside against the hard, bare flesh of his chest and she gasped as her fingers closed over what she knew must be jewels. As she drew them out, the diamonds caught the light and the reflection of her flame- colored gown. Womanlike, she took delight in the luxurious gift as she slipped the twin bracelets over her wrists.
She was breathless as Falcon fastened the matching necklace about her slender throat and whirled her off to dance before she could think of anything to say. "Let"s give them something to talk about," he invited, then lifted her high to show off her pretty legs. The hal went wild. When they danced there was something between them that carried them away to another world where none of the others could fol ow.