A Knight of Passion

chapter Fifteen

Emotion tightened Riana’s chest when Chilgoriam Castle came into view in the distance. Fast-moving clouds swung low on the horizon and seemed to skim the round towers that stretched heavenwards. If God himself stepped from the mist onto the battlements, that would be no greater miracle than the fact they had encountered no trouble since leaving Arundel. Was it possible the duchess had truly let her go? Was Chilgoriam Castle now home?

She glanced at Sir Bryant.

He smiled gently. “We are home,” he said, as though he had read her mind.

Her heart fluttered and she couldn’t stop her gaze from dropping when she felt her cheeks heat. He edged his horse closer and he grasped her chin, tilting her face upwards so that she was forced to meet his gaze.

“You are safe,” he said.

He released her and, before she had realised his intention, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her from her horse and across his lap.

“My lord!” She seized the front of his gambeson.

Sir Bryant laughed, rich and deep, then bent and kissed her hard. His shaft stirred against her abdomen and she gasped. He broke the kiss, eyes glinting with mischief…and desire.

“We have been travelling a full day,” he said.

He slid his gaze down her neck to the swell of breasts above her bodice. She cast a wary glance at the men riding beside them. Sir Bryant’s face filled her view, then he dipped his head and she shivered when he trailed his tongue across her breasts. He sucked a nipple between his lips through the fabric of her dress. She moaned and his length hardened against her belly. Moisture pooled between her legs.

By all that was holy, she’d gone without a man far longer than a day, many times before, yet her body acted as if it was starved for the feel of velvety steel inside her channel. He sucked harder and desire streaked from nipple to her sex. She wriggled, quite without willing it, and he lifted his head, locking his eyes with hers.

A corner of his mouth twitched. “Are you uncomfortable, Lady?”

She narrowed her eyes. “I am riding a horse, sir, and surrounded by your men, whose cocks must surely be aching at the display of their master nearly f*cking his wife in front of them.”

Sir Bryant blinked, then his eyes darkened and he said in a low voice, “When I decide to f*ck you in front of my men, you will see the difference.” With a growl he pulled her hard against him and didn’t allow her to move from his lap until they halted inside Chilgoriam.

* * * *

Relief flooded Riana at sight of her sister, sitting at the table in the great hall as if she had sat there every day of her life. Siusan shot to her feet and flew across the room and into Riana’s arms. Riana forced back tears as she held her close, and the tension eased a fraction with her acceptance that her sister was truly safe.

Riana grasped Siusan’s shoulders and held her at arms’ length. The linen veil that covered her head and fell across her shoulders looked newly washed, and not a hair of the honey-coloured braid peeking from the sides of the fabric was out of place. Not a speck of dirt was visible on her gown or the sleeves of the kirtle beneath the fabric. If Riana didn’t know better, she would think her sister had just stepped from a bath and been attended by the finest of lady’s maids.

“You look well,” Riana said, and sent a look of thanks at Sir Dunbar, who sat at the table across from her.

He nodded acknowledgement.

“I am well,” Siusan answered. “Sir Dunbar was very kind. We had a true adventure.”

Riana snorted a half-laugh, then glanced behind her to ask Sir Bryant if she and Siusan could speak alone. Sir Dunbar now stood with him, along with another man, and they were in deep conversation. Riana hesitated, a dozen questions suddenly surfacing. They had arrived safely at Chilgoriam Castle—their luck was beyond belief—but did he believe it would last? His conversation with the two men looked serious. Had something happened? Was there something she should know? The three men and Sir Bryant strode towards the door.

“My lord,” she called.

He glanced over his shoulder. “Mrs Carpenter will settle you in,” he said, then disappeared out of the door with the other men.

She halted. Had something happened? Was something wrong? Her heart rate accelerated. Or was the business of delivering her and Siusan to Chilgoriam simply finished? Her cheeks warmed with embarrassment, but she forced a smile and put her arm around Siusan. What had she expected? She and Siusan were safely away from Arundel. That was more than she had hoped for…and all that he had promised.

* * * *

Riana leant back in the chair that sat before the hearth in her bedchamber and sipped the cider Mrs Carpenter had placed on the table beside her. “Perfect.” Riana murmured.

“Your dress is fresh,” Mrs Carpenter said.

Riana looked up at the housekeeper, who smoothed an edge of the olive green kirtle lying on the bed.

Gratitude rippled through Riana. “You are kind,” she said.

The old housekeeper’s welcome had been genuine. She had fussed over Riana, fed and bathed her, freshened one of the two kirtles Riana had brought with her, and insisted that the young girl assisting with the bath plaited her hair once it was dry. These were people she could work with…care for.

“You should rest a bit.” Mrs Carpenter raised a brow. “You want Sir Bryant’s first night with you in Chilgoriam Castle to be memorable.”

Riana kept to herself that it was unlikely the first night in Chilgoriam would be any more memorable than the first night and morning at Arundel. Though she would gladly wipe those days from her memory and start anew here in Sir Bryant’s home. Despite her trepidation, anticipation hummed through her. Mrs Carpenter and the female servants had expressed satisfaction that their lord had brought home a mistress. The housekeeper clucked that he had taken his sweet time in finding a wife. Riana couldn’t be certain how the rest of the household would respond to her, but once she took her place as mistress of Chilgoriam, the dream would be a reality. After, that is, she took care of the final order of business.