Marcus jumped and lowered the scroll, his head whipping in Beth’s direction. Face flushing, he bowed. “Good morrow, my lady.”
“Would you do me a huge favor and light a fire in the hearth? It is frrrreezing in here!”
“At once, my lady.” Tossing the missive to Robert, Marcus hurried to the hearth and began to carefully construct what Robert guessed would be a great, roaring conflagration.
Robert glanced over at Beth and fought a smile.
Her hair was loose and adorably mussed from sleep, her eyelids a little heavy. The many kisses they had shared the previous night had left her lips puffy and rosy. The coarse stubble that coated his own jaw had abraded hers enough to leave it a bit pink.
Just the sight of her made his heart light.
Forcing a frown, he nodded his head toward Marcus, whose back was to them, and motioned for her to duck back behind the curtains. Even though her head was the only thing visible, he did not want any other male to see her so enchantingly disheveled.
A teasing glint entered her warm hazel eyes. Glancing at Marcus to confirm he couldn’t see her, she suddenly flung the curtains wide, giving Robert a thrilling look at her beautiful bare body bathed in the morning sunlight that sifted into the room, then yanked the curtains closed again.
Robert laughed silently as she tucked the heavy material beneath her chin, her face alight with amusement and feigned innocence.
Setting the missive down on his trunk, Robert quietly crossed to the bed.
Beth grinned up at him, daring him to do he-knew-not-what.
Grinning back, he palmed her face and gave her a little push that sent her tumbling backward amidst blankets and giggles.
Ensuring no gap remained in the curtains, he returned to his trunk and grabbed a linen shirt. Marcus, he noticed as he tugged the material down over his head, concentrated overmuch on his task, adding to Robert’s amusement.
“Robert?” Beth called sweetly.
He could not seem to stop smiling this morn. “Aye?”
“May I please borrow your robe?”
“For what reason?”
“I’m awake. I may as well get up.”
“’Twould be best if you remain where you are until my squire has left the chamber.”
Marcus rose. “Shall I leave now, my lord?”
“Nay. Stay until I have read the missive.”
Beth cleared her throat pointedly. “The robe, Robert?”
Sighing with exasperation, Robert retrieved his robe and strode to the side of the bed that was hidden from Marcus’s view.
One of Beth’s pale hands extended through a gap in the curtains.
Instead of placing the soft material in it, Robert took her hand in his and pressed a kiss to her palm.
Beth drew the curtains back and smiled up at him. “Thank you.”
Robert shook the robe out and draped it around her shoulders, helping her arms find the sleeves. “I was attempting to be discreet, love, and would not have alerted Marcus to your presence had you not spoken.”
“Marcus is family. He won’t gossip.”
Her words pleased him. Had Beth learned of Marcus’s painful past? If so, ’twas kind of her to claim him as kin since the boy wanted no part of his own.
“Besides,” she continued, “I think discretion is sort of a moot point now, don’t you? We weren’t exactly subtle yesterday in the bailey.”
Nay. They had left little doubt as to their intentions.
Robert helped her out of bed and took care to cover every inch of her pale skin from the neck down.
“Besides,” she said, “I’m cold. And Marcus is building me a nice, big fire. I plan to take full advantage of it.”
When he frowned down at her, seeking some other excuse to keep her in bed, she leaned up on her toes and kissed his neck just below his ear.
“Still like my independence?” she whispered.
“Aye,” he grumbled.
Beth laughed and started around the foot of the bed. As soon as her back was turned, Robert smiled and shook his head.
“Ooh. That looks wonderful, Marcus. Thank you!”
Flushing anew, Marcus smiled as she skipped past him and held her hands out to the crackling flames.
“Ahhhhh. I love the gigantic fireplaces you have in this place. They let you warm everything at once.”
As Beth turned around to warm her back, Robert picked up the missive and scanned its contents.
He stiffened, his fingers tightening on the parchment.
Beth’s smile faltered. “Robert? What is it?” She crossed to his side.
“Lord Edward thinks he has captured my enemy.”
“Who is Lord Edward?”
“His land abuts mine to the south.”
“And he caught your enemy?”
Robert nodded. “He says he is holding him at Terrington and has requested my immediate presence.”
“Where did he find him? Did he say who your enemy is?”