Chapter Twenty #3
Nicola clung to him as he suckled her lips, his tongue gently pushing into her mouth, acquainting himself with the essence that was her, and all of her, because it was something he intended to gorge himself on.
Moments like this were only meant for angels and sometimes, not even for them, but Kenton and Nicola were experiencing it nonetheless.
For a bright and shining moment, heaven came into that little room and the illumination was blinding.
Nicola had no idea how long she remained in Kenton’s arms, surrendering to his powerful kiss.
All she knew was that she never wanted it to end.
It was everything she had ever hoped for but nothing she could have possibly imagined, even in her dreams. When Kenton was finished kissing her, he simply held her close, his face buried in her neck, his big arms wrapped around her slender body. He had her now, never to let her go.
Nicola’s arms were around his neck so tightly that she was positive she was strangling the man, but it underscored one thing – she never wanted to let him go, either.
She had no intention of releasing him. But the reality was that he was in a very precarious position that needed to be dealt with.
Someone had to broach the subject and Nicola, out of fear, was the first to speak.
“What do we do?” she whispered into the side of his dark head. “How do I get you out of this place?”
Nicola felt his hot breath against her neck as he exhaled slowly.
“I am not sure there is an easy answer to that,” he whispered.
“You cannot release me from Conisbrough. There is no way for you to do that. The only way I would be able to break away, or be broken away, is if I was not surrounded by layers of stone walls. They plan to turn me over to Edward at some point so it would be logical to presume that would be the best time to try to escape.”
“How?”
He shook his head, pulling it free of the fragrant haven of her neck. He fixed her in the eye, his arms still around her.
“I am not sure,” he admitted. “But you must not mention any of this to anyone. What we discuss here must stay between us.”
She nodded solemnly. “Of course, Kenton,” she said. “I would never say a word to anyone but Conor. He has come with me.”
A look of surprise crossed Kenton’s features. “Conor is here?”
“Aye.”
“But… but I left him in charge of Babylon,” he said, confused. “When Babylon fell, I was certain he would have been killed, or taken prisoner at the very least.”
Nicola nodded. “He was a prisoner,” she conceded, “but I convinced Brome St. John that he was one of Gaylord’s knights. I do not know if St. John truly believes me, but he has not disputed me. He has allowed Conor to be by my side.”
Kenton mulled over that particular revelation. He was astonished, but pleased, to know that Conor not only survived the siege on Babylon but that he was here at Conisbrough. “I see,” he said thoughtfully. “What of Wellesbourne and de Russe and le Mon? What of them?”
Nicola shook her head. “I do not know,” she said. “I have not seen nor heard of them. What of Forbes? You did not mention him.”
“That is because I know he is dead.”
She sobered. “Oh,” she murmured. “Do you think the others are dead, too?”
Kenton cocked a reluctant eyebrow, reluctant to think the worst. “It is possible although I cannot truly believe it,” he said. “Wellesbourne and de Russe especially would have stopped at nothing to remain alive.”
“Do you think they fled back to Warwick after the defeat?”
Kenton nodded. “That would be my guess,” he said. “I truly hope that they have, at the very least to tell the man what has happened. That is what I would have done.”
Nicola watched him as he thought on his knights, the men he’d fought so closely with. “Even if they have fled, they do not know what has become of you,” she said. “I am the only one who knows. How can I help you escape? What can I do?”
Kenton pondered her question. “I am not entirely sure,” he said.
“It will take a plan of great cunning to help me escape. They plan to turn me over to Edward at some point and when they move me would more than likely be the best chance for me to escape. While I am within these walls, there is no hope of release, so it makes sense to make the attempt when I am in transit. The only person who can plan that kind of operation is Warwick.”
Nicola shook her head. “I do not know if he is aware you have been taken prisoner,” she said. “I have not heard from him at all. I know nothing of his movements.”
Kenton released her, sitting her down on the bed as he sat beside her.
He held her hands tightly. “Then you must get word to him somehow,” he told her, his voice low.
“Send Conor if you can. Warwick must be told that I am at Conisbrough and that they plan to turn me over to Edward. Once I am given over to Edward it will more than likely be impossible for any manner of an escape attempt, so it is imperative that any attempt be made once I leave Conisbrough.”
Nicola was listening with great seriousness. “I do not know of their plans for you, but I can find out,” she said. “They believe I am on their side because it was I who sent them the missive about your attack on Manchester. I am sure they believe I am in their confidence.”
Kenton’s expression was serious as well.
“Then it is important we lead them to believe that you have no loyalty towards me,” he said.
“We will have to pretend we hate one another. I am not entirely sure what else we can do. If they believe we are bitter enemies, then they may tell you their plans for turning me over to Edward.”
Nicola nodded, watching him as he kissed her hands. “I am not sure if I can be convincing about hating you,” she whispered, her eyes starting to well again. “Kenton, I’m so afraid for you.”
He kissed her hands again, her lips to quiet her.
“I know,” he comforted. “But you are strong and wise. You are the strongest woman I know. I have faith that you will be able to obtain their plans for me and send word to Warwick. We will be together again someday, I swear it, but you must help me keep my promise.”
She wiped at her eyes, squaring her shoulders and trying very hard to be brave. “I will do it,” she said, sniffling again. “I did this to you. Now I shall get you out of it.”
He smiled at her, drinking in her brilliant beauty, more relieved than he could express that things were well between them again.
But he had a feeling there would be much more fear and perhaps even heartache before all of this was finished.
But as long as they had faith in each other, and loved each other, that bond could move mountains.
“I know you will,” he said, kissing her again. “But for now, we must pretend to hate each other. Can you do that?”
She nodded, somewhat wryly. “I made a good show of it before.”
He laughed. “You did,” he said. “But right now, I want you to slap me as hard as you can.”
She looked at him, shocked. “Slap you?”
“Aye,” he said firmly. “As hard as you can. And then scream at me and tell me what a bastard I am. It will show them that you truly hope I rot for what I did to Babylon. You must be convincing, love.”
Nicola sighed. She understood what he was saying and she knew that it was a necessary ruse, especially if she was going to try and gain information about their future plans for Kenton. It was important that St. John and the rest of them believe there was no love lost between her and Kenton le Bec.
“Very well,” she said, standing up. But first, she bent down to kiss his cheek, the one she was about to slap. “Hopefully this will take the sting out of what I will do.”
He grinned, touching his face where she had kissed him. “It will undoubtedly,” he said softly. “Now hit me, hard.”
Nicola hesitated a moment before hauling off and slapping him across the face so hard that his head snapped. She looked at him in horror for a split second but all he did was grin, putting his hand to the cheek that was already turning an angry shade of red. She began screaming at him.
“You contemptable bastard!” she yelled. “How dare you… you smashed his tomb! You smashed it! I told you not to do it, I begged you, but you still did it! How could you have destroyed Gaylord’s tomb like that?”
Her screams brought the cavalry. The door swung open and St. John and Saxilby appeared.
Nicola saw the door fly open from the corner of her eye and she launched herself at Kenton, slapping him in the head and trying to kick him.
St. John moved swiftly to pull the angry lady away, but Nicola struggled against him, swinging her fists in Kenton’s direction.
“I… want… my… vengeance!” she grunted, trying to hit Kenton. “You will not deny me my right!”
Saxilby was beside himself, putting himself between the swinging lady and the seated prisoner. “My lady, please,” he begged. “Please calm yourself!”
Pretending to be furious was fairly easy for Nicola. She lashed out a booted foot and caught Saxilby in the knee. “But you do not know what he has done!” she screeched. “He smashed my husband’s tomb and… and he tried to steal my children!”
St. John had her around the waist, easily lifting her and carrying her to the door. “Come along, my lady,” he said calmly. “You are simply overwrought from the events of the past few weeks. You must rest and I am sure you will return to reason.”
Nicola was struggling and twisting, now trying to hit St. John. “Nay!” she yelled, grabbing on to the door frame as he tried to pull her through. “I will not leave! I must stay and punish him!”
St. John and one of the armed guards outside the door had to peel her hands off the door frame in order to pull her completely from the room; it was clear that she was not going easily.
She was fighting and yelling the entire way.
Kenton could hear her as St. John took her down the steps, his calm voice against her frenzied one.
When their voices faded away, Saxilby, who was still in the room, turned to Kenton.
“God’s Bones,” he hissed in relief now that Lady Thorne had been taken away. “What on earth did you say to the woman?”
Kenton shrugged carelessly, standing up from his bed.
“I do not know what set her off,” he said.
“She is volatile as it is, so it could have been anything. We were discussing my incarceration, the condition of Babylon after the siege. I told her I should have sold her children off into slavery because they were wild ruffians and suddenly the woman becomes enraged.”
Saxilby frowned at the man. “You said that you should have sold her children?”
“Aye. They serve no purpose in a military installation, which was what Babylon was after I confiscated it.”
Saxilby shook his head in disbelief. “I was worried about her attacking you,” he muttered. “I should have been more worried about you provoking her.”
Kenton merely shrugged and turned to the window, his usual position. He was trying to convey disinterest in Lady Thorne, hoping he was able to do it adequately. “She said what she wanted to say,” he said. “Mayhap she will leave me alone from now on.”
Saxilby wriggled his eyebrows, turning for the door. “I have a feeling she might sneak up here to try and stick a dagger in your ribs,” he said. “Make sure you watch that door, le Bec. If Lady Thorne manages to bribe the guards to let her in, you may have to fight for your life.”
Kenton shrugged again, as if he didn’t care in the least, and Saxilby left the room without another word. When the door shut and he heard the bolt thrown, that was when Kenton’s guard came down.
Bravo, love, he thought.
The man had a smile on his face for the rest of the day, for the hope he had prayed for, had wished for, was indeed alive and well. Hope, and love, had worked miracles.
Now they would see if it could work another.