Chapter Twelve #3
“You have a great deal to do with it,” he said softly, smiling at her to let her know that he wasn’t upset by it.
“I am afraid de Noble intends to separate us and this I will not tolerate. In order to remain in his good graces, while you remain here and hopefully are able to discern elements of his plan against me, I have agreed to supply him with information from Black Castle.”
She was still amazed. “So you are returning to Black Castle to spy for the English?” she clarified, an expression of increasing disbelief on her face. “I still do not understand why he has ask you to do that. Does he fear an attack from you now that my brother’s fleet has been destroyed?”
Devlin nodded. “He has heard rumor that Black Sword has called the clanns together to launch an attack against Glenteige Castle.”
“And you have heard that the English are banding together to attack Black Castle.”
“Odd how rumors twist and turn until they become one and the same.”
Her mouth popped open in surprise. “What will you do?” she asked. “Are you indeed gathering the clanns to launch an attack on Glenteige?”
He shrugged vaguely. “There is always that possibility, but I have no immediate plans. My priority is banishing Kildare from Wicklow completely. After that, I will think about de Cleveley lands.”
“What will you tell him, then?”
Devlin sighed faintly, reaching up to toy with a stray tendril of hair around her ear.
“I am not certain yet,” he murmured. “But one thing is for sure; de Noble believes me to be a farmer and he believes that I will return to Black Castle and gather information for him. That is all you must know and all you must ever speak of. If they find out who I am, it could reflect very badly on you because you have known my identity all along. They will think you a traitor.”
Emllyn gazed at him a moment before averting her gaze, thoughtfully. “I am,” she murmured. “If I had to make the choice between you and Glenteige, my brother’s ally, I would choose you. I am indeed a traitor to my own people.”
He kissed her forehead tenderly, not knowing what to say to that, mostly because she was correct. Lacking a comforting response, he changed the subject.
“I am not certain how long I will be gone, but it will not be too long,” he said softly. “I cannot stomach the thought of being away from you, not even for an hour. My one and only thought will be of returning to you.”
Emllyn smiled faintly, reaching up soft, white fingers and running them over his perfect lips.
“And my thoughts will only be of you,” she whispered.
“But there is something else you should know – Elyse said that her father met you once when you were young. It must have been some time ago if he did not recognized you immediately. Still, you must be cautious. It may suddenly occur to him one day where he has seen you.”
Devlin cocked a thoughtful eyebrow. “Now it makes some sense as to why the man stares at me so intently,” he said. “He recognizes me but does not know from where. I will have to be very careful, indeed.”
It was a fearful thought. Emllyn fell silent, snuggling up to Devlin and burying her face against his shoulder. His skin was so pale, so warm, and immensely comforting. She would relish this memory of her body against his, his heart beating in rhythm with hers, for the rest of her life.
It was a tender and wonderful moment, one that she never wished to end.
Her hands moved up his arms, to his broad shoulders, acquainting herself with the feel of him against her palms. She never knew she was capable of emotions such as this, emotions that had been developing quite steadily over the past two days.
When they erupted, it was with the unbridled restraint of an exploding star and now the only thought that occupied her mind was Devlin.
Her captor had managed to capture not only her body, but her heart as well, and she did not regret it.
Devlin could feel her hands moving over his skin, touching him, and it was wildly arousing.
He put a finger under her chin, tipping her head up and kissing her sweetly until a knock on the door startled them both.
Devlin was already out of the bed, gathering his ratty hose and tunic, heading for the mattress that was near the door.
Emllyn grabbed her shift from where Devlin had tossed it, pulling it swiftly over her head.
“Who comes?” she asked, hoping she didn’t sound as breathless as she felt.
“Merradoc!” Came the boom. “Open the door before I am set upon by cutthroats out in this corridor. It is dark and terrifying out here!”
Shift over her head, Emllyn pulled on the lovely brocade robe as she made her way to the door. “A moment, please,” she said, swiftly fastening the robe.
A glance at Devlin showed that he was fully dressed as he sat upon the mattress. He winked at her and she grinned. Taking a deep, steadying breath, she opened the door.
Merradoc barged in without a word, practically shoving her aside. When he was about half-way into the room, he sniffed the air suspiciously.
“It smells as if animals have been mating in here,” he said. “What have you..?”
He turned and caught sight of Devlin sitting on the mattress near the door.
Gazing down at the big, bald man with the enormous arms, he wriggled his eyebrows.
“That explains quite a bit,” he muttered, turning away from Devlin and moving for the table.
Setting his satchel down, he began to rifle through it.
“I do not suppose you would take my advice if I told you to refrain from, shall we say, physical activities until you are completely well?”
Emllyn couldn’t help it; she flushed a dull shade of red. She didn’t dare look at Devlin. “I do not know what you mean,” she said primly. “John is my watchdog and nothing more. He protects me from spikey old men who come banging at my door at all hours.”
Merradoc sniffled loudly, wiping at his nose to hide his grin. “Mayhap,” he conceded, “but do not let de Noble find him here.”
Emllyn didn’t have a witty response for him. She ended up looking over at Devlin, who by now had stood up and was hovering in the shadows. Their eyes met, expressions of apprehension passing between them, before Emllyn returned her attention to the old physic.
“It is none of de Noble’s business what I do,” she said. “I am not under his command.”
Merradoc was pouring a measure of the rotten tea into a cup.
He handed it to her. “Drink this,” he ordered.
As Emllyn made a face and downed the entire thing in one swallow, he took the cup away from her and set it aside.
“Nay, it is not the man’s business, but he is no fool.
He is a man of decorum and propriety. If he discovers what you and your lover have been doing, he will more than likely have something to say about it. ”
Emllyn had her hand to her throat, her face twisted with disgust as the remains of the rotten tea slid down her gullet.
“You are not to worry over that,” she said, raspy from the terrible medicine. “And you will not say anything to him, do you hear?”
Merradoc snorted. “I see nothing and I hear nothing,” he said. “I am a physic, not a gossipmonger. Oh, and beware of Connaught, too. He is the suspicious type.”
Emllyn licked her lips, still overcoming the taste of the medicine. “Of me?”
Merradoc shook his head, pointing at Devlin.
“Of him,” he replied. “I may not be a gossip, but I hear things. I’m not particularly fond of Connaught because the man it too self-righteous.
He is also arrogant, thinking that he is with surety to be pledged to the Lady Elyse.
Mayhap he will, mayhap he won’t; in any case, he believes he will be the commander of Glenteige someday.
If that is the case, God help us. He does not have the patience and cunning that de Noble does. ”
Devlin didn’t say a word but he was listening carefully; he often found the best intelligence came from outside observers. He was curious to know in what direction Emllyn would take the conversation.
“It matters not to me,” she finally said, turning for the table where a pitcher of wine and two cups sat. She poured herself some wine to get rid of the rotten taste. “I will be leaving soon and returning home. I am not concerned for the politics at Glenteige.”
Merradoc watched her drink. “I heard de Noble say that you would be a fine companion for his daughter,” he said quietly.
“This is not gossip, mind you, for I heard him say this to the Lady Elyse. His daughter is lonely here and she has taken a liking to you. I believe that de Noble will write to your brother and ask that you remain here.”
Emllyn looked at the man. She wasn’t particularly surprised to hear that but she didn’t protest it.
She was coming to think that perhaps Merradoc wasn’t as tight-lipped as he said he was, which concerned her.
What she said might make it to other ears.
Therefore, she didn’t react one way or the other.
“Lady Elyse is a very sweet woman,” she said neutrally, sipping at her wine. “I like her a great deal.”
Merradoc’s gaze lingered on her a moment before returning his focus to his satchel. He began packing items away. “I will return in the morning,” he said. “In the meanwhile, stay off of that leg and limit your nocturnal activities. You need your rest.”
He was looking at Devlin as he said it. But Devlin didn’t react and the old man collected his bag, pushing past the two of them on his way to the door. Hand on the big iron latch, he paused before leaving.
“I would not sleep in the same bed if I were you,” he said quietly, looking between the two of them. “Lady Elyse is an early riser and unless you want her to find you together, I would suggest you sleep in separate beds.”
Emllyn gave one last stab at maintaining a proper illusion between her and Devlin. “We most certainly will not sleep in the same bed,” she said firmly. “You are a nosy old man with unclean thoughts.”