Chapter 17 #3
Even if he extracted Jehanne without penalty, he would then have to escort her to Westminster and into the king's presence, thus proclaiming the sinful crime to all. He found it hard to imagine that this would make the king more likely to favor their case.
Underlying, or perhaps overlaying, all these concerns was the thought that he was about to spend the night with Aline, who strained his control to breaking point.
She'd accomplished her mission and contacted him, so she could be returned to the convent. There were two arguments against that. One was that she might be punished. The other was that one of his plans for liberating Jehanne involved returning Aline tomorrow morning.
And, of course, there was the fact that he wanted this night, tormenting though it promised to be.
Just a night to talk.
A night to hold her.
A night to teach her a little more about her wonderful body...
He cursed softly. He was already hard.
He gave thanks for his sworn oath to Galeran which made weakness impossible.
In Cheapside, he bought a wineskin, a roasted rabbit, and a loaf of bread. He was hungry, and he didn't think someone with Aline's rich curves would be a sparse eater.
Dame Helswith let him into the house, which now hummed like a beehive with illicit activities. Laughter, gasps, groans, bumps...
Hurrying up to Aline, he berated himself for not finding a better place. But what other place? He was sure the king's men would have checked the inns, and even if he knew other private households well enough to ask for lodging, they would not want to house a fugitive.
No, this was best, but it offended him mightily that his future wife even enter such a place.
He rapped gently on the door, saying, "It's me. Raoul," before entering. He had no desire to be knifed.
Even with the warning, Aline was standing ready, knife grasped competently and held close to her body, ready for a killing thrust.
He grinned with delight. "Ah, Aline, you are a splendid woman."
"Am I? I thought I was a frightened one." And her eyes were still wide with fear.
"It's what people do when they're frightened that matters." He put his purchases on the table. A rather more substantial one than the rickety assembly of planks in Paul's crude room. He could sit her on this one.... "Do you want to keep the knife?"
She looked at it, then shuddered and tossed it on the table. "No, thank you. If anyone attacks, you can handle it."
As long as it's not me.
He used it to cut the bread, then tore the rabbit into chunks. "Eat. Drink."
She picked up a thin leg. "What happened at the convent?"
"I was able to reassure Jehanne that you were safe. She also managed to tell me directly that she wants to be at the hearing." He squirted some wine into his mouth and swallowed. "You're right. She seems serious about it. Not at all petulant."
He passed her the wineskin, but she just clutched it. "Jehanne is never petulant. You probably haven't seen her at her best. She's so strong. So brave..."
"I'm not sure women are supposed to be strong and brave." He was partly teasing, but he knew that a woman like Jehanne was not the wife for him.
"You prefer them weak and timid?" Aline asked, turning rigid with affront.
"Perhaps just a little less likely to rush into trouble."
She raised the skin and tilted it to shoot a stream of wine into her mouth.
"I see," she remarked, wiping her mouth.
"But of course we women aren't supposed to mind when men—driven by their strength and bravery, not to mention their pride and boneheadedness—rush into trouble, then come limping home to be soothed and mended. "
"I'd like to limp home to be soothed and mended by you, Aline."
She stared at him, face softening into confusion. She had the uncapped wineskin clutched in her arms and must have squeezed it. A stream of wine shot out to hit the wall.
He laughed and rescued it. "Let's not argue or talk of things that can wait. Eat, and then we'll try to get some sleep amid all the noise."
She colored slightly as she pulled a bit of meat off the rabbit. "I've never heard people be quite so noisy about—"
"Perhaps they feel less inhibited here than in the castle hall."
She popped the meat into her mouth and chewed. "But I've heard groans and screams...."
As if to confirm her point, a choked wail echoed through the house, building then fading into irregular yelps. Raoul felt his own face heat. "It's probably an indication of pleasure not pain, Aline."
"Pleasure?"
"Oh, Christ's crown, we can't stay here." Raoul had never been a great user of houses of convenience such as this, so he'd not realized just how intrusive the other inhabitants would be. It wasn't merely that it embarrassed Aline, and even embarrassed him. It was too arousing.
He gathered the food and drink. "Come on."
"Where?" Aline moved quickly and put herself between him and the door. "Where? I know as well as you that word will have been sent to inns and hostelries. If you're going to take me anywhere, it will have to be back to the convent."
"Perhaps that would be as well."
"I don't want to go back. I know the mother superior's type. She'll ready with her rod."
"She wouldn't dare."
"She would probably claim that I'm as good as a nun and thus under her jurisdiction. We stay here."
"I doubt we'll get much rest."
"I can sleep almost anywhere, under almost any circumstances."
It would be foolish to leave, and so he gave in.
"Very well. We stay." He spread the food out again and sat on the bed to eat.
As he'd thought, she had a hearty appetite, and did her fair share of the damage.
After a while it did become possible to ignore the surrounding noises except the occasional shriek or wail.
But after one sharp wail she asked, "Are you sure?"
"Yes." He wasn't entirely, but he didn't feel up to explaining to Aline the peculiar ways in which some people found sexual pleasure.
She shook her head and chewed on the last of the bread.
When it was all gone, he pulled back the thin covers on the bed. "Come on. In you go."
She did look wary at that, but slipped under the covers, wriggling over against the wall, the bracken in the mattress rustling with every move.
"It's all right. You can have the whole bed."
"You can't sleep properly on the floor."
"I'll manage."
"Raoul de Jouray, stop being foolish. You need a good night's rest too. Get into bed. I promise to scream and fight if you try to rape me."
He couldn't help laughing. "Truly?" he teased.
"Truly. I have no intention of losing my maidenhead in a place like this."
She was completely serious, and being Aline, she would fight like a she-wolf. He eased into the bed, keeping as close to the edge as he could. "Perhaps I do like women who are strong and brave after all."
"Of course you do. The other sort are useless." With that, she rolled over to face the wall, giving all the appearance of someone about to go to sleep.
Raoul turned slightly to stare at her back.
He didn't know what he'd expected, but it wasn't this.
She should be flustered, embarrassed, restless under the same needs that tormented him.
He had intended to at least hold her in his arms as they talked, as they suffered sleeplessness brought on by the noisy house.
A change in her breathing, and then a slight snore on each in breath told him she really had gone straight to sleep.
He grinned up at the ceiling. Aline of Burstock was a remarkable women in every way.
To his surprise, her regular breathing lulled him to sleep far sooner than he'd expected. And if he woke in the morning resting comfortably against her, her warmth and subtle perfume soothing his senses, at least nothing had happened in the night to violate his oath.