Chapter 14
Chapter Fourteen
A year later
“Ithink ’tis time we went back to Throckmorton Castle.”
Though her attention had been wholly focused on the embroidered shirtsleeve her niece, Ellie, was showing her, Gwenllian’s ears perked up at this announcement from Christopher.
Throckmorton Castle, his English seat, was only a few miles away from Sheridan Manor—and therefore, from Audley.
This was the opportunity she had been waiting for, her chance to see Alexander.
She smiled to herself. How propitious that she should have chosen this day to visit her sister in her cottage and so was able to hear the announcement.
Because she already knew that she would ask to go with them.
It had been a year since she had last seen the dashing knight who still haunted her thoughts by day and her dreams at night, and she didn’t think she could wait a moment longer.
Unbeknownst to everyone at Sheridan Manor, the two of them had spent a few fiery nights together the previous summer. The secrecy had only added piquancy to the encounters and enhanced their pleasure.
Then, all too soon, she had left with Bethan, Cameron and the rest of the retinue, heading back to Castell Esgyrn and her old life. As she had spotted the familiar shape of the castle in the distance, it had dawned on her.
The adventure she had dreamed of was over.
After that, it had not taken her long to see that her plan had a flaw.
She would never be satisfied with mere memories.
She was burning for Alexander’s touch—and company— aching to create new memories with him.
She could have gone and found another man, of course, and another adventure, but the problem was, as she had already started to suspect, she was not interested.
She wanted none other than Alexander and the adventures he could give her.
Because he was nothing if not an adventurous lover.
He’d made love to her tied up in a bed, up against a tree, and even once on the riverbank after a scandalous naked swim together.
Where would he take her next, she wondered?
In the stables, in the spiral staircase?
“What do you think of the holly bush?”
“A holly bush? Oh no, far too prickly.”
Gwenllian chided herself when Ellie’s face fell. What was she thinking? Of course, the little girl was not offering suggestions as to where Alexander should next possess her; she was asking for her opinion on her embroidery!
“Forgive me, sweetheart. The holly bush is very realistic; it looks just as spiky as a real one, is what I mean. Look.” She pretended to prick her finger and, to her relief, Ellie laughed. “Yes. Very spiky.”
“Now, if you’ll excuse me, while you carry on, I have something to tell your father.”
With one last smile at her niece, she walked over to Christopher and Sian, who were establishing the list of all the things they would have to do at Throckmorton.
“Can I come with you?” she asked Christopher, doing her best to appear only mildly interested in the answer. “I haven’t been to England for a year. This is as good an opportunity as any.”
“Of course. The more the merrier,” Christopher said, nodding at his wife, who nodded back, looking delighted at the suggestion. “We’ll leave in a couple of days. Be ready; we’ll come get you at dawn.”
Gwenllian beamed at him. Really, she had always liked the rogue her family had had trouble accepting at first. And now, thanks to him, she might have her wildest fantasies come true.
“Perfect. I’ll be ready.”
More ready than she had ever been for anything in her life.
A week later, after an uneventful journey, their small retinue reached Throckmorton Castle.
Gwenllian did her best not to betray her joy and impatience.
It was important that no one suspected she had come here with a purpose in mind.
Just like last time, she had not sent word of her arrival to Audley, thinking that if surprise served her as well as it had last time, she would be a fool to warn Alexander.
Perhaps she would get to see what it was like to be taken in the spiral staircase…
She went to bed that night with a mind full of images of her fiery lover.
“Let’s have a banquet the day after tomorrow, to celebrate our long overdue visit,” Christopher decided as they all sat down to break their fast in the morning.
To his right was his sister-in-law and her new husband, Sir Stephen, who was none other than her late husband’s squire.
They were the ones who took care of the place while Christopher lived his life in his new, simple home in Wales.
Though he had grown up here, he felt nothing but contempt for the place.
“An excellent idea,” the woman said.
“We will welcome your suggestions as to which local lords we should invite, and we’ll invite a few friends ourselves.”
Gwenllian worked very hard to suppress a shout of agreement.
If Christopher wanted to invite guests, no doubt his dearest friend, Sir Alexander Rathbone, would be one of them.
Which was exactly what she wanted. She had not dared hope it would be so easy to contrive a meeting between them without raising suspicion.
Not for the first—or the tenth—time, she wondered what her family would think if they knew the knight who had saved her and then escorted her to Scotland had become her lover.
What Christopher would think. She wasn’t sure she was ready to find out, yet another reason for her to remain cautious.
“Who do you have in mind?” Sian asked, as she cut a slice of pie into cubes for her youngest daughter, Lizzie.
“I’ll send invitations to your uncle and aunt at Sheridan Manor, naturally, and hope all the family can make it.
” He gave a smile, no doubt remembering that he had once been unwelcome there.
“Then Sir William and Alasdair at Redhill, as well as Lord Hart at Rochfort and, of course, Alexander at Audley.”
Gwenllian hid her own smile. She had no idea who this Lord Hart was, but she had hoped to hear Alexander would be amongst the guests.
She helped herself to a piece of cheese, hoping that her interest didn’t show.
Though, if any questions were raised, she could always pretend to be happy to see William and his Scot, which she was, only not for the same reasons.
“Very well,” Sian said, oblivious to what was going on in her sister’s mind.
“Could my wife and I have a word with you in private, my lord?” Sir Stephen asked once the meal was over. “There is an important matter we need to discuss. Your visit is timely, as we were about to write to you.”
“Of course.”
But Gwenllian had already lost interest in the conversation. All she knew was that she was now assured to see Alexander before long.
Everything was falling into place with wonderful ease.
A banquet at Throckmorton Castle tomorrow night.
Alexander nodded to the messenger, not sure what to tell him. Should he accept the invitation and go? Who else was invited? Would Gwenllian be there?
He shook his head as the question crossed his mind. Why should she be?
His friend had probably come to see that everything was as it should be at Throckmorton Castle.
As Lord Ashton, even if he had washed his hands of the old family seat, it was his responsibility to see that the people to whom he had delegated the administration of the domain, his late stepbrother’s widow and her new husband, took good care of the place.
If this visit was simply a formality, he might have come without his wife and four daughters, not to mention a sister-in-law who, by her own admission, was happiest in Wales.
As the thought that Christopher might have come alone crossed his mind, Alexander snorted.
As if the man would want to go anywhere without Sian and his girls.
As if his Welsh wife would let him go anywhere without her.
This was not Colin, making the most of a trip to be with his mistress, and this was not Lady Isabeau.
Even big with child, even at death’s door, he was certain that the unassuming but fierce Lady Ashton would have followed her husband to the end of the earth.
Alexander nodded to himself. Seeing his lifelong friend happy in a marriage that was so different from the ones he had witnessed in his family could almost make him believe that fulfilment was possible, something he had doubted for years.
Perhaps. But that still didn’t take away the fact that such a fate was not for him.
He could not marry until his situation was resolved, and it might never be.
For the first time since he had left home all those years ago to come live at Audley, he wondered if he should confront Hugh and clarify his position, get him to officially recognize him as owner of the place.
After all, it would not be the first time a younger son was given a lesser domain.
What would have happened if his father had not died so young, before he had time to write up his will?
He might well have designated a domain for each of his sons.
Yes… It was worth finding out what Hugh thought because if Alexander felt secure in his future, then he might be able to rethink his plans and actually take a wife.
Resigning himself to a life alone when he’d been a youth had been one thing. Now that he was actually living that life, he saw that it was not offering much satisfaction. But he could change his mind. He was two and thirty, still young enough to have children, and if—
The messenger’s horse snorted, recalling Alexander to the present. Christopher’s man was still waiting for his answer, doing his best not to betray his impatience. But, of course, he might have other people to go to, other guests to deliver the news to.
“Go and get a drink,” Alexander told him before heading to the great hall. “Before I give you an answer, I will need to speak to my steward.”
He was giving himself time to think, nothing more. In reality, he could do what he wanted; Master Simon would not care one way or the other. But what did he want? That was the question.
If Gwenllian were here, he would be ill at ease meeting with her in front of all her family.
It was exactly what he had tried to avoid the last time she’d been here.
Their clandestine meetings had added to the thrill but had left him feeling rather uncomfortable.
He hadn’t liked feeling like he was doing something wrong.
But if she hadn’t come, he would have deprived himself of the opportunity to see his friend for nothing. This decided him.
Alexander clenched his jaw, then walked back out, ready to give the messenger his answer.