claims. Both have supporters. And both have ambition. That’s the crux. Until one of them breaks or loses heart, this war will continue.”
“I hate it,” she said.
“Be grateful you are far from it then. Here you are quite safe.”
“Especially now that you’re here to protect me,” she said, a smile curving her lips.
He needed to taste those lips again, just once more.
She responded with as much wonder as she had before, and soon had his blood hot with her instinctive reactions. She opened her mouth, deepening the kiss into something he never intended, something that let him taste her tongue and hear her murmur in surprise and pleasure.
When he pulled away, Cecily’s expression was dazed but delighted. “You did miss me.”
He swallowed, painfully aware of her innocence. “You have no idea how much. But I’ll never touch you again.”
Chapter 8
Cecily had felt so warm and safe in Alric’s arms, but his last words pulled her back to cold reality. “Am I not to your liking?”
“Cecily, you are far too much to my liking. And you are my lady, or have you forgotten that? I serve your uncle. I serve you.”
“You are more than that. You always have been.”
He shook his head. “At the end of the day, I’m just a knight. You’re destined for a greater alliance.”
She frowned, not liking that reminder. But she also recognized when he would not speak further on a subject.
“Oh, well,” she said carelessly, hoping to restore the camaraderie between them. “I’m so grateful you’re home safe, for however long it may be.”
He smiled at her, not meeting her eyes. He moved to the door of the hut to separate himself from her. “Come. If your work is done, I will see you back safely.”
Cecily extinguished the candle and moved to join him.
They walked slowly back through the gardens to the manor, where things were no quieter than before.
Then the clerk Laurence stepped out of the shadows of the main doorway. “Late to be about, is it not?” His gaze flickered over Cecily, then Alric. “Ah, I see you are not alone.”
“No, of course I am not alone,” she said. “I was most fortunate that Sir Alric was willing to escort me on my errand. I feel so much safer with a knight at my side. Good night.”
She swept by Laurence, Alric close at her elbow. She instinctively leaned toward him, using him as a shield blocking Laurence’s lingering regard.
“Observant little rat,” Alric muttered, once they were alone again.
“I never liked him,” Cecily confessed. “Always lurking, always there to make people nervous. I don’t know why my uncle tolerates him.”
When they reached her door on the upper floor, Cecily looked up at Alric.
“Thank you for rescuing me from Rafe,” she said quietly. “And for staying with me.”
Alric gave her a little bow. “My lady, I’m yours to command.”
“Don’t be so formal with me,” Cecily told him. “Now that you’re back, I insist you pretend you never left. I’ll want a chess match, and a picnic or two. We can’t waste a beautiful summer.”
He smiled, “If I have the time. There are other obligations.”
“True!” she said, thinking of the many tasks she’d set for herself. “But we’ll find time.”
“If you want, Cecily,” he said, his eyes watching her intently.
“I do. Good night, Alric.” She hurried into the bedroom and closed the door behind her before she could say anything more foolish.
Cecily lay awake for a long time. Alric’s kisses lingered on her mouth, summoning unfamiliar thoughts and feelings. She was certain the effect would fade as soon as sunlight returned to the world. It had to. No one could live with such a feeling of…joy.
She had waited so long to hear any news of Alric. Was it unnatural to respond to him when he was close by again? Their intimacy was only that of two people happy to see one another again. That’s all the kiss was. He would never kiss her again.
After all, it wasn’t as if
“I hate it,” she said.
“Be grateful you are far from it then. Here you are quite safe.”
“Especially now that you’re here to protect me,” she said, a smile curving her lips.
He needed to taste those lips again, just once more.
She responded with as much wonder as she had before, and soon had his blood hot with her instinctive reactions. She opened her mouth, deepening the kiss into something he never intended, something that let him taste her tongue and hear her murmur in surprise and pleasure.
When he pulled away, Cecily’s expression was dazed but delighted. “You did miss me.”
He swallowed, painfully aware of her innocence. “You have no idea how much. But I’ll never touch you again.”
Chapter 8
Cecily had felt so warm and safe in Alric’s arms, but his last words pulled her back to cold reality. “Am I not to your liking?”
“Cecily, you are far too much to my liking. And you are my lady, or have you forgotten that? I serve your uncle. I serve you.”
“You are more than that. You always have been.”
He shook his head. “At the end of the day, I’m just a knight. You’re destined for a greater alliance.”
She frowned, not liking that reminder. But she also recognized when he would not speak further on a subject.
“Oh, well,” she said carelessly, hoping to restore the camaraderie between them. “I’m so grateful you’re home safe, for however long it may be.”
He smiled at her, not meeting her eyes. He moved to the door of the hut to separate himself from her. “Come. If your work is done, I will see you back safely.”
Cecily extinguished the candle and moved to join him.
They walked slowly back through the gardens to the manor, where things were no quieter than before.
Then the clerk Laurence stepped out of the shadows of the main doorway. “Late to be about, is it not?” His gaze flickered over Cecily, then Alric. “Ah, I see you are not alone.”
“No, of course I am not alone,” she said. “I was most fortunate that Sir Alric was willing to escort me on my errand. I feel so much safer with a knight at my side. Good night.”
She swept by Laurence, Alric close at her elbow. She instinctively leaned toward him, using him as a shield blocking Laurence’s lingering regard.
“Observant little rat,” Alric muttered, once they were alone again.
“I never liked him,” Cecily confessed. “Always lurking, always there to make people nervous. I don’t know why my uncle tolerates him.”
When they reached her door on the upper floor, Cecily looked up at Alric.
“Thank you for rescuing me from Rafe,” she said quietly. “And for staying with me.”
Alric gave her a little bow. “My lady, I’m yours to command.”
“Don’t be so formal with me,” Cecily told him. “Now that you’re back, I insist you pretend you never left. I’ll want a chess match, and a picnic or two. We can’t waste a beautiful summer.”
He smiled, “If I have the time. There are other obligations.”
“True!” she said, thinking of the many tasks she’d set for herself. “But we’ll find time.”
“If you want, Cecily,” he said, his eyes watching her intently.
“I do. Good night, Alric.” She hurried into the bedroom and closed the door behind her before she could say anything more foolish.
Cecily lay awake for a long time. Alric’s kisses lingered on her mouth, summoning unfamiliar thoughts and feelings. She was certain the effect would fade as soon as sunlight returned to the world. It had to. No one could live with such a feeling of…joy.
She had waited so long to hear any news of Alric. Was it unnatural to respond to him when he was close by again? Their intimacy was only that of two people happy to see one another again. That’s all the kiss was. He would never kiss her again.
After all, it wasn’t as if
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