Read Online Linda Needham by The Bride Bed - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: The Bride Bed
Ads: Link
Carrisford in your name, madam,” he said, following her fluttering trail of petals.
She straightened and leveled a glare at him. “In that case, you will rule with honor and compassion, my lord guardian. And due respect for the lives of my people.”
“Bloody hell, woman! For the last time, I will administer your guardianship as I see fit, without your opinion or your interference.”
“And I will never marry you. Ply me with flowers or threaten me with a hanging, I’ll refuse.”
Good Christ, if things were different, he just might….
But things weren’t different. Could never be. He had precise and intricate plans, careful strategies.
And he was exhausted.
Too tempted to tarry here with her beneath the counterpane. To tangle himself in that curtain of hair.
He drew in a long breath, doing his best not to take in too much of her meadowy scent. “Make no mistake, madam, we’ll finish this tomorrow. Sleep well.”
Talia watched the man leave, felt him go, like stealing the heat from the sun. But she called after him anyway through the closed door.
“And may you be visited by bedbugs, my lord.”
Mother Mary, she wouldn’t have dared speak to Rufus this way, or with any of the others.
Where the devil had all this brazen courage come from and where would it take her? She’d learned the hard way to keep her opinions to herself and her actions secret from the men who ruled her life with their edicts and their wars.
But this one was different.
The scented heat of him. Clean. Male. Powerful.
And, oh, so very provoking.
Chapter 6
“W hat do you think His Lordship means, my lady? Havin’ me separate out all the horses that Rufus left behind and lead them into the village?”
Talia looked beyond Jasper to the line of householders that trailed along the trestle table in the hall. She was trying to catalog the most egregious incidents, trying to make sense of them.
He was a clever devil, this de Monteneau, hiding his sins against her so well.
She’d managed to stay clear of him this morning, though his men were gathering to break their fast, each of them looking clean and jolly and…well…almost civilized.
Aye, that was what had been missing from Carrisford for all these years. Order. Organization. Control.
Her own, most of all. She felt that palpably this morning. For despite last night’s raid, despite the changing of her prison guard yet again and having to put her larger plans on hold for the moment, she felt more in control than she had since her father was killed. Her guardian’s equal.
“I don’t know what de Monteneau means, Jasper, but do as he says with Rufus’s horses. We’ll sort it out later.”
“The man’s a bloody marvel in the smithy.” An unusual show of admiration from Leod.
“He is that, my lady!” Jasper added. “Forged an iron shoe his very self, then shod that great snortin’ beast of a horse of his.”
Wouldn’t he just. “I suppose he cooks and weaves as well? How many horses did Rufus leave, Jasper?”
“Well over a dozen, my lady. Maybe two.”
No doubt the leavings, the lame, the wormy and the foundering. Hopefully better than nothing.
“For the moment, put the horses in the common pasture and keep watch over them until you hear from me.”
Jasper leaned in to her and whispered loudly enough out of the corner of his mouth so that all around them could hear. “He’s a fine-looking fellow, he is.”
She had to ask, “Who is?”
“His Lordship.”
Great Mother of God. “Meaning?” Though Talia was more than certain what Jasper meant even before he raised one of his shaggy eyebrows.
“Seems a right kind of bloke for a husband, don’t you think?”
Leod smacked Jasper’s shoulder. “Bite your tongue, you old goat!”
Talia caught the end of Jasper’s beard and tugged him close by. “I think you’d better go move those horses, Jasper, before His Lordship changes his mind.”
Jasper’s ready smile sagged, the old man’s soft heart
She straightened and leveled a glare at him. “In that case, you will rule with honor and compassion, my lord guardian. And due respect for the lives of my people.”
“Bloody hell, woman! For the last time, I will administer your guardianship as I see fit, without your opinion or your interference.”
“And I will never marry you. Ply me with flowers or threaten me with a hanging, I’ll refuse.”
Good Christ, if things were different, he just might….
But things weren’t different. Could never be. He had precise and intricate plans, careful strategies.
And he was exhausted.
Too tempted to tarry here with her beneath the counterpane. To tangle himself in that curtain of hair.
He drew in a long breath, doing his best not to take in too much of her meadowy scent. “Make no mistake, madam, we’ll finish this tomorrow. Sleep well.”
Talia watched the man leave, felt him go, like stealing the heat from the sun. But she called after him anyway through the closed door.
“And may you be visited by bedbugs, my lord.”
Mother Mary, she wouldn’t have dared speak to Rufus this way, or with any of the others.
Where the devil had all this brazen courage come from and where would it take her? She’d learned the hard way to keep her opinions to herself and her actions secret from the men who ruled her life with their edicts and their wars.
But this one was different.
The scented heat of him. Clean. Male. Powerful.
And, oh, so very provoking.
Chapter 6
“W hat do you think His Lordship means, my lady? Havin’ me separate out all the horses that Rufus left behind and lead them into the village?”
Talia looked beyond Jasper to the line of householders that trailed along the trestle table in the hall. She was trying to catalog the most egregious incidents, trying to make sense of them.
He was a clever devil, this de Monteneau, hiding his sins against her so well.
She’d managed to stay clear of him this morning, though his men were gathering to break their fast, each of them looking clean and jolly and…well…almost civilized.
Aye, that was what had been missing from Carrisford for all these years. Order. Organization. Control.
Her own, most of all. She felt that palpably this morning. For despite last night’s raid, despite the changing of her prison guard yet again and having to put her larger plans on hold for the moment, she felt more in control than she had since her father was killed. Her guardian’s equal.
“I don’t know what de Monteneau means, Jasper, but do as he says with Rufus’s horses. We’ll sort it out later.”
“The man’s a bloody marvel in the smithy.” An unusual show of admiration from Leod.
“He is that, my lady!” Jasper added. “Forged an iron shoe his very self, then shod that great snortin’ beast of a horse of his.”
Wouldn’t he just. “I suppose he cooks and weaves as well? How many horses did Rufus leave, Jasper?”
“Well over a dozen, my lady. Maybe two.”
No doubt the leavings, the lame, the wormy and the foundering. Hopefully better than nothing.
“For the moment, put the horses in the common pasture and keep watch over them until you hear from me.”
Jasper leaned in to her and whispered loudly enough out of the corner of his mouth so that all around them could hear. “He’s a fine-looking fellow, he is.”
She had to ask, “Who is?”
“His Lordship.”
Great Mother of God. “Meaning?” Though Talia was more than certain what Jasper meant even before he raised one of his shaggy eyebrows.
“Seems a right kind of bloke for a husband, don’t you think?”
Leod smacked Jasper’s shoulder. “Bite your tongue, you old goat!”
Talia caught the end of Jasper’s beard and tugged him close by. “I think you’d better go move those horses, Jasper, before His Lordship changes his mind.”
Jasper’s ready smile sagged, the old man’s soft heart
Similar Books
