Read Online Samantha James by My Lord Conqueror - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: My Lord Conqueror
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he was taken prisoner he fought like a wild boar. My men did what was necessary to subdue him. Take heart, Saxon, for he is lucky to be alive. When we are certain he presents no further danger and is ready to accept me as his new lord, his chains will be removed.”
“Aubrey presented no danger to your men. Yet no doubt they took great pleasure in beating him, too.” To her horror, there was a betraying wobble in her voice. She despised the tears that threatened yet she could not help it. With an effort she blinked them back.
“Aubrey was sent back to his hut, Saxon. Alive and unharmed.” Merrick was furious that she thought him so callous. Yet she was not the only one, for indeed, every Saxon he’d thus encountered was convinced he was a monster!
“You, Saxon,” he went on, “are as much a warrior as any of your father’s men. You would fight me, though you carry no sword or armor. Indeed, ’twould appear you never tire of battle. Only you do battle with your tongue. Tell me, is that why they call you witch?”
Oh, but she longed to screech at him for all she was worth. Instead she struggled for a calm she was far from feeling. “Aye,” she stated daringly. “Mayhap you should be wary, Norman. Mayhap I will put a curse on you .”
He smiled, his eyes locked upon hers. “It would seem you are many things, Saxon. A great huntress. A dreaded witch. At times you possess an air about you, such as a great lady of the keep. Well, you may have fooled my men with your foolish tales, wench. But you do not strike fear into my heart.”
“And you do not strike fear into mine, Norman!”
His smile was maddening; it continued to dally about his lips. “No? Fear can be a powerful ally, Saxon. You’ve learned that, I think. You threatened to turn my men into goats. You used their fear against them. ’Twould seem to me we are far more alike than you are wont to believe.”
As he spoke, he came close…ever closer.Alana’s heart began to pound. Her pulse began to flutter. He did not stop until her feet lay squarely between his own. She could not stifle the sensation of being trapped…trapped and wholly helpless.
She could not tear her gaze from his face. His jaw was hewn in stone. His eyes were pure ice, yet within was a fiery glitter. It struck her then…his mood was dangerous. He was dangerous. If he wanted, he could snap her in two like the brittlest twig.
Oh, but she regretted the taunts she had flung so carelessly! “You are still angry,” she said jerkily. “Wh—what else could I do? Aubrey is an old man. He did not come to seek trouble. He came to see if I was alive and well. And I—I could not allow your soldiers to hurt a harmless old man.”
For a moment Merrick said nothing. He wondered what she would say if she were aware he secretly admired her bravery. In his mind’s eye he saw her, standing there in her bare feet, so proudly defiant. Yet he could not countenance her behavior, for he suspected she would but test him further.
His hands came up to cup her shoulders. She jumped at his touch, as if to tear herself away, but he held her fast. She was acutely aware of the power in his grip.
“I can feel you trembling, Saxon. You are defiant, yet you are not without fear. So tell me. Just what is it you expect me to do?”
“I know what you will do,” she stated baldly. “You will punish me.”
“Ah.” A wickedly arched brow arose. “And how do you think I will punish you?”
She gave a tiny shake of her head. “You know,” she whispered.
“I do not. What do you think I will do?”
“You will…take me.” It came out in a frenzied rush.
“Take you?”
She closed her eyes and shuddered. “Aye,” she said faintly. “You will—take me to your bed.”
For the space of a heartbeat, Merrick stared. Were he not so insulted, he might have been vastly amused. The women he took to his bed found pleasure, not pain. But here was one who clearly thought his possession an act to be
“Aubrey presented no danger to your men. Yet no doubt they took great pleasure in beating him, too.” To her horror, there was a betraying wobble in her voice. She despised the tears that threatened yet she could not help it. With an effort she blinked them back.
“Aubrey was sent back to his hut, Saxon. Alive and unharmed.” Merrick was furious that she thought him so callous. Yet she was not the only one, for indeed, every Saxon he’d thus encountered was convinced he was a monster!
“You, Saxon,” he went on, “are as much a warrior as any of your father’s men. You would fight me, though you carry no sword or armor. Indeed, ’twould appear you never tire of battle. Only you do battle with your tongue. Tell me, is that why they call you witch?”
Oh, but she longed to screech at him for all she was worth. Instead she struggled for a calm she was far from feeling. “Aye,” she stated daringly. “Mayhap you should be wary, Norman. Mayhap I will put a curse on you .”
He smiled, his eyes locked upon hers. “It would seem you are many things, Saxon. A great huntress. A dreaded witch. At times you possess an air about you, such as a great lady of the keep. Well, you may have fooled my men with your foolish tales, wench. But you do not strike fear into my heart.”
“And you do not strike fear into mine, Norman!”
His smile was maddening; it continued to dally about his lips. “No? Fear can be a powerful ally, Saxon. You’ve learned that, I think. You threatened to turn my men into goats. You used their fear against them. ’Twould seem to me we are far more alike than you are wont to believe.”
As he spoke, he came close…ever closer.Alana’s heart began to pound. Her pulse began to flutter. He did not stop until her feet lay squarely between his own. She could not stifle the sensation of being trapped…trapped and wholly helpless.
She could not tear her gaze from his face. His jaw was hewn in stone. His eyes were pure ice, yet within was a fiery glitter. It struck her then…his mood was dangerous. He was dangerous. If he wanted, he could snap her in two like the brittlest twig.
Oh, but she regretted the taunts she had flung so carelessly! “You are still angry,” she said jerkily. “Wh—what else could I do? Aubrey is an old man. He did not come to seek trouble. He came to see if I was alive and well. And I—I could not allow your soldiers to hurt a harmless old man.”
For a moment Merrick said nothing. He wondered what she would say if she were aware he secretly admired her bravery. In his mind’s eye he saw her, standing there in her bare feet, so proudly defiant. Yet he could not countenance her behavior, for he suspected she would but test him further.
His hands came up to cup her shoulders. She jumped at his touch, as if to tear herself away, but he held her fast. She was acutely aware of the power in his grip.
“I can feel you trembling, Saxon. You are defiant, yet you are not without fear. So tell me. Just what is it you expect me to do?”
“I know what you will do,” she stated baldly. “You will punish me.”
“Ah.” A wickedly arched brow arose. “And how do you think I will punish you?”
She gave a tiny shake of her head. “You know,” she whispered.
“I do not. What do you think I will do?”
“You will…take me.” It came out in a frenzied rush.
“Take you?”
She closed her eyes and shuddered. “Aye,” she said faintly. “You will—take me to your bed.”
For the space of a heartbeat, Merrick stared. Were he not so insulted, he might have been vastly amused. The women he took to his bed found pleasure, not pain. But here was one who clearly thought his possession an act to be
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