Read Online The Prize by Julie Garwood - Free Book Online

after all, patiently waited until the servant, Clarise, had fed the child.
    The baby had absolutely nothing to complain about.
    He pulled the covers away from the baby's face. "Go back to sleep," he ordered in a soft but firm voice. Ulric quit squirming long enough to smile up at Royce. The baby looked absolutely ridiculous with his hair standing on end. Royce couldn't help smiling back.
    He then decided he'd spent enough time soothing the child and once again pulled the covers over the baby's face. "Now you will go back to sleep."
    Ulric let out another bellow. Royce spotted Nicholaa then. She came running through the open gates with her hair flying out behind her, paying no heed to the weather, for she hadn't even taken the time to put a cloak around her shoulders in her haste to get to Ulric.
    His plan had worked. Royce was relieved—not so much at having tricked her into leaving the abbey as to be rid of the squirming infant.
    Nicholaa flew down the hill at a breakneck run. She was out of breath but full of fury when she finally reached Royce. "Give me that baby," she demanded in a hoarse shout.
    She was so infuriated that she couldn't stop herself from slapping his leg.
    "Is Ulric your son, Nicholaa?"
    She hesitated for only a fraction of a second before nodding. "Yes, he's my son."
    He knew she was lying. Again. He let out a sigh. The fear he saw in her gaze made him hold his silence. He wouldn't challenge her now. She had lied because she was afraid. She couldn't possibly understand him. He knew she was trying to protect the child from harm. Royce was her enemy, and he could well imagine the foul stories she'd been fed about the Normans.
    "Ulric's safe, Nicholaa. No harm will come to him."
    After making that promise, he reached down to her, offering her his hand.
    She shoved it away. "Give him to me. Now."
    He would have liked nothing better than to hand the child down to her, for Ulric was at it again, squirming, kicking, howling, too, but Royce wasn't about to let Nicholaa have the upper hand. She wasn't the one giving the orders, and the sooner she understood that, the better. The journey would be difficult enough without her challenging him every step of the way.
    Ulric had gone into a rage of rebellion. Royce turned his attention to calming him. He gently turned the infant so that his back rested against the cloak covering his chest. He then removed the blanket from his face, for the babe did seem determined to look around him. He mopped his face again, too. Then he finally turned his gaze back to Nicholaa.
    The bluster had gone out of her anger. Royce was being incredibly gentle with Ulric. The warrior had such big hands, and yet he wasn't at all awkward with the infant. Ulric liked him, too. The baby kept tilting his head back and grinning up at his captor.
    He was only a baby. He didn't know any better, she told herself. She finally turned her gaze to Royce.
    They stared at each other for a long minute while Ulric gurgled out his new sounds. The baby was very content.
    Nicholaa couldn't hold Royce's stare long. She started shivering and couldn't decide if the chills were due to the weather or the giant's glacial stare.
    "The game's over, Nicholaa. I've won. If this were a chess match, I would say checkmate," he said. "Admit your defeat and I'll show you mercy."
    The amusement in his voice was more infuriating to her than his arrogant boast. She looked up at him again and saw that he was trying hard not to laugh at her.
    The man was literally gloating with victory. She slapped his leg again. "If this were a game, your move would not be checkmate, Baron, but check, for you've only cornered me with this devil's move. Aye, this game isn't over yet."
    He shook his head. "You're in an untenable position, Nicholaa. Give up this foolish struggle and accept what cannot be changed."
    He had the gall to smile at her. She disliked him intensely for that. How could she have thought he was the least bit handsome? The man was