trunks, and you will be holding court again ere the sun has set this day.” Thomas smiled gallantly at the young girl, but the smile did not reach his eyes. “Princess, if you please?” He gestured toward the door and the three burley guards who waited there. Lady Mary and Margaret curtsied and led her from the chamber.
Alyse hung back, intending to get a final word of comfort from her husband ere she left. The intensity of his commitment to Joanna, however, appeared to blind him to all else. As soon as the ladies had shepherded her from the apartment, he followed them out the door without a backward glance.
Her mouth dropped open and her brows knit into a frown. How could he leave me without even a goodbye?
She turned toward the window, the first rays of light bathing her in a faint pink glow. Two tears rolled down her cheeks. He had no time for her now . And, although it was correct for him to protect and defend Her Highness, his wife needed his comfort as well at this desperate hour.
“Alyse!”
She whirled around to find Thomas running across the room to her in long, swift strides, his face distorted by a scowl.
“My love, you must leave now! Attend the princess to Loremo where you will be safe.” He gathered her into his arms with a fierceness that reassured her. Before she could speak, he covered her mouth in a kiss that was quick but sent heat rushing into her core.
“But what of you, Thomas? When will you come to Loremo?” She tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but the swiftness with which the contagion had overtaken the others kept circling her thoughts.
“Geoffrey and I must stay until the last of the retinue is on the move. Then we will ride from the city. I suspect you will not see me ere tomorrow night, sweet.”
“Can I not stay with you? I feel safest in your arms.” Alyse slipped her hands around his trim waist and pressed against him, ill-disposed to give him up.
With a sigh , he raised her upturned mouth to his. He melded his lips to hers, soft but unrelenting, his tongue a whisper in her mouth. She savored the slight taste of wine and the velvet touch of him, drinking deeply lest she forget one precious jot. Sensing his desire to go, and unwilling to relinquish him yet, she retaliated. Drawing his tongue into her mouth, she sucked it until he groaned and pulled away.
“Peace, Alyse. You must let me go, sweet , else I will lower you to the floor here and forget the urgency of the world in the urgency of my need.” His hungry gaze flickered over her.
“Let me stay with you then, my love.” She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him against her again.
“Nay.” He warded her off, although he kept her hand in his. “You must leave and attend the princess. I will be with you as soon as I can. I will find you in Loremo, I swear my life upon it.” He kissed her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Now go to Princess Joanna lest the carriage leave you. I would have you safe, madam. My life is forfeit without you.” His lips grazed her cheek, and he propelled her forcibly from the chamber and toward the western staircase.
She looked over her shoulder at him, but he had already turned from her to bark orders for the princess’s trunks to be taken to the carts at the eastern portal. A sense of foreboding shivered through her. Was this her last look at the husband she had loved, though not well enough?
Alyse shook head at such foolish fancies and hurried down the staircase toward the waiting coach.
Chapter 5
When she opened the carriage door, a guilty pang struck Alyse, for there sat Lady Anne, to whom she had not given a thought after thrusting her out of the princess’s chamber. She braced herself for a tongue -lashing from the disagreeable girl.
“Thank God . Now we can leave!” Anne slid over so Alyse could sit next to her, but said nothing else.
New dread stole through Alyse’s heart. If fear had replaced Lady Anne’s desire to chide, the ir circumstances
Alyse hung back, intending to get a final word of comfort from her husband ere she left. The intensity of his commitment to Joanna, however, appeared to blind him to all else. As soon as the ladies had shepherded her from the apartment, he followed them out the door without a backward glance.
Her mouth dropped open and her brows knit into a frown. How could he leave me without even a goodbye?
She turned toward the window, the first rays of light bathing her in a faint pink glow. Two tears rolled down her cheeks. He had no time for her now . And, although it was correct for him to protect and defend Her Highness, his wife needed his comfort as well at this desperate hour.
“Alyse!”
She whirled around to find Thomas running across the room to her in long, swift strides, his face distorted by a scowl.
“My love, you must leave now! Attend the princess to Loremo where you will be safe.” He gathered her into his arms with a fierceness that reassured her. Before she could speak, he covered her mouth in a kiss that was quick but sent heat rushing into her core.
“But what of you, Thomas? When will you come to Loremo?” She tried to keep the fear out of her voice, but the swiftness with which the contagion had overtaken the others kept circling her thoughts.
“Geoffrey and I must stay until the last of the retinue is on the move. Then we will ride from the city. I suspect you will not see me ere tomorrow night, sweet.”
“Can I not stay with you? I feel safest in your arms.” Alyse slipped her hands around his trim waist and pressed against him, ill-disposed to give him up.
With a sigh , he raised her upturned mouth to his. He melded his lips to hers, soft but unrelenting, his tongue a whisper in her mouth. She savored the slight taste of wine and the velvet touch of him, drinking deeply lest she forget one precious jot. Sensing his desire to go, and unwilling to relinquish him yet, she retaliated. Drawing his tongue into her mouth, she sucked it until he groaned and pulled away.
“Peace, Alyse. You must let me go, sweet , else I will lower you to the floor here and forget the urgency of the world in the urgency of my need.” His hungry gaze flickered over her.
“Let me stay with you then, my love.” She grabbed his hand and tried to pull him against her again.
“Nay.” He warded her off, although he kept her hand in his. “You must leave and attend the princess. I will be with you as soon as I can. I will find you in Loremo, I swear my life upon it.” He kissed her hand and pulled her toward the door. “Now go to Princess Joanna lest the carriage leave you. I would have you safe, madam. My life is forfeit without you.” His lips grazed her cheek, and he propelled her forcibly from the chamber and toward the western staircase.
She looked over her shoulder at him, but he had already turned from her to bark orders for the princess’s trunks to be taken to the carts at the eastern portal. A sense of foreboding shivered through her. Was this her last look at the husband she had loved, though not well enough?
Alyse shook head at such foolish fancies and hurried down the staircase toward the waiting coach.
Chapter 5
When she opened the carriage door, a guilty pang struck Alyse, for there sat Lady Anne, to whom she had not given a thought after thrusting her out of the princess’s chamber. She braced herself for a tongue -lashing from the disagreeable girl.
“Thank God . Now we can leave!” Anne slid over so Alyse could sit next to her, but said nothing else.
New dread stole through Alyse’s heart. If fear had replaced Lady Anne’s desire to chide, the ir circumstances
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