length of leather belt in his hands, her crimson flush deepened and she looked away from him, biting her lower lip between her teeth.
The silence dragged between them for a long moment before Ceara looked at him again, her expression mutinous but her voice subdued. “It seems that you are right—I cannot stay your hand. And though it galls me, I concede that you fought well and fairly against us. Wulfridge is now yours to command.”
Her capitulation was too sudden and too evasive to be believed. Luc said nothing, waiting with lifted brows, slapping the looped belt against his open palm.
Ceara’s shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. “It must ring false to you, my lord. I understand. But I am so weary, and now that it is over, I have little to gain by earning your hatred. It would be better to have your amity than your enmity, I think.”
“A wise decision. To what do I owe this sudden—if incomplete—change of heart?”
“Fear.”
The blunt admission was unexpected, and he grinned. “Fear of what I may do, or fear of what you may do,
demoiselle
?”
Her mouth tightened, and she shot him an irritated glance from beneath her lashes. “You are crude indeed, sir. Do not flatter yourself that I will fling myself into your arms with abandon. I merely thought to oblige you in appreciation for your mercy earlier today.”
“Mercy …
My
mercy?”
“Yea, my lord. As you
escorted
me from the hall, I saw the boy that was hidden earlier in the storeroom. Rudd is unharmed.”
“I have no reason to harm children. Or women who do not attack me with sword or dagger.”
Another flash of irritation crossed her face, and she took a deep breath. “Yea, so I see. Do not misunderstand me—I do not profess love and devotion, only gratitude.”
It was Luc’s turn to be irritated. “I do not want your gratitude.”
“No?” She looked up, blinking innocently. “What else do you want from me, my lord?”
It was a dangerous question. If not for his heavy leather tunic, it would be obvious what he wanted from her, or what his body wanted. And why not? She was lovely, soft-skinned and desirable in her short garments, her long legs drawing his gaze again and again—until he forced himself to look away. A man’s admission of his desire was a potent weapon in a woman’s hands.
“Your oath of loyalty will be enough for now,
demoiselle
.”
Silence fell, lengthening until she cleared her throat. “Can I trust that?”
“ ’tis you who flatter yourself. Do you think me so enamored of you I cannot restrain myself? I assure you, I am not a green youth about to lose control. I prefer a woman who knows how to be a woman, not a half-clad warrior wielding a sword and mouthing threats. You are safe enough, I warrant.”
It was a lie, and he knew it even as he said it. He should never have touched her. His body was taut as a bowstring and thrumming with need. What would William say if he did as he wanted to do? An act of war was an act of war, but the king had strict rules of conduct. She was a political hostage. If he took her, he may well have to answer to William for it.
Ceara had gone even paler, and lines of strain formedbrackets around her mouth as she stared at him. “I suppose you kiss all your enemies as you did me, then.”
“Only those foolish enough to play the seductress so clumsily.”
“Norman swine, do you think for a moment that I would truly attempt seduction with one such as you?”
Luc’s hands were on her so swiftly she had no time to evade him, and she gasped when his fingers dug harshly into the tender skin of her wrists. “Bide your tongue,” he said with soft menace. “I weary of this carping.”
He released her with a slight shove, and watched as she straightened and stalked to the farthest corner of the dimly lit room. She pressed her back against the wall and watched him warily, as if he might yet use a whip or sword to punish her. Well she might be wary, for he was tired of her
The silence dragged between them for a long moment before Ceara looked at him again, her expression mutinous but her voice subdued. “It seems that you are right—I cannot stay your hand. And though it galls me, I concede that you fought well and fairly against us. Wulfridge is now yours to command.”
Her capitulation was too sudden and too evasive to be believed. Luc said nothing, waiting with lifted brows, slapping the looped belt against his open palm.
Ceara’s shoulders lifted in a slight shrug. “It must ring false to you, my lord. I understand. But I am so weary, and now that it is over, I have little to gain by earning your hatred. It would be better to have your amity than your enmity, I think.”
“A wise decision. To what do I owe this sudden—if incomplete—change of heart?”
“Fear.”
The blunt admission was unexpected, and he grinned. “Fear of what I may do, or fear of what you may do,
demoiselle
?”
Her mouth tightened, and she shot him an irritated glance from beneath her lashes. “You are crude indeed, sir. Do not flatter yourself that I will fling myself into your arms with abandon. I merely thought to oblige you in appreciation for your mercy earlier today.”
“Mercy …
My
mercy?”
“Yea, my lord. As you
escorted
me from the hall, I saw the boy that was hidden earlier in the storeroom. Rudd is unharmed.”
“I have no reason to harm children. Or women who do not attack me with sword or dagger.”
Another flash of irritation crossed her face, and she took a deep breath. “Yea, so I see. Do not misunderstand me—I do not profess love and devotion, only gratitude.”
It was Luc’s turn to be irritated. “I do not want your gratitude.”
“No?” She looked up, blinking innocently. “What else do you want from me, my lord?”
It was a dangerous question. If not for his heavy leather tunic, it would be obvious what he wanted from her, or what his body wanted. And why not? She was lovely, soft-skinned and desirable in her short garments, her long legs drawing his gaze again and again—until he forced himself to look away. A man’s admission of his desire was a potent weapon in a woman’s hands.
“Your oath of loyalty will be enough for now,
demoiselle
.”
Silence fell, lengthening until she cleared her throat. “Can I trust that?”
“ ’tis you who flatter yourself. Do you think me so enamored of you I cannot restrain myself? I assure you, I am not a green youth about to lose control. I prefer a woman who knows how to be a woman, not a half-clad warrior wielding a sword and mouthing threats. You are safe enough, I warrant.”
It was a lie, and he knew it even as he said it. He should never have touched her. His body was taut as a bowstring and thrumming with need. What would William say if he did as he wanted to do? An act of war was an act of war, but the king had strict rules of conduct. She was a political hostage. If he took her, he may well have to answer to William for it.
Ceara had gone even paler, and lines of strain formedbrackets around her mouth as she stared at him. “I suppose you kiss all your enemies as you did me, then.”
“Only those foolish enough to play the seductress so clumsily.”
“Norman swine, do you think for a moment that I would truly attempt seduction with one such as you?”
Luc’s hands were on her so swiftly she had no time to evade him, and she gasped when his fingers dug harshly into the tender skin of her wrists. “Bide your tongue,” he said with soft menace. “I weary of this carping.”
He released her with a slight shove, and watched as she straightened and stalked to the farthest corner of the dimly lit room. She pressed her back against the wall and watched him warily, as if he might yet use a whip or sword to punish her. Well she might be wary, for he was tired of her
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