fall in love and bring his bride here to bear me company, but he is as hard to please as his sister.’
Zander laughed. ‘I think Philip hath too much comfort for his own good, lady. Why should he wed when he has you?’
‘I have my uses,’ she said. ‘Once again I offer my cure. It would ease your pain and the redness.’ There was something almost urgent in her tone, as if she wished to force acceptance from him.
‘I thank you, but I prefer to leave such things to my servant.’
‘Very well. Leave your lady to sleep a little longer.’ Anne turned aside, but he caughtthe flicker of resentment in her eyes and wondered at it.
Zander inclined his head as she went about her work, but he had not been able to resist coming to Elaine’s chamber to look at her. Now that her lovely hair was spread upon the pillows she looked more like the girl he’d loved, though her skin still bore traces of the stain she’d used to disguise herself. She was so beautiful that his heart caught and he longed to sweep her into his arms and kiss her, to feel her soft skin against his and to make her his own—but that could never happen now.
It would be unfair to her. He was not the man she’d loved. War had hardened him, made him bitter. He would hurt her and she might be left a widow before she was hardly a wife. Zander could never break the vow he’d made to avenge his father. In his heart he knew that the enemy he faced was treacherous and so powerful that even he might not survive the fierce fight that must ensue.
Zander was determined to challenge his enemy to single-handed combat, but first he must regain his strength. Janvier had made him more of the cure with the herbs Elaine had given them and, again, Zander felt an improvement. He was not so easily tired and yet stillhe could not swing his great broadsword with the strength he would need for battle. Much as he wanted to destroy his enemy, he was not yet ready.
Elaine was stirring. He was torn between leaving her and yet he stayed, wanting to see her wake. Her eyelids flickered and he noticed how dark her lashes were despite the fairness of her hair, then her eyes opened and she looked at him. the smile of wonder and joy that spread from her eyes over her face cut Zander to the heart; it was the smile he recalled so well, the smile that had helped him through the pain-racked nights, drawing him back from the very mouth of hell. It was her smile that had kept him hanging on by a thread, his spirit almost done, the pain so terrible that his body craved the peace of death—and yet he had lived. He had lived because she lived, and now he would live to serve her if he could.
‘Zander…’ The note of wonder in her voice made him frown. ‘I dreamed of you…but you are here…’
‘I am real, but not as you knew me.’
Elaine sighed and his heart caught with pain as he saw the joy and the wonder drain from her, leaving only sadness and uncertainty.
‘I am sorry to wake you, lady,’ he said. ‘Butwe should be leaving soon. I have sent scouts on ahead to see if Newark hath taken your manor and lies in wait, hoping to draw you into a trap.’
‘And if he has?’ Elaine was fully awake now, modestly drawing the sheet to her chest as she sat up. ‘I do not know where else to go.’
‘I have little to offer you. I think my father’s manor may be almost a ruin—but Anne would take you back here until I could find somewhere suitable for you to live.’
‘My lands are all I have.’
‘I brought a fortune home, as I promised you, Elaine. If my father’s manor lies in ruin, I shall buy a house worthy of you. One that hath stout walls, a moat and a gate that can be drawn up.’
‘But…’ Elaine blushed. ‘I should not wish to be a burden to you if…’
‘You could never be that,’ he said. ‘I shall leave you to dress, but I pray you come down to the courtyard swiftly, for I would be away.’
He turned and left her, his mind in turmoil. If Newark had stolen
Zander laughed. ‘I think Philip hath too much comfort for his own good, lady. Why should he wed when he has you?’
‘I have my uses,’ she said. ‘Once again I offer my cure. It would ease your pain and the redness.’ There was something almost urgent in her tone, as if she wished to force acceptance from him.
‘I thank you, but I prefer to leave such things to my servant.’
‘Very well. Leave your lady to sleep a little longer.’ Anne turned aside, but he caughtthe flicker of resentment in her eyes and wondered at it.
Zander inclined his head as she went about her work, but he had not been able to resist coming to Elaine’s chamber to look at her. Now that her lovely hair was spread upon the pillows she looked more like the girl he’d loved, though her skin still bore traces of the stain she’d used to disguise herself. She was so beautiful that his heart caught and he longed to sweep her into his arms and kiss her, to feel her soft skin against his and to make her his own—but that could never happen now.
It would be unfair to her. He was not the man she’d loved. War had hardened him, made him bitter. He would hurt her and she might be left a widow before she was hardly a wife. Zander could never break the vow he’d made to avenge his father. In his heart he knew that the enemy he faced was treacherous and so powerful that even he might not survive the fierce fight that must ensue.
Zander was determined to challenge his enemy to single-handed combat, but first he must regain his strength. Janvier had made him more of the cure with the herbs Elaine had given them and, again, Zander felt an improvement. He was not so easily tired and yet stillhe could not swing his great broadsword with the strength he would need for battle. Much as he wanted to destroy his enemy, he was not yet ready.
Elaine was stirring. He was torn between leaving her and yet he stayed, wanting to see her wake. Her eyelids flickered and he noticed how dark her lashes were despite the fairness of her hair, then her eyes opened and she looked at him. the smile of wonder and joy that spread from her eyes over her face cut Zander to the heart; it was the smile he recalled so well, the smile that had helped him through the pain-racked nights, drawing him back from the very mouth of hell. It was her smile that had kept him hanging on by a thread, his spirit almost done, the pain so terrible that his body craved the peace of death—and yet he had lived. He had lived because she lived, and now he would live to serve her if he could.
‘Zander…’ The note of wonder in her voice made him frown. ‘I dreamed of you…but you are here…’
‘I am real, but not as you knew me.’
Elaine sighed and his heart caught with pain as he saw the joy and the wonder drain from her, leaving only sadness and uncertainty.
‘I am sorry to wake you, lady,’ he said. ‘Butwe should be leaving soon. I have sent scouts on ahead to see if Newark hath taken your manor and lies in wait, hoping to draw you into a trap.’
‘And if he has?’ Elaine was fully awake now, modestly drawing the sheet to her chest as she sat up. ‘I do not know where else to go.’
‘I have little to offer you. I think my father’s manor may be almost a ruin—but Anne would take you back here until I could find somewhere suitable for you to live.’
‘My lands are all I have.’
‘I brought a fortune home, as I promised you, Elaine. If my father’s manor lies in ruin, I shall buy a house worthy of you. One that hath stout walls, a moat and a gate that can be drawn up.’
‘But…’ Elaine blushed. ‘I should not wish to be a burden to you if…’
‘You could never be that,’ he said. ‘I shall leave you to dress, but I pray you come down to the courtyard swiftly, for I would be away.’
He turned and left her, his mind in turmoil. If Newark had stolen
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