help you undress, Rose? Shall I summon Tyra?”
“Nay, thank you, I can manage on my own.”
“Think you your husband will return tonight?”
“Since Lord Dragon did not see fit to tell me where he was going, I know not when he will return. He can stay away forever for all I care. Good night, Emily.”
“Good night, Rose. Sleep well.”
Rose undressed, washed and slid into bed, pulling the bed coverings up to her nose. The days and nights were growing colder, and the sound of the howling wind sent shivers down her spine. It would soon be Christmastide. She closed her eyes and remembered Christmas last, when her father was still alive. How happy they had been; how blessed and carefree.
Suddenly the joyous memory was shattered by Dragon’s image, bringing to mind her father’s untimely death and the fact that she had not been allowed to properly mourn him. So much had happened that she had not found the opportunity to shed tears for the exceptional man who had sired her and Starla and had loved them with his whole heart. Rose and Starla had been so fortunate to have Edwyn for a father. He had never complained about the lack of a son and had lavished his love upon his twin daughters equally. Now she would never know that love again.
A terrible grief consumed Rose as tears spilled from her eyes. They fell down her cheeks in a steady stream, soaking her pillow. Her sobs were loud and soul-wrenching, coming from deep within her. She cried until she had nothing left to give, and still she cried.
Tired and chilled to the bone by the raw wind, Dominic entered the keep and strode to the hearth to warm his hands. He was hungry, but saw that no one was awake to fix him a meal.
“Sit and warm yourself, master,” Raj said.“I will fetch us something to eat from the kitchen.”
“What would I do without you, Raj?” Dominic said as he pulled a chair close to the fire.
That is something you will never have to worry about, master,” Raj replied.
Dominic stared into the dancing flames, his thoughts suddenly consumed with Rose. He wondered if she was sleeping and imagined her tucked cozily into bed, waiting for him. His groin tightened as he imagined her nude body, warm and flushed from sleep. He shifted and adjusted his clothing as his cock began to thicken and harden. He hadn’t had a woman since Veronica, and he needed one now.
Raj returned from the kitchen with a tray, shattering Dominic’s erotic thoughts. Raj pulled a table over to the hearth, set the tray down and joined Dominic. Together they demolished a small round of cheese, thick hunks of bread, cold capon left over from the evening meal and slices of roast beef, quaffing ale between bites.
“Remind me to compliment the alewife on the excellence of the brew,” Dominic said as he emptied the tankard.
“More, master?” Raj asked as he refilled his own tankard.
“Nay, I’m off to bed,” Dominic said, rising. “Find your own bed, Raj. We’ve had a full day.”
Dominic glanced toward the solar, wondering if Rose had locked him out again tonight. Anger rose inside him—anger and another, stronger emotion that sent hot blood pounding through his veins. Determination hardened his features as he strode up the stairs and marched resolutely along the gallery. He was in no mood to be thwarted, and woe to his wife if she locked the door against him tonight.
A grim smile curved his lips when the door to the sitting room opened at his touch. He advanced toward the bedchamber, ready to do battle if he found the door locked. His hand froze on the door latch when he heard heart-wrenching sobbing coming from inside the chamber.
Rose was crying! Crying as if her heart were breaking. Had something happened while he was gone?
Testing the door, he found it unlatched and pushed it open.
Rose could not stop crying. She had loved her father dearly and found it difficult to accept his death and all that had happened since. She was alone. Her mother and sister were
“Nay, thank you, I can manage on my own.”
“Think you your husband will return tonight?”
“Since Lord Dragon did not see fit to tell me where he was going, I know not when he will return. He can stay away forever for all I care. Good night, Emily.”
“Good night, Rose. Sleep well.”
Rose undressed, washed and slid into bed, pulling the bed coverings up to her nose. The days and nights were growing colder, and the sound of the howling wind sent shivers down her spine. It would soon be Christmastide. She closed her eyes and remembered Christmas last, when her father was still alive. How happy they had been; how blessed and carefree.
Suddenly the joyous memory was shattered by Dragon’s image, bringing to mind her father’s untimely death and the fact that she had not been allowed to properly mourn him. So much had happened that she had not found the opportunity to shed tears for the exceptional man who had sired her and Starla and had loved them with his whole heart. Rose and Starla had been so fortunate to have Edwyn for a father. He had never complained about the lack of a son and had lavished his love upon his twin daughters equally. Now she would never know that love again.
A terrible grief consumed Rose as tears spilled from her eyes. They fell down her cheeks in a steady stream, soaking her pillow. Her sobs were loud and soul-wrenching, coming from deep within her. She cried until she had nothing left to give, and still she cried.
Tired and chilled to the bone by the raw wind, Dominic entered the keep and strode to the hearth to warm his hands. He was hungry, but saw that no one was awake to fix him a meal.
“Sit and warm yourself, master,” Raj said.“I will fetch us something to eat from the kitchen.”
“What would I do without you, Raj?” Dominic said as he pulled a chair close to the fire.
That is something you will never have to worry about, master,” Raj replied.
Dominic stared into the dancing flames, his thoughts suddenly consumed with Rose. He wondered if she was sleeping and imagined her tucked cozily into bed, waiting for him. His groin tightened as he imagined her nude body, warm and flushed from sleep. He shifted and adjusted his clothing as his cock began to thicken and harden. He hadn’t had a woman since Veronica, and he needed one now.
Raj returned from the kitchen with a tray, shattering Dominic’s erotic thoughts. Raj pulled a table over to the hearth, set the tray down and joined Dominic. Together they demolished a small round of cheese, thick hunks of bread, cold capon left over from the evening meal and slices of roast beef, quaffing ale between bites.
“Remind me to compliment the alewife on the excellence of the brew,” Dominic said as he emptied the tankard.
“More, master?” Raj asked as he refilled his own tankard.
“Nay, I’m off to bed,” Dominic said, rising. “Find your own bed, Raj. We’ve had a full day.”
Dominic glanced toward the solar, wondering if Rose had locked him out again tonight. Anger rose inside him—anger and another, stronger emotion that sent hot blood pounding through his veins. Determination hardened his features as he strode up the stairs and marched resolutely along the gallery. He was in no mood to be thwarted, and woe to his wife if she locked the door against him tonight.
A grim smile curved his lips when the door to the sitting room opened at his touch. He advanced toward the bedchamber, ready to do battle if he found the door locked. His hand froze on the door latch when he heard heart-wrenching sobbing coming from inside the chamber.
Rose was crying! Crying as if her heart were breaking. Had something happened while he was gone?
Testing the door, he found it unlatched and pushed it open.
Rose could not stop crying. She had loved her father dearly and found it difficult to accept his death and all that had happened since. She was alone. Her mother and sister were
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