“Inform Cormac, not me,” he replied, unlacing the little ribbons at the back of her knees. “I ne’er gamble with men who display the food they eat as they are eating it.”
She nodded in sympathy. “Thank you for setting him far away from me.”
The stockings came sliding off, and as he tossed them aside, she rested her hand on the side of his head. “And Aodh, heed me, you cannot deal with Wingotten directly on matters of state. It is a lost cause.”
“Fine.” He laid her back on the bed.
“He is ever in the drink.”
“I could tell.”
“You must deal with his wife. She is wise and reliable, and far more steadfast. At the least, she remembers things.”
He knelt on the bed. “Fascinating. And what do you know of Dunn?”
“Garrett Dunn? In my experience, he…” Her words drifted off as he pushed her knees apart. “Aodh?”
Propped up on an elbow, a hand around his erection, he paused and looked at her. “Aye?”
“Are we going to…talk? While we…?” She angled her head to the side.
He grinned at her slowly. “You like when I talk,” he said in a sly tone that quite made her heart speed up. “I’ve watched what happens to you when I talk.”
“Well, I’m quite sure it won’t happen if we talk about Garrett Dunn.”
He laughed and settled in between her thighs, his arm above her head. “Very well. We’ll talk about how deeply I enjoy being inside you.”
Shivers spread across her body as he entered her with a slow thrust.
“And then we’ll have you talk to me of how much you like it too, and maybe what else you might like me to do.”
Excitement snapped through her. “Else?”
He grinned. “You see. It’s happening already.”
“Well,” she allowed, moving into his rhythm, “this is certainly better than talking about Garrett Dunn.”
“Later we can talk about Dunn.”
“I’ll tell you everything I know.”
He rewarded her for her intelligence in ways that proved being a rebel was not entirely a thing of sacrifice after all.
Chapter Thirty-Three
THE NEXT AFTERNOON, Katarina was in the kitchens with Cook, discussing whether the beets they’d overwintered would be suitable for the next day’s meal, when Susanna came in wearing an uncertain smile.
“Katarina.”
She paused, two leeks in her hands, held up to examine them.
Susanna came a step closer. “Cormac asked me to find you. The master wants you.”
Katarina lowered the leeks. “Wants me? Where is he?”
“In council.”
They stared at each other. Susanna looked apprehensive. For good cause.