My eyes narrowed slightly, and I wondered what difference it made. As long as I did as he instructed, I didn’t know why my reasons for doing it mattered. He continued to stare at me a while, and I began to worry that I was supposed to respond to what he had said though I wasn’t sure how. After a few moments, he yawned and stretched his neck.
“I would prefer to lie here with you all day,” he said, “but I don’t suppose we’ll be given that option since a troop of kitchen workers bearing breakfast will likely be here any moment. Besides, there is something I need to do today, and you will accompany me.”
“Where are we going?”
“I have a tournament at Sawyer Fort in four days,” Branford told me. “My squires exercise my horse daily, but I need to check on him and do some of his exercising myself. Besides, it looks like it will be a beautiful day.”
Branford indicated the beams of sunshine already peeking through the windows. I nodded in agreement.
“It does,” I agreed. “Should we rise now?”
“I already have,” Branford said with a smirk, which I didn’t understand.
“What do you mean?” I asked, but Branford only chuckled in response. He placed his lips against my cheek, then across my jaw.
“Tomorrow morning, maybe I will keep you here for a while longer,” he said, his mouth kissing slowly against the side of my neck. He slid his hand up my side, and his thumb lightly traced the edge of my breast. I gasped as I suddenly understood what he was insinuating.
“In the morning?” I asked, a little shocked and not altogether sure if he was serious or not.
“I would touch you more now if I didn’t think we would be interrupted,” Branford confirmed.
I could not believe what he was saying. I had always assumed such activity was reserved for nighttime, under the cover of sheets and darkness. Would he really wish to do such things when we first awoke? Was it even an appropriate thing to do?
“People…I mean…it’s acceptable to do…that in the morning?”
Branford’s gaze shined down at me, and the corner of his mouth turned up ever so slightly as he leaned in close enough to whisper in my ear.
“Alexandra, if you will allow me to have my way, I am going to want you in the night when we go to bed and when we wake up each and every morning.” His tongue danced across the skin of my throat, and his words became dark and soft. “I’m going to want you after breakfast near the fire in the morning room. I will attempt to seduce you in the stables at midday. I’ll want you by moonlight in the gardens. I would love to take you on Camden’s throne if I thought I could get away with it. Someday, when the throne is mine, I will have you there.”
“In the garden?” I said quietly.
“I hope so.”
“On the…on the throne?”
“Definitely.”
“Couldn’t someone see us there?”
“Possibly,” Branford said with a shrug. “I think I would be far too focused on the task at hand to notice.”
The shock on my face had to have been evident since Branford shook his head slightly and told me not to worry. I couldn’t even imagine having Branford do such things to me where others might be able to walk right in and discover us. I wasn’t sure if he was teasing me or not. He gave me a final kiss on the top of my head before rolling away from me, tossing his legs over the side of the bed, and sitting up.
“I suppose we should get ready before servants start rummaging around in here again.” Branford grumbled and pushed himself out of the bed.
Branford dressed while I heated water for his tea. He was right about breakfast being brought to us before long, for no sooner had the water begun to boil, there was a noise on the other side of the morning room. Branford mumbled something under his breath, but I couldn’t understand what he said. He glared toward the door, and I knew he didn’t want any of them in our rooms. Moving quickly, I went to the door leading into the hallway and opened it. While there wasn’t actually a troop, four servants from the kitchens appeared with bowls, plates, cups, and pitchers.
“Breakfast, my lady,” a tall, dark-haired, and severe-looking woman said. She started to walk through the door.
“Wait!” I said, surprising myself a little. The woman stopped short and looked at me as my heart pounded so hard I wasn’t sure if I could get my next words out. Even my hands were shaking a little. I took a deep breath and looked up at the dark-haired woman. “I will take Sir Branford’s breakfast to him. You are to remain out here.”
“Of course, my lady.”
She didn’t seem at all affronted, for which I was glad. Actually, she seemed somewhat relieved. I looked over the food in the bowls held by everyone—cooked grains, some berries, and cider. It certainly looked like good, fresh ingredients, but I thought it needed a bit more. I turned to look back at the woman.
“Would you be able to locate a few things for me?” I asked. Her brow creased a little.
“What is it you need, my lady?”