Reclaimed by Her Rebel Knight

‘Is it far to the hostelry from here?’ She was dismayed by how high-pitched her voice sounded.

‘Another couple of hours, perhaps. We’ll be there before dark, I promise.’

In contrast to hers, his voice sounded even deeper, sending another thrill shooting out through her nerves and along every limb. Her heartbeat was accelerating so rapidly she was half-afraid he might feel it and their heads were so close that she could feel the warm touch of his breath on her cheek, making her skin tingle. She wasn’t sure what exactly was happening to her, but the sensation seemed to be travelling down her neck and between her breasts, down to the very pit of her stomach...and just when she’d thought her heartbeat couldn’t go any faster...

She sucked in a breath. Whatever was happening to her insides seemed to be affecting her outsides now, too. Her breasts actually felt as if they were tightening, straining into taut peaks beneath her tunic, and as for her mouth... Why was it open? To her horror, she actually seemed to be panting while he appeared to be utterly unaffected by her.

‘Good.’ It was the most she could manage.

‘There’ll be a warm fire and a bed waiting.’

‘Oh...’ The mere mention of bed caused an involuntary tremor and his brows snapped together.

‘Are you cold?’

‘No... I mean, yes...a little.’ She grabbed at the excuse, though if anything, she was far too hot in a woollen tunic and double layer of surcoats, as well as a fur-lined mantle over that. Altogether, she was wearing at least two more layers than he was, but the note of concern in his voice was strangely affecting. Unfortunately, it made her feel even hotter.

‘Here.’ He reached around her shoulders, drawing her hood up over her veil. ‘You should keep your head warm.’

‘So should you.’ She struggled not to gasp as his fingers skimmed the side of her neck.

‘I’m used to the cold. After five years in the King’s service, I barely feel it any more.’

‘Something else to blame the King for?’ She spoke the words lightly—in truth, they were the first ones that occurred to her—but his nostrils flared and the timbre of his voice shifted at once.

‘What do you mean?’

‘I...nothing. It was a joke.’

‘A joke?’

‘Yes.’ She bit her lip as his expression hardened. Looming above her, he seemed a different man all of a sudden, severe and forbidding, the way he’d looked in her uncle’s hall that first night. It made her heart race for a whole different reason.

‘What else would I blame the King for?’ His tone was guarded.

‘I’ve heard rumours, that’s all.’

‘Rumours can be dangerous. What have you heard?’

She lifted her chin, refusing to be intimidated despite her growing sense of unease. He wasn’t touching her any longer, but if she wasn’t mistaken, he’d moved even closer and the intensity in his eyes was so compelling that, try as she might, she found she couldn’t look away. Something told her she wouldn’t get away without answering.

‘People say he’s a bad ruler, that he abuses England for his own gain and that the campaign in France was a disaster.’ She paused briefly. ‘Although perhaps I should not have said so.’

‘No, you should not have.’ He shifted to one side, blocking the way as she tried to move past him. ‘It’s dangerous to speak of the King in such terms, especially where we’re going.’

‘Wintercott?’

He nodded slowly. ‘My father was a close companion of John in his youth. He won’t tolerate words spoken against him, even from a member of his own family.’ His gaze seemed to sharpen even further. ‘Where did you hear these rumours? From your uncle?’

‘No.’ Despite his severe manner, she almost laughed at the idea. ‘He doesn’t tell me anything. He says that it’s men’s business and that I ought to concern myself with embroidery.’

‘You disagree?’

She narrowed her eyes, resenting his interrogatory tone. ‘I think that what affects men affects women, too. We’re not children to be shielded from the world. We don’t want to be cosseted and, even if we are, we still hear things.’

‘Listening from galleries, perhaps?’

A guilty blush spread over her cheeks. ‘I wasn’t trying to listen, only Isabella wanted to know who you were so we went to take a quick peek and...well, it took longer than I thought.’