Velvet Angel (Montgomery/Taggert 5)
“At dinner,” she gasped.
He moved his hand to the back of her head, forcing it to his shoulder. “Elizabeth, you are so clever. How did you manage to sneak past my men? When did you leave my sight?”
His neck was sweaty and his heart was pounding against her own. The exercise had done away with her tiredness and she was glad for it even if she hadn’t succeeded in her escape.
“You gave me a good run,” he said, amused. “If my brothers hadn’t thought it a great joke to send me out with a loosened cinch, I wouldn’t have known how to handle it. Of course they were careful that I was on a slow mount so if I fell I wouldn’t kill myself.” He moved to look at her face. “Would you have been terribly glad to see me break my neck?”
“Yes, very,” she said, smiling, practically nose to nose with him.
Miles laughed at that, kissed her quickly, pushed her off him and stood, frowning as she wiped the back of her hand across her mouth. “Come on, there’s an inn not far from here and we’ll stop for the night.” He didn’t offer to help her up.
When they returned to the men, Sir Guy gave Elizabeth a quick look of admiration and she guessed that he’d be more vigilant from now on. She wouldn’t have more chances to toy with the men’s gear.
It wasn’t until they were mounted again that Elizabeth saw that Miles’s forearm was cut and bleeding. She knew it had happened when he’d put his arm between her and the horse’s hoof. Sir Guy inspected the cut and bound it while Elizabeth sat on her horse and watched. It seemed odd that this man, a Montgomery, would protect a Chatworth from harm.
Miles saw her watching. “A smile from you, Elizabeth, would make it heal faster.”
“I hope it poisons your blood and you lose your arm.”
She kicked her horse forward.
They didn’t speak again until they arrived at the inn at which, as before, Miles had sent someone ahead to prepare for them. This time, Miles and Elizabeth were given a private dining room.
“Tell me more about your family,” he said.
“No,” she answered simply, reaching for a dish of snails in garlic sauce.
“Then I will tell you of mine. I have three older brothers and—”
“I know about them. You and your brothers are notorious.”
He raised one eyebrow at her. “Tell me what you’ve heard.”
“With pleasure.” She cut into a beef and chicken pie. “Your brother Gavin is the eldest. He was to marry Alice Valence but he rejected her so he could marry the rich Judith Revedoune, who is a vicious-tempered woman. Between your brother and his wife they succeeded in driving Alice—now Chatworth—insane.”
“Do you know your sister-in-law?”
Elizabeth studied the food on her plate. “She wasn’t always as she is now.”
“The bitch was born a whore. She rejected my brother. Now, tell me of Stephen.”
“He forced a woman who wanted my brother to be his bride.”
“And Raine?”
“I know little of the man, except that he’s magnificent on a battlefield.”
Miles’s eyes burned into hers. “After your brother raped my sister and Mary killed herself, Raine led some of the king’s men to attack your brother Roger. The king has declared Raine a traitor and my brother lives in a forest with a band of criminals.” He paused. “And what of me?”
“You are a lecher, a seducer of young girls.”
“I am flattered that my virility is so overrated. Now let me tell you the truth about my family. Gavin had to take over the raising of three brothers and the managing of estates when he was but sixteen. He barely had time to find out about women. He fell in love with Alice Valence, begged her to marry him, but she refused. He married Judith Revedoune and only after a long while did he realize he loved Judith. Alice tried to scar Judith with hot oil but Alice was the one scarred.”
“You lie constantly,” Elizabeth said.
“No, I do not lie. Stephen is the peacemaker in our family and he and Gavin are close. And Raine—” He paused and smiled. “Raine believes the world’s burdens rest upon his big shoulders. He is a good man but unbelievably stubborn.”
“And you?” Elizabeth asked softly.