Chapter Seventeen

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

S tefan was trying not to think about it.

Standing on the narrow wall walk of Lockwood, he was trying not to think about what was going on in the manse at the moment. He'd been trying not to think of it for an hour, but he couldn't quite seem to manage it. He was trying to think about other things, like his invitation to join the Guard of Six and the name Torran had given his sword… Domination.

He liked it.

What he didn't like, however, was knowing what was happening in the chamber high in the manse. Oh, he knew he'd get over it at some point, but the problem was that it was rare when he felt a connection with a woman, and Lady Andia had been a rarity. A woman who knew about his flaw but was still kind to him. She was lovely, too. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized that he should have known something was going on between the lady and Torran, because they'd spent a good deal of time together. Torran said that Henry had ordered the marriage, but from what Stefan had seen when the priest blessed their union, there was more to it than Torran let on. The man had an expression on his face when he looked at Lady Andia that suggested he was happy enough about Henry's order.

There was no crime in that.

But Stefan felt stupid for not realizing that from the beginning.

As he'd predicted, a storm had rolled in and it was starting to rain. The sun had set about an hour or so earlier, just about the time the priest blessed Torran and Andia's union, so Stefan stood next to the main gate, just inside the wall, watching the rain fall and thinking about the course his future was about to take. He had an offer from the Six, and the more he thought on that, the more pleased he felt. It was something to focus on. Because of his handicap, he'd gotten the impression over the years that he'd somehow disappointed his father even though Daniel had never expressed such a thing, but he hoped that his position in Henry's inner guard circle might actually make the man proud of him. A post like that was something not even his brothers had achieved.

Stefan was up to the challenge.

The rain began to come down more heavily and he looked over at the old troop house, on the far side of the bailey near some outbuildings, because he could see that the door was open and light was coming from inside. The soldiers that Jareth had left behind on the day they'd brought the ill Lady Andia to Lockwood were still around, but there was so little for them to do that they mostly stayed to the troop house, especially at night. There was no real reason for them to be on the wall or on patrol. However, Stefan wanted to retire for the night, so he was thinking about summoning a few of them to man the gatehouse overnight when there was a shout from the other side of the gate. Curious, Stefan mounted the wall to see who was there.

It was a messenger.

"What do you want?" Stefan yelled. "And speak up so I can hear you!"

The man reined his horse in Stefan's direction, and Stefan could see that he was wearing the scarlet tunic of golden lions representing the House of Plantagenet.

A royal messenger.

"I have a missive for Sir Torran de Serreaux," the man shouted in return. "Is he here?"

Stefan held up a hand to the man, silently bidding him to remain where he was, before taking the steps down to the gate and disengaging the bolts. The left gate remained anchored into the ground as Stefan pulled open the right gate.

"Torran is here," he told the messenger. "Who sent the missive?"

"Lord Cheltenham."

Stephen stood back, indicating for the man to enter, before closing the gate again and engaging the bolts. The messenger paused inside the gate, handing over the missive and waiting for Stefan to direct him, and Stefan indicated the stables against the west side. The messenger dismounted and headed to the stables to tend to his horse as Stefan headed to the manor house.

Other than a fire in the hearth in the solar, with the door open, there was very little light coming into the dark and shadowed entry. Stefan took the steps up to the second level where he knew Torran and Andia were. He went up to the chamber and rapped on the door. He didn't hesitate. Then he backed away, trying not to think of the fact that he might have interrupted something.

Gaze averted, he waited for the door to open.

About a minute later, it did. Torran appeared, dressed only in his breeches, and Stefan came through the door and shut it quietly.

"I am sorry to disturb you, Torran," he said softly. "But this arrived from the Earl of Cheltenham just now by royal messenger."

He held up the folded, sealed missive and Torran took it from him, frowning. "That seems odd," he said as he moved into the chamber adjacent to the one where his new wife was sleeping. He began fumbling around for a taper. "Look over by the hearth to see if there is a flint and stone."

Stefan did, coming up with the requested items just as Torran found an old taper. Stefan lit it as Torran snapped open the seal and unfolded the vellum. As Stefan held the taper up, Torran read the missive that described a visit from Lord Dudwell, who was, in fact, Andia and Aeron's uncle. The missive went on to state that Lord Dudwell eagerly wanted to see his niece and nephew and to keep the pair sequestered at Lockwood until further notice.

"That's damn curious," Torran muttered as he lowered the vellum.

"What did you say?" Stefan asked.

Torran handed him the missive. Stefan read it quickly, looking at Torran with confusion as he returned it.

"What does it all mean?" he asked.

Torran raked his fingers through his dark hair in a pensive gesture. "Please do not repeat what I am to tell you," he said. "But it could mean trouble. You see, we were informed yesterday of a possible assassination plot against Henry. The man seeking to kill Henry is a Frenchman, but one of the Executioner Knights got the man drunk and Lord Dudwell was mentioned as part of the plot. We didn't know why, or what the connection was to Henry, but now we find out that Dudwell is my wife's uncle."

My wife.

That reference wasn't lost on Stefan, who tried to pretend like the mention didn't hurt him. He struggled to focus on the subject at hand. "Then the plot thickens," he said. "Dudwell wants to meet his niece and nephew? For what purpose?"

Torran shrugged. "That is the question, isn't it?" he said. "It's all very strange."

"Cheltenham wouldn't have told the man where they are, would he?"

Torran shook his head, lifting the missive. "Very doubtful," he said. "De Lohr says to keep both of them sequestered at Lockwood. That tells me that he is concerned that Dudwell might be out looking for them."

"I would agree with that."

Torran scratched his chin, moving to the window that overlooked part of the yard and a partial view of the river beyond. The security at Lockwood, with the moat, had always been secure, but that didn't mean a man who was determined couldn't make it over the wall.

That concerned him.

"How many men do we have in the troop house?" he asked.

"Twenty very bored souls."

Torran turned to him. "Put them on the walls," he said. "If Dudwell is looking for Andia and Aeron, he could try to discover all he can about where they might be. Servants are always good for information with a few coins pressed into their palms, and the fact that I have taken charge of both Andia and Aeron might come up. It is no secret that Lockwood is a Bexhill property and I am the heir, so the man might put the pieces of the puzzle together and end up here."

Stefan nodded. "A remote chance, but a chance nonetheless."

Torran cast him a long look. "Vigilance is the better part of valor, I think," he said. "Especially with a man who was mentioned in an assassination plot against Henry. I don't like the fact that Dudwell was poking around today, so I think I'll spend the night on the wall with you. In fact… where is the messenger? Did he return to London?"

Stefan shook his head. "Not yet," he said. "Why?"

Torran cocked an eyebrow. "Send him back tonight," he said. "Tell him to fetch the Six. There was to be a feast tonight, as Henry's allies are still in London, so they will be roaming the great hall. Tell the messenger to find Jareth and give him the message that the Six must come to Lockwood immediately. I can't explain why, but I have a bad feeling about this, Stefan. I want the Six here, with us, at least until morning."

Stefan nodded, in full agreement. As he headed down the stairs, Torran returned to the darkened chamber where Andia was still snoring. Only this time, she was on her back, in the middle of the bed, with both arms flung out and one leg hanging over the side of the mattress. Arms and legs were askew. Torran started to laugh at the sight, hand over his mouth so he wouldn't make any noise, as he went about locating his clothing. He'd just bent over to pick up his tunic when Andia suddenly kicked all of the covers off, snorting in her sleep as she did so. Now she was spread out all over the bed, head off the pillow and very nearly sideways.

It was all Torran could do not to laugh out loud.

Silently snickering at his new wife's sleeping habits, he went over to the bed and collected the covers, carefully trying to cover her back up again, but it was truly a shame. Her nude, delicious body was a feast for his eyes and, with tunic in hand, he sighed heavily because he could feel himself becoming aroused. He looked at the chamber door, an indication that he knew what he needed to do, but his gaze moved back to the bed and that glorious body before him.

He also knew what he wanted to do.

To hell with it.

Tossing the tunic back on the ground, he loomed over her on the bed, very carefully pushing her hair out of the way so he could get to her breasts. They were calling to him, like a siren's song, and he couldn't resist. Very gently, he began to suckle her, first one breast and then the other, thinking he could keep it very soft and tender so she wouldn't wake up. Truthfully, this was for him. He needed this, like he needed air to breathe. But suckling her wasn't enough.

He wanted more.

Sliding his breeches off, he climbed back into bed with her, at least as much as he could considering she was spread out all over the mattress. But her legs were apart, wide apart, and he wedged his big body down between them, his hands and mouth going to her torso. When he began to fondle her, no longer being gentle about it, Andia awoke. Eyes rolling open, it took her a moment to realize where she was and an even longer moment to become aware of what was happening. Seeing Torran on top of her, feeding on her flesh, she groaned with pleasure.

Her arms went around him.

"Oh… Torran," she said sleepily.

Joining Stefan down in the courtyard was going to have to wait.