Borderland Beauty (20 page)

Lucy shuddered as she considered what might have been and finally glanced around at the battle weary soldiers. Odo’s men were in one corner, too exhausted and shocked to do anything other than sink to the ground. James and the Thornewall men surrounded them while a few checked for survivors amongst the bodies that littered the bailey. With the briefest of glances, she concluded that they had lost few men. The element of surprise had ensured as much.

Turning her attention back to Dominic, she took in his bloodied face. Tears welled again at the thought of the beating he had endured. It had taken all her willpower not to break down in front of Odo when she’d seen him shackled and battered. And then he had almost been crushed…

He held up his arms so she could tuck herself into the cocoon of his arms, his shackles resting lightly against her back and she sagged against him, flattening her forehead to his chest. He flinched as she wrapped her arms around him but when she struggled to draw back, he held her firm. She smiled suddenly to herself. He loved her. And if his actions were anything to go by, he loved her as much as she loved him. He would die for her, just as she would for him.

Dominic must have felt her tears seeping onto his chest as he shifted back and studied her. “Why do you cry, lass?”

She sniffed and shook her head as her throat closed over with gratitude.

Kissing away her tears, he eyed her seriously. “I do love you, Luce, more than aught. I should never have waited so long to tell you.”

“Nor I.”

“Ack, what am I to do with you? Leading an army and attacking a keep? You will turn me grey with worry.”

She pressed a kiss to his jawline and then another to his cheek. “You could marry me,” she suggested with a twist of her lips.

Dominic chuckled.  “Aye, I suppose I could,” he murmured before kissing her hungrily until all thoughts of death and crumbling castles were a distant memory.

Epilogue

Darting a glance out of the window, Dominic tugged on his tunic before running a hand through his hair. Again.

“Why you are nervous, Brother, I know not. She is already your wife. Even if she didn’t turn up, she’d still be yours.”

Dominic turned abruptly and darted a wild look around the inn. “If she didn’t turn up—? Are you trying to tell me something, Jake?”

His brother laughed and settled a large hand on his shoulder with a thump as he thrust an ale into his hand. “Lucy will be here, you know that. She’s not left you these past two seasons, I hardly think she’d leave you on your wedding day.”

Squeezing his fist at his side, Dominic resisted the urge to bring it across his brother’s grinning face. It was well enough for him, he had Isabel waiting for him at the church along with their lovely newborn babe, Emma. Lucy had been at her father’s home for a sennight and his heart was empty without her.

His fist uncurled as his glanced up at his brother’s face and he released a begrudging smile. As much as Jake enjoyed teasing him, he recognised that his brother was pleased that he had found someone to stand by his side. Ever the older brother, Jake still worried about Dominic and the duties he bore but less so now that Lucy was his wife.

His wife.

Would he ever get used to calling her that? At one point, it had seemed that he would have to fight forever to get her to agree to marry him and now that summer was upon them, they had been man and wife for nigh on six months.

And now he would give her the wedding day she deserved. Their first ceremony had been small, and with Isabel heavily pregnant and Jake reluctant to leave her, it had been quiet too. It didn’t matter much to Dominic, and with the effect of the reivers still felt in the borderlands, it seemed appropriate, but he looked forward to the chance to announce it to the world.

Lucy was his.

What a woman she was. So courageous, so willful. He grinned to himself. They still argued -- there was no getting around her fiery tongue -- but each argument usually ended up in a session of passionate lovemaking. Lucy still had her moments of coyness, but they were few and far between and never with him.

The ringing of a bell jolted him out of his thoughts and he stepped back from the window as he sucked in a deep breath.

“Is it time?”

Jake nodded. “Aye, ‘tis time.”

“Come then, Jake, let us greet my bride.” Dominic paused. “She will be there, will she not?”

Jake closed his eyes for a moment and shook his head with a sigh. “Aye, she will be there. Hell, Dominic, for a man that claims to know everything about women, you don’t know your wife very well. She loves you as much as you do her. Anyone can see that.”

“Ack, I thought I knew women until I met Luce. She’s one of a kind, that lass.”

“Aye, you’ll get no arguments from me there. There’s few women that would hand themselves over to the reivers for your sorry backside.”

“Don’t remind me.” Dominic shuddered. “Are we to away to this church or not?”

Jake laughed. “As you will, my lord,” he said as he gave him a dramatic bow. “Let us see if your bride awaits.”

Drawing his shoulders up, Dominic drained his ale and slapped it down on the windowsill. Swiping a hand across his mouth, he sucked in a breath and nodded. Jake’s eyes softened as he regarded him and Dominic shook his head.

“Ack, do not even say it, Jake. Save your sentimental words for your wife.”

“Aye, you are right, Brother. I am happy for you, ‘tis all.”

Jake patted him on the shoulder as the two men eyed each other for a moment. With a cough, Dominic broke the silence and both men shifted on their feet.

“Right then, let us away,” Jake said as he motioned to the door.

Patrons shouted their congratulations as Dominic passed and he nodded his thanks as they shuffled out to follow him to the church. Many of the villagers lined the short walk to the church in hopes of glimpsing the bride. He chuckled to himself as he noted that the ale was flowing freely, many a man and woman with a cup in their hand. He had declared the day a holiday. The villagers deserved it.

His stomach twisted as he neared the church. A large crowd gathered around the porch but he could see no sign of Lucy. She would be travelling directly from Tyneridge but she should have been here by now. He could not wait to get his hands on her once more. A mere sennight without her was too long. He needed her supple skin beneath his palms and her sweet lips on his more than anything else. Without her, he was lost.

Jake urged the crowd to part, his big stature and glowering expression carving a path to the gates. Dominic ground his teeth as he looked around anxiously. Isabel awaited them on the porch, looking serene with little Emma in her arms. She offered his brother a loving smile and he knew Jake would be beaming back. Hastening up the steps, Jake came to Isabel's side and took the babe from her. The image of his giant of a brother with his tiny dark-haired daughter almost ate through his apprehension. Almost.

“Where is she?” Dominic asked snappily as Isabel leant forward to greet him with a kiss.

“Here,” a voice said from behind him.

He spun around and opened his mouth, but no words came. It was as if the breath had been stolen from his lungs. Lucy wore a pale blue gown, cinched in at the waist with a golden girdle on her hips. The cut highlighted her spectacular curves and enhanced her fair hair and skin. With her hair coiled around her head and tucked under a delicate net, he fought the urge to bury his head into her elegant neck and kiss and suck at it until she begged for more.

She smiled impishly. “Think you I would not come to my own wedding day?”

“Well...well...I...” Dominic stuttered as he cast his gaze up and down.

“My, my, the great Dominic of Thornewall is speechless. This is indeed a momentous occasion.”

Shaking himself out of his stupor, he held out his hand as he bowed to her. “Lass, I find I am often without words when you are around.” She took his hand and he tugged her into him. “I’ve missed you,” he whispered in her ear as the priest approached. Her eyes flashed as he nipped briefly at her lobe as the priest took his position on the porch. “I cannot wait to get you back to the keep.”

“Dominic!” she scolded quietly as they came to stand in front of the priest. Glancing around at the crowd of people watching them, she gave him a wicked grin. “Me too,” she admitted as her cheeks flushed.

Unable to resist, he hauled her into his arms and pressed a determined kiss to her mouth. She squealed but quickly relaxed into him, wrapping her arms around his neck as the villagers clapped and cheered.

When he finally pulled away, Lucy shook her head as she gathered her breath. “You’re meant to kiss me after the ceremony.”

“Ack, I can do what I want, lass.
I
am the lord of Thornewall and you are my wife.”

“That I am.”

The priest coughed and they both grinned at they turned to face him.

“I told you I’d make you my wife, Luce,” he couldn’t resist adding as the ceremony began. Lucy merely smiled and Dominic knew she would make him pay for that smug remark later. He couldn’t wait.

About the Author

Samantha Holt resides in Warwickshire, England, with her twin girls, having followed her soldier husband around the UK for nearly 10 years. Growing up in Hampshire, she was inspired by the authors Jane Austen and Elizabeth Gaskell, both of whom lived and wrote only miles from her home town.

Samantha loves the romance genre and has been devouring romantic literature for as long as she can remember. History is another passion of hers and she loves to combine her love for history and romance into exciting and passionate tales.

Website – http://
www.samanthaholt.org.uk