The Warrior and the Dove - A Short Novel (Medieval Chronicles) (16 page)

Hugh turned and
glared at her. “I do not need a soothing potion.”

“But, Hugh, you
have been quite unlike yourself all afternoon. ’Tis clear you need something to
settle your nerves.”

“My nerves are
not the problem here!” he yelled.

Annith blinked
at him.

He closed his eyes
briefly, obviously striving for patience. “My apologies for shouting at you,
lady. What I need is for you to comply with simple requests and instructions.
And when I give an order, damn it, I expect it to be obeyed.” His voice started
rising again. “Especially when your safety is involved.”

She opened her
mouth, but Hugh was now well and truly launched on a sea of husbandly outrage.

“Instead,” he
accused, “you appear to have developed a disturbing tendency to ignore my
instructions and disobey my orders.”

“What!” she
demanded indignantly. “When?”

Hugh stalked
back to the window. He wheeled about and narrowed his eyes at her. “The first
occasion I recall was at Crofton when I asked you and Master Purcell to follow
me to the wagons. A simple enough request, one might think. But nay, I look
around and you’re disappearing in the opposite direction.”

Annith’s jaw
dropped. “But we weren’t even—”

“That isn’t
all,” he interrupted without ceremony. “The other day I asked you to stay by
the fire while I questioned Auden, and the next thing I know you’re at my
elbow. And not a half-hour past that, lady, when I asked you to fetch your
cloak, I’m obliged to go in search of you, only to find you sitting in our
chamber wearing naught but a flimsy shift and combing out your hair.”

Annith had to
duck her head to hide the sudden smile tugging at her lips. She remembered that
when Hugh had discovered her wearing naught but a flimsy shift and combing out
her hair, the visit to Prioress Edith had been put off until the following
morning.

All at once she
felt much better. No doubt ’twas perverse of her, given she was being yelled at
by an irate husband, but she couldn’t suppress the hope fluttering in her
breast. Happiness stirred, a fragile flower peeking through still-frosty ground.
She struggled to control both, because if Hugh saw the tremulous smile on her
face, she suspected he would levitate straight through the roof. “You didn’t
seem to mind,” she murmured.

“That,” he
roared, “is beside the point!”

“Oh? Then what
is the point of all this ranting, my lord?”

“The point,
madam, is that you put yourself in mortal danger today. That fiend from the pit
could have turned his attack from me to you. He could have tried to use you to
disarm me.
You could have been killed!
”

“So could you,”
she said simply, looking up at him. “How could I stay outside, not knowing what
was happening? I
had
to be with you, even if all I could do was pray.
And I stayed behind Ranulf, near the door. Although,” she added, determined to
be truthful. “I would have thrown Ranulf’s dagger if I thought it would have
done any good.”

When he didn’t
answer, she went on softly. “You told me when you learned who I was that you
could not deny my strength and courage. Hugh, that means even when I’m in
danger. You have to trust that I would not do anything foolish, that I would
not disobey you heedlessly.”

He stared at her
for a moment, then turned and looked out at the night, his hands gripping the
stone on either side of the window. “I’m acting like an idiot, aren’t I,” he
said quietly.

Nay, she
thought. I hope you’re acting like a man in love.

“Well—” She took
a deep breath. “Since I may have unwittingly driven you to that extreme, my
lord, I will try to make amends. What would you have me do?”

He turned slowly
to face her and her breath caught at the expression in his eyes. The need she
had sensed earlier when he’d kissed her was there, and with it a naked
vulnerability that made her yearn to hold him. She had wanted to touch his
deepest emotions, she remembered, now he was laying his heart at her feet.

“I would have
you love me,” he said at last, his voice raw. “Because I love you so much,
’twould kill something in me if I lost you.”

“Oh, Hugh.”
Tears of joy welled in her eyes. Annith rushed forward and flung herself into
his arms. He wrapped her in a fierce embrace. “I do love you. More than I
thought it possible to love anyone. Did you not hear what I said the other
night?”

“The other
night?” He laughed raggedly and drew back so he could see her face. “Darling,
you were all but asleep. I remember you mumbled something, but I couldn’t hear
the words.”

“I told you
then. Oh, Hugh, you love me? You truly love me?”

“I truly love
you.” He lifted his hand to brush a stray tear from her cheek. “I’ve loved you
from the first moment I saw you, looking so lost and yet so sweet and
steadfast. I wanted you then, to cherish, to protect, to be with me always. And
then I realized that wasn’t enough. I wanted you to love me, too.”

“Of course I
do,” she said softly, pressing closer. “’Twas for that reason alone that I
married you, though I felt I should not until my memory returned. I love you
more than life itself.”

“Annith,” he
whispered huskily. “My sweet Annith.”

He bent his
head, and their lips met in a kiss that held everything in their hearts—love
and longing, need and desire, demand and supplication. She felt as if Hugh was
filling her with all that he was, as if she was giving him everything of
herself. When he lifted his head, his hazel eyes were glittering with love and
desire.

He picked her
up, ignoring her squeak of protest about straining his arm, and carried her
over to the bed. “Never mind my arm,” he said, his voice rough and urgent as he
stood her beside the bed. “Right now I need
you
. I need you more than my
next breath.”

He threw off his
tunic and started undressing her. Her crespinette came off first. Her hair
tumbled over her shoulders and down her back as he unlaced her silk bliaut and
let it fall to the floor. She toed off her shoes as Hugh removed her gown and
shift in one swift movement. When she stood naked before him, he gazed down at
her, his powerful hands spanning her waist.

“You look so
small when I hold you like this,” he said. “I feel as though I need to handle
you like the rarest crystal, and yet you have such strength. Here—” He touched
a finger to her brow. “And here—” He moved his hand downward until she felt her
heart beating against his palm. He stroked his thumb over the ruched tip of her
breast and her lips parted on a moan of pleasure. “Your heart is racing like a
deer,” he said huskily. “Is that for me?”

“Always,” she
said. Her breath caught as thrilling little arrows of sensation darted from her
breasts to the soft flesh between her thighs. “You only have to touch me and my
heart races, and I want your hands on me, your arms around me, your body
pressed to mine.” She leaned closer, winding her arms around his neck. “You
inside me,” she whispered.

He groaned and
crushed her against him, then lifted her into his arms to lay her gently in the
center of the bed. He straightened to fling off his clothes, and the sight of
him naked, fully, breathtakingly aroused, had her eyes widening, even as
delicious shivers of anticipation rippled through her.

Hugh’s laughter
was a low growl as he came down over her and cradled her in his arms. “If you
could see your face. Don’t worry, my darling, you know I won’t hurt you.”

“I know, but I
don’t think I will ever get used to the sight of you like that.”

“Then we’d
better do something about it,” he murmured against her mouth.

He started
kissing her, but now, as though having her in his arms, naked heat and hardness
pressed to yielding softness, eased something in him, there was no hurry, no
urgency. They moved gently against each other. Their lips clung; their tongues
met in a tender caress, before entwining in depthless intimacy. Annith felt as
though she was sinking into sensation, deeper, ever deeper. As if, with love
spoken and shared, they could touch each other’s souls with just this kiss.

Slowly,
tenderness gave way to heat, to the thrilling excitement of Hugh’s mouth on her
throat, on her breasts. He nudged her legs apart and reached down to caress her
most sensitive flesh, to circle, to stroke the swollen little bud, to slide his
fingers into her until she forgot all about his size and just wanted him there,
inside her, taking her.

“
Now,
”
she cried. “Hugh, now! I can’t stand it anymore.”

“Are you sure?”
he growled.

For answer she
stroked her hand down his body, ran her fingers lightly along his straining
shaft and caressed the tight sac beneath.

He made a rough
sound in his throat, shoved her hand aside, and plunged into her with a force
that had her screaming in excitement.

Annith wrapped
her arms and legs around him and hung on as he unleashed the fierce need driving
him, thrusting deeper and faster, until pleasure, unimaginable, undreamed of,
flooded her entire being. She felt Hugh’s arms crush her to him, felt his teeth
against the soft skin between her neck and shoulder as he poured himself into
her, and was flung into a whirlpool of ecstasy, her senses spinning away,
filled with a rapture that went on and on, and which left her limp beneath him,
almost senseless, utterly sated.

And as they
floated in the sweet aftermath, he heard the words he had missed three nights
ago. “I love you,” she murmured. “Hugh…love.”

*         
*          *

The fire had
burned down to glowing embers when Annith stirred at the sound of voices down
in the bailey. She was being held close to Hugh’s side, her head resting on his
shoulder. One arm was draped limply across his chest. The rest of her felt
equally boneless.

Hugh turned his
head toward the window. “’Tis only your people returning to the village,” he
murmured. “I think there’ll be a few sore heads in the morning.” He raised
himself on his good arm to look down at her. “I thought you were asleep. Are
you all right, sweetheart? No bad dreams?”

“Nay, I was only
dozing. But I think my nightmares are gone forever.” She smiled up at him. “You
did say you would banish them for me.”

He grinned. “So
I did.”

“And tomorrow
we’ll make everything right for my people.”

“That could take
a couple of days,” he warned her, sobering.

“Oh, Hugh.” She
lifted her hand to touch his cheek in a brief caress. “I’m sorry. First the
Prince sent you to Crofton, then you took me to Worcester, and now you’ve had
to come here. I know you’re eager to return to your lands.”

He shook his
head. “That wasn’t what I meant. After so many years, two or three days makes no
difference, and we’ll need time to hear petitions and set out instructions for
your steward. Until de Beche arrived and kicked the man out, he seems to have
managed the place well these many years. But…” His gaze searched her face. “It
won’t upset you to be here?”

“Nay. We’ve made
it ours now. Well—” She gave him a rueful smile. “Mayhap, in the morning, I
won’t keep seeing that fight whenever I’m in the hall.”

“Oh, sweetheart.
Why do you think I wanted you away from there?” He bent and kissed her very gently.
“But I’m sorry I yelled at you like that. All afternoon I’ve been picturing
everything that could have gone wrong. I think I went a little mad.”

“I have been
doing the same,” she admitted solemnly. “But we can’t let ourselves think about
what might have happened. It serves no purpose. And besides…” She beamed up at
him. “I didn’t really disobey you. I did leave the hall.”

“Aye,” he said.
“Only to return seconds later. I should have known better than to issue such an
order. And don’t think I’m not aware of your strength and courage, my darling
girl. ’Tis just that where your safety is concerned I’ll probably never be
entirely rational.”

Annith smiled to
herself. “Well, I dare say such a situation will not occur again,” she said
soothingly. “Instead, we shall grow old together and you’ll be able to tell our
grandchildren how you rescued me from an evil monster.”

“Nay, I shall
tell them you had the courage to rescue yourself, and then I came along and
slew the evil monster.”

“So you did. And
then our people were happy again and feasted long into the night.”

“They certainly
did. But there is one thing you’ve forgotten, my love.”

“What is that?”

A very wicked,
very male gleam came into his eyes. “If you’re thinking of telling this story
to our grandchildren, we’d better get started creating their parents.”

Annith broke
into laughter. The joyful sound was cut off seconds later by the warm pressure
of Hugh’s mouth on hers.

The morning of
their departure dawned bright and clear.  A perfect day for travelling,
Annith thought as she watched various chests being loaded onto the baggage
wagons.

Elsewhere in the
bailey, horses were being saddled, men-at-arms were checking weapons, and
Martin and Herleve were exchanging farewells with Auden who had returned from
Kenilworth the day before.

“I thought you
had only one change of clothes,” Hugh observed, coming up to her as yet another
chest was hoisted onto a wagon. “Isn’t that why I summoned a clothier from
Gloucester? His seamstresses can’t have made enough robes in a few days to fill
those chests.”

“Indeed not.”
Annith glanced down at her new garnet-colored travelling gown with its wide
sleeves lined in gold silk. “He must have had them working day and night to
finish this one as well as my shifts. As for the chests, one cannot throw
everything in together, Hugh. Or,” she added with heavy meaning, “stuff your
good tunics into those packs you were using. Then there are your boots and
belts. Are they to go in with my shifts?”

“I wouldn’t
think of it,” he replied wryly.

She beamed at
him. “And for the small inconvenience of an extra chest or two you will not
need to purchase any gowns for me for at least a year.”

He grinned. “You
intend to go about naked?”

“Eyes of the saints!”
She glanced around to make sure no-one had heard the outrageous question. “Try
to keep your mind out of the bedchamber, Hugh.”

“Difficult to do
that when we spend so much time there. And I am not talking about sleeping.”

Annith choked on
her laughter. “You are impossible, my lord. I was going to say that I can
fashion my own gowns from the wools and velvets and silks I purchased from the
clothier. If there is one thing I learned at the priory ’tis how to sew a fine
seam, and there may not be a seamstress at your manor.”

“Very
commendable, my heart, but I can afford to keep you in new gowns.” He quirked a
brow at Ranulf as his friend strolled up to them. “Are we ready to leave?”

“We are, and not
before time if you want to make it to Ross today.”

“An easy ride,”
Hugh said. “We’ll stay there overnight, then on to Buckland in the morning.”

For all the
seeming chaos of preparation, the company fell into formation with surprising
speed. Again Hugh’s standard-bearer led the way, with Hugh and Annith behind him.
Ranulf, Herleve and Martin were next, then the men-at-arms, followed by the
baggage wagons.

As they started,
Annith glanced back at her childhood home. It would now be a place they would
visit only once or twice a year, she thought, and that was how it should be.
Hugh’s manor would become home to her. She was looking forward to bringing
warmth and happiness and love into a place that, she suspected, had lacked
those creature comforts during Hugh’s early childhood.

Movement caught
her eye, and she saw Auden waving from the top of the outer stairs. One of the
maids was standing close by his side, looking up at him admiringly. Annith
smiled at the sight and waved back.

They passed
through the gates and a cheer went up from the villagers and serfs lining both
sides of the road.

“Everyone
appears to have downed tools this morning,” Hugh remarked. But he was grinning
as he handed Annith some coins to throw to the children. Blessings and flowers
showered them in equal abundance until they turned onto the road to Gloucester,
and the noise slowly faded into the distance.

A little way
further on, the road divided. They stopped to farewell Martin and Herleve, who
were returning to Crofton with Ranulf and four men-at-arms. Which meant, of
course, that everyone except Hugh’s soldiers had to dismount so Annith could
embrace her friends.

“I’ll miss you,”
she told Herleve, blinking away a tear. “God bless you both for all you’ve
done. I’ll send a letter with Auden as soon as he joins us. And you must write
back.”

“That I’ll do,
my dove. Off you go now, and God keep you safe.”

They mounted
again and the company separated, Annith waving until the others were out of
sight.

She turned to
Hugh with a rather misty smile, and he reached across the small space between
their horses to take her hand. “We’ll see them again, sweetheart.”

“I know. ’Tis
just hard to say farewell. I was like this at the priory, too.”

Hugh turned
briefly to his men and told them to go on ahead.

“Aye,” he said
very soberly, when the company was out of earshot. “I’m taking you away from
everything you’ve known. I knew it the morning we were married. You gave me so
much trust, put so much faith in me. I will always cherish that gift,” he
vowed, gazing into her eyes. “I will love you and protect you for the rest of
my life.”

“Oh, Hugh.” She
blinked back another rush of tears, happy ones this time. “It doesn’t matter
where you take me. I would follow you to the other side of the world. Wherever
you are is home to me, the place of my heart, always.”

He leaned over
to kiss her, and in that sweet, breathless moment they exchanged a silent vow
of love that they knew would last a lifetime.

Then Hugh
released her and gathered up the reins.  “Let’s go home,” he said. And
with their hands still linked, they turned their horses westward, toward their
home and their future.