Denise Lynn Read online

  'Interesting?' He waved toward the chair Lea had just vacated. 'Is that all you have to say?'

  Jared stretched his feet towards the fire and rested his head against the high back of the chair.

  'What would you prefer I say?'

  'You could explain what is happening beneath my roof. Why the secrecy?'

  'Lady Lea already explained. She's here to decide what she should do.'

  To his surprise the king handed him a tankard of ale. He'd half-expected it to be used as a weapon for his evasive answer.

  'I don't believe her either.' David took a long drink, then added, 'If I were to guess, I'd say she's escaping from...' He pinned Jared with a hard stare. 'From you, most likely.'

  Jared debated his next reply. If he gave the appearance that he didn't care, David might not support his suit should he prove Lea was truly pregnant. But what would the king do with the truth? Would he seek to force an immediate wedding before Jared could be certain of her condition?

  'Stop stalling, Warehaven.'

  'Yes, I'm fairly certain she's trying to escape me.' He opted for the partial truth, hoping their family connection would gain him a measure of support.

  'Did you attack her keep? Harm her men? Force yourself on her?'

  Surprised and more than a litde insulted by the questions, Jared fumed. 'What sort of man do you think I am? I do know the meaning of honour.'

  'When it comes to love—or...' David slid him a narrow-eyed glance '—in this case, jilted love, honour can sometimes be forgotten.'

  'Love?' Jared prayed he'd never again be foolish enough to believe in such a useless emodon.

  'There is no love between us. Besides, I'd never retaliate in such a manner.'

  'Then why is she running from you?'

  'She might be carrying a child.'

  David closed his eyes. 'Whose?'

  At the forefront of his mind was the notion that Lea had come to David. She wouldn't have done so had she not been certain of his protection. There was obviously a connection between the families, one that might put his life in jeopardy.

  Alert for any threat to his continued health, he carefully answered, 'I have every reason to believe it is mine.'

  Instead of ordering him drawn and quartered, David only turned a hard, piercing glare on him.

  Thankfully the king's glare alone didn't have the power to burn him alive. 'That was your choice of retaliation?'

  Well used to irate royals, Jared held his own temper in check. 'However it may have happened, be assured force was not involved.'

  His answer seemed to pacify David—somewhat. The man still retained the air of an outraged father. 'What do you intend to do?'

  'First I intend to make certain she is with child. And if she is, she'll become my wife.'

  'You don't think she'll have something to say about that?'

  'I don't care.' While he felt safe enough to tell David that much of the truth, he'd not tell him about Stephen's missive. King David was a friend to Montreau and he'd not jeopardise that relationship by making Lea appear to be a lying whore. The man didn't need to know she'd tried to get pregnant on purpose —most likely to pass the child off as Charles's in an attempt to hold Stephen at bay.

  David was right about that much—Lea did need to choose. Otherwise, she would soon find herself in the middle of a pitched batde for control of Montreau.

  'What do you mean, you don't care? That is not a good way to start a marriage.'

  Jared shrugged. 'First things first. Right now, I can only assume she's pregnant. She left abruptiy.

  When I followed her here I noticed how sick she was in the mornings. By late morning, though, she was fine. My mother reacted the same way early in her pregnancy.'

  'What do you want from me?'

  'I want to watch her without her knowing it until I'm certain. Then I'll approach her.'

  'And if she denies it?'

  'In that event, I'll make certain my aunt doesn't recall me for at least six months.'

  David laughed. 'And if she admits that she is carrying your child?'

  'My child will not be born a bastard.'

  'You place too much weight on a word. Your father had little difficulty with the circumstance of his birth.'

  Jared didn't disagree, but... 'My father was the king's bastard and grew up at court. None would have dared voice a degrading remark in King Henry's presence.'

  David nodded. 'But it was not as easy for you, was it?'

  'No.' It hadn't been. He'd been raised at Warehaven and at dmes being called the son of a bastard stung. The insult to his father bothered him more than it had Lord Warehaven.

  The most painful sting had been when Lea used that as an excuse not to marry him.

  'I'll not stand in your way.' David rose. 'I will do what I can for you. But if it comes down to a marriage, she has to be willing.'

  Jared stared into his tankard of ale a moment before placing it on a small table beside him, then he rose, assuring David, 'Oh, trust me, she will be.'

  Chapter Fifteen

  Lea dreaded going down to the Great Hall. Even though four days ago King David had welcomed her, as she had hoped he would, she sensed that something wasn't quite right.

  Instead of focusing on court matters, the reconstruction of the keep and the current difficulties he was having in getting his chancellor, William Comyn, appointed as Bishop of Durham, he seemed over-solicitous of her comfort.

  If she didn't know better, she would think he somehow knew about her condition. Since that wasn't possible, she wondered at his kindness.

  While it was true that David had been a good friend to her father and extended that same concern towards her, he was still a man. And in her experience, men didn't go out of their way to see to a woman's comfort unless they either wanted something, or were up to something.

  Since she knew for a fact that David wanted nothing from her, she was left to wonder what he was up to. The nicer he was, the more she worried she'd dislike whatever he was plotting.

  Lea forced herself to shake off the stomach-churning foreboding. He was simply being over-kind because of her recent loss. That had to be the explanation—it was the only one that made any sense.

  And then there was the matter of her men—or rather her missing men. They'd disappeared the morning after their arrival —without so much as a by your leave.

  When she'd questioned King David about the guards, he'd waved off the query as if it was of litde matter. His only verbal response had been to ask if she felt unsafe in his court.

  How was she supposed to answer that without offending the king? She couldn't and so she had no idea where her men were. Although it was fairly obvious the king did. She could only assume, and hope, that they had been sent back to Montreau.

  Then, to top it all off, the feeling that she was being watched hadn't faded. In fact, it had grown stronger. No matter where she went inside, or outside, the keep, she felt someone behind her.

  Someone watching her every move.

  She'd come here for some peace and solitude, some time to think. Instead, she had experienced more apprehension than she had at Montreau.

  Perhaps it was time to return home.

  Except Jared was mostly likely still in residence.

  What amazed her more than David's kindness, her missing guards, or her sense of being shadowed, was that Jared hadn't tracked her down to force her back to Montreau.

  True, he hadn't come after her when she'd called off their marriage, but this was different. Now he was responsible for Montreau's safety and that included her. She'd half-expected him to stop her before she'd arrived at New Castle.

  And a part of her—a senseless part she tried desperately to ignore—was oddly disappointed. The implication of that unwarranted emotion was too frightening to consider.

  What would she have done had he tried to force her to return? No. She needn't worry about what would never happen. He wouldn't put forth that much effort or concern over her. He d
idn't care for her in that way. So why would he waste his time coming after her?

  And it certainly wasn't as if he had any claim on her. Lea placed a hand protectively over her stomach and revised that thought. He was currentiy not aware of any claim he might have over her.

  While he remained in the dark about her condition, he had nothing to hold over her head—

  nothing to force her to bend to his will.

  But when that changed—Lea frowned, then she gasped. Oh, dear Lord, what had she done?

  She quickly paced the floor, trying to calm her uneven breathing and soothe her aching head. The sudden hard pounding at her temples threatened to take away her breath. Why hadn't she thought of this before leaving Montreau?

  The longer she remained at David's court, the longer Jared would remain at Montreau. If she stayed here too long, by the time she did return home her condition would be obvious to all.

  She dropped down on to the bed. Her heart raced and stomach rolled, knowing she was caught in a web of her own making.

  'Lady Lea?' Agatha stuck her head into the chamber. 'They await you at the table.'

  The thought of food made her ill. But she'd not eaten this morning and her stomach rebelled at the idea of going empty any longer.

  She rose and fluffed out the skirt of her gown, hoping the familiar action would help still her trembling hands.

  'Are you feeling unwell?'

  Lea resisted the urge to groan at the oft-asked quesdon. 'I am fine.'

  Agatha glanced over her shoulder, then entered the chamber, closing the door behind her. 'I asked around about the men like you requested.'

  'Good. What did you find out?'

  'You were correct. They were sent back to Montreau.'

  Lea frowned. 'Why would David do that without at least informing me?'

  'It wasn't by King David's order.'

  Impossible. 'If I didn't give them the orders and David didn't, then who did?'

  The very heartbeat the words left her mouth, Lea knew the answer. 'Of course, how blind I have been. It must have been Warehaven.'

  'How, my lady? He isn't here, is he?'

  'No. Thank goodness he isn't.' Lea mused, 'He probably sent word to David to have the men return.'

  'And leave you here alone? How are we supposed to travel back to Montreau?'

  'Do you think Jared cares about that?'

  'He should.'

  Lea knew the older woman was still upset that she'd not told Jared about the child. She wasn't going to have that conversation again. Instead, she said, 'King David will see to it that we travel safely when the time comes.'

  She didn't add that the dme might be coming sooner than she'd expected.

  'I suppose you're right. I just find it odd.'

  Even though she agreed everything was rather odd, Lea tried to reassure the woman. 'I am certain it was Jared's doing. There's nothing at all odd about him giving orders behind my back.'

  Hearing footsteps in the corridor, Agatha modoned towards the door. I think they grow impatient.'

  Earlier today Lea had caught the aroma of apples baking. Considering how fond King David was of apple tarts, she wouldn't be surprised if he sent someone else to bring her to the table.

  After one more shake of her skirt, she headed for the door. 'I think tomorrow I will approach the king about our return to Montreau.'

  The relief in Agatha's long sigh followed her out of the chamber. But it was soon drowned out by the sound of loud voices and laughter drifting up the stairs from the Great Hall.

  Lea paused at the top of the steps. Tiny wings fluttered in her stomach. Apprehension returned.

  What awaited her below?

  'Nothing,' she whispered, seeking to still her sudden nervousness. She headed down the steep stairs, certain her unease was caused by nothing more than her overactive mind.

  David rose from his seat at the head of the long table set up in the middle of the hall. 'Ah, there she is.'

  He motioned to an empty spot on the bench flanking the table. 'We've been waiting for you, my dear.'

  Lea dipped her head in greeting and quickened her pace. 'I apologise, my lord.'

  She squeezed between the benches to take her seat next to her dining partner. He lightly grasped her hand to assist.

  The touch was all too familiar. An icy chill raced through her. Numb with shock, afraid of whom she would see, Lea looked down at the man.

  No! It couldn't be.

  'I'm certain Lady Villaire didn't intend to hold up the meal.'

  Jared tugged her down on to the bench next to him. His hip resting against hers made her thoughts flee. But when she tried to put some distance between them, he only pressed tighter against her.

  'No matter how far you move away, I'll be right at your side.'

  There wasn't a trace of humour in his threat. Head bowed, she stared at their shared trencher. This couldn't be happening. Lea hazarded a glance towards the king, but David ignored her silent plea.

  He only shrugged a shoulder before turning his attention to his meal.

  From his reacdon—or lack of reaction—it was obvious to her that he'd helped Jared arrange this little surprise.

  'You will find no help from the king.'

  'Help?' Lea prodded at a bite-sized piece of meat that he'd cut for her. She had to find the strength to brazen her way through this meal. 'I don't need help from anyone.'

  Jared's soft laugh sent a tremor through her heart.

  He leaned close enough to whisper, 'My dear, you need more help than any mortal man could provide.'

  The food she was chewing stuck to the roof of her suddenly dry mouth. When she reached for a goblet of wine, Jared picked it up first.

  Like a devoted lover he held the rim to her lips. His searing gaze captivated her. She vaguely heard a woman giggle. If she

  didn't do something to free herself from his attention, everyone would think they were lovers.

  Lea turned her head and wrapped her fingers around the stem of the vessel. 'Thank you.'

  Jared was slow to release his grasp, and when he did, he made a point of running a fingertip along the top of her hand.

  She stared at his finger over the rim of the goblet, and then relaxed her hold, letting the cup fall from her hand. He had no choice other than to quickly grab the drinking vessel, or wear the contents.

  'How clumsy of me.'

  'No damage was done.' He smiled while placing the cup on the table.

  'What a shame,' Lea said under her breath.

  Fingers curled around her upper thigh. 'Be warned, I can make a bigger scene than you.'

  She doubted that, but wasn't about to test her doubts. Lea picked up her eating knife and twirled it between her fingers. 'Remove your hand.'

  'Or what?' He only tightened his hold on her leg. 'You'll stab me?'

  As much as she'd like to, Lea knew she'd not be able to carry out the act. She set down the knife.

  'Just let me go.'

  He did. 'Finish your food. We need to talk.'

  The last thing she was about to do was hold a conversation with Jared. He didn't know how to converse. His version of talking consisted of shouting and ordering her about.

  'We have no need to talk.'

  'Don't make a wager on that.' Between bites of food, he asked, 'What are you doing here?'

  'Looking for some peace and solitude.'

  'And you couldn't wait for someone to escort you here?'

  'We had escorts. Ones I assume you sent back to Montreau.'

  'You call those guards escorts?' A fake smile did little to hide his foul mood.

  'They've served me well thus far.'

  'When was the last dme you left Montreau?'

  Like most women, she had little need to leave her keep. And since Charles never left to visit anywhere, she'd remained at Montreau with him. But that was none of Jared's concern. 'It's beenawhde.'

  'A while?'

  'A few years.'

  'Your servants
say you haven't left the demesne lands since you last visited Warehaven.'

  Apparently there was litde he didn't know. 'It's possible.'

  'And in those years you haven't had a change of guards?'

  Of course she had. After her father died, some left because they refused to serve Charles, and some of the older ones had died. Still, she didn't understand what he meant. 'Yes, of course we have.'

  'And your guards train under who, Lea? You?'

  'Charles worked the men.'

  Jared laughed, cutting it off by pouring wine and taking a long drink. But she could still see the disbelieving laughter in his glimmering eyes.

  'Laugh all you want, Warehaven. Montreau has no need of an army.'

  He set the cup down. 'No, of course not. You're neutral. Which naturally means no one will ever attack you or your keep.'

  She saw the wisdom in his words, but nothing would make her agree with him to his face. 'None have thus far.'

  'You and Montreau are my responsibility. From now on you will not leave the keep unless there are experienced men at your back. Am I understood?'

  'Does that mean I can come and go as I please?' If that were true, some of her future troubles might be solved.

  He brushed the back of his hand gently across her cheek. 'Why, dear heart, do I detect a shimmer of hope in your eyes?' He lowered his voice to warn, 'You won't get the chance to get away from me again.'

  Lea jerked away from his touch. Her heart felt as if it had fallen to her stomach. Won't get the chance to get away from him? 'Am I your prisoner?'

  'No.' He reached out to run a fingertip along her jawbone, then turned back to his food. 'Not at all.'

  Unable to eat any more, Lea said, 'I'm finished.'

  She made to rise, but Jared looped his foot around hers. 'Remain seated. I haven't finished yet.'

  'What difference does that make? I'm finished eating. I'm going to my chamber.'

  'Perhaps you misunderstood me. You aren't getting away from me again, Lea. Ever.'

  'What?'

  He took another drink, then addressed the king. 'Sire, I thank you for the meal.'

  David's eyes widened. 'You are finished already?'

  'Yes. I fear my appetite has been.. .lacking.. .of late.'

  Everyone at the table laughed as if he'd told some wry joke. Lea frowned. Surely they didn't believe he was too lovesick to eat?