I.

217 made him instantly hard and ready to do the things that, in turn, had her panting and begging him to bring her to that shuddering explosion of heat.

And she glowed when he told her he loved her and that there was no other woman to equal her.

They both glowed when they spoke shyly to each other of the babe that they might have already made together, though each secretly hoped that they would be able to wed before that child should make its appearance into the world.

"It's high time you two left the bedchamber," Henry gibed them when they came downstairs to his New Yeaifs Day feast.

"I'd be astonished if you both don't have bedsores."

Would she ever be able to stifle the flush that the prince's bawdy jests caused?

"Ah, don't mind me, Lady Aldyth," Henry said.

"I'm merely lonely, as I've discovered Desiderata left the castle yesterday morning in a fit of pique."

"She did, your grace.9 I'm sorry," Aldyth replied carefully. It was a lie.

She was pleased that she need not fear encountering the courtesan anywhere in the castle on this, their last day here.

"Oh, don't give it a thought," the prince said with a breezy wave of his hand.

"She'll miss me--and my largesse, no doubt, and she'll return, purring and smiling. Meanwhile, I would like to propose a toast to the year of Our Lord 1088. May we all gain what we want this year." The toast was typical of the genial but self-centered prince, thought Aldyth as they raised their goblets.

"To peace and the good of England," Ranulf said.

"Indeed," seconded the prince with a wink.

To my beloved's safety, she thought to herself. And to our happy marriage, as soon as possible . Aldyth noted, though, that Henry wasted little time regretting Desiderata's absence. After supper she pa.s.sed him in a shadowy corridor embracing one of the other "ladies" who resided there, a pet.i.te blonde named Alinor.

Henry would have been surprised to know that even as they feasted to welcome in the New Year, Desiderata was in Barfieur, driving a bargain with the captain of a cog bound across the Channel for England as soon as the winds and weather allowed. The red-haired courtesan was pleased that the captain agreed to take her for the price of her services in bed until they should sail and for the first night they spent in an English port. Giving away her body was easy enough, and it meant she could keep the sapphire necklace against future need. Henry had not actually given it to her, having planned to bestow it with all ceremony on New Year's Day, but she had seen where he had placed it and had taken it with her when she left the castle early yesterday morn. She would miss Henry, with his easy, generous ways and comfortable hall, but she was still seething with rage at his command to keep to her chambers until Lord Ranulf and his boyish-looking, jade-eyed leman had departed. There were other men where she was going, men of power and fortune who would make life comfortable for her again. But she was going to England to achieve something more important, something sweeter. Something called revenge.

Chapter Twenty-One

Z dieu, Noel," sang Aldyth as they rode their hired horses northward from Portchester on the ninth of January.

Ranulf smiled at her as she sang the French Epiphany song.

"Well, at the very least your French got a polishing while you were away.

You no longer speak it with such a dreadfully thick English accent," he teased.

"Ewww, you mean I speck it like thees," Aldyth re- totted, holding her nose so that her voice was very nasal, then swatted playfully at her lover.

"Knave! You know I have spoken French as well as English from my cradle."

"You didn't speak it ill--for an Englishwoman, that is," he retorted, then caught her doubled-up fist before she could land a blow and kissed it.

"I'm only teasing, love, you know that, don't you? Besides, sweetheart, you're utterly bewitching when you're indignant."

She pretended to pout.

"The only reason you think I speak it better is because I've learned French love words,"

she accused with a sidelong glance that heated his blood. "The pillows the best place to perfect any tongue," he said with a grin,

"And since we are only a few leagues from Beauworth, I'll be able to prove my contention tonight. But in the meantime, come here, wench. I'm certain it has been an hour since I kissed you last."

They reined their mounts close together, and his fingers held her face cupped so he could kiss her until she was breathless.

It would have been an odd sight, for Aldyth had resumed her disguise as Edward ever since they had left Henry's castle, in case they met men from either Robert's court or Rufus's. On this winter day, however, the road was de"Ah..." she breathed, her eyes still closed as their lips parted at last.

"How soon can we reach Beauworth?"

He grinned.

"Soon enough, sweetheart. If only 'twere high summer, I'd tie up our horses and make love to you in that beech coppice yonder."

She followed his pointing finger, then sighed.

"I suppose we could come back when its summer. Oh, Ranulf, will it always be like this?"

He knew she meant would they always be on fire for each other like this, so that the merest look or word from one would have them both hot with desire?

"It has been thus for me ever since you came back into my life," he said, ruefully shifting his position in the saddle.

"It's only fair that you should have to suffer along with me at long last."

G.o.d's toenailsl He had made love to her in that inn at Portchester this very morn, and a single kiss had made him hard and ready again.

"Well, if we don't hurry along we shall have to be suffering together in some downs man smelly hovel," she said, casting an eye on the lowering gray clouds above.

"Those look like snow clouds."

They reached Beauworth just as the first flakes began to fall. A smaller castle than Kingsclere, of the basic motte and-bailey style, it was held for Ranulf by a garrison of half a dozen knights captained by Sir Rca6 Fitz Gilbert a square221 jawed but affable Norman whose wife, Marie, served as its chat elaine

Ranulf had told her he did not visit Beauworth often, even though it was but an hour from Winchester; nonetheless, the household always seemed to be expecting him. The same was true when Ranulf and Aldyth trotted into the bailey today. The hall was immaculate. Lady Marie had them sitting down to a tasty, well-cooked dinner within an hour of their arrival.

"You're very fortunate in both your castellan and his able wife,"

Aldyth remarked quietly, gazing around the hall as they devoured a savory pork pie.

"Marie swears she only cooks like this when her knee begins to ache, which is what tells her I'm coming," Ranulf told her loudly enough that Marie, who was hovering nearby, beamed beatifically at him.

"I've never been able to catch her napping, but I suspect 'tis Sir Rene that keeps her on her toes."

"Ha!

"Tis quite the other way 'round, I do a.s.sure you, my lord,"

Marie a.s.serted, jabbing her spouse joe_-nlrly with her elbow.

"This great lazy hound would lie about the hall die- ing all day if I allowed it."