In Bed With A Stranger(20)

Shock held her silent for a moment. "That is barbaric."

"It's as Scottish as I am."

And the man was proud too. Anne saw it shimmering in his eyes along with  a lurking glimmer of amusement. The sight intrigued her because he was  so large and strong that she would have thought there was no hint of  boyish mischief left in him. That glimmer said there was a part of him  that still enjoyed playing.

"I see."

He pressed his lips into a hard line. "No ye don't."

Anne felt her patience grow thin. That was the problem with noble  peers … they always believed that they knew everything. Well, she was her  own person, her thoughts hers and none others.

"You can not know what is in my mind, sir."

One of his eyebrows rose. "I've a fair idea of what is churning inside,  behind that pretty face. Ye've a mind to run back to court where some  whelp has turned yer head with his poetry."         

     



 

"I am not in love with anyone."

His expression hardened. "Then ye are discontent because I am Scots."

Anne shook her head before thinking. Rejection shot through her so  quickly, she could not hold back her denial of his charge. It would have  served her better to let him believe she detested his heritage, such  attitudes were common.

Yet she could not do it. There was too much of him that she found  admirable, too much that she found worthy of praise. It was the truth  that she was beginning to like him.

Brodick made a low sound of frustration. He propped his hands on his  hips, looking even larger. The sword hilt rising over his right shoulder  added to the formidable picture he presented.

"Ye are making me daft," he announced.

"I'm trying your patience because I don't dislike you for being Scots?"

Brodick stepped closer, instantly drawing a response from her flesh. She  backed away from him without consideration and he kept coming until her  back hit the wall. He pressed his hands against the cool stone. There  was a mere finger length between them now. Her heart began to race as  she caught the faint scent of his skin. Never had she noticed that men  smelled enticing. Behind her stays her nipples drew tight. His gaze  centered on her lips and the tender skin tingled with longing. Time  froze. She felt suspended in that moment, aware of nothing but Brodick  and his body. Needs rose from every inch of her skin to be in contact  with him, stroked by him.

It was insanity.

"I'll be waiting for Agnes to let me know what ye decide." His voice was  thick with hunger. He leaned down and pressed a kiss against her lips.  It was over almost before it began but the sensation burned all the way  to her toes.

"Make no mistake about what I have decided, madam. I will have ye tonight."

He pushed away from her and strode across the main floor of the tower.  The castle folk were watching from the yard, their necks stretching out  to see into the tower. The confused looks on their faces told her that  no one could tell what was happening inside the wall. Brodick stopped to  have words with Agnes. The midwife nodded her head, casting her  attention toward Anne.

The earl left on long strides, clearing the front entrance as their  audience looked between his wide back and her set face. The curious  crowd watched the midwife as she made her way to stand in front of Anne,  her face pensive. She said nothing for a long time, inspecting Anne  from head to toe with her keen stare. She fingered the silver brooch  that held her tartan securely on one shoulder.

"Do you have need of me, my lady?" She spoke softly, each word carefully delivered. "Or may I return home?"

Temptation needled Anne. She was caught so completely in Philipa's  scheme that even the smallest possibility that she might be found  lacking was something she could not cast aside. Preserving her modesty  could not take precedence.

"I would be grateful for your opinion."

Agnes frowned but Anne held her head level. "A marriage such as this  should never proceed forward if there is any doubt. An earl cannot be so  lax in his choice of bride. He needs an heir. If I cannot provide that,  it would be best to dissolve our union  now before there is  disappointment."

The midwife lost her disgruntled expression. She nodded in agreement.

"Ye're a fair woman, to be sure."

Fair … hah!

Agnes began walking toward the stairs that led to the upper floor, clearly knowing the castle.

"Come along, mistress. Let us attend to this matter. I see yer thinking.  More noblewomen should be as astute." Agnes swept her from head to toe  again. "Indeed it would make for a happier world. The lord's mother was  inspected before her wedding night as well. Yer mother was wise to teach  ye to respect the tradition. It has its place."

Anne forced her feet to move. Each step was an effort and she was  suddenly very aware of how little clothing she had on. Her surcoat was  closed up over a chemise. The only other thing she wore was a pair of  slippers. The tapestry footwear was meant for her dressing chamber and  felt very thin. Walking allowed the air to brush all the way up her  exposed skin.

She was convinced that the flight of stairs took longer to climb than  any other she had ever mounted. Helen had built a fire in the chamber  and fed it far more wood than normal. It blazed high, filling the  chamber with heat. Helen came forward, intent on removing the surcoat.         

     



 

Anne stood still and straight, refusing to allow her modesty to buckle  her resolve. It took mere seconds to bare her body, once the surcoat was  removed, yet it felt like hours. There was only her chemise and shoes.  Each second swelled into time that felt as though it were standing  still.

Agnes was still for a long time, her eyes moving over her body in slow  motion. She circled around Anne, lingering behind her. When Agnes  returned to stand in front of her, the midwife reached out to cup a  breast. She handled it with a knowing hand as Anne bit into her lip to  still her protest. Her grip was firm, judging the weight and texture.  She finished by pinching the nipple and leaning closer to look at it.

Agnes didn't make a sound as she left off and moved her hand to the  opposite breast. After pinching the nipple, she withdrew her hand.

"Lie down on the bed. I need to see if yer womb is sitting correctly in yer belly."

"Of … course." Anne snapped her mouth closed as her voice cracked. What  Brodick wanted from her was far more intrusive. She had better adjust to  allowing the midwife to make a detailed inspection. That would provide  her with all the more opportunity to gain the woman's disapproval.  Getting to her father was the key. He would deal with Philipa.

Agnes pressed her hands against Anne's belly, moving in an arch from one  hip to the other. Anne watched the woman's practiced manner, the  knowledgeable touch something only experience taught. There was  something she might admire at least. Agnes continued until she'd felt  every inch of Anne's abdomen with careful hands.

"Ye may dress yer mistress," Agnes instructed Helen.

The midwife stood back and Helen brought Anne's chemise forward. Anne  held her tongue because Agnes was still contemplating her. Standing up,  she helped pull her surcoat on, shivering as it warmed her. The midwife  stepped close again.

"Let me see yer teeth."

Agnes didn't miss any part of her. She even made Anne cover her eyes so  that she might test her hearing by snapping her finger near one ear and  having Anne raise the hand on the same side of her body.

"Ye are more than fit, mistress."

She gasped, but Helen clapped her hands together with glee.

"I'm going to fetch ye some supper. Ye'll need all your strength  tonight." The maid hurried from the room, excitement making her steps  lively.

"Oh, but-" Helen was gone before Anne decided what she might say to stop her.

"Marriage is always a time of uncertainty for a woman. Ye'll settle in, mistress, as we all do."

There was a firm parental expectation in Agnes's tone. One that made  Anne close her lips. For a small moment she felt like a child caught  snatching a piece of sweet bread from the kitchen between meals.

"I do not want to disappoint the earl."

The midwife slowly shook her head. "Ye willnae. I've seen many a girl  less built for bearing babes than ye, push children into this world.  Save yer worrying for things that have already gone bad."

The trap was closing tighter around her again, crushing the breath from  her. Agnes was watching her, observing the play of emotions that crossed  her face. Anne turned, pacing toward the far side of the chamber.

"Did yer mother tell ye some tale of painful duty associated with consummating your marriage?"

Agnes was trying hard to understand her dilemma. More guilt piled on top  of her for putting the woman to the trouble of trying to help her. She  dare not trust anyone but she wanted to. The desire to blurt out  everything was growing stronger with each kind person she met. But just  because a person wanted to help you didn't mean that they could. Brodick  might shelter her at Sterling but Philipa was still mistress of  Warwickshire. Even an earl did not have the right to remove servants  from another holding.