Kathleen E. Woodiwiss(55)

“Shanna!” His first word came with some surprise, but he quickly recovered, smiled and reached for her hand to draw her in. “Your pardon, my love. I was not expecting a visitor, let alone such a charming one.”

Ruefully he rubbed a hand across his bristly chin.

“Had I been warned of your coming, I’d have made some preparations.”

In the dim light his eyes shone softly as he gazed down into hers. He stood close beside her, his other hand resting on the small of her back. Nervously Shanna glanced about the cramped room, unable to bear this attention he so freely gave her. The pressure of his touch was light, but to her it felt like a trap of steel. She began to seriously doubt her wisdom in coming here alone.

The smell of the strong lye soap and vinegar which had been used to scrub the bare boards of the place was pungent in her nostrils. Though the fittings were meager, they were almost painfully neat and well repaired. A narrow rope bed with a straw-filled mattress and clean, though threadbare, sheets filled one corner, and a small, rough table bearing a stack of drawings, quill and ink was pushed into another. A single, once-broken chair, bound back into service with small rope, and a high shelf were the only other appointments. The shelf bore several boxes, one with a loaf of bread and a chunk of cheese, a bottle of wine, and a meager collection of unmatched dishes. The light patchwork quilt on the bed was frayed and much mended but was neatly folded back, while the sheets were white with sun-bleached cleanliness.

Seeing where her gaze wandered, Ruark smiled. “Hardly a fit place for a tryst, Shanna, but the best I could manage. It costs me naught of coin, only my services in keeping an eye out for vandals.” He laughed lightly and grinned as her eyes turned to meet his. “I had no idea that you would come so soon to fulfill our bargain.”

Shanna gasped, stunned at his suggestion. “I did not come here to spend the night with you!”

“Alas,” he sighed as if forlorn, brushing a curl from her cheek and bending near as he did so. “I am to be tortured more, then. Ah, Shanna, love, do you not ken that the merest sight of you is enough to bring me pain?”

His voice was low and husky in her ears, and Shanna had to dip deeply into her reservoir of will to dispel the slow numbing of her defenses.

“Do you know how my arms ache to be filled with you? To be so near and never touching is agony for me.” His fingers lightly stroked between her shoulder blades. “Are you some dark witch to bring me hell on earth, being that which I desire most and that which I may have the least of? Be soft, Shanna, be woman, be my love.”

He bent closer, his lips drawing perilously near.

“Ruark!” Shanna spoke sharply and jerking away from him, commanded, “Behave!”

“I do, my love. I am a man. You’re a woman. How else should I behave?” He would have reached out and taken her in his arms.

“Do not press me so!” Shanna eluded his grasp. “Be a gentleman for once!” She held him at arm’s length, her riding crop against his chest.

“A gentleman? But how, my love?” He played the simpleton. “I am only a cloddish colonial, unschooled in the postures of court, trained only in honesty and the truth of a bargain fairly met. I cannot bear to see you here, alone with me, and not reach out to touch you.”

“I agree.” Shanna stepped further away and continued moving as he followed. “We should limit our meetings.”

Her glance flitted hesitantly across his hard, brown chest and its light furring of hair before her eyes lifted to meet that steady, predatory stare. Suddenly Shanna felt much like a hen before a wily fox, expecting to be devoured any moment.

“If you will stop seeking favor with my father and agree to stay away from the house, ‘twould ease things. Now stop that!”

She brushed away his hand as he reached to caress her hair, but the coil was undone beneath the quickness of his fingers and tumbled in soft curls down her back. She tried without success to gather it again into a sober knot.

“Will you be serious for a moment!” she bridled. “Control your lust. I did not come here to bed you but to appeal to your honor. Let go!” She raised both her voice and the quirt dangerously high. “I’ll not be pawed by the likes of you again!”

Ruark stood back and leaned against the wall beside her, “Ah, Shanna, love,” he said sadly. “Am I really to believe that you will not see out the bargain?”

“Bargain!” Shanna struck the half-open door with her whip in exasperation. “Sir, you are the most—”

“Shhh.” His finger lay across his lips. His face was in the shadows, but his eyes seemed to glow, laughing at her, mocking her. “You’ll have the village down upon us.”