“Very well,” he said. “Then be prepared to depart before dawn. We have a long ride ahead of us so I suggest you make all necessary preparations now.”
Out in the hall, Devereux knew that was her cue to leave. Quickly, silently, she raced back down the hall and into their bedchamber. Shutting the door quietly, she ran to the bed and threw herself atop it, pulling the coverlet up and settling in quickly. True enough, she soon heard the pounding of heavy boots and the chamber door opened very quietly. As she lay there and pretended to be asleep, the boots entered the room quietly and shut the door. She heard the bolt thrown.
As Devereux lay there with her eyes closed, she heard Davyss move around the room, presumably removing his clothing. She could hear the soft brush of fabric as it hit the floor, the boots as he took them off one by one. Then, the bed rocked slightly as he slid in beside her. Very, very carefully, he put his arms around her and pulled her against his naked chest. When he looked down to see if he had disturbed her, he saw big gray eyes gazing up at him.
He smiled at her. “I am sorry if I woke you,” he whispered. “Go back to sleep.”
She smiled in return, snuggling up against his naked body. “I feel like I have been asleep for days,” she murmured. “What time is it?”
“Very late. There is perhaps only a few hours until dawn.”
She sighed, her cheek against his warm, smooth skin. “I have slept away the afternoon and evening,” she yawned. “This baby is exhausting me.”
He put an enormous hand against her belly, still tight and flat. “I still have a difficult time believing it.”
“Have you told your mother yet?”
“Nay,” he answered, his lips against her forehead. “I wanted us to tell her together.”
“If you are leaving before dawn that might be difficult.”
The hands caressing her suddenly stopped and Devereux felt him tense. Lifting her head, she smiled at him as she propped her head on a bent-up elbow.
“I am sorry,” she said softly. “I woke up earlier and heard you down the hall. I heard you say that you were leaving before dawn.”
He could see she wasn’t being malicious about it. In truth, he didn’t mind her eavesdropping; now he would not have to break the news to her. He reached up and gently tweaked her nose.
“Next time, do not linger in the hall,” his hazel eyes glimmered. “Simply come in and announce yourself. I do not mind having you listen in. If I do not want you there, I will tell you.”
She watched his mouth as he spoke, his lips smooth and full. “I just wanted to hear the sound of your voice,” she whispered. “I truly wasn’t listening to what was being said as much as I was simply listening to you speak.”
He reached up, tucking a stray bit of blonde hair behind her ear. “Sweet words, Lady de Winter. I do not believe you have ever spoken any to me. I believe I like it.”
She leaned forward, capturing his luscious lower lip between her own. She kissed him sweetly, suckling gently on his lip before slowly releasing it. Davyss didn’t say another word; he pulled her against him in a crushing embrace, slanting his lips hungrily over hers. He kissed her with roaring passion, one hand drifting up her arm and coming to rest on a full breast. He could feel the hard nipple through the fabric and pulled the top of the garment off one shoulder until a nipple was exposed. Then he left her delicious mouth and nursed hungrily.
Devereux gasped with pleasure as he suckled. She couldn’t explain why she wanted the man so badly at the moment; never in her life had she known such overwhelming sexual desire. All she knew was that the smell of him, the feel of him, fed her into a frenzy. Soon, she was hiking up her dressing gown, shifting her pelvis so that Davyss’ big body wedged itself between her legs. As he nursed furiously against her nipple, she could feel his powerful manroot pushing against her thigh.
Sitting up slightly, she reached down to grasp his throbbing organ, capturing his mouth in her own when he lifted his head. Davyss groaned when her hands closed over his heated manhood, groaning again when she guided it into her slick folds. Pushing her back onto the mattress, Davyss thrust firmly into her welcoming body.
Devereux was so highly aroused that she felt herself climaxing within the first few strokes. Davyss felt her tight walls throbbing against him as he ripped her dressing gown off over her head, throwing it across the room as he fell back down upon her. He didn’t want any barrier between his skin and hers. Devereux grunted as his weight came down on her slender body, throwing her arms around his neck and holding him fast as he repeatedly thrust into her. She was hot and wet, and he coiled his powerful buttocks as he pounded her with the proof of his desire.
Devereux climaxed twice more before Davyss finally released himself deep into her womb. As his member twitched and throbbed in its final pleasurable throes, Devereux climaxed yet again as she felt him pulse deep within her. It was wildly arousing to feel him release his seed. Exhausted, emotional, she attached herself to his mouth and kissed him deeply as their last of their passion cooled.
Davyss was overwhelmed with her physical response to him; he’d never experienced anything like it. The woman had an innate sense of what he needed physically, her body responding to his as if she had been doing it all her life. He held her tightly, kissing her gently, dragging his lips over her cheeks and neck. When the kissing faded, he simply lay there and held her tightly, his face in the side of her head.
“Davyss?” Devereux’s voice was soft.
He was half-asleep, wildly content. “Hmmm?”
“This battle you are anticipating. Will it be bad?”
He lay there a moment. Then his eyes opened as he pondered the deeper implications of her question.
“Battle is never a pleasant thing,” he muttered. “This confrontation has been a long time in coming.”
“With de Montfort?”
“Aye.”
“But what of Hugh?” she wanted to know. “Is he truly the enemy now?”
He sighed heavily. “How much of that did you hear?”
“I heard you say that he was with the enemy, but that is all. Is that true?”
“I would not lie.”
“I did not mean that. I simply meant… would he really do such a thing? Does he hate me so much that he would feel the need to punish you for it?”
He shifted so she was tucked against his shoulder. His hazel eyes stared off into the darkness of the room. “He does not hate you,” he murmured. “I believe Andrew was correct when he said that Hugh was jealous; jealous that I would listen to your wishes over his. As I had to grow up, so must Hugh, only he does not yet realize that.”
She fell silent a moment, contemplating his words and the deeper meanings. She could do nothing about Hugh but she hoped, for her husband’s sake, that he would come around soon. But as she thought on Hugh, she also thought on something else, something that had been lingering in her mind as she had listened to her husband talk to his men. It was something she did not want to face but knew she must.
“What… what if you do not return from this battle?” she finally whispered. “Do you have any instructions for me?”
Davyss pulled back and looked her in the eye, seeing that the great gray orbs were filling with tears. He shushed her softly, cupping her face and kissing her cheek tenderly.
“I want you to do what makes you happy,” he stated. “I want you to live where you are comfortable living and raise our son in the manner you feel best. I trust you. But remember he is a de Winter, the heir to a great family name. If I could make one request, it would be that you allow him to fulfill his destiny as a de Winter. That would make me proud.”
She couldn’t help it; she blinked and fat tears coursed down her cheeks. Throwing her arms around his neck, she pulled him down against her.
“I love you, Davyss,” she whispered against his ear. “Please know that I love you very much. I will always do my best to honor both you and the de Winter name.”
His arms tightened
around her, holding her so tightly that she could barely breathe. “And I love you,” he murmured. “I will do my very best to return to you whole and sound.”
She sobbed softly in his ear and he pulled back, wiping at her cheeks and kissing her tears away. He didn’t want their last few hours together to be spent weeping. In truth, he was overwhelmed by her declaration of love, so much so that he could hardly think of anything else. He could hardly believe the joy that the last few days had brought, the discovery and happiness. If someone had told him on his wedding day those weeks ago that he would grow to love the beautiful spitfire of a woman he had married, he would have laughed at them. But the proof of that love was in front of him, something so unexpected and strong that it overshadowed everything else. When he should have been focused on an impending battle, he found he could only think of the woman in his arms.
“Now,” he said, kissing her nose as he wiped the last of her tears. “I must ask you something very serious.”
She sniffled, wiping at her nose. “What?”
He looked semi-serious. “I had assumed you would stay here at Hollyhock while I am away, but my mother says that I should ask you where you want to go. She says she doubts you will want to spend endless days with a frail old woman.”
Devereux appeared puzzled by the question, a smile playing on her lips. “I do not know. I have not thought on it. Why? Where would you have me wait for you?”
He lifted a big shoulder. “Wherever makes you happy. Do you want to return to The House of Hope?”
A light came to her eyes. “Would you let me?”
He could see, in those few words, how much it meant to her to return to her charity. His mother had been right again. “If that is your wish,” he said. “But I will send you back with a contingent of soldiers. My wife must be amply protected.”
She nodded eagerly. “Anything you say, Davyss. I would like to go home, only….”
She averted her gaze and he gently tapped her chin, forcing her to look up. “Only what?”
She pursed her lips as if she knew foolish words were about to spill from her mouth. “Only I was wondering… will you and I have our own home together, a place to raise our children, or will we always travel between Wintercroft and Hollyhock like a band of gypsies?”
He laughed. “If you wish for us to have our own home, then we shall. There are several of my holdings to choose from for just that purpose.”
“Holdings?”
“Aye,” he nodded. “In addition to Wintercroft, there is Castle Acre Castle….”
She shook her head vigorously, making a face. He nodded swiftly. “So you do not like Castle Acre Castle; I understand. There is also a small castle at Threxton and, of course, Norwich Castle.”
“Norwich? I have heard my father speak of it. Is it not the king’s castle?”
“It is mine. I am the garrison commander for the king.”
She appeared to mull over the information. “Then I suppose I shall have to see these two places in order to make a decision. But it must be before the baby arrives. I do not want to be moving around after he is born.” She pursed her lips thoughtfully. “Do you think the men will listen if you tell them that you must hurry up and get the battle over with so that you may return to your pregnant wife?”
He cocked a dark eyebrow, a wry expression on his face. “Not at all,” he said dryly. “Every man there has a wife and will undoubtedly understand my dilemma. I believe it would be a fair statement to say that we all fear our women more than each other.”
Devereux grinned in response. They lay there until just before dawn, with gentle touches, conversation and sweet kisses between them. When Davyss finally rose to dress, Devereux rose with him. In between dry heaves, she dressed, assuring her concerned husband that she was well enough to see him off. He wasn’t entirely sure but did not dispute her. When they were both dressed, he escorted his pale and weary wife downstairs.
Lady Katharine was already waiting for them in the foyer. Her little dogs rushed Devereux, who this time tried to outsmart the dogs by kneeling down and speaking sweetly to them. If they didn’t like strangers, then perhaps it was up to her not to be one. Her behavior confused the little beasts for a moment but soon the tails began to wag. Before she realized it, the dogs were jumping on her and licking her hands. Lady Katharine watched with approval while Davyss just rolled his eyes.
“Mother,” he turned to Katharine as his wife played with the little dogs. “My wife would like to return to The House of Hope while I am away. I will send fifty men later today to escort her back to Thetford. She will stay at her father’s house.”
Katharine waved a gnarled old hand. “No need,” she said. “She may stay at Breckland Castle.”
Davyss shook his head. “She does not want to stay at Breckland, Mother. She wants to stay at her family’s home.”
Lady Katharine opened her mouth to insist that Davyss’ wife stay in her luxurious castle but recounted her own word from the day before about letting the woman stay where she was more comfortable. So she veered off that subject and onto the next. “As she wishes,” she replied. “But there is no need for you to feather men from your troops, men you will need in your upcoming conflict. I will send her with my own personal guard.”
Davyss pursed his lips irritably. “Your personal guard is full of old men and cripples. I do not want those men guarding my wife.”
Katharine’s thin eyebrows shot up. “Yet they are good enough to guard your mother?” she said, outraged.
Davyss leaned down and kissed her on the cheek to soothe her ruffled feathers. “Although I thank you for your very kind offer, you will keep your soldiers. You need them. I can spare a few from the thousands at my disposal.”
Lady Katharine eyed her son, not entirely soothed, but kept her mouth shut. Davyss winked at her, moving to Devereux as she remained crouched with the dogs.
“Can I tear you away from your new friends for a moment?” he asked, taking her elbow and helping her to stand. “I have a long day ahead of me so let us say our farewells now.”
Devereux gazed up at him, forcing a smile. Tears stung her eyes but she fought them; she didn’t want his last memory of her to be of hysterics. She wrapped both hands around his enormous arm, laying her cheek on his mailed bicep as they walked to the front door. As they passed the elaborate solar, she could see Lucy and Frances inside the chamber, seated on one of the many luxurious chairs before a blazing hearth. She waved at them but only Lucy waved back. Frances seemed her usual dour self. Proceeding to the massive oak-door entry, they were met with pale gray fog as Davyss opened the door.
“Will you send word to me?” Devereux asked him softly.
He nodded. “If I can,” he replied, moving to take both of her hands in his massive gloved ones. “It should take us several days to reach Lewes and, after that, I have no way of knowing when or if I will be able to send a missive you. But I promise I will try.”
She smiled bravely, her heart breaking but refusing to show it. She had never faced this kind of separation before and was unsure how to deal with it; Davyss was going to war, something she detested yet something she was bound to by marriage. Never had she imagined she would be facing this situation; seeing off someone who had come to mean the world to her. It was possible he would never return. But more tears would not magically stop him from going so she was determined to be brave. She squeezed his hands, standing on tip-toe to kiss him on the cheek.
“I shall miss you,” she whispered. “Please take care of yourself. Try to stay away from flying arrows and sharp blades.”
He smiled in return. “I will do my best,” he replied softly, his gaze moving over her lovely face. “I have much to live for.”
He leaned down to kiss her cheek but that wasn’t good enough. He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against him and lifting her off the ground. Devereux wrapped her arms around his neck, her feet dangling a foot off the floor.
“I love you,” he whis
pered in her ear.
“And I love you,” she breathed.
Davyss gave her a good squeeze and set her to her feet. By this time, Lady Katharine had walked up beside them. Davyss bent down and kissed his mother again.
“I will send word to you when I can also,” he told her. “Take good care of my wife.”
Lady Katharine waved him off. “You needn’t worry. I have a feeling she can take care of herself.”
“That may be, but there is no longer just her to consider. We must consider your grandson as well.”
Lady Katharine’s eyes widened but that was as far as she went in displaying emotion. “What are you saying, Davyss?”
His eyes glimmered warmly as he took Devereux’s hand, kissing it sweetly one last time. “It means that we have granted your request. You will meet your grandson in the winter.”
“Do you know this for certain?”
“Fairly certain.”
Katharine’s gaze turned to Devereux, who only had eyes for her husband. She could see the radiant look on her face in spite of the paleness. She remembered that look, once, years ago when Grayson was still alive. Katharine had that look, too, when she was pregnant with Davyss. A faint smile creased the old, wrinkled lips.
“Excellent,” is all she would say.
Davyss knew his mother had much more to say about it but, being a rather austere lady, she would not become emotional in public. He winked at his mother, kissed his wife’s hand again, and trudged off into the early morning fog. Devereux stood in the open doorway, listening to her husband’s voice as he barked commands. It filled her with comfort and pride. She continued to stand there, listening to him, as the army eventually moved off in the fog.
Even when the last man was gone, she continued to stand there, listening to the army move in the distance but unable to see them through the mist. When the sound vanished completely and all seemed eerily still, she realized that Katharine was standing next to her.
She turned to the old lady with a timid smile. “I would hazard to say that you have spent many a moment such as this, watching your menfolk go off to war.”