Lord Liar Part 33

"My lords! Have I kept you waiting? I'm so sorry!" as she walked toward them with slow, feline grace. She wore a gown of scarlet velvet that should have clashed with the fiery 173 gold-corded braids draped over her bodice, but the combination served only to remind Ranulf of a flame. A groom brought a dainty white palfrey out from the stables, but she ignored it for a moment, standing next to Ranulf's knee and gazing up at him with lazy amus.e.m.e.nt as she laid a hand cares singly on his leg.

"Did you rest well, my lord?"

He nodded, fighting the urge to escape her touch by causing his mount to slide away from her.

"As did you, my lady, I can see." Now what was he to say? His eyes seemed to have a will of their own, for they left Desiderata and looked over her head to see if Aldyth stood watching them from the hall. There was no sign of her, however.

"Come on, Desi, mount your palfrey," called Henry impatiently.

"Valkyrie's getting restless. You'll have time for seduction later!"

The lady pouted prettily but mounted her mare, making sure she gave Ranulf an enticing glimpse of one long white leg before she settled her skirts.

As they rode out, a face framed by short, chestnut brown curls disappeared from a window overlooking the bailey.

The shutters were banged shut, but the sound was swallowed by the clattering of the three horses' hooves over the drawbridge.

When the three of them trooped back into the hall hours later, Ranulf saw Aldyth sitting by the fire, listlessly petting one of the prince's hounds.

"Good afternoon, Edward. I hope your morning pa.s.sed well?" he said, studying the wan face.

Aldyth shrugged.

"There was little for me to do, my lord." She looked meaningfully at Lady Desiderata behind him, who was accepting a cup of mulled wine from Prince Henry.

"Did my lady have a pleasant ride?"

Her voice was perfectly neutral. Try as he would, Ranulf could detect no flicker of an eyelash, no change of tone to indicate a hint of sarcasm or double meaning in her words. "Oh, she doesn't care overmuch for hawking," he said noncommittally. "" Tis a magnificent falcon that my lord has, though.

You should have seen her stoop to seize a heron that flew up in the marsh!

She was like a bolt of lightning! " His hand pantomimed the impressive swiftness of Henry's winged huntress.

A smile found its way through her mask of indifference. "I can just imagine, my lord. I imagine you were wishing you had your own merlin from Kingsclere on your wrist." Her green eyes sparkled.

"What was his name, Charlemagne?"

"You remember well. Yes, 'twas Charlemagne, and very good he was at taken coneys, but I fear he cannot compare with the prince's gyrfalcon."

"Bah! You men! So bloodthirsty, from boyhood on," purred Lady Desiderata, coming and taking Ranulf's arm and fluttering her lashes at him.

"You love blood and gore and nothing softer and finer" -- "Like yourself, my lovely De siT finished Prince Henry, coming over to warm himself at the fire.

She preened.

"Perhaps," she said with an attempt at an enigmatic smile, but Ranulf caught her watching under her long lashes for his reaction.

It had been easier when they were out hawking to banter politely and without meaning with the red-haired temptress while concentrating on the performance of Henry's falcon. Now the evening loomed up before him, long and fraught with peril as he attempted to evade the enticement he would once have found a delightful game.

Desiderata, however, was not about to wait until evening. After the midday meal she said,

"My lord, would you 175 not like a bath? Surely your muscles are aching and sore after our little expedition. I will have the lackeys bring up hot water, and I have some oil of sandalwood that you will find very pleasant...

after I wash your back," she added with a wink.

"Oh, I couldn't put you to the trouble," he drawled. "You must have things you wish to do, my lady. If you would be so kind, order the hot water, but Edward can see to the rest, can't you, my boy?"

He was aware of Desiderata's suddenly narrowed eyes and Henry's expressively raised brow as Aldyth murmured a surprised,

"If you wish, my lord."

On the way up the stairs, though, he realized he had caught himself in a trap. He could not let

"Edward" a.s.sist him in his bath! The mere idea of her hands on any part of him was already sending the blood coursing to his groin-even just the thought of her seeing him naked. G.o.d's toenails, just one look at his erect manhood and she would not only know how much he wanted her, she would be reminded of the rapacious Turold and frightened beyond reason.

"You may go, Aldyth," he said after the servants bearing the oaken tub and hot water had come and gone.

"I.

need no help. "

"But, Ranulf" -- He paused in the act of pulling his shirt up and over his head.

"Would you like me to summon Lady Desiderata after all?"

"Nay, 'tis not necessary."

She gave a tentative smile.

"Well then, I would be glad ... that is, I am well used to a.s.sisting men in their baths.

My father's guests of honor. "

Suddenly he. hated the common custom of the lady of the household helping any gentleman guest with his bath. He hated the idea that Aldyth had had to do such a service, meaningless or not.

"I said it is not necessary. I don't need your help, and I certainly do not need Lady Desiderata, do you hear me?"

He realized he was nearly shouting, and he lowered his voice before adding,

"Now go somewhere and leave me in peace."

He had a glimpse of her green eyes, very round, very moist, as she retreated from his chamber and his churlishness.

The candles burned low in Henry's chamber. Desiderata, her head propped on a cushion as she lay on an ornate Persian rug before the rug, snored softly, having long since despaired of Ranulf ceasing to talk politics with Henry.

Ranulf noted the fact with an inward sigh of relief. Talking late into the night with Prince Henry about the English kingdom and who would reign over it had been deliberate on his part. He only hoped she would not wake when he left the chamber; he had no desire to hurt the lady, whose only fault was that she was not Aldyth.

There was a silence after a burning log splintered and sent a shower of embers falling into the ashes below. Henry was proud of having the luxury of a chimney in his bedchamber, Ranulf knew. Chimneys were not known in England as yet; the smoke from the great open fires in the halls was supposed to escape through a 1ouvered hole in the roof, but it did not always work, and braziers were still the only source of heat in bedchambers. Someday, Ranulf thought, he would remodel Kingsclere, and it would have chimneys like this.

"It appears the lovely Desiderata does not please you, my friend,"