sight of Langsford didn’t bother him. That man was nothing more than a bully and a drunken fool—a useless pawn of the Queen’s in her ceaseless attempts to thwart the Earl.
But Arnyll was another matter. What was that soulless son of the devil doing here?
Like William, Arnyll had also been captured and sold into slavery. When Hugh had won his freedom and the lives of three others, he had requested that Arnyll be included only because the man was a fellow countryman.
William had felt sorry for the smaller man’s plight, when Arnyll had first been tossed into Sidatha’s dungeon. William had taught Arnyll how to use speed and agility to conquer his opponents. The two of them had often been paired together, literally fighting back to back, as one.
However, Arnyll had soon shown his true character. The man had proven to be as bad as, if not worse than, the slave master Aryseeth.
The memory of a scrawny dog that William and some of the others had saved from the cook’s pot flooded his mind. He fought not to tremble like a spineless fool at the memory. They’d hidden the starving mongrel for months—until Arnyll, in a fit of spite over an extra portion of bitter wine given to another, had told Aryseeth of the animal. The very next morning they had all learned how futile their attempts to preserve the dog’s life had been.
The men’s footsteps drew nearer. They were so deep in conversation neither man had noticed William and Sarah on the landing.
William dropped on to a stone bench in the dark corner of the alcove, and pulled Sarah down on his lap. Most times it was near impossible to hide his size. With any luck the appearance of lovers in a private tryst might work. It might also provide the perfect opportunity to eavesdrop on the men’s conversation.
When she pushed against his chest in a futile attempt to escape, he wrapped one arm around her to hold her close. Certain she’d not remain silent for much longer, William wove his fingers through her hair and lowered his mouth to hers.
She gasped against his lips, and he whispered, ‘Be still. I will not harm you, but Arnyll would.’
Sarah frowned. Arnyll? It only took her a few moments to realise that he spoke of Stefan. She’d seen the cur Richard with Stefan in the hall, and had witnessed William’s reaction in confusion.
If these men caused a brute like him to act in such haste, perhaps she’d be wise to follow his lead.
Keeping her voice soft and low, she warned him, ‘This is only for appearances, it is not real.’ She felt him smile against her lips as she raised her arms and clasped her hands behind his head.
She narrowed her eyes, wishing she could see his face in the dark. For a reason she could not name, Sarah had the feeling that his smile would be smug, and that his eyes would sparkle with mischief.
Unfortunately it was becoming apparent that she’d not married a man lacking in wits. That could prove a detriment to her task—and perhaps a danger to her.
Above all else, she needed to make certain William didn’t learn she was still under the Queen’s orders. He would never understand. No man would take kindly to know that, regardless of their vows, their wife still answered to another.
Richard and Stefan’s conversation grew louder as they approached the alcove. Sarah could almost make out some of their words, and what little she heard set her mind spinning. There was disjointed talk of a task being successful.
Only someone involved with court intrigue would be able to make sense of the snatches of overheard conversation. They spoke of the Queen and her, but it was doubtful if William would be able to piece the snatches together.
She hoped his hearing was not as attuned to the hushed voices used at court as hers. Because the task the two men discussed was the one she’d recently failed completing.
They’d done their part—the two of them had kidnapped Adrienna, preventing her from seeking out Wynnedom. Even though none had known about their marriage at the time, all had been aware that the pair were always together. So, the kidnapping had been deemed necessary to enable Sarah to be found in the Earl’s bed.
But some niggling thought had urged Sarah to see to Adrienna’s release. That was when she’d learned about their marriage.
Sarah wasn’t certain if either Richard or Stefan knew she’d been the one to release Adrienna. Nor was she certain they knew of her marriage to Bronwyn. She wasn’t eager to discover what they did or didn’t know.
She moaned softly, so only her husband could hear, and pressed harder against his chest. It was all she could do not to sigh with relief when William relaxed his arm and stroked gentle circles on her back.
Perhaps Queen Eleanor had been right. After all, William was just a man. And maybe like the other men at court he could be easily swayed.
She’d learned early on that a soft smile, a teasing look, or a brief touch against his chest, or arm, went a long way towards convincing a man to see things her way. Seldom had she been forced to resort to making promises that would never be kept.
When Richard and Stefan walked in front of the alcove, her heart beat so hard she thought it would burst. Silently she prayed they would say nothing to give her away. She feared William finding out that she still spied for the Queen more than she feared discovery by these men.
William tightened his fingers against the back of her head and covered her mouth with his lips. Sarah’s pulse raced even faster. There was nothing gentle about the way he held her close, or teased her lips until they parted as if under their own will.
He kissed her thoroughly, wiping away any thought of the men, or the Queen, from her mind. She could think of nothing except the heat rushing through her veins, melting her resolve to keep herself distant from this man she’d wed.
The only thing that filled her mind, the only thing she could concentrate on, was the sure and certain magic of his mouth moving against hers. And on the heady warmth he traced along her lips.
When he ceased his kisses, Sarah quickly realised that he no longer held her close. Instead, she clung to him, her breasts pressed against his chest, her hands gripping his shoulders.
She quickly pulled away. Folding her hands in her lap, she drew in a deep breath, seeking a measure of calm against the storm still raging in her chest. Never had a man’s kiss affected her so.
She corrected her earlier assumption about how easily he could be swayed. The Queen had been wrong—William of Bronwyn was not just another man.
‘I think they are gone.’ His breath raced hot against her ear. He leaned closer, to ask in a heated whisper, ‘Are you sure nothing about that kiss was real?’
Sarah nearly lunged from his lap, suddenly wondering if she’d wed a rogue.
He rose from the bench and brushed by her, taking her hand in his as he passed. ‘Come, we need to join Hugh and Lady Adrienna, then leave this court.’
Still uncertain how he had so easily stolen her wits, Sarah wordlessly led him to the chamber.
Chapter Three
Daylight barely filtered through the denseness of the trees when William’s senses alerted him to danger. A quick, but thorough, study of the woods and bramble surrounding them gave no clue to the unease pricking at him. He’d long ago learned to depend on his gut reactions, and while he saw nothing, he was certain they were being followed.
After visually checking on Hugh and Adrienna riding a short distance ahead of them, he glanced across the path at his wife. Her features were as strained as they’d been when leaving Eleanor’s castle. William doubted if her unease was caused by anything more than outrage at being forced to marry him, and her unwitting response to his kisses.
A response that promised him more than words ever could.
He’d heard the rumours about Sarah being the Queen’s whore. How could he not? They were bandied about the court so often