His eyes were automatically drawn to the enticing view of her deep cleavage through the dipping of the front of her dress when she crossed her arms. He wondered if her pale skin were truly as soft as it looked in the dim light. He also wondered if those full breasts would just fill his own large hands, or over flow his palms. At that precise moment, he had a nearly over whelming desire to pull down that neckline until one those full breasts popped free. Would her nipples be small or large, he wondered? And what color might they be, pink?
Her voice interrupted his lustful thoughts. “It is funny how something that no one wanted or considered at all previously, can suddenly become so desirable when you add land and money, isn’t’ my lord?”
Bradwyn shifted in the chair, trying to relieve the suddenly uncomfortably tight fit of his pants. He had been concentrating on her, not her words. “I beg your pardon, ma’am?”
“I mean, that none of the ‘so-called’ gentlemen who never looked my way before my father’s death, seem to be falling over themselves on my front step now. I can only guess they were afraid my father would remarry and have male heir after all, and they would then be stuck with me! A trifle obvious, don’t you agree?” She smiled at him in such an inviting way, that he had to smile back.
“Tell me, Lady Frances, is Sir Elwin one of the men doing the tripping on your front step?” He asked, working to keep his tone even and pretend that he had no concern regarding her answer. He was more than a bit chagrined at himself though for having asked the question in the first place, but the words had just seemed to come out of their own accord. But her quick to come laughter reassured him more than any words could have done, though he also knew that if she laughed like over him and his suit, he would more than a little angry.
“Poor Elwin. He is a dear person, but…” She leaned forward slightly giving him an even more interesting view of her overflowing bosom. “Sometimes he is just so…” She paused as if searching for the right word. “Annoying.” She said finally.
When Bradwyn burst out laughing, she couldn’t help but follow his example. It seemed perfectly natural for her to then boost herself up to sit on her father’s desk, just as she had always done with him. She had no idea how enticing she was to him, with her bare legs dangling off the desk, her skirt hiked up almost to her knees. He decided she was treating him like a brother, or an old friend. And that thought angered him. He was not either, and he did not wish to be treated as such.
“So tell me Sir, have you been sent to protect the land and screen the applicants for my hand? To ensure that the right sort of man takes my father’s place, so to speak.” She asked him laughingly. She unconsciously reached back, and pulled the ribbon confining her hair free. She felt comfortable with him already, but she had no idea why. Bradwyn could see by her whole posture, her tone of voice, her actions, and now her words, that she was missing the point entirely. For some reason, she was not seeing him, as she should be, he felt. He was beginning to feel like an ‘old shoe’ that she was so comfortable with him. That would never do, he decided. And the sight of her bare feet and legs, followed by the incredibly sensual appearance of her long hair cascading over one shoulder was too much for one man to bear. She had somehow come to the wrong conclusion about himself, and his mission, his purpose. And he knew that he had better set things straight right now. And he also didn’t like the fact that she saw him as her ‘guard dog’ while she picked out a future husband.
He rose to his feet in one fluid muscular movement. And in less time than it takes to breathe in air, he was standing between her now widespread thighs, leaning imposingly over her. He saw the instant the warm, cuddly sense of security left her. Her eyes widened in surprise at the feel of his large masculine body holding her thighs wide apart and he was pressing closer and closer to her secret womanly parts every moment. She believed she could feel his heat seeping into her body. She had been wrong! She thought in that moment. He was not ‘safe.’ He was a wild, unknown, dangerous element that had forced it’s way into her castle, her table and was now doing the same with her body.
He seemed to loom over her, his golden eyed gaze boring her green one, holding her like a scared deer caught in a bright light, too startled to move to protect itself. His large hand caught and tangled in the long hair at the nape of her neck, holding her still, as he spoke.
“No, madam. I am not here to be your guard dog, and vet your future husband. I am here to wed you, bed you and become liege lord of this castle, by order of the king!” And then his open mouth captured hers as she gasped in surprise at his words. This was the last thing she had suspected, because she had guessed that this handsome, bold knight, while being the king’s man for sure, was also probably several years younger than she was herself. She struggled for a brief moment, but when his tongue, having forced it’s way past her tender pink lips, stroked her own, she felt a shiver of emotion to her innermost being.
His hand released her hair, stroking along its’ smooth, silky length down over her shoulder until his palm lingered over her right breast, just a hair’s breadth away. She could feel his heat from his palm and took a deep breath, gasping in air, and that completed his possession of her full, tender breast.
His large hand cupped her full, round breast. Slowly he squeezed the firm womanly flesh, her soft moans of desire and gasps of wonder causing his own passion to rush forward, out of control. God! He had never felt like this before, he thought briefly as he slid his hot mouth across her soft face. He nibbled eagerly on her earlobe. When he bit it tenderly, she gasped, and he felt an incredible rush of desire for her. His passion was peaking faster than he had ever had happen before. His tongue licked the soft, white skin, sliding down her neck, over her collarbone. His hand that had been squeezing, and teasing her breast, now grabbed the neckline of her soft gown. One tug and the fabric tore free. He raised his head to savor the lovely vision of her round; pink tipped breasts, jutting out so proudly in front of him.
He glanced up and saw her half-closed eyes gazing back him. Ever so slowly, his large hands captured her proud breasts. Her hard pearled nipples peaked even tighter in his palms. He began rhythmically massaging her fleshy breasts, plumping them impossibly fuller still. And when his head lowered and his hot mouth enslaved her taut nipple, a cry of desire escaped her throat.
Her hand had risen of its own accord and held his head while he suckled eagerly at her breast. One tiny part of her mind wondered at the wildness, the craziness of her actions, her feelings. And then she became aware that his hands were on her naked thighs, sliding upwards and slowly inward. When he touched her smooth, womanly flesh, he stoked along her hairless pussy lips, savoring the feel. But he didn’t seem surprised, was her only coherent thought, to find her without any hair. And then she stopped thinking altogether as his clever fingers caressed her and found her button of desire. When he touched her there, she truly cried out.
His tender touch along her womanly flesh had her clutching at his wide shoulders. His sensitive fingers were making passionate music with her button of desire and longing, and one light touch, in just the right spot, drenched his fingers with her womanly essence and scent. Good God! He thought, what am I doing? But the arousing, sensual sweetness of her womanly body opening up so eagerly for him, he quickly stopped thinking. His emotions took over, which had rarely happened to him, and he found himself hurtling out of control. He pulled her bottom forward on the desk, her thighs spreading even wider to accommodate him. His one hand continued to work its magic on her flesh, while his other hand freed his hot, hard masculine rod of passion and desire. And in one thrust, he claimed this woman for his own.
His mouth captured her cry of surprise. He pressed against her pelvis, then withdrew slightly. He touched her clit, stroking and teasing her back to near-climax state, and then he began his own thrusting forward and back, taking them higher and higher with each thrusting movement. Pelvis to pelvis they came, almost mating like animals, they were so caught up in the wildest emotions of their lives. And when her inner flesh began clutching, squeezing and spasming around him, he climaxed deep within her body.
Silence reigned for the longest time. Fran was frantically trying to catch and calm her breathing, when she felt his mouth find her right nipple and he gently kissed its tender, quivering flesh lightly. She then heard him laugh softly to he said, almost to himself. “So much for well thought out plans and strategies.”
Frowning, Fran pushed at his shoulders until he raised up, pulling free of her warm and tender flesh. She hurriedly shoved her skirt down, while pulling her bodice up over her breasts.
“Exactly what did you mean by that?” She asked him, but it was hard looking haughty and restrained while sitting on a desk edge and feeling his manly juices that had mingles with her own, running over her smooth lips, down onto her thighs. Oh dear Lord, she thought. How could I have allowed him to…? She stopped there, unable to say the words, even in her head. This was going to be a much worse scandal than she had had to live through five years ago. Much worse, because this time…
“Madam, what I meant,” His deep voice interrupting her tumultuous thoughts. “Is that my plans in dealing with your situation have now become a moot point.”
Fran straightened her back, trying to regain some of her lost dignity, and some semblance of control and composure. “And just why do you say that, Sir?” She hopped down from the desk.
But neither the proud knight, nor the haughty lady heard the door to the room being opened. Bradwyn glared down at her, wondering if she were being deliberately obtuse, or if he addled her wits.
“Madam, I just breached a lot more than your castle walls so far tonight!” The gasp they heard behind them, caused Bradwyn to turn hurriedly, reaching for the weapon he always had at his side. What he saw was the slight form of Sir Elwin, who was almost visibly shaking as he tried to choke out the words. “How dare you, you fiend? I challenge you to a duel in Lady Frances’ honor!”
Bradwyn stood perfectly still amazed at the smaller man’s temerity, even while he doubted his sanity. He was at least a foot taller, and several stone heavier. There would be no contest; it would be a slaughter if he accepted this challenge. He started to move forward when he felt Frances’ head fall forward against his back. Very faintly, he could hear her sigh of exasperation as she muttered, “Sweet Lord, what next?” Then her small hand caught at his arm. She pushed until he finally stepped aside and she faced the angry Elwin. She hoped that what had just occurred was not written on her face.
“That is so sweet of you, Elwin, but totally unnecessary. I’m afraid you have misunderstood what Sir Bradwyn was saying.” Fran bit back a smile as she could see Elwin was visibly relaxing his ‘banty rooster’ posture. “We were just discussing how his lordship had breached the castles defenses and therefore was breaching so much more…” Her voice trailed away, and she paused. She wondered if her words sounded as feeble to anyone else as they did to her. “By doing this he breached our emotional defenses also.” She finished, rather pleased with herself for thinking that one up.
She ignored the look Sir Bradwyn shot at her and kept right on smiling reassuringly at Elwin. “He had been pointing out our weaknesses to me right before you came in. So it is fairly easy to see how you misconstrued his meaning.”
By this time, Bradwyn had moved to prop himself leisurely against the desk’s front edge. He just stared in half bemusement at the lady he had just had wild, unbridled sex with on this very desk. He was amazed at how blatantly, yet smoothly, she was lying to the irate older man. She looked as if she could be going to church, so serene was her expression. But what concerned him more was that he had lost control over his own well-honed actions and usually well controlled emotions. He had been swept away on a wave of unbridled lust such as he had never before known in his life. He had fully intended to take control of this castle and its’ lands and it’s lady, as the king wanted. But he had also expected it to end as a neat, tidy, but rather cold arrangement, like most titled marriages were whenever land was involved. Now though, with what had occurred between them, ‘cold’ was the last thing he would expect to find in their relationship from now on.
He watched as she folded her arms beneath her breasts. This made for a truly spectacular display of her full, breasts, mounded together to form a deep cleavage. His hands itched to cup those magnificent breasts himself, squeeze them, and tease the very responsive pink nipples with his tongue. He finally got a tighter hold of his emotions. He said that it was high time everyone retired for the night. And with a firm voice and direction, he soon had everyone sent to the beds, his men included.
When Frances finally descended the broad staircase mid-morning, she found her usually sedate household in complete turmoil and upheaval. She saw her usual servants, many of them quite elderly, trying to scurry about, while a rather large number of younger people were assisting them. And they all seemed to be very busy. She paused in confusion. Many of the younger people – some quite young- were people she recognized, but whom she had never employed before in her household. Many of the younger people she recognized by face, and last name, but first names eluded her, there were so many of them. But where had they all come from, and why were they there, and who had ordered them to be working in her house?
She came to the bottom of the stairs, pausing. She could see bemused looks on a lot of her regular servants. When she spotted her elderly nurse heading through the door for the kitchen quarters, she decided that was probably her best chance to discover what was going on here, in her own household.
She discovered the exact same hustle and bustle in the kitchen quarters as she had in the main hall. She saw her old nurse at one of the preparation tables. “Martha! Whatever in the world is going on around here? You aren’t supposed to be doing any heavy work like this!” She took the old woman’s hands and practically dragged her over to a chair. She had to push her a bit to get her to sit in it. “Now tell me why you are here in the kitchen? You know that this heat isn’t good for you…”
The old woman looked at her very sadly. “I know milady, but his lordship lined us all up at sunrise and then started pointing ‘you do this’ and ‘you do that.’ He was like tyrant barking out orders at us all.” She paused to wipe a tear from the corner of her eye, slanting a quick glance at the younger woman. But Fran was looking off into the distance, her arms crossed and her foot tapping on the stone floor, as she considered what her nurse had said. She finally turned back to the other woman.
“Well, I’m excusing you from the duties you were assigned. You are only responsible for my rooms as before. Now, I think you should probably go have a lie down. I’m sure you are quite exhausted Martha.” Martha rose and smiled gratefully at the other woman. “Thank you, milady, thank you.” Fran patted her shoulder as the woman scuttled past her. She decided it was time to find his lordship and see just what was going on in her own home.
She headed back through the castle, but everywhere she looked and asked the whereabouts of his lordship, she ‘had only just missed him.’ By the time she finally headed outside to continue her search for his lordship in main courtyard, she had discovered that his lordship had been a very busy man indeed today. He and his men had had a hearty breakfast shortly before sunrise, cooked by her very sleepy and thoroughly disgruntled kitchen staff. She had had to listen to a detailed description of all the food his lordship had ordered and how long it had taken to prepare so much food. Even though the cook’s staff had now been tripled by his lordship, she still had to voice her complaints. So Fran had sat drinking cold tea and a slice of plain bread. She certainly was NOT going to ask for a breakfast for herself after listening to the cook go on and on. She then discovered his lordship had had a complete tour of the housing quarters of the castle, every nook and cranny, except for her own rooms. She listened patiently to her head housekeeper tell room by room the complaints his lordship had had about each little detail, or speck of dirt or dust. Something or other, nearly everywhere, wasn’t clean enough, or had fallen in a state of disrepair. And so it had gone, this needed to be repaired today, or get that replaced as soon as possible.
She had barely gone a few yards across the grassy courtyard that fronted her castle, when her father’s ‘advisors’ advanced upon her, all wearing varying degrees of disgruntled expressions. She closed her eyes for a moment or two to prepare herself, then pasted a wide smile upon her face. Her soft “good morning, gentlemen” was lost beneath the onslaught of “milady” or “Lady Frances” and “Lady Fran.” She wasn’t sure how long she stood there listening to the gentlemen complaints about his lordship’s demands and comments. When he had further demanded an accounting of the castle’s estate finances, they had all groaned and muttered. Unfortunately, they had taken after her father, and his “get to it tomorrow” method of accounting for expenses and income. She had tried to make repairs, but the gentlemen were slow to give over their responsibility. They had still complied with his lordship’s demand for the accounting books. Above all the grousing about his lordship’s countless demands, she heard kept hearing Sir Elwyn muttering behind her say “what right does he have” and “who does he think he is?” Finally Frances was able to get away from them, all but Elwyn that is, who in spite of her suggestions, kept right on following her. With half an ear, she listened to his grumbling and moaning while she continued to search for his lordship. It was nearly an hour and a half later before she located his lordship. He and his men were outside the castle walls, practicing their sword skills. Fran stopped dead in her tracks at the impressive sight of these strong, tall soldiers, stripped to the waist, muscles rippling with sweat under the hot sun, as they fought skillfully with each other.
The next thing she knew she was flat on her face, in the soft green grass. Sir Elwyn, caught up in his own words and thoughts, had plowed straight into Fran, literally knocking her flat. For a few stunned moments, silence reined over the people on the field. For even though they had not stopped their training, not a single soldier had missed the approach of the lady of the castle. The silence was just as suddenly gone at the thunder of feet coming to her rescue. She could hear Elwyn behind her, flustered and apologetic. She pushed herself up part way, when an outstretched hand filled her vision. She recognized the large sterling silver crested ring and its large red stone. Blowing her hair out of her face, she took his hand. In one deft, smooth movement, he easily pulled her upright to her feet. His laughing eyes held hers’, then he pulled forth his great shining sword. Bowing lowly to her, he offered quite solemnly by tone of voice, “Shall I behead the dastardly knave who has caused you such grievous harm, milady?”
Even as she heard Elwyn’s fearful gasp and sputter from behind her, Fran had to bite her lip to keep from laughing out loud at such an outrageous suggestion. While his words had been quite solemn, the gleam in his lordship’s eyes had told another tale entirely. Good Lord, she thought on a silent laugh, this man has a devilish sense of humor, and made a mental reminder and warning to her herself to beware.
“No, thank you, milord. Sir Elwyn meant no harm and I just tripped.” She paused and brushed away a few clinging bits of grass, and dust smudges, and deliberately ignored the grass stain and small rip in her gown. “As you can see, no harm has been done. I should have been paying more attention.” She glared for a moment at Bradwyn, then turned to smile at Elwyn.
“See, Elwyn, everything is just fine. There is nothing for you to worry about.” She patted his arm gently, to reassure him. His lordship had seen enough though. He quickly sheathed his sword, his broad chest muscles straining and gleaming in the bright noonday’s sunlight. He decided that enough was enough, and it was going to stop right here, right now. He was not going to put up with, no… he was not going to allow her ladyship to be “touching” Elwyn like that, whether it was “just friendship” or not. He reached out and took hold of Fran’s arm, pulling her towards him, firmly. “I need to have a word with her ladyship, excuse us.”
And he turned abruptly and started off towards a nearby thicket of trees and bushes. Fran tripped a bit, trying to hurry to match his long stride. As she hurried in his wake, she glanced back to see that his officers had quite effectively blocked Elwyn from following her. She had no doubt that he would have done so, had he known a way to do so. But faced with well over six feet of strongly muscled wall, Elwyn would have no real defense, or offense for that matter.
Bradwyn didn’t stop until they were in the nearby grove of trees. Here they were quite effectively shielded from anyone who might have been passing by. She smiled up at him.
“That was very naughty of you, your lordship. You quite scared Sir Elwyn, I’m sure, and I don’t think his constitution is strong enough to withstand too many scares of the such.”
But Bradwyn didn’t smile in return. Instead he just stood there for a long moment, then he jerked her forward into his strong arms. He covered her just opening mouth with his own and literally kissed the breath right out of her. When he finally lifted his head, hers fell forward against his chest gasping for air. Neither spoke until he finally took her shoulders and firmly and stepped back a foot. She was still a bit dazed by his kiss as he asked her, “Did you have as much trouble sleeping as I did? I kept dreaming of us on the desk and then I’d awake wanting you all the more.”
Fran blushed brightly because very similar dreams had kept her tossing and turning for most of the night, which is why she had ended up sleeping so terribly late this morning. He laughed gently at her flushed cheeks. “That is why my men were all up at the crack of dawn.” Fran stepped further back and his hands fell away. She took a deep breath. “Am I right in assuming you are responsible for all the hubbub in my house then?”
Bradwyn crossed his arms across his naked, broad chest, giving her a level look. “If by hubbub, madam, you mean getting the cobwebs cleaned up and the dirt washed off, then yes, I am responsible. Your servants are much too old to care for such a large household, that is obvious to anyone.”
He watched her bristling at his verbal attack of her household. Granted she knew all that was true, but she had just let things slide. No one ever came to visit and they got along ‘all right’ most of the time.
“You can’t deny that your servants will not be able to cope with all the extra work – cooking, cleaning, that having my men here is going to cause.” He saw her nod her head, very, very slightly in agreement. “And it isn’t fair to demand that your older servants, who have served your family so faithfully through their younger years, now have to struggle when they should be slowing down. It is obvious that most of them will not be able to keep up with the demands of the increased workload. It is hardly fair to them, now is it milady?” He spoke so assuredly… so self-confident, knowledgeably. She would have loved to disagree with him, but her own good sense told her that he was right. And if she were to disagree, then she would be the one who was being unreasonable. And he wasn’t being smug about it. Oh no, he was quite matter of fact, very diplomatic.
Bradwyn watched the emotions chase one another across her face, as one thought after another struck her. When she finally nodded in agreement, he decided now was as good a time as any. His previous well-thought out plans were useless now.
“And madam?”
Fran looked up at him, something in his tone of voice, told her that what he was about to say was very important.
“Yes, milord?” she replied slowly. As she watched, he lowered his arms to his sides, and his hand unconsciously moved to his sword handle.
“I have a sent for the nearest priest.”
To be continued……
