Desiree by Roberta Gellis

Author:Roberta Gellis
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellora's Cave Publishing Inc.
Published: 2013-03-13T00:00:00+00:00

Alex came in when the light was failing and it was not safe for the men to continue practice. He did not glance toward Vachel, sitting by the fire as usual, but he was aware of him. As he entered the hall, a servant had taken a brand from the fire and run into Alex’s chamber to light the torch. He stood aside as Alex entered and then slipped out, closing the door behind him.

Bile rose in Alex’s throat as he remembered Vachel sitting at his ease, and for a few moments instead of changing his wet clothing he just stood, staring at the torch. Then he swallowed and looked away. He would not think of Vachel pressing his attentions on Desiree. He would not think of Desiree. He would keep his mind firmly on the afternoon’s activities.

He was well satisfied with what he had seen. Unfortunately, knowing that another two or three weeks would be enough teaching for the fisherfolk who could then be sent home to permit more concentration on the other recruits, had very little effect on the tumult raging inside him. He could not, did not, desire Frewyn’s death.

With his approval of all Alex did and his sage advice, Frewyn was a good substitute for Simon, the father of Alex’s heart. Nonetheless, the man’s own words and Father Harold’s showed that Frewyn’s death was near. And if Frewyn died… Alex folded his arms over his chest and rubbed one with the other as a chill from more than the wet wool crawled over him. Desiree would be free.

His face burned at the thought and he pulled the wet tunic over his head, pressing the cold cloth to his cheeks and then, with a gasp of misery, between his thighs.

It did not matter that Desiree would be free to marry again. The Lady of Exceat was far beyond his touch, married or widowed. He could not, must not, ever think of her as a woman to whom he could aspire. He was her castellan, a landless, penniless castellan, nothing more. And it was his castellan’s duty to protect her. With grim determination Alex thought again about the training of the new men.

Alex shed the rest of his wet clothes and slung them over the table for a servant to take to the kitchen for drying. He pulled on chausses and cursed when his fingers went through a hole near the knee. That would need mending but he did not have another dry pair. Which of the women servants should he ask? And then he could feel his face flaming again because it was Desiree who would know that.

He finished dressing then sat on his stool with his head in his hands. Surely Desiree had heard Sir Frewyn ask him to pray to be released by God. If her husband had made the same request to her… No, she would not. Desiree cared for Frewyn, Alex was sure of that, as sure as he was that he loved Sir Frewyn.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.