Lady Rowena's Ruin by Carol Townend

Author:Carol Townend
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2015-01-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Nine

Afterwards, they lay in each other’s arms in the great bed. Rowena smiled to herself.

Eric shifted and kissed her shoulder. ‘Why the smile?’

Rowena tightened her hold about his waist and nuzzled his cheek. It felt slightly bristly and very male. She liked it. She especially liked the discovery that Eric’s sensuality extended beyond the act of love. Her husband took time to hold her, even now one hand was idly caressing her back, the other was toying with her hair. She might not have Eric de Monfort’s love, but he was behaving as if he held her in affection. At the least it was companionable.

‘I like lying with you like this,’ she murmured.

‘And I with you.’ He sighed, and went on ruffling her hair. ‘However, I can’t stay long, your father is expecting me in the armoury.’ He grimaced and released her. ‘I should go.’

Rowena propped her head on her arm and watched him as he dressed. The play of light on his back muscles was endlessly fascinating; she loved studying the long lean length of his thigh, the curve of his buttock. When he had buckled his sword on over his tunic, he came to stand by the bed and his perfect male form—the wide shoulders, the narrow waist—was clearly silhouetted in the light streaming through the lancet.

‘I will see you in the hall for supper,’ he said. ‘Don’t forget, when you leave this chamber the guards are to accompany you. At all times.’

‘Eric, I won’t forget.’

‘Good.’ Picking up her hand, he bowed over it. ‘I shall send Berthe up to attend you.’

* * *

Rowena sat on a three-legged stool, wincing as Berthe dragged a comb through her hair. Berthe had been tutting and fussing ever since she had walked into the bedchamber.

‘Dear Lord, what has that man done with your hair? So many knots. Doesn’t he realise how long it takes to comb them out?’

Rowena hid a smile and wondered what Berthe would say if she told her that Eric said she was adorable when she was a little dishevelled.

Berthe pulled at her hair and the tutting went on. ‘Your hair was beautiful before Eric de Monfort got his hands on you. He has no notion of how to treat a lady. Men are all the same, they only care about bedding a woman.’

Rowena shrugged. She wasn’t going to confess that Eric liked to lie in bed, simply holding her. That was private. She stared thoughtfully at a candlestick on a shelf in front of her. She had listened to enough gossip to know that whilst men rushed to enjoy the carnal aspects of marriage, it was a rare husband who simply enjoyed his wife’s company as Eric seemed to enjoy hers. Eric had confessed he took pleasure in more than the actual bedding, he spent time cuddling her which must mean that the bond between them was strengthening. Eric was a loving man, she was sure of it. It was up to her to convince him of it.

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