Falling for Her Captor (23 page)

She leaned close, overcome by unexpected shyness, and whispered, ‘If he will have me, of course.’

Tears of joy sprang to Hugh’s eyes. He lifted Aline’s hand to his lips then, throwing caution and protocol to the wind, pulled her close. His arms enfolded her in a powerful embrace, his lips finding hers waiting eagerly.

Her heart bursting with love, Aline wrapped her arms round his neck, meeting his kiss passionately.

She was finally truly his.

Epilogue

T
he stars were out and the air cold by the time they returned to the camp. The soldiers from Roxholm accompanied them, there being ample room for all the troops. Fires were lit and a whisky barrel produced, adding to the merriment. Men were sent to hunt, and at last the air was filled with the tempting scent of roasting meat. As the moon rose high the camp came alive. Someone produced a whistle, someone else a makeshift drum, and a loud chorus of ribald songs filled the night air.

Aline excused herself from the company of nobles and sat alone by a small fire, staring into the flames. She waited patiently for Hugh to return from having his wounds tended to. There was no need to hurry; they had all the time in the world.

Finally he appeared at the edge of the camp, his arm around Godfrey’s shoulder for support. His face creased into a broad smile as he spied her and the two men made their way across the field. The young knight helped Hugh to sit before giving Aline a broad grin and vanishing into the throng of soldiers.

‘Hello,’ she whispered as Hugh shuffled onto the bench alongside her. She took his hand and softly moved her thumb in circles over the bandaged wound on his arm.

‘Your stitching was neater,’ he observed with a smile. ‘All armies should have a fine lady to embroider their cuts.’

Aline studied his face in the firelight. He looked pale and weary, and fresh bruises were forming.

‘It hurts to move,’ he grumbled good-naturedly in answer to her unasked question. ‘I ache in places I did not know it was possible to feel pain.’

She burrowed closer to his side and planted a kiss on his bruised jaw. Hugh sighed softly but Aline knew it was not from pain. She repeated the gesture and he turned his head to meet her lips with his own.

When he finally drew away his eyes were sad. ‘You know I have to leave tomorrow?’ he said softly, regret clear in his voice. ‘I need to go back to Roxholm. There is so much I have to resolve.’

‘I know, but you’ll come back. And you’re not going tonight. We have our whole lives to be together, so what do a few weeks matter?’

‘Should we build a new castle?’ Hugh asked jokingly. ‘Somewhere between both our lands? Or shall we spend summers by the sea and winters in Leavingham?’

‘I like that plan,’ Aline told him, visions of years to come with this wonderful man playing through her mind.

She leaned against him as they listened to the music and stared up at the stars. No mention had been made of where Hugh would sleep, but when he began to yawn she waved him off with a smile, not bothering to watch the direction he took.

For a while Aline spent time walking among the men, talking with them and listening to their tales, but all the while her eyes returned to the spot where her heart pulled her. Finally satisfied that her duty was done she took her leave of the company, slipping between the curtains into her tent.

She was unsurprised to discover Hugh was there. He was snoring gently as he lay asleep, wrapped in cloaks of fur, his face serene in the light of the torches.

Aline bent to remove her boots and stockings, then unwound her hair and ran her fingers through it, feeling the knots of tension begin to dissolve. She unlaced her dress and let it fall to the floor alongside the pile of Hugh’s discarded garments. A coy smile played at her lips as she snuffed the torch before removing her underclothes, too. Slipping naked into the bed, she pulled the furs round her, pressing close to Hugh’s body for warmth.

A shift in his breathing told her Hugh had awakened. His eyes remained shut but his hand reached out and snaked into hers. She smiled, flutters of anticipation curling in her belly. He rolled towards her, wrapping his free arm around her shoulder and tugging her close. She came willingly and nestled into the warm contours of his frame, a shudder running through her at the touch of his skin against hers.

She wriggled her legs underneath his, warming her bare feet between his calves. Her hand moved to his chest, stroking the fine hair and supple skin, her fingers brushing lightly across his nipples. Hugh sighed with pleasure and Aline felt the heat of arousal growing within her. She began to work her fingers lightly in small circles down the firm muscles of his torso.

‘Take pity on me, Aline,’ Hugh implored in mock supplication. ‘I intend to spend my life making love to you but I’ve fought one battle today. I fear I’m incapable of another conquest!’

Aline stifled a giggle at his plea, her heart skipping a beat at his words. She pulled herself onto one elbow to grin at him, letting her breasts press against his chest.

‘Do you promise me a whole lifetime, my lord? In that case I will excuse you for tonight.’

She planted a kiss on his lips, then lay back down, her head finding space in the hollow between his neck and shoulder. Hugh wrapped an arm around her, his fingers curling into her hair as it flowed over her shoulders.

They lay without speaking, listening as the last noises of the camp began to die away. A pleasant drowsiness crept over Aline and she sighed in contentment. It struck her that in this man’s arms, wrapped in furs, there was nowhere she would rather be. Reaching her mouth to Hugh’s, she kissed him again, parting his lips with her tongue.

Hugh burrowed his hand deeper into the silken fall of her hair, cupping the back of her neck as he tugged her close. She pressed her body closer to his with an appreciative sigh and kissed him harder. He ran his fingers down the length of her spine before rolling himself over to cover her body with his own. Aline arched her back in pleasure, tilting her hips against him.

As Hugh’s kisses became fiercer, and his touch more urgent, Aline recognised with pleasure that he did not intend to wait after all.

* * * * *

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ISBN-13: 9781460340875

FALLING FOR HER CAPTOR

Copyright © 2014 by Claire Lackford

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