His Lady Fair

Thomas, however, was still a serious threat. There was an innate meanness about him that Ria and every other servant at Morley recognized. Everyone kept clear of him.

Ria knew it would take a miracle to save her. She wanted to cry when she thought of her near escape from Morley, of her impossible dream of leaving with the stranger.

She should have known better.

Thomas started to circle. “You aren’t going anywhere, Ria,” he jeered. “You’ve flaunted your arse in my face once too many times to go free now.”

Ria turned as he moved, never letting him out of her sight. Flaunted? She’d stayed as far as possible from Thomas Newson. Why would she have tried to attract the attentions of this slimy toad?

He lunged suddenly, catching her shawl, pulling her close. Ria shoved her knee up as forcefully as possible between his legs, and he cried out, grabbing his belly and falling to the ground.

Ria knew he wouldn’t stay down forever. Gathering her aching, bruised body, she made a run for the stall door, knowing perfectly well she could not stay at Morley any longer. ’Twas clearly time to leave, even though she had to go alone.

She moved quickly, daringly. ’Twas a hanging offense to steal a horse, but that was what she meant to do. It took only a second to run from the stall where Thomas and Geoffrey nursed their wounds, and open the next one. She hauled a mounting block over and climbed onto it, then threw one leg over the old mare’s bare back. Without a backward glance, Ria rode out of the stable, then out of the yard. Heading southeast, she had only one thought, one destination in mind.

Rockbury.

Chapter Three

Lord Kirkham gave a lazy smile in response to a lame jest by one of his companions. His party of noble wastrels was finally nearing Castle Kirkham, prepared to enjoy a month of diversions far from the tedium of London.

And Kirkham was a most inventive host.

Legends had grown around his prowess in the hunt, his fondness for ale and his talents in the bedchamber. His brawling abilities were celebrated across the kingdom, and his finesse with a whip was unparalleled.

“Hand me your flask, Lofton,” Nicholas drawled. “Mine’s empty.” He carelessly tossed his own tin container into the forest beside the horse path.

“What say we race to Kirkham’s gate?” asked Viscount Sheffield. “Loser pays the tavern bill.”

Nicholas swayed in his saddle.

“You up to it, mate?” Lord Lofton asked him.

“Aye. But I say the winner has his choice of the comeliest wench in the castle,” Nicholas declared, throwing his dark head back with a laugh.

“Agreed!” Lofton hooted. Kirkham’s changeable moods as well as his capacity for drink were a constant source of amusement to his friends and acquaintances. “Let’s go.”

They were off as abruptly as if a flag had been dropped at a tournament. Nicholas dug in his heels and hugged his horse’s back as they urged their mounts to a gallop, side by side on the path. Only three of them joined in the race, the others following casually behind, jesting and laughing, too inebriated to manage much speed.

It was just as well. The horse path was narrow and barely allowed space for the three horses to ride abreast. Nicholas rode on the outside, with Lofton in the middle. No matter how much ale he’d consumed, the others knew Nick liked to win, and would do what was necessary to accomplish it.

The horses were nose to nose, but there was still a good distance to go before they reached Castle Kirkham ’s gate. Just down this track a bit, then around the bend where the eastern road bisected—

A rider turned onto the road ahead. The horse reared, and there was a quick flash of blue and gold as the rider was thrown into the path of the galloping horses. Nick pulled back sharply and slowed his mount, while the others scrambled in confusion. Dismounting before his horse had come to a halt, he ran to the woman, who lay unconscious in the road.

She was young. And clearly of noble birth, judging by her clothes.

Her head was uncovered. Her hair, a glorious honey color that looked as if it had been tipped by a monk’s gilded brush, spilled on the ground around her. At one time Nicholas would have called her lovely. Now the cynic in him knew there was little true beauty in this world. Still, he was well able to appreciate her attributes.

Thick eyelashes formed crescents over her high cheekbones, and her eyes themselves were framed by delicately arched brows. Her nose was unremarkable, but her mouth, those lips, full and inviting…

Nick licked his own and spoke. “Madam…”

A soft moan was the response he got, and he had the most remarkable sense of another time, another place. That moan could easily be mistaken for one of pleasure, and he could almost imagine that lush, fantastic hair spread out on his bed.

Yet something about her pose struck him as entirely innocent and without guile. She would have need of his protection, not his—

Nick shook his head to clear it of the ridiculous notion, and turned to the men who were now dismounting to surround him and the maid. His cohorts were chuckling and talking about Kirkham’s wenches, and having a piece of this comely one.

Their crude talk riled Nicholas unaccountably. “Go on to Kirkham,” he said roughly. “I’ll see to the maiden and join you shortly.”

“Maiden, eh?” one of the ruffians behind him muttered.

“Not one of your castle wenches, then?”

“Go,” Nicholas said harshly, turning toward the men gathered behind him. Quickly composing himself, he added in a more amicable tone, “Rooms have been made ready for all of you, and we’ll meet in one hour for the evening’s festivities. Please. Leave me now. I will deal with this.”

Reluctantly, the men moved away, while the young woman lying on the path moaned again and turned slightly. Nicholas could see her pulse beating at the base of her delicate neck, and he envisioned himself pressing his lips to the spot.

“Madam,” he repeated as he slid one hand under the maid’s head.

She opened her eyes abruptly. Without a moment’s hesitation, she raised a fist and delivered a solid punch to Nicholas’s jaw. It was the surprise, as much as the force of the blow, that threw him back on his rear. While he was down, the girl scrambled to her feet. But before she could take one step in flight, she crumpled to the ground again, muttering.

Nicholas felt fortunate that his comrades were far up the path and not present to witness his inglorious dumping by this slip of a maiden. Clearly, she felt no remorse for her actions, for she grumbled angrily about mothers who should have drowned their clumsy, half-witted children at birth.

She turned onto her hands and knees and began to crawl away. Fully appreciative of the view she presented, he held back a grin and spoke. “D’you accost every man you meet,” he said sarcastically, “or do I alone enjoy the honor?”

“Only bumble-headed fools who terrorize the countryside with their horseplay,” she muttered.

Nicholas frowned, gritting his teeth. His reputation might not be the purest, but no one spoke to him in this manner! “Bumble-head—!”

“Go away,” she said, turning to flash the most incredible eyes at him.

He vaguely remembered once before having seen clear amber eyes like hers, but he could not recall where or when. Nor did he care. Their unusual, seductive color intrigued him every bit as much as their scornful expression.

His ire was quickly replaced by something else. Suddenly, the only thought he could entertain was how those disdainful eyes would flare with passion when he took—and gave—the ultimate pleasure between her thighs. By the look of her, though, he would have to put some effort into her seduction. She was no easy tavern wench, ripe and willing.

Nay, this golden beauty was indecipherable. She seemed as delicate as a young maid, fresh and untried, yet she was as spirited and feisty as the most jaded courtesan he’d ever known. ’Twould be amusing to discover which she truly was.

And what sport that would be. He almost smiled in anticipation of the game.

“Are you hurt?” he asked, raising himself up to crouch near her. He was on his guard lest she turn around and deliver another punch…nay, he almost welcomed her to try it.

Ria turned back again and eyed him warily. Yes, she was hurt, and she doubted she’d be able to walk. But could she trust this man?

His powerful body was richly clad. He moved with the physical confidence of a warrior, but he smelled of ale and his demeanor was one of casual indifference. He was a drunkard. A lecher.

His gray eyes darkened perceptibly as he watched her, and Ria knew that, drunk or not, this was no raw lad whom she could best with a quick kick to his privates. Though he gave a superficial impression of indolence, she sensed there was more to him than what he presented.

His hair was dark, nearly black, and its extra length gave its owner an appearance of sensual laziness. Thick black lashes framed stormy gray eyes. His nose was long and straight, but for a small bump near the bridge—where Ria assumed it might once have been broken. His cheekbones were sharply carved in a face that would have appeared harsh, but was made more human by his mouth. His lips betrayed a sensitivity that was otherwise well hidden by a dark and disagreeable expression.

Ria licked her lips nervously and wondered if she should apologize for striking him. She decided the less said about that blow, the better. She needed to get away from here as quickly as possible, and on her way to Rockbury. Luckily, she had learned in a little village a few miles back that the estate she sought was not far off.

“I’ve twisted my ankle,” she said, once she was out of close reach. “If you would just—”

“Let me see.”

“Nay, sir.”

Ria had no intention of allowing herself to be handled by this man or any other. She’d fought for her freedom from her kin at Alderton, and now she was going to Rockbury. Nothing was going to deter her. Not her sniveling young cousin, Geoffrey Morley, and his vicious cohort; not this flagrantly masculine nobleman. She was going to find out the truth of her birth, even if the words she’d heard in her aunt’s solar turned out to be a misunderstanding.

She dragged her skirt over her legs and scooted away. But the man lunged before she could move very far, and grabbed her leg near the knee, holding her fast.

“What’s the hurry?” he said. The words were innocuous, but there was more than a hint of danger in his voice. He changed position, then turned her, pinning her beneath him in the damp grass next to the path.

His scent was not just that of ale. He smelled of horse and leather, and man. Dark whiskers shadowed the lower half of his face, emphasizing the devilishly attractive creases in his cheeks. He was a great deal larger than she, and his long, hard frame provoked a physical reaction she did not recognize.

When she shivered, his eyes went nearly black.

Ria could not move. Her breath was trapped in her throat, just as surely as her arms were trapped by his powerful hands at her sides. Her legs had lost all ability to move.

Their breaths intermingled. His chest touched her breasts. She felt weightless. Feathers replaced the organs in her belly, tickling her insides, from the tips of her breasts to her loins.

One of his hands pressed against her waist, and his legs shifted. Ria squirmed, eliciting a groan from him. He lifted his torso, framing her shoulders with his powerful arms, then moved one leg between hers. Keeping her eyes imprisoned by his own, he moved again, making contact with the most intimate part of her. He increased the pressure and a shot of molten heat burst through her.

Shocked by his scorching touch, Ria shoved him away with all her strength. She suspected he allowed her to do so, but nevertheless took advantage of the distance.

Sitting up quickly, she drew her legs under her. It was a moment before she was able to catch enough breath to speak. “M-my horse, my lord,” she said stiffly, summoning the nerve to brazenly look him in the eyes. “If you would be k-kind enough to help me remount, I will be on my way….”

Nicholas did not move. He had never been one to force himself on a woman, but this one was different. He knew she’d been affected by his touch. Even now her voice was breathless, husky. There was confusion in her eyes.

Bits of dried grass laced her hair, and the deep blue silk of her gown was damp in places. She had the look of a woman who’d been well pleasured, though they’d not come close to what could have been.

Nick could not believe he’d lost his touch. He’d have this girl writhing beneath him again. Soon.

Her form pleased him; her soft curves had fit him perfectly before her sudden attack of conscience forced her to push him away. He’d have liked to remove the ugly shawl she had tied around her shoulders, to see what lay beneath, but hadn’t had time to manage it.

Contrary to his usual inclinations, Nicholas was curious about her. He wondered what had brought her to his lands, mounted on a broken-down mare, without a saddle or any other baggage. As far as he could see, she had only the clothes on her back and a golden locket hanging on a delicate chain about her neck. Was she some nobleman’s discarded mistress, or an innocent maid, somehow lost, perhaps separated from her guardian?

He smiled a little to himself. Clearly, she had nowhere to go. He would keep her with him.

“No,” he finally replied.

The young woman’s eyes widened as her brows lowered. “Sir,” she said, pushing up onto her knees. “My lord…”

“You will accompany me to Kirkham,” he said, “where someone will tend to your injured ankle.”

“But I—”

“I insist,” he said, with a tight smile that did not reach his frosty eyes. “After all, ’twas my fault you were thrown from your horse. ’Tis only fair that I offer you the hospitality of my home.”

Nicholas stood and assisted her to her feet, even as he noted the surprise in her eyes. She had not realized that he was the lord of Kirkham. Supporting her weak side, he helped her step up to a jutting rock, then lifted her onto her horse.

“No saddle?” he asked as he mounted his own gray roan.

Ria shook her head as she considered making a run for it. Unfortunately, though, she was lost and needed guidance if she was ever to find Rockbury. She’d been riding for two days…two very long days without food or shelter. Two days of wondering when Geoffrey Morley would catch up with her.

She was not certain she wanted to tell Lord Kirkham who she was, or where she was headed….

“Come with me,” he said, his voice warm and inviting. “The hour grows late and Castle Kirkham is just ahead. I’ll see that you get that ankle bound and have a hot meal before you continue on your journey.”

Ria had learned that it was better to say too little rather than too much, so she kept silent as they rode. She certainly had no objection to helping herself to a meal at Kirkham, and perhaps along the way she could discover Rockbury’s location from one of Kirkham’s servants.

She straightened her posture and assumed a haughty air so that Kirkham would not think her such an innocent miss, easily flattered and seduced. Far better to pose as a woman of sophistication so that this handsome and worldly nobleman would not attempt to take further advantage of her.

Nicholas made no pretense of watching the road. He let his eyes wander over the maid who rode alongside him, fascinated as much by the questions she presented as her comely form. Her speech was usually as refined as that of any noblewoman, yet she met his eyes with a challenge and the kind of defiance not often seen in young women of his class. Her clothing was torn and ill-fitting, though it was made of as fine a material as he’d ever seen. Her sun-kissed hair was magnificent, and her features delicate and alluring. But her hands were reddened and chafed.

She was not an expert equestrian, but she chose to ride without a saddle. The horse she rode posed questions, too. Her mare was far from being prime horse-flesh, but Nicholas knew of no villein who could afford even the poorest horse.

Had she stolen this hapless mare?

“I am Nicholas Hawken,” he said. “Marquis of Kirkham.”

The young woman kept her eyes on the road ahead. Nicholas watched her profile, unable to take his gaze from her throat as she swallowed before speaking. “How do you do, my lord?” she said.

Nicholas smiled. She did not intend to give her name.

“’Tis my estate upon which you trespass.”

“I do most heartily beg your pardon, my lord,” she said lightly. “’Twas not my intention to infringe upon private property.”

“Of course not,” he said, watching, fascinated, as she secured the ugly woolen shawl over the neck of her gown. It was a crime to cover such smooth and enticing skin with that coarse brown wool. “You have yet to speak your name, my lady fair.”

Again she rode on quietly, taking in the scenery around her. Nicholas knew she was procrastinating, and wondered why she hesitated to give her name. Was she running from her family? Wanted by a sheriff somewhere, perhaps?

“My name is…Maria. Of S-Staffordshire.”

“Ahh…” Now he was getting somewhere, though the manner in which she spoke the name led him to suspect she’d made it up. “No surname?”

“N-nay, my lord,” she replied, as if it were commonplace for a young maid of quality to be traveling about the countryside unescorted, riding bareback on an old nag, wearing ruined clothes and having no name other than “Maria of Staffordshire.”

He would send inquiries to the nearby estates when he had her settled at Kirkham.

Chapter Four

Lord Kirkham had noticed the rough skin of her hands, so Ria tried to keep them hidden as Kirkham’s secretary bound her ankle in the privacy of a well-appointed chamber near the chapel. ’Twas a comfortable room with long mullioned windows facing out over a quaint courtyard full of statuary and early greenery.

The secretary, Henric Tournay, was a young man scarcely older than Ria, she thought, with pale hair and even paler skin. His deep brown eyes were set starkly into the light backdrop of his complexion. All his features, in combination, gave him the appearance of being startled, at all times.

His hands were as white and clammy as the underbelly of a fish, and his touch repelled her. Still, he was trying to help, so she kept her unease to herself.

“’Tis bruised nearly to the toes, my lady,” Tournay said as he wrapped Ria’s foot and ankle. “You must stay off it for a few days.”

“But that is impossible,” Ria said. She glanced out the window and saw that it was nearly dusk. Daylight would be gone within the hour. “I must be on my way. On the morrow at the latest.”

Tournay raised his nearly nonexistent brows and shrugged. “’Tis for you to decide, my lady. But Lord Kirkham—”

A burst of laughter in Kirkham’s distant hall interrupted the man. Other male voices joined in, along with spurts of music. Instruments began to play, and voices joined in song, then all dissolved into discord and gave way to raucous laughter, only to be repeated again.

Ria bit her lower lip. How would she get out of Castle Kirkham without encountering the lord’s guests? She was completely out of her element here.

She halted her dismal thoughts and decided she must take control of the situation. If she were to pass as a lady—nay, if she truly were the Burton daughter—she would have to act accordingly, and not be cowed by every chance encounter. She had spent years mimicking Cecilia, and knew she could make her speech and her bearing seem every bit as regal as her noble cousin’s. Ria had plenty of experience in grooming, having played lady’s maid to both her cousin and her aunt on many occasions.

It should pose no problem for her to appear as a noblewoman.

Yet why did the thought of carrying out her deception with Lord Kirkham make her tremble?

A light tap at the door had the secretary on his feet in an instant. He opened to a burly knight, who stepped in and glanced shyly at Ria.

“Lord Kirkham sent me to carry the lady to her chamber,” he said.

“Very good, Sir Gyles,” Tournay said. “I’ll light your way.”

Relief settled in Ria’s heart. They must not be going through the hall, where Kirkham’s party was gathered, or they would not need extra light. Silently, Sir Gyles gathered her into his arms and carried her through the door, then down a dark passageway until he reached a narrow, circular stone staircase. Here he climbed, following Tournay, until he reached the top, and again turned down a dark passage.

Tournay walked ahead, and finally reached a heavy oaken door, which he pushed open. In the chamber beyond, Gyles gently set Ria down on a chair next to the fireplace, while Tournay set the candelabra on a table.

Ria could not help but wonder where her host was, not that she was anxious to see him again. Merely curious.

“A tray will be sent to you presently, my lady,” the secretary said as Sir Gyles turned to leave. “Lord Kirkham said to tell you that whatever clothing you find in these chests is at your disposal,” he added, gesturing to two large wooden chests on the floor near the washstand. “No one uses them now, and Lord Kirkham noticed you had no…er, that your baggage was lost and he thought…Well, help yourself.”

When the men were gone, Ria lowered her feet to the floor. She attempted to stand, only gradually adding weight to the injured ankle. Pain shot through the joint, all the way to her knee, making her dizzy and nauseated. Quickly, she sat back down.

This would never do, she thought. She had to leave Kirkham soon. There had to be a way to deal with this infernal ankle.

Standing again, she hopped on one foot to the other wooden chair, near the hearth, and took hold of it like a crutch. That was all she needed. A staff, or a crutch, to help her move about until the joint healed. There was no reason why she couldn’t ride to Rockbury, and once there, everything would be settled while she limped on her bad ankle.

Hobbling around her chamber with the aid of the chair, Ria went to the basin of water that had been set out for her, and started to wash. She felt grimy after her flight from Morley, and the warmth and shelter of the room was a relief.

But she was only a guest here. Once she reached Rockbury and claimed her legacy from her mother, Ria would have her own home—a place where she really and truly belonged.

At least she hoped she belonged there.

Ria shook off the worry. Surely she had not completely misunderstood what had been said in Aunt Olivia’s solar. She had to be Maria Burton. She had vague memories of Tilda calling her Maria, and shortening the name fondly.

Ria pulled off her woolen shawl and let the rich, silk gown slip from her shoulders. Glancing up, she saw a clear reflection of herself for the first time in her life.

What a mess she was!

’Twould take more skill than she had to give herself the refined appearance of a noblewoman.

A noise at the door disrupted Ria’s thoughts, and two maids entered the room. One held a tray laden with food and drink. The other carried an armful of things, including a hairbrush and various other items used in a lady’s toilette.

They both curtsied and set down their burdens. Piqued by the intrusion, Ria wondered if anyone at Castle Kirkham waited for leave to enter before barging in, but her annoyance was assuaged by the pleasant smiles and obliging manner of the two women. She knew her annoyance was misplaced.

“Lord Kirkham said you would have some trouble getting around,” the short one said.

“So he sent us to help,” the other added.

Nicholas Hawken paced the length of his chamber, dangling a folded missive from one hand. Tournay had handed him the letter, which had arrived a few hours before his own return to Kirkham, and the accusations stated therein were compelling.