The Brat(32)
Author: Lynsay Sands

"Thank you." Murie inhaled the steam pouring off the thick soup. "It smells divine."

Nodding abruptly, Clement turned and made his way back to the kitchens.

Murie glanced at Thibault once the cook was gone and patted his hand reassuringly. "I am sure it is as you say and he is softer than he wants us to think."

"Aye." Thibault was cheered. "Did you see? I think he almost smiled when you said it smelled divine."

Murie chuckled.

"I should be about my business." Thibault got to his feet as Estrelda hurried out of the kitchens with her mug of ale. "Even with more servants, there is always something needing doing. Enjoy your soup."

Murie thanked him, and then thanked Estrelda, who set down her ale. She then turned her attention to her soup. Despite Clement’s claim that it really needed to simmer longer to be fully flavored, it was the best soup she’d had in ages. It was rich and thick and full of chunks of meat and vegetables. It was more a stew than a soup, really, and Murie gobbled it up quickly and then even ate the juice-soaked, hollowed-out bread it had been served in. By the time she’d finished the last bit, she felt almost her old self again. And she was immediately ready to find something to do.

Her gaze slid around the great hall. Despite their feverish work over the past two and a half days, there was still much to be done, but much of it was likely to ruin her gown and was probably too strenuous for her at this point; but there was something she thought she could manage. Something that would make the great hall smell nice, as well as work as a protective charm.

Murie stood and waited a moment to be sure the dizziness and weakness did not return. When they didn’t, she began to make her way toward the keep doors. She would just take a nice leisurely walk around the woods outside the castle and collect some birch and clover to be strewn among the rushes in the hall. Both were said to help avert bad luck. Elder too, she thought. That was supposed to protect against fire.

Her steps slowed as she reached the doors. Should anyone catch her leaving, they’d surely try to stop her and most likely rush off to tattle to Balan. She needed to be stealthy. Easing the door open, she peered about, surprised to see that the bailey was completely empty. It seemed everyone was busy elsewhere, and if she were quick, she might slip out of the keep and cross the bailey without drawing attention. The men on the wall were the only worry, but the surcoat she wore over her gown was almost the same brown as the gowns Gatty and her daughters wore. From the wall, they might mistake her for one of Gatty’s daughters . .. she hoped.

Smiling to herself, she slipped outside.

"There you are," Balan said as Clement, Cecily, Estrelda and Thibault hurried to join everyone else waiting on the wall.

"We are sorry, my lord," Thibault gasped as the group came to a halt before him. "Lady Murie came below in search of something to eat, and – "

"She is out of bed?" he asked with dismay.

"Aye, but she is just sitting at the trestle table eating the soup Clement made for her," the man rushed to assure him. "But that is why we are late. Clement got the soup and Estrelda fetched her some ale, and then we came out through the kitchen door and had to walk around to the wall the long way." He hesitated, then asked, "We did wonder if you wished her here as well, but – "

"Nay," Balan said, cutting him off. "She is the reason I called you all here."

"She is?" Anselm asked with amazement.

It was Gatty who asked, "Surely you are not thinking that she had anything to do with this latest attempt on your life, my lord?"

"Of course not," Balan snapped. "Why would you think so?"

"Because the last time we had a meeting up here on the wall like this, the two people we left out were the two we thought possible suspects," the woman explained.

"We had a meeting up here before?" Osgoode asked with surprise. Then his eyebrows flew up as he realized he was one of the two who had been left out. "You all thought I was trying to kill Balan?"

"And I," Cecily murmured quietly.

When everyone looked uncomfortable and avoided making eye contact with either the maid or his cousin, Balan said, "It does not matter. And I did not call this meeting to talk about whoever is trying to kill me. This meeting is about my wife. I wanted to talk to you all at once so that I was sure absolutely everyone understood, including the men on the wall."

When they all nodded and peered at him attentively, he said, "I want my wife watched at all times. She is not to be alone for a moment. I want at least two men following her every moment of every day until my attacker is caught. But I also want the rest of you to keep an eye on her. Is that understood?"

There was a moment of silence, and then Anselm cleared his throat. "We understand, my lord, but the killer is after you, not your lady wife. She is perfectly safe."

"She is not perfectly safe," Balan countered. "She was – "

"My lord," Erol tried to interrupt.

"Not now, Erol." Balan scowled and then continued, "She was nearly killed today trying to rescue me. And she was forced to drag me back to the castle on her own and nak*d after the attempt before that. ‘Tis obvious – "

"But my lord," Erol tried again.

"Not now!" Balan snapped. "Where was I? Oh yes, ’tis obvious that so long as I am in danger, my wife is in danger, and I will not have it! I want her watched at all times. I will have her safe. Are there any questions?"

"Aye," Erol said, sounding a bit snappish himself. "Is that not your wife slipping off into the woods alone, while we stand here talking about guarding her?"

Balan stiffened, then whirled to peer over the wall. He saw his wife disappear into the woods. Cursing, he spun away and ran for the stairs.

Chapter Seventeen

Ash-keys and ash leaves were both considered lucky, but the best ash leaf was an even one – which is how Murie found herself up an ash tree when she first heard the sound of hoofbeats. Pausing in her hunt, she glanced down curiously, her eyes widening as her husband charged past on Lightning.

He was riding quickly, and looking rather upset, she noted, and decided not to trouble him by calling out. Obviously the chore he was on was an important one. Besides, she had no doubt he’d have fits if he knew she was climbing trees so soon after an injury.

The moment the sound of hoofbeats faded, Murie turned her attention back to the leaves around her. She’d just found an even leaf when she heard hoofbeats again. Letting go of the branch she was holding, she glanced down to see Balan charging by once more, this time headed in the opposite direction. She took a moment to wonder if he’d accomplished whatever chore he was on, then turned back to the branch where she’d spotted the even leaf moments ago. Of course, it had bounced back in amongst the other branches, and she could no longer tell which one it was. Muttering under her breath, she began to examine each leaf of each branch again in search of the even leaf and had just found it when the sound of a charging horse drew her attention once more.

This time, unwilling to lose the leaf, Murie tugged it free before glancing down. Her husband charged past once more. Wondering what on earth he was doing, she shook her head as he disappeared into the woods, then quickly climbed down from the tree, collecting some ash-keys as she went.

She was on the ground before it occurred to her to wonder where his guard was. One man was supposed to be watching him at all times – either Erol or Go-dart. She would have to have a stern talking-to with the men when she got back to the castle. Her husband should not be out on his own. His would-be killer had only narrowly failed several times now, and they would not continue to be so lucky.

She pondered the last attempt as she made her way to the large clearing with clover she’d spotted, wondering why Osgoode had thought it was her in the village earlier that day. Had it been a woman who lured the two cousins? She found it hard to believe it was a coincidence that Malculinus and his henchman had been at Gaynor not long before this latest attack. On the other hand, Malculinus couldn’t know when Balan was expected back. .. unless Cecily or Estrelda had mentioned it while Baxley was flirting with them.

She supposed that was possible. But Osgoode would hardly mistake either man for her. She’d have to ask him why he’d thought it was her.

Reaching the patch of clover, Murie tucked her precious ash leaf and keys carefully under the belt of her surcoat, wishing she’d thought to bring a basket, then dropped to her knees to begin her hunt for one of the four-leafed variety.

She was there moments later when the hoofbeats returned. Wishing she were still up the tree, Murie remained on her hands and knees in the clover patch, hoping her husband would not notice her and simply ride past. A foolish hope, she knew.

"Wife!"

Murie sat back on her haunches with resignation and peered around as Balan drew his mount to a halt in the clearing. He quickly dismounted. She smiled at her first sight of him, but then saw the scowl on his face and scowled in return, knowing he was annoyed with her.

Still, she watched him walk toward her and enjoyed it. He was a fine figure of a man – tall, well-built, muscles as sleek as a cat’s moving under his clothing.

Despite how busy she’d kept herself, she’d missed him while he was gone, and the nights had been the worst. She’d lain awake long into the evenings recalling his touches and kisses and the pleasure he gave her. And she’d wondered if she gave him the same pleasure in return.

It was hard to imagine she might, not when he did all the touching and kissing, but Murie was unsure what to do herself. She’d run across men and women coupling at court, in dark hallways and corners: From that, she knew there were all sorts of ways to do it. But she’d also come across women on their knees, as she was now, doing unknown things to lords standing before them with looks of ecstasy on their faces. It had appeared to her as if the women were kissing or suckling on the man’s shaft, but they’d been only a few quick glances she’d got before turning away with embarrassment and heading in another direction. Murie had thought that on Balan’s return she might ask him what the women were doing, and if he might like her to do it to him, but now, faced with the prospect, she was not sure she had the courage. Though, it would certainly be a distraction to make him forget he wished her back in bed recuperating.

"Wife." Balan came to a halt directly in front of where she knelt. He was still scowling, and she almost scowled herself, but managed a smile instead.

"Good afternoon, husband," she greeted. "’Tis a lovely day for a ride. Are you on a chore?"

"Aye. Looking for you," he announced with irritation, propping his hands on his hips. "You should be in your bed."

"Bed is boring, husband," she said quietly. Then she added in a husky voice, "At least it is when you are not there." That seemed to make him pause. He closed his mouth on whatever else he’d intended to say, his gaze flickering over where she knelt. Some of the anger slid from his expression. "Aye, well, that’s as may be, but. .."

"Husband?" Murie murmured when his voice trailed away. His eyes had caught on the neckline of her gown. Their positions gave him a lovely view down her top, she noted, glancing down, but the realization did not make her stand up. Instead, she reached out a hand to his upper leg as if to steady herself. The muscle under her fingers tensed.

"Aye?" he asked. His gaze slid over her once more. For some reason her position seemed to fascinate Balan, and Murie wondered if it was suggesting certain activities to him. Like those activities she’d glimpsed at court.

She slid her hand tentatively up his legging until it disappeared under his doublet, and said, "I was wondering…"

"Aye?" he growled, but did not push her hand away. Murie moved it to the left until she felt his sex pressing against the gathered leather of his leggings. He was already semi-hard, but at her touch seemed to harden further, and she saw as well as heard him suck in a sharp breath.

"I was wondering if you would enjoy me doing the things to you that you do to me with your mouth," she whispered. His eyes went wide, and his mouth opened and worked briefly with nothing coming out as she ran her hand slowly along the length of him through the bunched cloth. Taking that as a yes, Murie pushed up his doublet with her other hand. She found where the cloth of his leggings was gathered together, which she parted to allow him to spring free. The moment he did, Murie caught him in her hand. She stilled as her husband groaned. Glancing up, afraid she’d done something to hurt him – indeed, his eyes were closed, his face tight with what might have been pain, but it was also the expression he got when making love to her – she then ran her fingers gently over him, relaxing a bit when his h*ps bucked in response. She leaned forward to press a kiss to the tip, but curiosity got the better of her, and she ran her tongue up his length tasting him.

Balan’s reaction was most encouraging, she decided, when he clasped his hands in her hair and groaned again. Recalling that the maids had seemed to suckle at the shaft, Murie held the base to keep him still and took him into her mouth, running her lips up as far as she could and then drawing away again. She hadn’t a clue what she was doing and was judging her success or failure by his reactions, but as far as she could tell from the groans and moans issuing above her head, he seemed to be enjoying it; so she was quite startled when he suddenly pulled himself free, stopping her.

"Did I do something wrong, husband?" she asked with concern as he dropped to his knees.

His answer was to kiss her, his tongue thrusting into her mouth with purpose, and he urged her back onto the bed of clover and lay himself on top of her. Tearing his mouth from hers, he began to press kisses along her jaw and growled, "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Oh." She blushed. "I saw one of the maids at court doing it, and seeing as how I like it when you …" She paused and blushed as his head lifted and he peered at her. She rushed on with embarrassment: "I thought mayhap you would like it if I did the same for you, but I only caught a quick glimpse and was not at all sure how. Was I doing it right?" she asked anxiously.