Page 24 of The Sword and the Damsel

“No offense intended, my lord,” mumbled Lord Alphonse, hastily pulling his limbs out of Victor’s reach as soon as Victor removed his blade and sheathed it.

Thank heavens he’d already eliminated Lord Guy and Lord Alphonse from the running. When he’d shared their exploits from their little night out with Lords Rossignol and de Vere, they’d readily agreed. But he still hadn’t found a good reason to discredit Sir Elias and Robert. And Lord Louis, he supposed, though he hardly counted. He might be a nice man, but Lady Alais would never agree to marry him.

Meanwhile, Sir Elias and Sir Robert kept whispering to each other. What were they up to? He’d have to find out.

His reverie was interrupted by the start of the evening’s entertainment. A troubadour began singing a lover’s lament about a gallant knight whose lady love refused to grant him a kiss. He ignored it. He didn’t have much use for love songs.

Another troubadour sang a satirical piece skewering his aunt and her court for decadence and dissolution. That was slightly more interesting, better than listening to drivel from Lady Alais’s suitors at any rate.

Last, Lord Daniel got up and sang a duet with Lady Carenza about whether a lover should be subservient to his lady love ortreated as her equal. Lady Carenza was positively cheeky in her performance. Victor thought that after a performance like that, “Carenza” at the Bird in Hand was likely to get extra business. Indeed, Lord Daniel appeared to fully appreciate his wife’s talent from the way he looked at her.

Lord Guy murmured to Robert, “Are married people allowed to look at each other that way?”

“Lord Daniel is a lucky man,” Robert replied.

“She was supposed to be a nun, you know,” Lord Alphonse said, inserting himself into the conversation. “Never saw a nun look like that though. Pretty naughty nun… I bet she’s—”

Victor lifted Lord Alphonse up from the table by his collar. “I think it’s time for you to retire for the evening, Lord Alphonse. Allow me to accompany you to your room.”

After depositing Lord Alphonse in his guest quarters with some pointed warnings about the consequences of ever saying another word about any of the ladies of the castle, Victor headed down to Birdie Street at long last and bought Jane’s services for the whole night.

“My lord?” Jane inquired seeing the fire in his eye as he closed the door behind them.

“Pleasure yourself, Jane.” His voice was strained and desperate. “I need relief now. It’s the fastest way.”

Nothing moved him like the sight of a woman taking her own pleasure. It was a revelation the first time he’d seen it. Despite the Church’s condemnation, he was certain it had to be a holy thing. How could God have given such beauty and such capacity for pleasure to womankind and not intend for them to glory in it? He watched Jane close her eyes and stroke herself, his breathing growing ragged. He worshipped the miracle before him with his gaze and then stripped off his clothes, climbing on top of her. But suddenly, it was all wrong. The memory of another body pressed against him made him stop short. Janewas a lovely woman in her own right, but she wasn’t the right woman. These weren’t the curves he ached to caress. It was all a poor simulacrum of what he truly wanted. He let out a heavy sigh and rolled to his side.

“What did she do to you today, my lord?” Jane asked, all too knowing.

“Lord Daniel sent me on an errand with her. She kept touching my arm. It was torture. And then I had to rescue her from a runaway cart on Castle Street,” he said, unable to stop himself from confessing all.

“I heard about that! What a mess.”

“For a brief moment, I held her in my arms, her whole body beneath mine. I didn’t mean to, I swear. It happened by accident. And then my cousin showed up with his fancy armor and his stupid pretty face and swept her off to the castle without me.”

“Ouch,” she said, smiling kindly.

“And then I had to spend the whole evening listening to her suitors drooling over her.”

“My lord, if I’m not being too bold, I have to ask…” She paused, her face wary.

“Spit it out, Jane.”

“Well…why aren’t you courting her? Surely, you’re as good a match as any of the others. Why not try to win her?”

Victor exhaled. Jane was too insightful by half.

“I’m supposed to be protecting her, not seducing her. I gave my word of honor. Besides, why would a lovely, young damsel want to be married to this ugly mug? She wants some paragon who is going to sweep her off her feet, a man who will compose love poems and woo her with sweet words. She had five suitors who were all willing to play her game and dance attendance on her every whim. I’m not for her. Besides, it’s my sworn duty to keep her safe until she marries someone else.”

“I think you underestimate yourself. And her too.” She caressed his face and tweaked his nose. “Much as I enjoy your company and appreciate all the coin you shower on me, I’m not the woman you want. I think you should get dressed, go back to the castle, and win your lady love.”

“Don’t be ridiculous.” He laughed incredulously, but everything in him yearned to do exactly as she said.

“It’s not ridiculous. She flirts with you, teases you, and does her best to get under your skin. I think she rather fancies you.”

“She does that to everyone.” It had nothing to do with him.Did it?No, he couldn’t afford to entertain such thoughts.

“Go home, my lord. You obviously aren’t interested in me.” She looked him up and down pausing on his deflated cock to make her point.

---