Page 63 of The Raven and the Rose
“Because you are the King’s daughter,” he said quietly.
She was stunned. “You know?” she whispered. “You know Edward is my father?”
“Of course, Roseanna. Ned is my dearest friend.”
“That’s why you married me at all costs! ’Twas ambition masqueraded as love!” She flew at him with doubled-up fists and battered against his bare chest. “Damn you, damn you, Ravenspur!”
“Stop it, Roseanna. You are working yourself up to hysterics.” He set the paper down onto the bedside table and placed his ring of keys atop it. “If Sir Bryan is innocent of wrongdoing, he has nothing to fear.”
“Release him; I will vouch for him,” she pressed.
“Nay, Roseanna, I will not!”
She was panting now with anger. “I will never speak to you again!” she spat as she slammed out of his chamber.
Her frustration was so great that she couldn’t help telling Kate that Ravenspur had locked up Sir Bryan. Roseanna wrung her hands as she sat in Kate’s chamber. “I cannot bear to think of him in the dungeons. Ravenspur is heartless!”
Kate Kendall shook her head. “Such a nice North-country laddie. But ye’ve driven your husband to this with your own willfulness. Running off, not telling where you were going. He thinks Sir Bryan’s your lover, and he means to put a stop to it!”
Roseanna clenched her fists. “He’ll not best me in this, you know. If it’s the last thing I do, I’ll free Sir Bryan.”
“You’ll not get around Ravenspur with that high temper. There’s more flies caught with honey than vinegar.”
“Say me no sayings, Kate—you’ll drive me mad!” She went into her own chamber and shut the door with a bang. She paced the room like a caged cat; her mind raced over the recent events. It was true that Bryan had been in the barbican tower with a signaling lantern and that the following morning Jeffrey had shown up. But whatever they were up to was probably some boyish prank. How was it that Tristan could get up to any mischief and Ravenspur would dismiss it with an indulgent chuckle, but her brother was guilty of treason? Treason! She’d never heard such a preposterous notion.
But Kate was right—she could never bully him into releasing Bryan. She’d have to get around him by subtle means. She picked up her brush and began to brush out her hair vigorously. When it began to crackle, she brushed more slowly; the soothing strokes aided her thinking.
That was it; she’d seduce him! Then she shook her head impatiently. She could never gull Ravenspur; he was too wise and experienced in women’s ways. Her wicked juices bubbled as she went over her dilemma from every angle. She wanted this from him, but in order to get it she would have to exchange something he wanted from her. He made no secret of what he wanted from her, she thought, her pulse quickening. If she offered to strike a bargain—one night in which she would do anything he desired in exchange for Bryan’s release—would he agree?
Here was her chance to use every womanly weapon she possessed to see if she could enslave him. Her color high and a frantic pulse beating in her throat, she emerged from her chamber and walked on a direct path to his. She took a deep breath and turned the handle of the heavy door. It swung smoothly open to reveal Ravenspur; one hand was already withdrawing his knife from its sheath against the intruder who entered without knocking. He quickly sheathed his knife and cocked an eyebrow at her.
“I have something to say to you, Ravenspur,” she said in a rush.
The corners of his mouth lifted in amusement. “Are you not the lady who vowed never to speak to me again?” he teased.
She stamped her foot in annoyance. “Be serious, can you not?”
He schooled his face with great care and said solemnly, “I’ll try.”
His dark eyes upon her, she was suddenly shy about what she had come to say. The touch of his glance was almost physical as it moved over her, as if he wanted to commit to memory the length of her lashes, the exact shade of her eyes, the contour of her mouth, and the size of her swelling breasts. As his gaze moved lower and lingered on the curves of her body, she knew he was undressing her with his eyes. Then she clearly saw his physical response to her: his manhood swelled and hardened, stretching the material across his groin to the bursting point.
Instinctively, she had picked her moment perfectly. “I’ve come to bargain with you,” she said softly, allowing her eyes to linger on the bulge between his legs before she lowered her lashes demurely.
A slight frown creased his brow as he realized what she was about to propose. “Sir Bryan’s release in return for what?” he asked low.
“Anything you desire,” she said with a seductive, sideways glance that drew him irresistibly until he was close enough to touch her.
What he desired was that she love him, but he knew she would not give him that. So he’d settle for the next best thing. “A sample first, Roseanna.”
She stood upon her toes and, lifting her arms behind his head, kissed him softly. Her breasts pressed against the curly mat of his naked chest; he could feel their heat through the material of her gown. His eyes lingered on her mouth for long, tension-filled moments.
“Well?” she asked at last.
“You know the answer is yes. I’ll let the young devil go free in the morning.” He moved toward a side table to pour himself a drink, then stretched his long length upon the bed.
She watched him uncertainly, wondering what he would demand of her. Then with a wicked grin he made all plain: “Seduce me, Roseanna.”
For a moment she was shocked; then the corners of her mouth lifted as she realized she was certainly woman enough to do that. Her laughter rippled out and sent a delicious shiver of anticipation down his spine.
