Page 38 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

With a look of resignation, she took the dried deer meat andchewed in silence.

“It was your speed with the bow that told me you were LadySerena. You hid well your skill in the shooting match, but not so well I didnot think something amiss.”

He tied the reins of her white mare to Belasco’s saddlewhile continuing to glance at her where she sat upon the ground. Even with herwet plait, now half brown and half flaxen, and her disheveled state, she wasbeautiful and the knowledge that in finding her he had found both the servantgirl he desired and the woman promised to him produced a feeling of deep satisfaction.A wife and a leman in one woman, and in one day. Even his anger at herdeception could not destroy his joy at so great a find.

Serena slowly rose, and without a word or a glance at him,walked toward her horse as if in a daze. He reached for her arm and pulled hertoward Belasco.

Defiantly, she wrenched away. “I can ride my own horse!”

“Nay, you’ll ride with me. I want you close.” In truth, hedid not want to be so far from her he could not touch her.

He lifted her to his saddle and leapt up behind her,repositioning her onto his lap. She kept her back stiff, even when he drew herbody against his chest.

Taking the reins in his free hand, he swung Belasco towardthe south and Talisand, urging the stallion to a fast pace with his knees.Serena looked straight ahead, her hand clenched on the pommel of the saddle.

He bent his mouth to her ear. “Serena, you must accept thetruth of it. England is conquered, your lands are conquered, and you areconquered. God must have willed it for William has prevailed, as have I. He isking by conquest as I am your lord. You will become my wife and bear my sons.You are mine as Talisand is mine.”

She tensed against him keeping her gaze fixed ahead as shespoke. “You may have conquered my lands, my lord, and I may be forced to birthyour sons, but I shall never be content to be a Norman’s wife. I…I hate you!”

“Nay, Serena, I think not. You hate only yourself forwanting me. Mayhap one day you will even be content to belong to me.”

“You are wrong!” She spit out the words with great force, asif trying to convince herself they were true.

He experienced a sudden twinge of remorse seeing the girl’sbroken spirit. She had tried so hard to escape her fate. A proud, courageouswoman who loved her people. As she had told him the first day they met, shewould have fought alongside her father had she been a son. But she had seen himwith her people and had to know he would not treat them ill.

She might hate what he represented, but she could not denywhat lay between them. He was certain if he touched her again, as he intendedto, she would respond as she had before. Only next time he would not rein inhis passion. He would make her his in all ways.

He had not expected to find a woman of such fire in theEnglish maiden William had given him, but he was glad of it. Their winternights would be warm and their children would be many and strong.

In one sweep of his arm, Renaud wrapped his cloak about herand held her fast, declaring his intention to possess and protect what was his.Her days of hiding from him were over.

The Lady of Talisand was coming home.

Chapter 11

Serena woke to the movement of the horse beneath her and theRed Wolf shouting orders as they rode into the yard. Sometime during the longride back, she had fallen asleep against his warm chest where his strong armnow held her. For hours she had fought to stay awake as the knight drove hishorse at a maddening pace. Finally exhausted, she had succumbed to the sweetoblivion of sleep. Now fully awake, she sat up to see they had reined in beforethe manor where a crowd was gathering to greet them.

The Red Wolf dismounted and reached for her. She did notfight him when his hands circled her waist and he lifted her down, but when heagain swept her up into his arms, she protested. “Put me down! I can walk.”

“Not just yet,” the Red Wolf replied stonily. Then to Eric,“See to the horses, lad. A good rub down and oats. It was a long ride home andBelasco did well.”

“Aye, m’lord,” said the boy, accepting the reins.

Serena twisted in the arms of the Red Wolf, embarrassed atbeing treated like an errant child in front of her people who watched withcurious eyes.

Jamie ran up to his master, smiled at her, and awaited hislord’s instructions. Though his blond curls were in disarray, Jamie now worewith pride the dark blue tunic displaying a snarling red wolf.

“Jamie,” the Red Wolf looked down at his page, “see thatMaggie gets the rabbits.”

“Yea, sir, I will. Welcome back, m’lord.”

Serena could feel the tension in the Norman’s body as heheld her. She gave up struggling, realizing he intended to carry her into themanor whether she liked it or no. The Norman knights who had come to greettheir returning lord gazed intently at the woman in his arms who was dressedlike a Welshman. Serena’s plait was under the cloak he’d wrapped around her, sonone yet observed the change in the color of her hair. They knew only what theyobserved: the maid Sarah had tried to run away disguised as a boy, and had beenfound by their lord who was now carrying her close to his chest. She could onlyimagine what they were thinking took place in the woods.

With her in his arms, the Red Wolf closed the short distanceto the manor’s door. She spotted Rhodri standing to one side, his clothessoiled as if he, too, had been in the woods. He watched her with concern in hisdark eyes. Where had he been? Had he followed the Red Wolf? Next to Rhodristood a few of Talisand’s women who looked at her with questioning eyes. Shewondered, as mayhap some of them did, in what manner she had returned?Prisoner? Bride? Or both?

The Red Wolf carried her inside and dumped her onto thebench. She shot him a glare just as Maggie rushed to meet them.

“M’lord?” the housekeeper said, a worried look on her faceas her gaze shifted from the Red Wolf to Serena. Both were wearing a scowl.