Page 40 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

“Oh, I intend to do that, Maugris.” Renaud’s gaze traveledup the stairs. “Very close.”

“I will leave you then to your bride.” Maugris grinned andheaded toward the hall.

Renaud could still hear the sounds of his men indulging intheir entertainments but he had no tolerance for games or small talk thisnight. His head was pounding, and he was more exhausted than he could rememberbeing. But he still had one last task.

Climbing the stairs to Serena’s chamber, he sent Sir Niel tohis dinner and to his pallet. Renaud entered to find the room dark, save forone candle. He recognized the flowery scent and chided himself for notidentifying it before. It was her scent.

Flickering golden light bathed the lone figure curled up onthe furs at the end of the bed. Dressed, from all appearances, only in a whiterobe, her eyes were closed and her head rested on her hand. A cloth was claspedin her other hand. She must have fallen asleep while drying her hair.

She had the face of an angel with delicate features, ivoryskin and rose-colored lips. Her long flaxen hair fell around her, glistening inthe candlelight, a crowning glory so magnificent it could have hidden wings hadshe possessed them. Certainly his woman, soon his bride, was an otherworldlycreature. Fierce with a bow, quick with her tongue and the voice of heaven inher throat when she sang. And curves to entice the most monkish of knights. Noman, be he warrior priest or no, could resist her when she lay like this.

William had given him no ordinary woman. Renaud had only toclaim her.

Quietly he approached the sleeping girl and lifted her intohis arms. She stirred but did not wake as he carried her to his own chamber,her pale hair falling over his arm nearly to the floor.

Laying her down on his bed, her robe fell open revealing thefull breasts he had feasted upon next to the stream. His manhood stirred.Brushing her long silvered hair to one side, he shed his clothes and climbedinto the bed to lie beside her, pulling her body into the curve of his own. Hedrew the cover over them and his body responded to her softness, his arousedflesh eager to sink into her sheath. Serena softly moaned in her sleep as hecupped a warm breast. But it was more than lust he felt. He wanted to protecther, to care for her, feelings he’d never had for another woman.

He doubted he had won her fully. Mayhap their sons wouldbind her to him, as the king’s decree could not.

Renaud had intended to wake her to his lovemaking, but hewas so exhausted after riding hard without sleep for so long, his last wakingthought was to shut his eyes for a few minutes. Then he would wake and claimhis bride.

* * *

A pounding on the door woke Serena from a deep sleep.

Still groggy, she heard a voice shout, “My lord, a messengerfrom the king!”

The arm that held her slipped away and the bed cushionbeneath her was jostled, making Serena realize she was not alone. The onesleeping next to her lifted from the bed. She opened her eyes, surprised to seeshe was in the lord’s chamber—and in the Red Wolf’s bed. She caught only aglimpse of his naked form as he reached for a dark blue robe.

His body was that of a warrior, his powerful muscles beneathhis skin rippling as he moved. As she had observed when she’d helped him withhis bath, his back was bronze to his waist. But his muscled buttocks and longlegs were a lighter shade. A man to make any maiden blush.

She’d not seen the scars on his midsection before. So, hehad not always fought wearing mail.

Donning his robe, he opened the door a slit. What she couldsee of Sir Geoffroi’s face bore a grave expression. “The king summons you,” hesaid to the Red Wolf. “His messenger awaits below.”

“I’ll join you as soon as I am clothed.”

The Red Wolf closed the door and turned. Serena pulled thecovers under her chin and kept her eyes on his face.

“My lady,” he said, taking off his robe. He seemed entirelycomfortable in just his skin. “I would we had this morning to lie abed and becomebetter acquainted, but as you heard, I am summoned. The consummation of ourmarriage must wait upon the king’s needs.” Reaching for his hosen, linen shirtand tunic, he leaned over the bed and kissed her forehead.

Her eyes slid to the dark thatch of hair at his groin and tohis large manhood.

“If you keep staring at me like that I will find myself introuble with the king.”

Embarrassed that he had caught her staring, Serena’s cheeksburned.

“’Twould be best if you dress quickly and join me below. Itis time my men met their lady.”

Once he was dressed, he left, the door closing behind him.

Serena lay back against the pillow, thinking of all that hadhappened. There had been no words between them after they had returned to themanor the evening before. Her last memories were of his harsh words on the ridehome and his instructions to Maggie. But his kiss on her forehead a few momentsbefore had been tender. Did he assume she was now resigned to being his bride?

Was she?

Twice she had tried to escape. Twice she had failed. She hadfought her attraction to him as the servant girl Sarah, but in that, too, shehad not succeeded. She might fight him still if it would change her fate orthat of her people. Sadly, she believed it would not. Thoughts of Steinar filledher mind. Was he still in Scotland? Though she was reluctant to admit it, shehad little desire to flee again. She had shouted her hatred of the Normanknight, but even in that she had not been sincere. He had raised a desirewithin her no other man had. No man had ever touched her the way he did, andcaused her to want him. As a Norman he might repulse her, but as a man heentranced her. Even as she had ridden from Talisand, she had missed him. Whenhe had discovered her in the woods, a part of her had been relieved the rusewas over.

The Red Wolf had ordered a guard at her door, so little washis trust of her. No longer the maid Sarah or the thegn’s daughter, shebelonged to the Norman knight. Yet neither fully trusted the other. Shereminded herself of her new resolve. For the sake of her people, she would takeher place at his side. He was right when he said not only her country had beenconquered, but that she had been conquered. Conflicting emotions warred withinher. She was the proud daughter of a thegn, and only reluctantly did she accepther fate as the wife of the powerful Red Wolf.