Page 69 of The Red Wolf’s Prize

She was so tight, her muscles gripping his shaft with avengeance; it took all his control not to spill his seed. But he had nointention of quickly concluding this lovemaking. Slowing his heart from itsracing pace, he began to move while bending his head to kiss her deeply. Sheclung to him raising her hips to accept his thrusts.

He raised his head to look at her face flushed with passion.

“Your leisurely pace inflicts its own pleasant torture,” shespoke huskily.

“’Twas my intent, my lovely Serena. I would extend this timebeyond our enduring.” With his warrior’s control, Renaud took his time untilshe was near the peak only to back off ’til her passion subsided, and then toraise it again ’til she was moaning beneath him, tossing her head on thepillow.

Soaked in the sweat of their lovemaking, he plunged deep,hard and fast, and together shouted their release.

And this was just the beginning of a night Renaud knew hewould never forget.

Chapter 19

Serena woke to see Renaud’s gray eyes staring at her as heleaned on one elbow, his expression serious.

“What is it?” she asked, suddenly wide awake, for he seemedworried.

“Are you, indeed, content to being the wife of a Norman?”

It was too early in the morn for such conversation, but shecould see he was determined to have an answer. Wiping the sleep from her eyes,she said softly, “I made my vow to you before the people of Talisand. And wehave joined our bodies as one. Surely you cannot doubt me now.” It was witheyes of love that she looked at his strong masculine face framed by his tousledchestnut hair. But looking back at her were eyes of disbelief. Hoping to persuadehim, she said, “Though you were my enemy, Renaud, now you are my husband and mylover.”

“I would that it always be so, my lady wife,” he said as hekissed her and rolled to the edge of the bed. “Only love between us. Nayforget.”

“I never shall.” And she meant it. After their night oflovemaking, how could he doubt her?

Renaud rose from their bed and began to dress. His muscledlean body drew her attention even as she pulled the bed cover over her breasts.Their intimacy was still new.

While donning his clothes, he told her that after they broketheir fast, he wanted to see the castle with her. Though tired from their nightof lovemaking, Serena would not turn away from an invitation to be with him forthe morning, particularly when there were still doubts in his mind. Besides,she was eager to get a glimpse of what would be her new home, even thoughleaving the manor would be another step in leaving behind all that had gonebefore—her parents, her brother and the memories of the life they had sharedtogether.

Nearly everyone had left the hall by the time she and Renaudfinished breaking their fast. They stepped into a cloud-filled morning.

Renaud looked into the sky. “A good time to see the castlebefore the rain descends.”

“While you were in Exeter, Sir Maurin made the castle hisfavorite theme at the evening meals. I have heard much about it, but not yetviewed the interior.”

“Then come my lady.” He held out his hand. “There are stairswe can ascend to view all.” She placed her hand in his and together they walkedover the new wooden bridge that spanned the moat and up the wooden stairs thatled to the top of the motte.

Serena had not realized just how high the mountain of dirtrose above the yard until she stood at its summit. She estimated it was aboutfifteen feet to the ground below, and from where she stood, the new keep roseanother thirty feet into the sky. It was a large square structure with aprotrusion on one side. All was surrounded by a wooden palisade like the onebelow that circled the yard, stable and outbuildings, now a part of the bailey.

They walked into the keep, where servants had lighted thetorches set into the walls. On the ground level there was a hall with a largehearth and stairs at the rear leading up to the solar and sleeping chambers. Itwas larger than the old hall. The smell of new wood surrounded them, as sherealized the large space was clean, but as yet unfurnished.

On the second level, the bedchamber for the lord was largerthan that of the manor and connected to a solar, a place for her husband towork and meet with small groups of his men. There were other bedchambers aswell. Above that, a third level contained a viewing platform with verticalslits set into the wood on each side that provided a grand view of the countryside—anda safe place from which to shoot arrows at an enemy. It was there they viewedthe knights sparring just beyond the palisade.

“How far we can see!” she declared. “Much farther than fromthe manor’s roof walk.” In her imagination, she could see the west manor milesaway.

“Yea, ’tis a better vantage point,” he said with a look ofsatisfaction.

Impressed with the donjon and aware of the statementit signified to all who viewed it, her thoughts drifted back to the Normanbastard who would be king. She could not help but ask, “Why did your Normanduke think to conquer England?”

“If you knew William, you would not need to ask,” he saidsmiling. Then in a serious tone, “He believed he had been promised the throneby your King Edward for one thing. And William, unlike Harold Godwinson, had ablood tie to the throne, so he did not think it above him. Too, in Normandy,William was but a duke; in England he is an anointed king.”

“But to terrorize the people into submitting? Was hisslaughter in the south necessary?”

His frown made her wonder if she had reminded him of his ownrole in that slaughter.

“Whatever you say about William’s methods, Serena, they havebeen successful. He would not give up a prize like England, one he had come tothink of as his by right. I admit he can sometimes be cruel, but have no doubt,he means to rule England.”

“His castles are meant to intimidate,” she mutteredto herself. But it was quiet where they stood for there were few hammerspounding at the moment, and she realized he had heard her.