Page 69

“Anne,” he said politely, “Master Milburn wishes us to return to Hillesley. He would like the orchard inspected in anticipation of the autumn harvest, to see if there’s enough for Alderley’s needs.”

“With the combined harvest from all the surrounding villages, we’ve always done well.”

John’s smile remained fixed, too polite. “Regardless, he wants us to go.”

“Very well.”

Elizabeth wondered if John was using this as an excuse to get her alone. But once they were driving in the cart outside the castle, a soldier in front, and Philip behind, he did nothing but drive. Even when she handed him the letter she’d written to her captain of the guard, he only tucked it away as he thanked her.

“You don’t want to know what it says?” she asked.

He glanced at her. “I trust you.”

She barely restrained from rolling her eyes. She didn’t even sense residual anger from him, as if he was keeping everything locked away.

Yet she couldn’t. Side by side with him, she found herself dwelling on how he’d felt in her arms, the mortifying way she’d clung to him, pulling him against her.

Though the day had a chill, she felt overly warm. She could not forget the way his hand had felt on her breast, the ache of pleasure he’d evoked, and the way her nipples had hardened against him.

They passed the stream where they’d first kissed, and he didn’t even suggest stopping.

She hated that she felt disappointed.

Now that he had her beneath his thumb, did he feel no more need to seduce her? Was she just a thing he’d already acquired?

“Tell me about William,” he suddenly said.

She gave him a surprised stare. “Why would you want to hear about a man I was betrothed to for so many years, and whom you are accusing of so many sins?”

“Because I had not seen him in eight years.”

“I only saw him once or twice a year myself. But I did receive letters from him.” She almost wished she hadn’t brought that up. It was uncomfortable to discuss one’s first betrothed with one’s second.

“Maybe he had changed,” John said musingly.

“Changed from what? Even when we were first betrothed, and I was but eleven, he was always attentive to me. That never changed through the years.”

“How attentive could he have been if you are twenty-two and never married?”

“That was my father’s doing,” she said crisply.

“Really? He did not want to see you safely wed?”

She sighed. “With my sisters fostered, my parents decided they would miss me too much. I was learning so much about running Alderley. And William was busy in London. We thought there was so much time,” she added sadly.

“What was William doing?”

She frowned. “He was at Parliament for part of the year, in the House of Lords.”

“But when King Henry came back to England and won his crown, how did William switch allegiance?”

“I know not. He did not talk of such things in his letters.”

John wasn’t surprised. He was positive William took whatever seemed to be the easiest course. Yet in this instance, he’d somehow saved Rame Castle from retaliation from the new king, for supporting the old king. That was a positive accomplishment, and John was grateful to be able to find something good to remember about his brother.

“What did he discuss?” he asked. “This might seem too personal, but he was my brother.”

“Our letters were filled with our plans for Alderley. It was the future that mattered, our marriage, not the present.”