Gem of Gravane (The Northern Knights) by Amber Dane Read Free Book Online

insult. 
Good. 
    He wanted them to get used to
it.  For soon enough they would be even further away from him and away
from Gravane manor altogether.
    Nevertheless, the pair showered him
with tight smiles and returned his toast with their raised cups as he
acknowledged their presence.  Thomas reddened and turned away, but before
she did, Aric saw the lustful gaze Rose shot his way before turning back.
    Had he truly thought that was
beauty?
    He looked at his wife.  She
had barely eaten anything yet again.  He frowned.  Probably her
nerves, he surmised.  He found it difficult to look away from her as she
openly smiled and chatted away with almost every servant that attended them.
    She was even pleasant to his page
and the young lad all but fell over his own two feet whenever she glanced his
way.  Aric almost smiled at the lad’s immediate infatuation for he was
sort of feeling the same way himself.  He blamed the feeling on the wine.
She beamed with life when she spoke with her maid and Aric grunted at the
sight.    
    Best he keep his attention on the
hall’s activity, lest he found himself wearing the same spellbound expression
as Balwain.
    Aric looked around the
hall.  
    The majority of it was filled with
his men along with some unhappy faces of the villagers that had attended.
 He cared naught for whatever their dislikes were at the moment. Come
tomorrow, either they swore fealty or they were out of the village and off his
lands.   Aye, Aric‘s scowl returned, over the next few days, many changes
would come to Gravane manor. 
    Laughter drew his gaze back to his
wife’s face.  She was laughing at something Edie was saying to her, her
white teeth against her tan skin made her look even more radiant.   
    Enough, Aric thought.  He was
feeling good and had not indulged in too much ale or wine, for he wanted to be
aware and alert for his wedding night.  But, he had noted that Edie had
given his wife quite a few refills to her goblet of wine.  This was soon confirmed
when she moved to stand and swayed slightly towards him.  He frowned.
    Perhaps she had partaken too much.
 Her eyes were hooded and her cheeks were flushed more than before. 
  
    Everyone rose as the lord and lady
moved to take their leave.  Balwain and Edie followed them from the hall.
  Aric had cried off earlier to his men, no tradition for him. He would
have none of it.   No one would even consider balking at his order. 
    At the chamber door Balwain pulled
him aside and gave him a hearty slap on his back while mumbling something about
gentleness.  Aric frowned and pushed his friend away.  Edie stopped
attending her lady and quickly took her leave at his nod.  He closed the
door quietly as a foot soldier appeared to take up his post outside the chamber
door. 
    When he turned back to his wife, he
found a sight that made him grin.   
    She was tugging the gown down over
her full and shapely hips.  He was sure she was not aware of the sensual
wiggle of them as she tried to free herself of the gown.  She was mumbling
something under her breath.  Aric smiled, curses reached his ears. 
Such a mouth on one that appeared so timid. 
    She began to hum, her back to him
as he removed his scabbard and sword and began to undress.   All the while
his eyes never left sight of her. 
    Finally, she stepped away from the
gown now pooled at her feet.  Then she pirouetted, slightly off balance
with her slight limp, around and around all the while humming.  
    Aric felt himself harden as he saw
the thick braids sliding back and forth over her round bottom.  She
stopped humming, her eyes closed as she swayed from side to side, in a dance
with her long arms, tan as the rest of her above her head, clasped at the
wrist.  The position caused her large breasts to push against the material
of the thin shift and he could see the dark areolas easily through the
material.  He was pleased at the image she presented.
    “Edie, can you please hurry