Knight's Caress by Lynette Vinet Read Free Book Online

you to see to Mother now!”
    Glenna appeared to realize that further argument would be in vain. But before she left them, she shot Amberlie a contemptuous look. Amberlie knew this woman was far from finished with her. And it appeared Tedric wasn’t finished either.
    He firmly and masterfully grabbed her arm and walked her out of the cave. Fear grew as big as a peach pit in her throat. She could barely speak. “Where … are you taking me? What will you do with me?”
    He didn’t answer, but marched her through the throng of people who were outside, going about their morning chores, breaking their fast, and gawking at her. God, no one will help me, she thought in a panic. No one will aid me if this barbarian beats me—or worse. The image of this large and powerfully muscled man ravishing her was more than Amberlie could bear to dwell upon, even for a second. Henri had been a gentle lover, a sweet youthful lamb. This lion of a man could no doubt crush her with his bare hands, rip her apart with his sex. She’d be dead before he finished with her.
    “Please, you must listen to me. I’m sorry for what I said to your lady wife. I’ll apologize to her. But … ‘tis sorry you’ll be for harming me…”
    He pulled her up short, and would have knocked her off balance if his hand had not retained a firm grip on her arm. “You’re in no position to threaten me.”
    Amberlie winced at the growling sound of his voice. At that second, he truly resembled a lion with his wild mane of hair framing a lightly stubbled face. And his eyes were such a clear, penetrating blue that she could see her own terrified reflection within them. She hated showing her fear, but most of her life she’d lived under others’ domination, afraid of her own shadow and always doing as she was told. Yet something surfaced within her for the barest second, something akin to defiance and a boldness she’d seldom experienced. This man was quite capable of torturing her and raping her—even killing her. But she’d be damned if she was going to go to her doom like a docile ewe.
    She breathed hard, her hands clenching. “You are bigger than I. You may do whatever you will, monsieur, but I shall fight you with bared teeth and sharp claws.”
    “Ah, ‘tis a she-cat you would be,” he returned.
    She nodded, her tongue feeling thick and heavy in her mouth. Suddenly, he threw back his leonine head and gave a deep laugh. Amberlie was more baffled than embarrassed and annoyed when the Saxons began giggling and laughing among themselves, for she realized she was the object of their amusement. “Why does everyone laugh?” she cried.
    “Because, Lady Amberlie, even a vicious tigress must eat and wash herself sometimes.”
    Amberlie was still puzzled, but he pushed her toward a group of his followers, who parted to reveal a campfire from which the scintillating smell of frying pork wafted over her and caused her mouth to water.
    “Sit,” Tedric ordered, and Amberlie instantly sat upon the ground. Tedric leaned his large frame against the trunk of a spreading oak tree whose leafy limbs offered cover from the early morning sunshine. Instantly, a Saxon woman served up two plates of the pork with freshly scrambled quail eggs to both of them. Someone grudgingly placed a cup of cool goat’s milk in Amberlie’s hand. “Eat,” Tedric commanded, but Amberlie had already started chewing before Tedric had even spoken, so ravenous was she. “You see,” he said a few seconds later with a knowing smile, “even a she-cat gets hungry and will eat from the hand of whoever deigns to feed her.”
    A blush suffused her face. The hateful man had never intended to harm her—only to see that she ate. Then why didn’t he just tell her from the beginning instead of trying to frighten her? Or was she the one who’d frightened herself? But she wouldn’t allow him to think he’d gotten the best of her. “Barbarian,” she hissed under her breath before taking a deep