Page 46 of The Earl

Chapter 20

Cait thought to torture him.

First, she’d opened herself to him in her letters, telling him stories she claimed she’d never shared with anyone else. Like the time she’d hidden both of her brothers’ swords from them after unsuccessful attempts to get them to train her. Or not so pleasant memories, like the nightmares she’d endured after the tournament.

He’d felt helpless, so far away from her. But as close to her, in other ways, as he ever had to another person.

When she’d stopped writing, Conrad had nearly gone mad. Her brother had attended the tournament that year, just like always, and he’d nearly told Terric everything, even though it would mean breaking his word to Cait. A comment from Terric had silenced him: he’d claimed his sister finally seemed to “be the same woman she’d been before the attack.” Conrad had thought perhaps her correspondence with him had been a reminder of painful memories. It was the only reason he had not gone to Scotland. Why he’d held back.

If she were healing, without him, he would not be the cause of her pain. Certainly not at the expense of her happiness.

Even so, he’d decided he would not marry anyone else. His parents had died, but not even his mother’s memory could force him to fulfill his duty. To marry and extend Licheford’s boundaries. His only relationships were with women such as Lady Threston, although his attention was fixed on managing Licheford, and later, the rebellion.

In some ways, he was content.

Was.

But no longer.

She’d come back into his life with all the force of an explosion, her sole purpose to drive him mad, apparently. The way she was looking at him now, as if he were a particularly fine morsel on her plate . . .

After three days . . . three very long days and even longer nights of torture, Conrad did not doubt Cait did it apurpose. At first, he’d not been sure.

The sidelong glance.

A lingering touch.

The way she moved her backside against him as they lay in each other’s arms at night. Her attentions were hesitant at first, but she’d gotten bolder. Aside from the evening they’d spent in the inn, in separate bedchambers thankfully, Conrad had hardly slept, courtesy of his very innocent, yet not so innocent, companion.

The men asked no questions, but they knew, of course.

Lady Cait was attempting to kill him before they reached London.

“Stop,” he said under his breath, reaching for Cait’s hand to help her dismount in front of Lindemere Castle.

She raised her eyebrows as she took his hand, pretending not to understand. “Apologies, my lord. Have I offended you in some way?”

My lord.

Did Cait even realize that she only used his title when she’d done something impertinent or saucy?

“Nay,” he said tightly, ignoring the stares of Lindemere’s men as he helped her down and led her toward the keep. It looked as if rain were imminent, so he hurried her inside, following the steward.

The decision to arrive after the meal had been strategic. The less time Lindemere could spend with Cait, the better off they were for it. Although Conrad had never met his father’s greatest enemy, he’d heard of him many, many times throughout the years.

Nothing could prepare him for the man he saw as the steward led them into the hall.

The large man with ruddy cheeks and bright white hair wore five, nay six, different colors on his person, one as bright as the next. Could this be the villain who had started a war with his cousin? He looked more like an aging jester than a powerful baron.

Conrad deliberately did not look at Cait, for if he did, surely his training would fail him. If the baron had thought to unbalance Conrad by his manner, he had unfortunately succeeded.

“Lord Licheford, however are you, my son?” the man asked with a big smile as he approached, his tone almost . . . warm.

My son? “I am well, my lord,” he said, doing his best to sound both calm and neutral. “If you will allow me to present Lady Cait, sister of Terric Kennaugh, chief of Clan Kennaugh and Earl of Dromsley.”

Lindemere waited for Cait to finish her bow.

“Does her brother know?”