Page 4 of Cadell the Dragon

“I do, my lady,” Cadell instantly interjected. Never had he been happier to be able to speak English.

She lifted her gaze to him and smiled. The sight of that beautiful mouth he had imagined kissing the night before was too much to bear. Christ’s bones. He could feel himself harden again. Fortunately, it was dark in the little room, and a well-bred lady would never dare look at his groin. She would never know the effect she had on him.

“Perhaps I can be of assistance?” he asked. “What was it you wanted?”

Had she come here in search of something?

“I-I was actually looking for…” She hesitated then shook her head.

He nodded encouragingly. “For…?”

“For something sweet to nibble, I suppose,” she finally admitted. “I know it’s very wicked of me but I’ve never been very good at resisting temptation.”

Oh, hell. That confession put all sorts of images in his mind, none of which were appropriate. Cadell had never wondered before how good he was at resisting temptation but he was starting to think that he would be no good at all.

“I’m afraid I cannot help you. You will only find flour, grain and the like in here. Or tallow.” He nodded to the pot he was holding so tightly that his knuckles had likely gone white. “The sweet treats, of which there are very few at Castell y Ddraig anyway, are kept under lock and key with the spices.”

“Of course. Silly me. And I should never have come looking in the first place.”

No. Perhaps not. But she could not resist temptation. His grip on the pot tightened.

Lady Johanna smiled a smile that surely made whoever received it feel special. It certainly made him feel like the luckiest person on earth. “Thank you anyway.”

“Cadell.”

She blinked. “I beg your pardon?”

“My n-name is Cadell,” he stammered. “Forgive me, only it looked as if you were looking for my name to thank me.”

“Oh. I…I wasn’t.”

No. Of course, not. Why would she care? What an idiot he was. “I’m sorry.”

“No need to be sorry. And now that I do know your name, may I ask you a favor?”

“Anything.”

Ask me anything, my lady. Ask me to kiss you, and I will. Ask me to whisk you away and spend the rest of my life feeding you sweet treats, and I will. Ask me to take you against the wall now, and I will.

Cadell inhaled deeply, trying to calm down. What was he thinking? Take her against the wall when he was a virgin who had never even had a woman in a bed? Any more thoughts like this and the ceramic pot would shatter into a million pieces.

“Could you keep my visit to the storeroom a secret? I have no wish to see my host thinking me awfully rude. I should never have come here.”

No, but he was so glad that she had.

“Of course. No one shall know of this meeting.”

Another radiant smile. “Thank you. Good night then, Cadell.”

After she disappeared, it took him a long time to remember what he was supposed to do with the pot in his hand.

The following day, Rhun ap Maredudd and his men arrived. Everyone in the area knew the tall and dark knight who had dedicated his life to fighting English oppression. He was everything Cadell aspired to be, respected and self-assured, an experienced warrior, the owner of a vast domain and a man in his prime. As soon as he appeared, people paid attention. Women, in particular, could not take their eyes from him. And if rumor was to be believed, the rogue made the most of all that female interest.

Cadell had no other choice but to watch him lavish his attention on Lady Johanna over the next few days—and notice how she responded. Everyone commented on the fact that the two of them, with their dark hair and regal bearing, made a striking couple. Only Siaspar, the fostered youth who had become like a brother to him, kept silent. He would have noticed Cadell’s misery and guessed the reason behind it. Not that it was hard.

For the first time, he had fallen in love and he didn’t know how to deal with it.

His wretchedness grew worse when it became obvious that Lady Johanna’s attention was on someone else. A powerful man older than her, not a fumbling boy with no prospects. Someone he would never be able to compare to. To add to his dismay, it seemed to Cadell that Rhun had noticed the interest he was taking in their guest. More than once the Welshman had caught him staring at the beautiful lady and the corner of his mouth had lifted in an amused grin.