“’Tis truly cause to celebrate!” someone else called.
“They love you,” Nicholas said as he pulled her close as they hurried to the chapel. “Just as I love you.”
“Is this real?” she asked close to his ear so only he could hear her. “Are we really about to do this?”
“Aye,” he said, smiling at her.
They reached the chapel. Father Philip was the first one in, Bible in hand. He was excited and happy. Everyone was. Nicholas was glad she was sent here.
“’Tis in fact like a dream,” he said, taking a place before the priest with Kestrel at his side. It was like a whirlwind. They’d met just a fortnight ago and he was making her his wife. He was making a Lancaster his wife. He didn’t care. He loved her. He’d kill anyone who questioned it.
He had to call for quiet so the priest could get on with the ceremony.
Nicholas watched her while they answered Father Philip’s questions, candlelight falling on her face. He couldn’t wait to be alone with her. Everyone would have to have a celebration tomorrow night. Tonight was theirs.
“…and do you promise to love and cherish her ’til death parts you?”
Nicholas gazed into her eyes, and with the confidence of David when he went up against Goliath said, “Death will not part us.”
He wanted to ask Father Philip if there were any parts he could leave out so he could get to kissing her. But he kept quiet lest she think him an overeager barbarian.
When it finally came time to kiss her, he still needed to hold back and control himself. He was in a house of God, after all.
Everyone cheered as Nicholas and Kestrel became husband and wife and he hurried her out of the chapel.
When he had everyone’s attention again—which took quite long thanks to every woman from the castleandthe village wanting to wish her their best. The men poked and ribbed him about his good fortune and excellent choice of wife—he told them to prepare for a feast and celebration tomorrow.
“No one will work today,” his wife called out. “And anyone who must work today to prepare for the feast will not work at allduringthe feast.”
They began to cheer again but quieted and turned their gazes to Nicholas, who cast his wife a stormy side-glance.
They were waiting for his agreement. He gave it with a nod. “As the lady says.”
The roar rose up to the turrets. People began singing and some danced.
Nicholas took the opportunity to spirit Kestrel away to the castle. To his chambers. Their chambers.
She stood at the doorway looking into the large bedchamber, the enormous bed in the center of it all. The mattress looked thick and inviting covered in woolen and fur blankets. The heavy four posts in each corner were polished and attached to a frame from whence curtains fell around the bed. For now, they were tied back. There were trunks, large and small, laid out along some of the walls. Wooden bookshelves lined a wall with colorfully bound volumes of books. She liked it. She liked that he was not only good-looking but he was smart.
Leaning on one of the bedposts, he crossed his ankles and folded his sensuous arms to be at ease while he studied her. “You can do whatever you want to it. I just ask that you remember ’tis my chamber, too.”
“I think it’s perfect just the way it is.” She stepped inside and stopped at one of the polished tables around the chamber.
“It’s very much like you in here. Polished and beautiful and untouched.
He came up behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. “And now ’twill be lived in.” He lifted a handful of her hair off her neck and bent his head to kiss her throat.
“I have been thinking of this all day,” he whispered, his voice honey soft as he came around to face her.
She unlaced her kirtle and slipped it over her shoulders.
He watched her undress and pulled and tugged at his own clothes. “I have waited for you…it feels like forever.”
“Here I am,” she told him, helping him out of his léine then running her hands down his belly. “I’m yours.”
He pulled her close and lifted her onto the bed. The rest of his clothes came off quickly, tossed here and there, along with his boots. Kneeling on the bed, he let her look and take her fill. And he did the same, basking in the sight of her round, upturned breasts, her erect nipples begging for his mouth to taste them.
He hauled her in and leaned over her when she arched her back. He held her slim waist in his hands and sucked her nipple into his mouth. Her long limbs curled around him. She weighed nothing, but fell draped over his arm like a veil. He’d thought of being intimate with her since they’d left the cave. He grew hard quickly. When she wrapped her fingers around him, he had to grind his jaw until it hurt to keep from coming. He hadn’t been with anyone before her for years. He’d lost track of how many.