“Good.” William followed his gaze to Dante’s table where Tanon sat sipping a drink. “You may go to her.”
When Gareth was gone, William turned to Brand. “I like him.”
Brand laughed, caught his wife’s eye, and beckoned her to come back to him. “Is that why you threatened to cut off his head?”
William nodded and swallowed a mouthful of wine. “I had to. He’s a dangerous man, Brand. I have his respect. To lose it would be foolish and deadly indeed.”
*
Tanon looked upfrom her cup and felt a smile creeping over her face when she saw Gareth moving toward her through the throng of guests. He had told William about Roger and Petunia. He’d not only rescued her from Roger that day, but for the next thirteen years. Her smile softened. He was the reason Roger had been sent away. She hoped William wasn’t too hard on her husband, but she was having difficulty remembering why William was angry. Her thoughts were all muddled. She was dizzy too. Gareth and his strange effect on her were to blame. For the first time in years she felt powerless over her emotions. Panic rose up in her throat. She washed it down with another sip of her drink. She shivered as the warm liquid went down. He had rescued her from Roger, and this time her relief was even more intense than the first time.
She hoped Gareth kissed her again. She liked the way his callused fingers felt on her face. The way the hard angles of his body pressed so gently against her. Her gaze drifted over the length of him and settled on his hips, then on his thighs. She squeezed her eyes shut. Why did the sight of his legs make her spine feel like butter? She’d grown up around hundreds of men and not a single one had ever tempted her thoughts to such wickedness. Now she was married, and she would be expected to perform her wifely duties with a clear head. How would she do it? She could barely remember her name, and he was fully dressed! And what would it be like with him later? Her nerve endings flamed. What if he was as feral in their marriage bed as he was on the field? Hadn’t her aunt mentioned something about primitive men? She peeked up from her lashes and scanned the faces around her, praying that her flushed cheeks didn’t reveal her lewd thoughts.
Gareth was almost upon her. His steady gaze settled on her as palpable as a touch. His nostrils flared slightly, as if breathing in her scent. His mane of golden hair fanned outward while he walked, making him look like a lion stalking its mate.
Tanon finished off what was left of her drink and drew a curl around her finger when he reached the table.Merde,but he made her feel exhilarated. “I’m pleased that you still have your lips.” She blinked again and went pale. “I mean your hips.” Involuntarily, her gaze dipped to his thighs again. She shook her head to clear it, but it only made the hall spin in a sickening circle. “I’m pleased,” she said, pronouncing each word with care, “that you have all your body parts.Oui,that’s right.”
“My body parts are fine,” Gareth assured with a rakish grin.
She laughed, but it sounded like a nervous chortle.
“Come.” He held his hand out to her and lifted her to her feet. “I wish to be with you alone.”
Her eyes grew wide. “But I don’t know what to do!” she whispered as they left the table.
“About what?”
“About…” She leaned in close to him and stumbled into his chest. His arms came around her, holding her steady. She tilted her face up to meet his and whispered. “…later.”
Gareth looked down into her eyes with an expression so soft, so heart-wrenchingly tender that Tanon felt tempted to fling her arms around his neck and kiss him right there in the great hall.
“Don’t worry over that.” His voice was as warm as his breath falling against her lips.
“Oh, but I do!” She pushed herself off him. “I need to discuss this with my mother. She was ill this morn and I didn’t wish to pester her with my concerns.” Tanon spoke quickly, twisting a fistful of her gown in her hands. “She’s with child, and I’m not even going to see the babe. Might we visit? My cousin asked me just this morn—”
“Nay.”
“Nay?”
“It’s too difficult to get across the marches, Tanon.”
“We can have William send a missive.” She blinked her eyes at him a few times but the flashing torchlight of the great hall made her head spin again. Her wiles had failed her. Her shoulders slumped.
“Let’s forget about coming back here and go…”
Tanon’s lip trembled and tears spilled down her cheeks.
“Hell.” She heard him swear. He raked his fingers through his hair. He looked so lost and helpless Tanon would have laughed at this supremely skilled warrior’s sudden discomposure if she weren’t so sad.
“Stop it, Tanon,” he demanded. “Whatever is causing this, we can discuss it in private.”
“I miss my mother.” She lowered her gaze, veiling her dewy green eyes beneath a spray of glistening black lashes.
“She’s but two feet from you!”
“But after tomorrow…” She sniffed and heedlessly swiped at a fresh rush of tears.
“Very well,” Gareth conceded tersely, knowing he was going to regret this. “I’ll try to find a way to visit. I’ll find a way. Stop your weeping.”