Their Lady Gloriana Read online

  She left the kitchen in relief, stopping in the doorway to rub at her anxious stomach. She didn’t actually “fear” Thomas, and she hoped she wouldn’t make a miserable showing in his bed on the morrow. Relations between her and Geoffrey had been very basic, at least based upon whisperings of sexual encounters she’d heard maids discussing. Some of the things she’d heard made her blush. Some made her question the actual possibility of doing such contortions. Some things had made her lay awake many nights wondering, feeling excited, yearning to have such an experience. Not with Geoffrey. No never with him!

  A shudder went through her. It hadn’t taken long after their marriage for even Geoffrey’s mere touch to make her cringe. Nor had it taken long for his “touches” to become harsh, painful. And then…

  She forced the horrible memories aside. He was dead, thank the good Lord. While Thomas was bigger, more muscular, tougher, she didn’t get a sense of cruelty from him. There was something sad in his eyes, something vulnerable. She wasn’t sure she should trust her instincts, her beliefs that he wouldn’t treat her in such demeaning ways. But she did. And she thought about how the very sight of him seemed to start a fire low in her body. Odd, but Rowan, too, excited her, which could definitely be a problem.

  Behind her the cook started delivering orders about what foods to be prepared, what vegetables needed to be brought from the garden and in front of her the hall became more and more active, louder. The soldiers were all up and about now, some breaking their fasts, some heading outside for guard duties or preparing for the day’s training. She glanced toward the dais and didn’t see either Thomas or Rowan.

  “Lord Montrose and Sir Rowan went to the solar, my lady,” Gerald said. “If you were looking for them, that is.” He studied her a second, appearing concerned. “Are you sure…” She cut off her self-assigned protector’s question with a raised hand.

  “All will be fine, Sir Gerald. Do not worry so about me.”

  He gave a curt nod, but she knew her bailiff would continue watching out for her. It pleased her as much as it worried her. She looked toward the stairs. “I’m sure you have duties to tend to with all the new men here. And I need to speak with Lord Montrose…I mean Lord Middlemound.”

  Gerald gave her an understanding look. It was difficult to make such an adjustment so quickly, even though the instant King Edward had given Thomas the castle to hold, it had become his, title and all. As she would become his property on the morrow. She called upon her inner strength and walked toward the stairs. She wanted to talk with Thomas, tell him that preparations for the feast were underway. It was important to her that he not see her as incompetent.

  When she approached the door to the solar a couple of minutes later, she found it closed. She hesitated in the semi-dark hallway. She brushed nervously at the sides of her skirt. Maybe this was a mistake. Maybe she should talk to him later. There were many other duties she should be seeing to now. Yet she didn’t move away. She wanted to get this conversation over with.

  Startling her, she heard Rowan talking with Thomas in low tones. A funny feeling fluttered in her stomach. She liked the sound of his voice, husky and calming. She liked the sound of Thomas’s deep, rumbling voice as well. Both made her heart race in a way no other men had ever caused. She worried her lower lip, curious at how she was drawn to each of them.

  “Tell me what you need, Thomas,” she heard Rowan say. His voice sounded different than she’d heard before, even huskier.

  Should she walk away? No. She really wanted to talk to Thomas. But should she knock first? Or should she just open the door and peek in to see if it would be better to come back at another time?

  She inched closer to listen against the wooden door, wanting to hear more, wanting to have more to base her decision on.

  “Suck my cock,” Thomas gritted out. Gloriana’s eyes widened and her breath caught. Had he said what she’d thought he’d said?

  “God’s teeth, I need your mouth on me.”

  Oh my! Her face heated. Her woman’s place tingled. He had!

  “Then you shall have it,” Rowan answered with determination.

  Gloriana couldn’t stand not finding out what was happening inside the room. Heart racing, she carefully opened the door but an inch and peered around the edge. The startling sight in front of her nearly made her gasp. Thomas stood in front of the large wooden desk with Rowan kneeling at his feet. The strikingly handsome blond pulled Thomas’s braies down, freeing a long, hard cock that took her breath away. Good heavens! It would never fit inside her. Geoffrey had been considerably smaller. Stunned and impressed at the same time, she watched Rowan take hold of the shaft and lightly squeeze it. He didn’t seem at all repelled at touching the thick cock. She had felt only disgust when Geoffrey had forced her to take his much smaller rod in her hand. It had barely grown from the squishy limp state, which had angered him. He’d made her suffer because she’d failed him…or so he’d told her each time.

  As she watched Rowan continue stroking Thomas’s shaft, it appeared to grow even larger, even harder. Then he bent forward and trailed the tip of his tongue over the top, and then around the head. Heavens, the rod looked even bigger! No, it would never fit inside her. Yet she felt a rush of desire spreading through her.

  Her glance shifted from Rowan’s actions to Thomas’s face. His hands were braced on the desk and gripping it tightly. His face contorted as if in pain. Was Rowan actually hurting him? Should she intervene? Her heart raced in concern.

  “Don’t tease me,” Thomas said on a groan. “I need… I need…”

  Rowan pulled his mouth away and looked up at his friend. “I know what you need. Be patient a bit longer.” Thomas gave a low growl as Rowan again leaned down and slowly swirled his tongue around the cockhead for at least another minute. Thomas appeared to be grinding his teeth together, gripping the desk so hard his knuckles turned white. Gloriana couldn’t stop watching.

  She’d never known men would do this. She should probably be sickened by the idea, but she wasn’t. Her body was reacting as well. Her breasts ached. Warmth settled between her legs and she felt beads of moisture forming there. She had an almost overpowering urge to reach under her skirts and dance her fingers over her lower lips. She’d once done such a wicked thing when she’d lain in bed one night recalling what a maid had talked about that day without knowing she’d been listening. It had been something very naughty one of the soldiers had done to her. Even now just at the thought of it…

  “Do it!” Thomas snarled, pulling her from her heated musings. “Suck me. Now!”

  Her thoughts scattered and she peeked around the door again. Thomas held the back of Rowan’s head and pressed him down until his mouth opened over the cockhead. Was he going to put that sizeable cock in his mouth? How? Would it really fit? She couldn’t imagine being able to open her mouth that far.

  Her heart pounded while she watched Rowan take the length into his mouth, at least several inches deep. At the same time, he cupped Thomas’s balls and fondled them. Geoffrey had never allowed her anywhere near that odd little sac beneath his cock. What did it feel like? Her curiosity was running amuck and she absolutely could not look away.

  Thomas groaned and arched upward, forcing Rowan’s mouth to take even more of that length. And, amazingly, Rowan did. Good heavens! There had to be at least five or six inches in his mouth! She opened her mouth; certain such a thing was not possible for her.

  Her face flamed again. What was she thinking? This was all so far beyond anything she understood. Walk away! This is not something I should be observing. It’s private. Wrong, not natural. But that notion didn’t feel right, either. They were not hurting anyone by doing this. And it certainly didn’t bother her…other than to play havoc with her own body’s new desires. She ached like she’d never ached before. She wanted to be touched, to touch as well.

  Thomas groaned again and drew her attention. He still held Rowan’s head and now his eyes were tightly closed. His powerful chest ros
e and fell beneath the tunic he wore. With each second that passed, he appeared to suffer more pain. Again she worried about him.

  Merciless, Rowan sucked and pulled at Thomas’s cock. He moaned, too, although he didn’t sound as if he were in pain. No, it was a pleasurable sound. He massaged Thomas’s precious balls, the caresses seeming almost gentle. He moved his mouth up and down the shaft, faster and faster, slower, then faster again. Her heart raced faster and faster as well.

  Within seconds, both men were moaning, straining, panting. Both looked to be in some kind of pain. She really should step inside the room and… And what? She had no experience with this.

  Finally Thomas stiffened, seemed to not even breathe. Then, as Rowan sucked even harder on his cock, Thomas groaned out in near anguish, “Oh God! Oh God!” He collapsed against the desk, his chest heaving as he sucked in air.

  She felt slightly lightheaded herself after all she’d seen, after her own strange feelings of arousal.

  While she tried to calm her breathing, she watched Rowan’s throat work as he swallowed the juices that had flowed into his mouth. At last he sat back on his heels and sighed in contentment.

  “Better?” Rowan asked, looking up at Thomas.

  Thomas gave a nod. “Aye. Tis what I needed. For now.”

  For now? Gloriana stood quivering, amazed, intrigued. She couldn’t imagine what else they might do. Or had Thomas meant they would do this same thing again? Or would he go to his knees before Rowan and suck on his first knight’s cock? Would Rowan’s cock be as large as Thomas’s? As small as Geoffrey’s? No, she doubted that. Still, she would very much like to see Rowan’s cock. Which, of course, was wrong of her.

  Before she could think more about the matter, she heard heavy footsteps on the stairs. Someone was coming! Panicked at having anyone else catch Rowan and Thomas in such an intimate state, she shoved the door open, strode inside, and shoved the door closed behind her.

  As both men looked up in shock, one still on his knees and the other with his braies shoved down to his knees, she waved her hands frantically at them. “Get up, Rowan! Pull up your braies, Thomas! Someone is headed in this direction!”

  Rowan got to his feet and gave her a crooked smile. “You saw us, didn’t you? Naughty, naughty.” He chuckled and moved to sit in a chair a couple of feet away. “God’s teeth, the idea makes me damn hard.”

  Gloriana glowered at him, ignored the way her face flamed. “Stop that!”

  Then she focused on Thomas, who was pulling up his braies and straightening his tunic. “We can talk about this later,” she said. She had a number of questions. Well, mayhap she couldn’t ask them, shouldn’t ask them.

  Thomas cocked a thick, dark eyebrow. “You are not alarmed by what you witnessed?” he asked cautiously.

  Footsteps grew closer. “This really isn’t the time to discuss the matter,” she hissed, glancing anxiously at the closed door. She was relieved that both men were now dressed.

  “Gloriana,” he pressed. His expression was serious, worried. With a huff of disgust, she said, “No. I wasn’t.” Rowan grinned. “Tis quite a woman you’ve lucked onto, my friend.” Thomas glowered at him, and then held her gaze for a second. He still looked worried.

  Deciding it was best to get away from them right now and think about what she’d observed, Gloriana turned back to the door and opened it. Sir Gerald stood there with one of her soldiers, who was about to knock and looked startled as she pulled the door open. She motioned them into the room and hurried out.

  ***

  The chapel was filled from wall to wall with people, which Thomas knew was out of the ordinary. Usually only the priest, groom and his escorts, the bride and her maidens would be there for the ceremony. All others of the castle would wait for the celebration in the great hall. Yet today was the exception. Villagers, servants, and Middlemound soldiers he hadn’t yet met, along with his soldiers from Montrose, took up every seat on the few benches and stood packed shoulder-to-shoulder behind the benches and around the sides of the small space. He’d been surprised when he’d walked in with Rowan, who would serve as his only escort. He’d been waiting anxiously for a good half hour for his bride to appear. His nerves were getting more frayed by the second. And he was sweating beneath his tunic both from the situation and from the heat. No doubt he wasn’t alone in feeling misery at the heat of the day.

  “She’ll be along soon,” Rowan reassured him, just as he’d tried to do every few minutes.

  Thomas started to give him a frown when they heard a commotion outside. The conversations around the room stopped. Every head turned in the direction of the chapel’s door. His stomach tightened. He hadn’t seen or spoken to Gloriana since the odd encounter in the solar yesterday afternoon. He’d had duties to attend to, matters to settle with several of the villagers. She’d been busy with the preparations for the feast today, and then she’d retired to her bedchamber before he showed up in the hall for a late sup. He’d worried about what she’d seen between him and Rowan. He’d wondered if she would speak of it to one of her men; to Sir Gerald, who seemed to be her great protector. He’d almost expected to be rousted from his bed in the middle of the night and …

  Marie, the maid Rowan had mentioned that he favored and, apparently, a friend of Gloriana, stepped into the doorway. Long, dark hair fell past her shoulders and brown eyes danced with spirit as she looked in his direction. Then she spotted Rowan and blushed before smiling. She started walking toward the front, but Thomas gave her little additional notice. Gloriana stepped into the doorway on the arm of Sir Gerald, who studied Thomas with narrowed eyes. He clearly had to earn this seasoned soldier’s trust, especially with his lady. Although not used to having to prove himself to anyone, Thomas found that he admired the man. And then he forgot the man.

  Gloriana in a green gown that hugged her body from the low neckline to her slender waist before flowing easily around her legs took his breath away. He actually sucked in a breath and nearly forgot to breathe again. Dear God, she’s beautiful! With each step she took in his direction, her waist-length blonde hair swayed behind her and her breasts bounced and demanded his attention. In fact, there wasn’t an inch of her that didn’t call to him.

  “Easy, man,” Rowan cautioned in a whisper, that sounded amused. “You cannot grab her and take her to the floor here in front of all and God.” He chuckled. “Tempting as that might be.”

  “Almost beyond tempting,” Thomas muttered. He glanced at his friend, wondering about the hint of envy in Rowan’s tone. Yet it was more sympathy than anger he felt. Although Rowan might be interested in Gloriana, Thomas was the man who would be marrying her.

  The first part of the ceremony passed by in a blur. Thomas got through the priest blessing him as the groom. He half-listened to the older man introducing him and Gloriana to those in attendance as a couple to be married by God’s law. And he heard the priest begin the wedding challenge. It was at this point that Thomas came out of his daze and hesitated. Was this what he really wanted to do? Did he have a choice? Should she have a choice rather than being forced to marry him?

  Clearing his throat, the priest repeated the question to him. “Thomas Lancaster, Lord of Montrose and of Middlemound, wilt thou have this woman to be thy wedded wife, to live together after God’s ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony?”

  “I will.”

  The priest heaved a sigh of relief. “Wilt thou love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health and, forsaking all others, keep thee only unto her, so long as ye both shall live?” Again Thomas hesitated. He would not take a mistress, not seek another woman’s bed. But what of Rowan? He…

  To his surprise, Gloriana gently touched his arm, her glance taking in Rowan as her cheeks grew pink. “Have no worries, Thomas,” she said in a near whisper.

  The priest’s brow furrowed in confusion, but Thomas felt certain that he understood what she was telling him. He gave her a tender nod of approval, of thanks. Rowan was right,
he was indeed lucky to be marrying such a woman.

  “I will,” he boldly stated.

  After that, Gloriana went through her responses to the challenge questions, not even hesitating, although he had held his breath in anticipation of her refusing him. When the ordeal was finally over, he smiled. His smile was so big in his relief that his cheeks actually ached from the strangeness of it.

  She blinked at him in surprise, and then gave him a tentative smile in return.

  ***

  “Tis time, my lady,” Thomas said as he put a hand to Gloriana’s back and nudged her away from where she’d stood watching the people celebrate their marriage.

  “As you wish.” She spoke the words quietly, hoping he didn’t hear the anxiety she felt. Her heart raced at his touch, at the deep timbre of his voice. She’d spent last night replaying what she’d seen in the solar, how she’d felt about it, more curious than anything else.

  “Do not fear me, little one.”

  She noticed that his expression was earnest. His eyes darkened with heat. Desire? For her? She’d worried that if he had such strong feelings— as was obvious—for a man, in particular Rowan, could he have any for a woman, for her? Clearly, he could. She liked that idea. Yet she was reluctant to go upstairs to their bedchamber with him. She stopped him at the foot of the stairs and looked up at him, her stomach clenching. “Tis not you specifically I fear.” She couldn’t meet his eyes. “Tis the marriage bed.” She swallowed hard, fighting back tears of shame. “Tis failing as a wife. Again.”

  He cursed, drawing the attention of a handful of people nearby. One of them Gerald.

  Gerald immediately approached them, back rigid, determination etched on his time-lined face. “Have you need of me, my lady?”

  She watched the two men share a look of frustration. Gerald’s brow was furrowed, his eyes squinted tight. She knew he would defend her to the death and, in spite of knowing Thomas’s reputation as a good and fair leader of men, he didn’t trust the younger man yet. And Thomas’s expression was tense, his jaw clenched, his posture stiff. He didn’t like being challenged.