Page 3 of Seduced By the Squire (Diamonds in the Rough #1)

“Have a drink, Lady Llinos, in this heat it will do you good.”

“Thank you.”

Llinos accepted the cup Lady Janet was handing out to her. It was a scorching hot day, and the ladies had elected to go to the lake at the foot of the hill in search of much needed coolness. She brought the cup to her lips. Just then a fish jumped out to the lake and fell back in the water with a splash. Lady Janet screamed and stumbled against her.

“Oh!” she cried out, staring at the wine-stained dress in horror. “Forgive me, the fish… It gave me a fright.”

“Don’t worry about it.” Llinos reassured the woman but in truth, she was soaked and the smell of alcohol was quickly becoming overpowering. Even though they had only just arrived she would have to go back to the castle and change. It was a dispiriting thought. The last thing she wanted was to climb all the way back up under the glaring sun .

“Wait!” Lady Janet said before she could move. “I saw the laundresses bring a load of washing out this morning. They will have left the garments to dry in the meadow just behind the bushes. With luck we will find something suitable for you to change into so you don’t need to go all the way back to the castle.”

She left before anyone else could speak and came back a moment later holding a gown and a shift.

“Here! These are less refined than your usual clothes but they should fit you just fine. I also took this rag for you to wash yourself with before you get into the clean dress. I hope it will suit.”

The woman looked so relieved to be able to make up for her clumsiness that Llinos did not have the heart to refuse. Besides, she did like the idea of getting out of the wet, smelly gown and allowing the breeze to cool her heated skin, if just for a moment. Not to mention than the simple dress would be more comfortable in this heat than her refined, but highly restrictive gown.

She smiled to Lady Janet.

“My thanks. I will go get changed over there behind the reeds. When I come back you might help me adjust the gown.”

“Of course. And we will keep guard, never fear.”

*

A rustle in the reeds ahead caught Duncan’s attention.

Before taking his next breath he unsheathed the dirk he kept hidden in his sleeve, trusting the familiar weapon more than the sword buckled around his waist. Silently, he crept forwards, ready to pounce if this turned out to be one of the outlaws Lord Masterson and his neighbour were worried about. It wasn’t.

It was the most shockingly beautiful woman he had ever seen.

Stark naked.

He froze, as his brain refused to comprehend what he was seeing. Lady Llinos was completely naked. Right here, in front of him. Why was she naked? Did it matter? What was he to do? Should he even do anything? She was naked. Perhaps she had taken a dip in the lake to cool down. And now she was naked, presenting her delicate back and luscious arse to him.

She was naked. It was all he could think of. She was naked. The phrase kept playing in his mind over and over again.

Unaware she was being watched, she bent down to dip a piece of cloth into the water and wrung it dry. Holy Mary mother of God. The blood in Duncan’s veins rushed to his groin with dizzying speed when the movement afforded him a glimpse of the pink treasure hiding between her legs. In less time than it took her to squeeze the water from the piece of material he was as hard as the dirk in his hand. How could he not be? The woman was temptation personified. In that position the curve of her arse was nothing short of scandalous and he could picture himself doing all sorts of equally scandalous things to it.

And then she turned around and started to rub her breasts and stomach with the cloth. All the air left his lungs. Possibly because of the coolness of the water her nipples puckered, tightening into little rose buds as he watched. What he wouldn’t give to warm them with his kisses! Her whole chest was dusted with freckles, and it occurred to Duncan that he would never look at a woman’s fair, unblemished skin again without thinking that something was missing. The little dots were like the stars peppering the skies at night and just as mesmerising.

Once she was done she lifted the riot of copper curls off her wet shoulders, shook her head and then let her hair cascade back down her back, arching her spine as she did it, causing her breasts to jut forwards and her stomach to tense up.

God’s teeth, she was glorious – and he was about to expire from unfulfilled need .

It had been two days since that moment on the battlements when he had held her trapped into his embrace and he had been battling with the desire raging in his body ever since.

Before he could think, his hand went to his straining hardness. He had no choice but to try and ease the discomfort. He was so hard it was painful. It would not take him long to explode anyway. The mere friction of his hose as he untied the laces might well make him burst like a lad of sixteen in front of his first conquest.

Just then Llinos bent again to retrieve her shift. No! The last thing he wanted was for her to cover her glorious body now!

He must have made a sound, possibly even growled his disapproval because she suddenly stilled and brought an arm up to cover her breasts. Her left hand flew to her womanhood and she hid the triangle of fiery curls as best she could. Her eyes darted around, searching for a possible intruder about to jump on her. He hated himself for having frightened her in such a vulnerable moment. The best way to put an end to her fear would be to step forwards and show her that it was only him.

Duncan thought better of that idea when he glanced at the erection tenting his hose. It showed no sign of flagging and, supposing she didn’t take fright from it, she would take him for a shameful voyeur, hiding in the bushes to get a glimpse of her naked form and stroking himself while he watched her.

He shouldn’t give a fig about what she thought of him, but damn it all, he did. He did not want her to think him so base or worse, change her mind and go to someone else to put her mad plan to execution. As he debated on the best course of action, she shrugged the shift over her head and quickly donned a white linen gown. Once she was covered she took hold of another dress and hastened away. A moment later a chorus of female voices heralded her arrival in the meadow.

He frowned, all licentious thoughts forgotten. Were the ladies alone in the forest while outlaws were roaming about?

He stole a glance in the clearing to make sure. Three women, three children, and Llinos.

Not a man in sight.

His body having finally accepted that it would not get any relief this day, he strode forwards. If there truly were outlaws in these woods then he could not leave while the women were alone. Had no one warned them not to venture out of the castle unescorted? Not only that but the foolish Welsh lady evidently thought nothing of getting undressed and washing herself for all to see !

It was madness.

“Mr MacQuarrie!”

A woman, whom he seemed to remember as Lady Janet, ran to him as if he were her saviour.

“My lady.” He bowed, doing his best not to look at Llinos, even if she had her back to him. One of the ladies was finishing lacing the back of her dress while she braided her hair with swift, efficient gestures. His cock gave a twitch in remembrance of what was hidden under the clothes.

“How propitious it is to see you!”

“Is it?” His eyes instantly darted to the undergrowth. Had they seen anything suspicious? Was he about to see a dozen men jump on them? He was on his own, and only armed with a dirk and a sword he could barely use. The fight would be a quick one.

“The children have been gathering apples and I’m afraid I won’t be able to carry the basket on my own. If you could help…”

He arched a brow in disbelief. He had been bracing himself to defend the women against an attack all by himself and he was being told he was needed to carry apples?

“Of course,” he said more tersely than he intended. His erection had subsided but that did not mean his mood had improved. Frustrated desire was still buzzing in his veins and being used as a packhorse was not helping.

“Mr MacQuarrie, could you reach up to this branch and untangle my ribbon? I can’t get to it and you’re so tall!”

Oh, so now he was tall as well as strong! What next? He was handsome? Charming? He smelled good? He barely repressed a sigh of annoyance. Could women be more predictable? Didn’t they know he could see through their feeble ploys to attract his attention? Ten to one the woman had thrown the ribbon in the tree herself when she’d seen him walk in into the clearing, for how else would it have got caught up in the branches?

You just wish to fuck me.

Yes.

The words exploded through his mind. Unlike these simpering ladies, Lady Llinos had not shied away from what she wanted. Instead of coyly praising his physical attributes she had simply gone to him and made clear what she wanted. His respect for her begrudgingly increased.

He blinked. Respect! He did not respect her, he desired her because he was a man and she a beautiful woman, nothing more! He could not respect a woman who thought to use him because he was a nobody, even if she was honest about it !

He hid his irritation as best as he could and did as he was asked, keeping his eyes carefully averted from the Welsh temptress.

As soon as he handed the ribbon to the effusive woman the third one jumped on him. “If you wouldn’t mind…”

Jesu, how long would this masquerade last? At least Llinos was ignoring him, she was not pretending to have a bug entangled in her hair or claiming to need his assistance in lacing her shoe. She didn’t want anything from him. Well. Except from one thing.

You just wish to fuck me.

Yes.

Would that conversation plague him for the rest of his life? Would the image of her naked body be branded in his mind forever? Probably.

Barely containing a groan of longing, he set about helping the women assemble their belongings.

As they all made their way back to Pitcairn Castle laden with apples, Duncan manoeuvred to find himself next to Llinos. He only did so because he didn’t want to endure Lady Janet’s inane prattle or her friends’ fawning, he assured himself, not because he sought her company.

This morning she looked different. The dress she was wearing made her seem younger, more approachable somehow. The distance between them was not erased but didn’t seem quite so unsurmountable.

“Ye dinnae have anything to ask me?” he asked her quietly. It surprised him to hear his accent come out naturally. Only with her did he seem comfortable using it. Perhaps because she was not English either.

“What do you mean?”

“Weel, so far I’ve been asked to carry apples, catch a ribbon in a tree and remove a pebble from a child’s shoe. So is there anything ye want me to do?”

She almost tripped on a root, proving she had understood the real question in his mind and he braced himself for her answer. Would she be honest?

“Yes, there is. But you already know about it,” she murmured. “And you have accepted. There nothing else I need from you.”

Oh, she had been honest – and the answer knocked the air out of his lungs.

There is nothing else I need from you.

Well, that was clear enough. He was good to fuck, but nothing more. She was not different today, not more approachable. She was the same haughty lady, dressed in commoners’ clothes, that was all. It did not change who she was, in the same way that swapping his plaid for English breeks had not make him less of a Scot.

Duncan gritted his teeth.

*

She had angered him. Llinos’ heart sank at the thought. Why oh why did she have to go and say she didn’t need anything from him except for… that ? How had she not thought of how offensive that would sound? She had merely meant to distance herself from the women fawning over him on the flimsiest of pretence but she had ended up sounding as if the only thing she considered him good for was a romp between the sheets.

She didn’t, even if she was certain he would be good at it.

To hide her embarrassment, she selected an apple from the basket he was carrying and bit into it. Sweetness exploded into her mouth. Oh, that was good!

While she chewed on, a drop of juice escaped from the corner of her lips. As she caught it with her thumb, awareness prickled her skin. She was certain Duncan would be watching – and imagining her tongue licking something other than apple juice.

She lowered her gaze to the floor.

It seemed that he had already robbed her of her naivety, even if he had not yet taken her innocence. Perhaps that was a good thing. That way she might not be taken unawares again by the likes of Sir Huw.

“Can I have an apple, my lady?”

At first she did not understand how the tall, brooding Scot could talk with such a high-pitched voice. Then she glanced to her right and saw Pip, one of the little girls, with her hands in front of her in supplication. Of course. She had been the one asking for an apple, not Duncan! There were other people with them, Llinos reminded herself sternly, even if she had forgotten all about them…

“There you are, darling,” she said, picking up an apple from the basket.

“Thank you.”

By the time they reached the castle it was clear that Duncan was in a black mood and eager to leave the company of bothersome women. He deposited the basket of apples in the middle of the bailey and turned towards the stables.

“One last thing, ladies” he said, his voice clipped, speaking over his shoulder. “Do not venture out unescorted in the woods again. ‘Tis not safe. Lord Masterson has heard reports of outlaws roaming the land.”

Lady Janet’s hand flew to her mouth while the other two ladies inhaled in shock. Llinos did not move a muscle. She had known about the outlaws but, perhaps stupidly, she had not thought they would dare venture so close to the castle. It seemed she had much to learn, in more than one domain.

And she was more convinced than ever that Duncan was the man to teach her.