Page 9 of Seduced By the Squire (Diamonds in the Rough #1)

They set off early the next morning as planned, a company of six riders. Having refused to take a lady in waiting with her for such a short journey, Llinos was the only woman in the group.

When she saw Duncan mounted on a prancing grey stallion she consciously averted her gaze, knowing she would never be able to hide her admiration and betray her interest in him. He was magnificent on his own. Atop the mighty animal, he presented an image of such splendour that her mind could barely apprehend it.

This man was her lover, all six foot four of muscles and masculine intent of him. The notion was bewildering and she suspected he would take objection to being called thus but, regardless, that was what he was. They met in secret, they were not married, and they had slept together more than once. For all intents and purposes, they were lovers. It was wrong on so many levels and yet… yet it felt so right. Just like it felt right when he was inside her, gifting her with the part of her she hadn’t known was mi ssing until then.

Her womanhood quivered at the memory of their wild afternoon together. What wouldn’t she give to steer her mount towards the cottage right now! This time she would not let Duncan dictate her every action, she would come up with some ideas of her own… Last night, as she’d lain dozing off in bed, her mind had presented her with all sorts of alternatives to what they had done, each more scandalous than the last and she was desperate to see whether she could —

“Let’s ride!” Lord Masterson’s order cut through her licentious thoughts.

Llinos nudged her mare into a walk, when she was really itching for a gallop. How apt. All her life she had been forced to play the demure female and keep her more reckless urges on a tight leash. Of late it had become more and more difficult to be satisfied with the role she was supposed to play. And then, out of the blue, she’d met someone who’d severed the restrictive leash restraining her with one uncompromising swoop of his arm.

There would be no going back.

In the same way that she would never be a virgin again, she would never be the meek damsel she was supposed to be anymore. Her mind had been as irremediably changed by her meeting with Duncan as her body had been altered. He’d possessed her – in every sense of the word. How long she would be able to keep up with the pretence and hide the transformation was anyone’s guess…

The company of riders soon exited the village and reached open terrain. When Lord Masterson launched his mount into a canter Llinos laughed and, allowing the devil whispering into her ear to sway her for once, kicked her mare into a full gallop instead. Let him remonstrate with her later if he wanted, she needed this. She needed to feel the powerful surge between her legs, the wind in her hair, she needed not to think and just… be.

She threw herself into the fray with as much relish as if demons were yapping at her heels.

All too soon she heard a call behind her.

“Lady Llinos!”

There. Her moment of folly, short as it had been, was about to be brought to an end.

She slowed her horse back down to a trot and turned to face the rider drawing up to her side. Lord Masterson, inevitably.

“What happened? Did you lose control of your mount?”

Llinos almost rolled her eyes. Of course he would assume that. Heaven forbid she had actually meant, never mind wanted to do something exhilarating! And of course she could not possess the skill needed to control her horse… Really, were men all so predictably condescending? No, not all of them, she decided. Scottish squires were a lot less patronising than English lords, it seemed. She was starting to think that being with such a man was the only way she would be able to lead a satisfactory life.

“No, of course I did not lose control of my mount,” she said, the picture of innocence. “I fancied a gallop and I assumed you would all be able to follow. I’m sorry if it wasn’t the case.”

There. She too could be condescending. Lord Masterson’s grimace made it clear he had not expected this answer and he did not find it to his tastes.

“I can follow any woman, my lady, be it on horse or on foot,” he said crisply. “But I have no wish to tell Sir Benedict you got injured whilst under my care.”

She could not help a smirk. So he was guarding her physical integrity as well as her virtue… What next? Would he spoon feed her to make sure she did not choke on her food? Would he help her put on her headdress in case she accidentally stabbed herself with a pin? It would be a busy few weeks at this rate…

“Don’t worry. When Sir Benedict comes back, he will not see any broken bones on my person. ”

No. All the damage to her body would be on the inside. She afforded a smile. Just then the rest of the men joined them. Duncan’s face was as impassive as usual but his eyes sent sparks. He, at least, had understood that her galloping away had been no accident.

“Well then, I didn’t want to suggest it out of consideration for Lady Llinos but if she’s not opposed to a hard ride, we might actually be able to reach my mother’s castle before nightfall.” Lord Masterson looked pleased as he turned to face her. “Are you up to the challenge, my lady?”

Llinos bit the inside of her mouth to stop her smile from bursting through. “Oh, absolutely. I’m always up for a hard ride.”

She was careful not to look at Duncan when she spoke the provocative words. She was certain his eyes had caught fire. Perhaps even his body. Hers certainly had.

“Let’s go then!”

In the end it was a blessing that Cwtch had not been persuaded to follow the retinue. She would not have been able to indulge her urge to gallop if he’d been trying to run alongside them. But because he wasn’t with them, she was free to go as fast as her mare could manage. And it was exhilarating.

They reached Lady Mary’s castle under a purple sky dotted with diamonds .

As soon as they dismounted a grey-haired woman approached Lord Masterson. “Son, you are right welcome but this is a surprise. I did not expect you to arrive so early.”

“No. In the end we made good time. But we are famished and thirsty.”

Lady Mary caught a glimpse of Llinos by his side and grimaced. “Oh, you poor dear! Don’t tell me the men made you ride like a warrior on campaign so you could reach the castle before nightfall?” She sounded horrified at the idea.

Llinos laughed. “No. It was not as bad as that. But I confess I will be glad of a rest.”

“Of course. Come here, I will have everything ready for you in a moment.”

Fussing like a mother hen, she ushered her and Lord Masterson into the great hall. To Llinos’ dismay, Duncan and the other men were left behind in the bailey. No one spared them a glance or asked if there was anything they needed.

“Forgive me, but I daresay our companions will be just as hungry and thirsty as we are,” she could not help but say.

“Companions?” Lady Mary swivelled around in alarm. “Did you bring guests?”

Her son placed a soothing hand on her arm. “Lady Llinos is talking about the guards accompanying us, nothing more. Worry not,” he added, turning to face Llinos. “They will be given what they need at the stables. The grooms will see to it.”

She had to be content with this. She followed Lord Masterson and Lady Mary to the great hall when she wanted to be with Duncan. After a lavish but somewhat bland meal and some taxing conversation she pretexted the need to retrieve an item from her saddle bag to go to the stables and make sure Duncan and the others were comfortably settled.

“Come to see yer mongrel has everything he needs, have ye?”

The deep, gravelly voice sent a shiver down her spine. “You know very well I did not bring Cwtch with me.”

“Aye, I do. So what are ye doing here?”

She looked at Duncan from under her lashes. “I’ve come to see if you have everything you need.”

*

Did he have everything he needed, Duncan wondered? No.

Should the lady worry about it instead of enjoying their host’s hospitality? Definitely not.

Could she provide him with what he was missing? Aye, but not here, not now .

“Lass. Ye cannot stay here,” he said, not knowing whether to march her out or drag her into an empty stable and show her exactly what he needed right now. “The lads and I will be just fine. Go back to yer bedchamber. Ye must be exhausted after that hard ride.”

The look she sent him reduced his loins to cinders. “I am tired. But I’m not sure I’ll be able to sleep. I might well be ready for some more… riding.”

He barely contained a growl. Jesu, the lass would be the death of him! What was she doing, coming to tempt him when he was at snapping point? Here she was, with a devilish glint in her eyes and lewd propositions on her lips. Why could she not have remained the innocent little fool he’d taken her for? He would have had no problem sending that woman to Hell.

“Go!” he snapped. “I don’t want to see ye. Ye have nothing to do here. Go back to people who want ye.”

Deeply shocked by his outburst, Llinos turned around without a word and fled, leaving him feeling like the bastard he was – and hollow inside.

The company set off early the following day to make the most of the cool air. Duncan could tell from the shadows under Llinos’ eyes that she had not slept any better than he had though, unlike him, she would have lain on a comfortable mattress in Lady Mary’s best chamber. He remembered how she had fallen asleep in the cottage on the floor with barely a smattering of straw and a thin blanket thrown over it once he’d wrung the last drop of strength from her body.

Duncan cursed inwardly. He had to stop torturing himself thus, and remember who they really were. Not lovers but a lady and a nobody.

The day went by with excruciating slowness. In deference to Lady Mary, they rode at a sedate pace and not once was he afforded a glimpse of Llinos. She was riding in the middle of the group and predictably, he had been sent to the head of the retinue to keep guard.

As a result his mood was foul when they reached the inn where they were to spend the night. After a quick meal of bread and cheese, he collapsed onto the pallet and was asleep within moments. In the morning he was pleased to see that Llinos appeared more rested. Just like him, she would have surrendered to sheer exhaustion after a sleepless night and a sluggish day.

“My mother wishes to be at Pitcairn Castle before nightfall,” Lord Masterson declared as soon as they had broken their fast.

Everyone nodded, understanding it meant they had to leave without delay, as Lady Mary would never be able – or indeed willing – to gallop like Llinos had on the outward journey. Duncan afforded a smile. Aye, his lady was like no other he knew.

His lady .

The thought stopped him on his tracks. Since when did he think of her as his? This was getting silly – and potentially dangerous. Hadn’t he decided only the day before he should remember who they were?

“All right, MacQuarrie?” Davies landed a heavy hand on his shoulder. “You heard his lordship. We ride.”

“Thank you,” Duncan snarled. “I’m not deaf!”

“Well then, why have you suddenly morphed into a statue?”

“It’s none of your business and I’m not such a statue that I could not pummel you to the ground. Now, stop your blabbering and go get the horses ready!”