Page 38 of Wolfehound (De Wolfe Pack Generations #11)

The girls burst into laughter as Jordan shook her head reproachfully.

“That was probably true,” she said, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

“But in the end, love and respect are the only things that’ll make a man stay.

Always treat Liam with love and respect, and if he’s any kind of a man at all, he’ll give it in return. ”

“He’s like his father,” Annaleigh said, still over by the dress. “He’s a good man.”

Cambria looked over her shoulder at her future mother-in-law. “Are you saying he’s never even looked at another woman all of these years?” she said. “There are many years between us. When I was a child, he was already a man. What about then?”

Annaleigh passed a glance to Jordan. Because Liam had spent years at Castle Questing, Jordan’s home, they both knew that he’d had his share of women when he was a young and virile man, mostly because for the first several years of his betrothal to Cambria, he was just coming into manhood.

One young woman in particular had been the daughter of a de Wolfe ally that Liam had met at a feast, so Jordan knew of at least one encounter, because nineteen-year-old Liam had a tryst in the loft over the stables.

He was only discovered when part of the wooden floor of the loft collapsed under their weight and he ended up, naked from the waist down, in a stall.

He’d broken a wrist in the fall, and shattered his pride, but William had covered for him to the woman’s father.

Being the father of many sons, William understood randy young men better than most.

But neither Annaleigh nor Jordan were going to mention that to Cambria. She had only been five years of age at the time of the event, but still, she wouldn’t want to hear of her betrothed cavorting with another woman. Not today.

It wasn’t their business, anyway.

“I dunna know much about that time,” Annaleigh finally said. “He was fostering at Castle Questing.”

Cambria looked at Jordan, who put up a hand to silence her question before she asked it. “I was not in charge of the squires or the pages,” she said. “That was my husband, so I canna tell ye any tales. Ye’ll have tae ask yer husband someday.”

Before Cambria could answer, the dog suddenly rolled over and sneezed, loudly. Jordan was the closest, trying to dodge the flying dog mucus.

“’Tis a big dog, lass,” she said, gingerly brushing off her arm. “He must be good protection if ye allow him inside.”

Cambria was smiling at the mutt. “He’s very sweet,” she said. “He is Liam’s shadow. I love having him near me because it is almost like having Liam with me.”

“Are ye calling my son a dog?” Annaleigh said, eyebrow cocked.

The women burst into laughter, Cambria included. Annaleigh had meant it in jest and they took it that way. Before Cambria could reply, there was a knock at the door. Caria was the closest and she stood up, opening the panel to see a serving wench standing there.

“What is it?” Caria asked.

The serving woman was young, the daughter of the cook. She caught sight of Cambria and spoke directly to her.

“Sir Liam has sent for you, m’lady,” she said. “He asks that you meet him down in your father’s solar.”

Cambria didn’t even hesitate. He leapt up from the floor, calling for the dog as she went.

Bran went from dozing to wide awake in an instant, leaping off the bed and stepping on Jordan’s feet in the process.

As she lifted her stinging toes, the dog charged past Cambria, nearly bowling her over, as they both rushed for the stairs.

Down they went to the man they loved best.

Cambria burst into the solar with the dog on her heels.

Liam was already there, and he opened his arms for Cambria but the dog beat her to it.

He jumped up on Liam, his long tongue licking at his face, as Liam briefly petted the dog’s big head before pushing him down.

Cambria had to shove the dog aside to get to Liam.

“I am not sure who is more excited to see you,” she said, grinning, as he took her in his arms. “Bran seems to compete with me in that regard.”

He chuckled. “That is the only regard,” he assured her, but his smile soon faded. “How are you, my love? I’ve not seen you in a couple of hours and I am desolate because of it.”

Her smile broadened as she gave in to his strong arms. “I am overwhelmed with female attention,” she said. “Your mother, my mother, Lady Warenton, and Caria de Wolfe. Do not misunderstand—it is lovely to have them here, but I am unused to such companionship.”

He pulled her close. “Caria is a sweet girl,” he said. “I knew her when I served at Castle Questing. She is very friendly and I’m glad that Warenton brought her. I should like for you to become friends with her.”

“Why?”

“Because you do not have any female friends that I know of,” he said. “You never went to foster, and when you go to church, your mother never leaves your side, so I know it has been difficult for you to make friends.”

Cambria shrugged. “It used to bother me,” she conceded.

“But as the years went on, I had my puppies and that took up a good deal of my time. I did not have much time for friends or feasts. But I will admit that as a young girl, I used to grow very frustrated that we did not seek the company of allies or friends on a regular basis.”

“But you understand why now,” he said. “It was to keep you hidden as much as possible without actually putting you in a vault and keeping you there, simply for your own safety.”

She nodded. “I know,” she said. “That is the problem with a secret like that. You are never sure if anyone else knows because people cannot be trusted. Someone always sees something.”

He nodded. “And that is what we must discuss,” he said. “It seems that we have a problem.”

“What problem?”

He released her from his embrace and led her over to a pair of chairs that were placed next to the hearth. They were carved oak, with big cushions on them made out of blue silk. He sat her in one while he took the other, facing her.

“You remember Colm de Lara, don’t you?” he said. “The man who served your father?”

Cambria nodded. “Of course I do,” she said. “What about him?”

Liam took a deep breath, seemingly thoughtful for a moment before continuing.

“The only way to explain this to you is to get straight to the point,” he said.

“Colm de Lara knew your secret. He was here when everything was planned and executed. The man evidently passed away recently, but before he did, he told a priest about you and what your father and William de Wolfe did. This priest told the Archbishop of Canterbury, who in turn told the king, and now we must be married immediately because I must take you to safety somewhere far away from Folkingham. They must not find you, Bria. You understand that.”

Cambria was horrified. “Colm?” she gasped. “He did not do that!”

“I am afraid that he did,” Liam said calmly. “We have confirmation. Therefore, you and I are to be married today, probably within the hour, and then we are heading north to Castle Questing. The Earl of Warenton is going to hide us for a while until this all fades away.”

Tears were starting to pool in her eyes. “Oh, Liam,” she wept. “This morning, I was simply an orphan with no past, but since then, I’ve become a fugitive from a king who wants to shove me in a priory and let me rot.”

She was wiping at her eyes furiously as he tried to comfort her. “I know it is overwhelming,” he said. “But you have been so brave, sweetheart. You only have to be brave a little longer.”

She was crying softly. “I’ll have to be brave for the rest of my life,” she said. “The king is going to know you married me. He is going to know and he is going to punish you and your father for this. This will never end!”

She was starting to ramble, and he left his chair, going down on his knees in front of her with the intention of taking her in his arms, but the moment he did so, the dog suddenly appeared and licked his face, licked Cambria’s face, and tried to insert himself between them.

Cambria had to cover her face with her hands because of the dog’s tongue as Liam pushed the animal away.

“He loves you,” he said gently. “As do I. We do not like to see you so sad.”

Cambria pulled her hands away from her face, though she was wiping tears from her cheeks. “Mayhap you should simply take me to the priory,” she said. “The king cannot get to me there and you would not be in trouble with him.”

“I am not in trouble with him,” Liam said. “Nor is my father. And if there is a woman at Sempringham Priory who bears your name, you are there. There will be no trouble at all.”

“Then why must we flee north, to Questing?”

This was the second part of the news he had to break to her. She was already frightened and he was loath to exacerbate that fear, but it couldn’t be helped. She had to know, and if he didn’t tell her now, she would find out sooner or later.

“Because Canterbury has sent a man north to check on the rumors,” he said.

“This man is a spy, so he is used to investigating things. The fear is that he might not be satisfied with the woman at the priory and come to Folkingham because he will know of the rumor that your father raised the true Welsh princess. When he comes, you must not be here.”

“Then why not simply hide me?” she said. “Why must we run?”

“Because it would be better if you were not here at all,” he said. “If there is a man hunting for you, I do not want him anywhere near you. More than that, you and I are to start our life together, and we may as well start it now.”

“But we are not married yet.”

“We will be before the day is out.”

Her tears were fading as she realized the very thing she’d been waiting for her entire life was here. It was finally going to happen, even if it was under duress.

She smiled timidly.

“And I shall be Lady Herringthorpe,” she said. “Do you know that I have practiced writing that name?”

He smiled in return, glad to see that she was no longer weeping and frightened. “I have been calling you that in my mind for a few years now,” he said. “Whenever I speak of you to my friends, I always refer to you as Lady Herringthorpe. And that reminds me that I brought something for you.”

“You did?” she said, excited. “What? Where is it?”

Bran came around again, with more licking and tail wagging, and Liam stood up so he’d be out of the line of doggy fire. “In my bags,” he said. “Those are in the wagons.”

“Where are the wagons?”

He shook his head. “I am not certain,” he said. “But I can find them and retrieve the gift forthwith.”

She stood up. “Let me come with you.”

Liam shook his head. “Nay,” he said. “You remain here. I do not want you out of this keep until we can be married and depart for the north.”

She frowned. “You would keep me like a prisoner?”

“I would keep you safe,” he said, pinching her chin gently and depositing a kiss on her forehead. “Remain here and I will return shortly.”

He turned away, but her soft voice stopped him. “Is that all you intend to do when you leave me?”

He looked at her. “What do you mean?”

She pointed to her forehead. “You only intend to kiss me here?”

A wolfish grin creased his lips. “Where do you want me to kiss you, lass?”

He said it seductively and she flushed a bright pink, but she was grinning. “There are better places to kiss the woman you love.”

He laughed low in his throat, but he didn’t have to be told twice.

He went to her, wrapped her up in his big arms, and kissed her squarely on the lips.

He’d only kissed her this way a couple of times because someone was always around and he was terrified they’d be caught, so his kisses had been to hands or foreheads.

But now… now, they were alone and he would take advantage of it.

He kissed her long and hard and hot, feeling her body against his.

She was breathing as if she’d just run twenty miles.

But he wasn’t content simply kissing her lips, so he flicked his tongue out of his mouth, licking her lips, carefully inserting it in between her lips and licking her teeth.

Cambria gasped, opening her mouth to him, and that was all the invitation he needed to taste her deeply.

She felt so warm and wonderful against him and any measure of control he’d ever had was blown to pieces.

As his lips kissed her furiously and one arm held her close, the other arm, and hand, began to wander down her backside.

He could feel her rounded buttocks through the garment she wore.

That was enough to bring on an erection.

Groaning, he forced himself to stop because he didn’t want to have to explain a full-blown erection to her or to anyone else. He was going to marry her today and, God willing, consummate the marriage immediately, so he could wait.

Barely.

Christ, she felt good.

“My apologies,” he murmured, kissing her in between the words. “If I keep going, I am afraid I will not be able to control myself, so let me go and retrieve that gift. It will give me time to cool my burning blood because, lady, you set me on fire.”

He kissed her again, twice, and she put her hands on his face, trying to hold him against her. “We are to be married,” she said as he suckled her lower lip. “If we want to kiss, who is to stop us?”

“Me,” he insisted weakly, finally pulling away completely. “If I do not, we will end up on the floor, or on your father’s table, doing something we should not be doing right now.”

She cocked her head curiously. “Mating, you mean?”

He cast her a long look before breaking down into soft laughter. “Aye, mating,” he said. “Sit yourself down and stop being so naughty. I will return shortly.”

He was pointing to the chair and, with a smirk, she lowered herself down. He winked at her and turned for the door, reaching out to grasp it when it suddenly flew open and his brother was standing in the opening.

Kyle was breathless, but his gaze moved to Cambria, sitting over by the hearth. “Papa says to keep her here and away from the windows,” he said. “He says you must go to the hall immediately.”

Liam frowned. “Go to the hall?” he repeated. “Why?”

Kyle shook his head. “I do not know,” he said. “All I know is that a rider arrived a few moments ago and now Papa and Warenton and Lord de Royans are looking as if they’ve seen a ghost. Cassius has run off to hide. I am to find Mama and guard her.”

Liam felt as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown on him. Everything in him ran cold—his blood, his heart, and even his soul.

That was cold, too.

“ Who? ” he managed to ask. “Who has come?”

“I do not know. A royal knight, I think.”

That was all Liam needed to hear. He knew exactly who it was.

God help him, he knew.