The Velvet Promise Read online

  Alice quickly realized she’d made an error in revealing her true emotions. She blinked her eyes until great jewellike tears formed. “This is good-bye,” she whispered. “May I not have even one last kiss? You would deny me that, after all we’ve meant to each other?”

  She was so delicate and he’d loved her so much once. He wiped a tear from her cheek with his fingertip. “No,” he whispered. “I wouldn’t deny myself one last kiss.” He took her gently in his arms and kissed her sweetly.

  But Alice wanted no sweetness. He had forgotten her violence by half. She thrust her tongue in his mouth, grinding her teeth against his lips. He felt no building ardor as he once would have, but only a faint sense of distaste. He wanted to get away from her. “I must go,” he said, concealing his revulsion.

  But Alice could feel that something was very wrong. She thought to bring him under control through that kiss but she knew she hadn’t. If anything, he was more remote than before. She bit her tongue over her sharp words and managed to look properly sad as he made his way through the trees to his waiting horse. “Damn that bitch!” Alice said through clenched teeth. That red-haired she-devil had taken her man!

  Or at least she thought she had. Alice began to smile. Maybe that Revedoune woman thought she had Gavin, that she could crook her little finger and he would come to her. But she was mistaken! Alice would not allow someone to take what was hers. No, she would fight for her property and Gavin was hers…or he would be again.

  She had done so much to get where she was now, at the king’s court near Gavin; she had even allowed her husband’s murderer to escape. She would watch the woman and find her weakness. Then Alice would regain what was hers. Even if she decided to cast Gavin aside, it was to be her decision and not his!

  Gavin rode back to the hunting party quickly. He had been gone a long time, but he hoped no one had missed him. He sent up a silent prayer of thanks that Judith hadn’t seen him kissing Alice. No amount of explaining in the world would have pacified her. But all that was over. As difficult as it had been, he had told Alice, and now he was forever free of her.

  Gavin saw his wife ahead, swinging her lure to bring her tiercel back to the perch. Suddenly his desire for her was boundless. He urged his mount forward until he was almost galloping by the time he reached her horse. He bent forward and jerked the reins.

  “Gavin!” Judith called as she grabbed the pommel of the saddle, her tiercel flapping its wings in fright.

  The people around them hooted in laughter. “They have been married how long?”

  “Not long enough,” came the reply.

  Gavin stopped both horses when they were some distance away in a secluded glade.

  “Gavin! Have you lost your mind?” Judith demanded.

  He slid from his horse then lifted her from hers. He didn’t speak to her but began kissing her hungrily. “I was thinking of you,” he whispered. “And the more I thought of you, the more my need…arose.”

  “I can feel your need.” She looked about her. “This is a pretty place isn’t it?”

  “It could be prettier.”

  “Yes, it could,” she answered as he kissed her again.

  The sweet outdoor summer air added a great deal to their passion as did the slightly naughty idea that they were doing something somewhere they shouldn’t. Judith giggled when Gavin made a comment on King Henry’s numerous children. He stopped her laughter with his lips.

  They fumbled with each other’s clothing hurriedly and made love as if they’d not seen each other for years. Later, they cuddled close together, wrapped in warm sunlight and the delicate scent of wildflowers.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  ALICE LOOKED OVER THE HEADS OF THE MANY MEN around her to the slim, blond, handsome man leaning against the wall. He had a pensive expression on his face that she recognized as that of someone in love. She smiled sweetly at a man nearby but Alice didn’t really hear him. Her mind was completely on that afternoon, when Gavin said he was in love with his wife. She watched as Gavin held his wife’s hand and led her through the intricate steps of a dance. It didn’t matter that Alice had several young men at her feet. Being scorned by Gavin only made her want him more. Had he sworn he loved her still, perhaps she would have considered one of the many marriage proposals offered to her. But Gavin had rejected her, and now she knew she must have him. Only one thing stood in her way, and that she planned to remove.

  The young blond man stared at Judith with fascination, his eyes never leaving her. Alice had noticed him at dinner when he looked up at the high table, not even blinking as he stared at Judith. Alice realized that the woman was too stupid to even be aware of an admirer, for Judith’s eyes never left Gavin.

  “Will you excuse me?” Alice murmured demurely and dismissed the men around her as she walked toward the man against the wall.

  “She is lovely, isn’t she?” Alice asked, gritting her teeth against the words.

  “Yes,” he whispered, the word coming from his soul.

  “It’s sad to see a woman such as that so unhappy.”

  The man turned and looked at Alice. “She doesn’t look to be unhappy.”

  “No, she makes a good show, but the unhappiness is there.”

  “You are Lady Alice Chatworth?”

  “Yes. And you?”

  “Alan Fairfax, my beautiful countess,” he said as he bowed and kissed her hand. “At your service.”

  Alice laughed gaily. “It is not I who need your service, but the Lady Judith.”

  Alan looked back at the dancers. “She is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen,” he whispered.

  Alice’s eyes glittered like blue glass. “Have you told her of your love?”

  “No!” he said, frowning. “I am a knight, sworn to honor, and she is a married woman.”

  “Yes, she is, though most unhappily.”

  “She doesn’t look to be unhappy,” he repeated as he watched the object of his affections look up at her husband with great warmth.

  “I have known her a long time and she is indeed miserable. Only yesterday she was crying to me that she desperately needed someone to love, someone who would be sweet and gentle with her.”

  “Her husband is not?” Alan was concerned.

  “It’s not common knowledge”—Alice lowered her voice—“but he beats her often.”

  Alan looked back at Judith. “I don’t believe you.”

  Alice shrugged. “I didn’t mean to spread gossip. She is my friend and I would like to help her. They won’t stay at court for long, and I’d hoped that before they left dear Judith could find just a few moments of pleasure.”

  It was true that Lady Judith was lovely; her radiant coloring saw to that. Her auburn hair was visible beneath a veil of transparent gauze. The silver tissue of her dress hugged lush curves. But what Alan thought was even more striking than her beauty was the vitality she seemed to emanate. She looked at everyone, from king to serf, with a calm level look that said she cared. She never giggled or flirted or played the coy maiden. Alan was truly fascinated by her. He would give a lot to have her once turn those warm golden eyes on him.

  “Would you like to see her alone?”

  Alan’s eyes sparkled. “Yes, I would.”

  “Then I will arrange it. Go to the garden and I’ll send her to you. We’re great friends and she knows she can trust me.” Alice stopped and put a hand on Alan’s arm. “She’ll worry that she is safe from her husband’s finding her. Tell her he is with me—then she’ll know that she has no fear of being discovered.”

  Alan nodded. It wouldn’t hurt to spend some time with the lady, and since her husband rarely let her out of his sight, Alan would use this opportunity.

  Judith stood close to Gavin, drinking a mug of cool cider. She was warm from the dancing, and it was pleasant to lean against the cool stone and watch the others. A man came with a message for Gavin, which he repeated quietly, for Gavin’s ears alone. Gavin frowned.

  “Have you had bad