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Unease curled in his sto Maris with the trite, e the lips and hair and forms of other women He’d become quite popular with the ladies of the queen’s famous Court of Love years earlier, when Henry traveled to Aquitaine to woo Eleanor So such superficial praises without race, excuse ht I am rather weary, and fear that my skills may desert me under such duress"

Eleanor looked at him shrewdly "Dirick of Derkland," a smirk curved her well shaped mouth, "do you not feed me such a lie The day that your skill omen deserts you is the day I cannot hold a man to me, should I wish to do so" Despite her confident words, they both knew that her loyalty to the king was unequivocal Now that the seriousness of their conversation had passed, her eyes twinkled as shenailed finger onto his forearm, she teased, "I vow, your disinterest can only "

As he ell and truly a man, Dirick could not help but respond to the femininity of the queen, for she sure were ferace," he replied in the flirtatious manner he knew she expected "My disinterest could mean only this: that as you, my lady, are well beyond aht to h his char smile may have fooled a less artful woman, Eleanor was not taken in "Such pretty words trip from your beautiful mouth I do envy the woman who finally steals your heart And I relish the day of seeing you thus befuddled" She took a sip of wine fro hioblet, the expression on her face had changed froe "An’, by the rood, it has happened, has it not?" Before he could open his mouth, she placed a hand over his "Save your protestations, Dirick Though the Courts of Love over which I’ve ruled consist of worshipful love fro attention upon ladies out of their realm, I believe there is a place for a enuine smile warmed her face "Aye, Dirick, even love can be found in such an alliance as that of the Angevin and the Aquitaine"

"Yourbeen loyal to h Henry oft does not see what is before his eyes, and may not hasten to reward those who are true to hilance flickered to the table of her ladies, casting over them as if to measure the possibility of whom he loved "You’ll have her, Dirick I will see to it"

"But I did not say that I love her I do not love her I do not love anyone," he sta unaccountably overwhelht out a single one of your ladies--how can you think this?"

She laughed her husky laugh again "If ’tis true love, you shall not be able to hide it froh to watch You’ll have her, Dirick, unless she is promised to another" And with that, she turned from him to rejoin her husband’s conversation

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

Wall sconces were the only light, and they cast flickering shadows upon the rough stone walls

Despite the lack of natural illuh lit for Maris to see the glint in Victor’s eyes Her hand rested reluctantly on his forearm, as it had since he’d led her from the Great Hall, and she walked sedately beside him

Maris couldn’t help but remember the last time she’d been alone with Victor--the tiue to his manhood A little shiver raced up her spine as she relived the huroped her breasts

"Have you taken a chill, my lady?" His voice was smooth and melloith concern "Take my mantle" They paused beneath one of the sconces as he slid the cloak froh, brushed her chin as he pulled the fur lined wool about her, taking er brushed the line of her jaw, then slid underneath her chin, lifting it to raise her face "You’ve yet to cast your eyes upon ht er and the nail pressed into the soft underside of her chin "If I did not know better, I should say you are disappointed at my presence"

Maris sed and attempted to keep her voice steady in her reply "Aye, I confess, ’twas a surprise to see you here As you’ve made no chance to contact me since Papa’s…demise," she said, "I had no choice but to presuainst our betrothal"

A s settled over his slender lips "Ah, you’d like that, would you not, Lady Maris? You’d like nothing more than to see u me" His hand opened and slid down to cup her throat She sed again and felt the constricting band of his fingers "And the beautiful heiress that was proave a little gasp as the hand tightened--not enough to cut off her breath, but enough to threaten her When she reached up to pull those fingers away, he was quick enough to snatch her wrists and force them down between their bodies