He raised his head and smiled at her, his eyes shining with love. “You most certainly are.”
“You didn’t seem to think so until I came to Penterwell. You used to ignore me until I wanted to cry.”
He levered himself up upon his elbow and regarded her gravely. “I was afraid of what I might do if I let myself be near you.”
“Like that time at Christmas when you almost kissed me?”
“Like that,” he agreed. He lifted a strand of her hair and brought it to his lips. “I love your hair.”
She mussed his with her fingers. “And I love yours.” She frowned and rubbed his beard. “But I really don’t like this.”
He laughed again as he moved away to lie beside her, where he could see her whole luscious body. “I don’t particularly like it myself. I only grew it to look older, to make you see that I was too ancient for a merry lass like you.”
“Ancient?” she said skeptically, running her hand down his chest in a way that started to reawaken his desire. “With this body?”
He took hold of her hand and pressed a kiss upon her palm. “In some ways, much too old for you. I haven’t lived an exemplary life, Bea.”
“I know.” She caressed his cheek. “I love you, anyway. I love you just as you are. I may even come to love your beard.”
“I’ll shave it off.”
“When?”
“Would now suit you, my lady?”
She smiled. “What will you tell people in the morning?”
“That my betrothed doesn’t like it and told me so after making love with me most passionately.”
“You wouldn’t!”
He sighed with melancholy melodrama. “Alas, you’re right. I can’t. I can’t say we’re betrothed until we have Merrick’s permission to wed.”
“I’m sure he won’t withhold it.”
Ranulf grinned. “Fortunately, I don’t think he will, either, although he’s liable to make me sweat before he agrees.” His brows lowered and he spoke in gruff imitation of the lord of Tregellas’s deep voice. “Well, Ranulf, what makes you think you deserve her?” He frowned more deeply still and some of the merriment left his eyes. “And what can I say to that, except that I don’t?”
She answered him with unexpected solemnity. “All you have to say is that I love you and I won’t marry anybody else, so he might as well give his consent because if he doesn’t, I’ll just run away and live with you anyway.”
“Bea!” he cried, astonished. “You wouldn’t.”
“I most certainly would. I love you and I meant what I said—I’ll never leave you.” Her smile seemed to light the room. “So he will have no choice but to consent.”
“I fear I have seriously underestimated you, my little Lady Bea.”
“Lots of people have,” she replied frankly. “But when I want a thing, sir knight,” she murmured, lying back down and pulling him with her, “I don’t give up until I get it.”
“There is one thingIwant,” he said as he bent his head to kiss her. “To see your hair spread about you on the bear pelt.”
“Is that all?” she said, shifting until she was lying atop the thick fur, her hair loose about her just as he had dreamed.
His lips curved up in a devastating, devilish smile. “Come to think of it, no.”
LATER,RANULF OPENEDhis eyes and slowly became aware that the candle must have gone out. They had been in bed together quite a while. For too long, perhaps, he suddenly thought, waking more completely.
“Bea? Beloved, I fear it’s time for you to go back to your chamber,” he said, giving her bare, beautiful shoulder a little shake.
She sighed and opened her eyes. “What?” she asked drowsily.
