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She shook her head. She said to Torric, “I remember that my father left every few months. He always told me he was visiting one of his holdings. Once or twice I asked to accompany him but he refused. Did he always carry the money to this Rosehaven?”
“Always. He told the men that if they failed to guard the pouch, there would be retribution. He was always gone for sixteen days, which meant he spent nine days at Rosehaven each time he journeyed there. The last time, he sent Beamis with a great deal of money because he realized that he was dying, a final payment, I suppose. I did not question him. He would have risen from his deathbed and killed me.”
Gwent turned to Severin. “That is what alerted me immediately, Severin, that huge amount that was missing recently. Do you think the little bastard is telling the truth?”
“How long have you been at Oxborough, Torric?” Severin asked, sitting forward in his great chair. Trist climbed out of Severin’s tunic and slithered down his arm to stretch out his full length. He stared at the steward, his paws stretched out to cover Severin’s fingers.
“For eleven years, my lord. I have toiled for Lord Fawke. I never cheated him. He paid me well. He trusted me. I prayed you would not discover the missing funds, but you have. Kill me, but it will not gain you any justice. Justice is down south at Rosehaven keep.”
“Where exactly?” Hastings asked.
“On the coast, near Folkstone. It is nearly four days’ hard riding from Oxborough.”
Severin was silent. He stroked Trist’s back. Finally, he said, rising, “We won’t know the truth of the matter unless we go to this Rosehaven. Hastings, you will accompany me, as will you, Gwent. We will take fifteen men. We will leave in the morning.”
“Beamis knows the truth, Severin.”
“Aye, he knows. But I like mysteries. I want to visit this Rosehaven and juggle all the pieces of this mystery until I am able, by myself, to fit them all together. Torric, you will remain here. You will continue with your duties. I will have Beamis keep an eye on you with the instruction if you attempt to flee Oxborough, he will kill you. Do you understand me?”
“Aye, my lord. I understand you perfectly.”
“Beamis has known me since I was born,” Hastings said as she walked into the bedchamber just ahead of Severin. “He has never hinted anything. Nor has my father. What is going on here, Severin?”
He stopped her, his hands light on her upper arms. He turned her slowly. “I care not at this moment if he is keeping a bastard prince prisoner at this place called Rosehaven. Kiss me, Hastings.”
She did, her mouth closed until she felt his tongue gliding along her bottom lip. She wrapped her arms around his neck, came up onto her tiptoes, and pressed herself against him. She said against his mouth, “I like that, Severin. Tell me what to do.”
“Open your mouth, just a bit. That’s it. Now, this is something men and women do. Don’t be startled.” She felt his tongue slowly slide into her mouth. She jumped and closed her mouth, holding his tongue inside.
He wanted to laugh but he couldn’t. He stroked her tongue with his until she opened her mouth to show him her approval. And her growing enthusiasm.
“This is something I had not considered,” she said, speaking, then kissing him, “something that should not be as exciting as it is—”
“Be quiet, Hastings.” He locked his hands beneath her bottom and picked her up. He didn’t stop kissing her even as he fell on top of her on the bed. Then she was laughing into his mouth. No woman had ever before laughed whilst he was kissing her. Severin drew up, balancing himself on his elbows. He stared down at her. “This is fun,” she said, and chopped her hands against his arms. He fell on top of her. Soon he was laughing with her. They kissed and laughed even as they struggled out of their clothing.
/> When they were naked, he let her come down to her knees beside him. She immediately leaned down and kissed him, licked her tongue across his lips, then straightened again. She didn’t wait this time, just clasped him between her hands, leaned down again, and took him in her mouth.
He nearly bowed off the bed. “Saint Andrew’s toes, who told you to do that?”
She didn’t release him, just said, her warm breath on him, “Dame Agnes and Alice both recommended this to me. I thought it sounded repellent, but they assured me that it was what a man wished above all things. Is that true, Severin?”
“I don’t know. I am going to die.”
When he finally had the resolve to shove her away, he prayed that she would release him. If she didn’t, it would be all over for him. She did, finally, but it was slow and excruciatingly wonderful. He was moaning, his back arching, nearly beside himself. “You’re not dead yet, Severin, but you sound very close.”
Then she laughed, kissed his belly, and went back up on her knees to look down at what she had wrought. He sucked in air. He tried to slow his breathing. He felt her hand on his thigh moving upward and managed to whisper, “Nay, Hastings. I must recover for a moment, don’t push me anymore.”
She laughed again only to suck in her breath in surprise when he flipped her onto her back and came over her. “You bring a man to the brink of madness and laugh while you watch him teeter? You laugh to see what you have done with that mouth of yours? Well, Hastings, let’s see how long your laughter lasts.”
Her laughter didn’t last five seconds. She was panting, heaving about, whimpering, her hands digging into his shoulders, when he raised his head, kissed her belly, and said, “Well? Are you teetering yet?”
She yanked his hair. He laughed and returned to her warm flesh. But he didn’t give her release for a very long time. She finally shouted, “Severin, I cannot bear this. Get it done.”
And he did. When she lay there, sucking in great breaths of air, quivering with pleasure, he was over her and coming into her.”
She heard him laugh, then moan deeply. There were no more words between them, just passion that built and built until finally Severin shouted to the beamed ceiling.
He collapsed over her, kissing her until she had the strength to turn her face up to gain some kisses on her mouth.
