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Chapter 10
“You did what?” Toby asked Conrad the next morning in his solar. Toby’s mouth hung open in surprise.
After returning to the castle last night in the rain, Conrad brought Willow to her chamber and quickly left, locking himself in his own room to ponder the situation. He was glad it rained, and the festival was canceled for the evening. If not, he wasn’t sure he would have been able to escort Willow to the rest of the festivities of the night.
“You heard me. I almost made love to Lady Willow last night.” He got out of bed, fully dressed, not having bothered to undress before he retired for the evening.
“My lord, excuse me for saying, but do you think Lord Rook would have approved of that?”
“Of course not, you fool!” Conrad poured himself a cup of wine from the decanter on the bedside table and downed it in two gulps. Mayhap he could get drunk enough to forget what happened last night and erase the memory from his mind. “You’ll not say a word of this to anyone. Do you understand me?”
“Aye, my lord.” Toby still stood there staring at him.
Conrad put down the cup and paced back and forth. “If Lord Rook finds out that, in a moment of passion, I almost took his daughter’s innocence, he’ll string me up by the neck. Not to mention, he’ll no longer honor our deal of being guardian to my sister.”
“How – how close did you come?” asked Toby curiously. “And did Lady Willow fight you?”
“We came close enough to scare the hell out of me.” He dragged a hand through his hair and walked over to open the shutter. “I never meant for it to go that far. I guess I just wanted to kiss her again, or perhaps scare her so she wouldn’t get the idea to go kissing anyone else.”
“Was she frightened, my lord?”
“Huh?” He looked over his shoulder, thinking the boy was daft. “She’s a temptress and a tease,” he told him.
“So . . . she wanted you to bed her?”
“Aye. Nay. Oh hell, I don’t know.” He continued to pace again.
“What if Lady Willow tells her father what happened?”
He stopped moving, and his spine stiffened. He hadn’t thought of that. If she did, everything would be ruined. And then he’d have the wrath of one of the Legendary Bastards of the Crown on his head. That was something he didn’t want or need.
“I’ve got to stop her from telling anyone.” He grabbed for his weapon belt and hurriedly strapped it around his waist.
“Do you think she’s already told your sister?” asked Toby, handing Conrad his shoes.
“Hazel,” mumbled Conrad looking up with wide eyes. “If she knows what happened, it will frighten her and make her think her own brother is a scoundrel. I’ve got to get to Willow’s room and convince her not to say a word.”
He ran to the door in his bare feet, only stopping when Toby called from behind him.
“Your shoes, my lord.”
“What’s the matter with me?” He hurried back to get his shoes. Lately, he didn’t know what made him act the way he did, but when he was around Lady Willow, he couldn’t seem to think with a clear head.
* * *
“Lady Willow,how was your outing with my brother last night?” Hazel pulled open the shutter, letting the fresh autumn air into the room. Willow welcomed the breeze since she was still feeling hot and bothered from last night. She’d barely slept a wink, tossing and turning all night long. Embarrassed by her behavior, she couldn’t believe she actually wanted to give herself to Conrad.
“It was . . . interesting,” she said, getting out of bed and reaching for her clothes.
“How so?”
“Your brother isn’t what I expected. I’m ashamed to say I almost let him take my innocence.”
“What? Conrad seduced you?” Hazel’s eyes opened wide.
Before Willow could correct her, the door to the room burst open and Conrad rushed in with one shoe in his hand. His squire was right behind him.
“Conrad!” exclaimed Willow, holding her gown up to hide behind it.
