AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“How long have I slept?”
“A full twelve hours.”
“I…” She reached for his face, knowing by the soft breath tickling her cheek that he was close. The movement was enough to rub her raw bottom against the sheet which covered her. “Oh, aagh!”
He chuckled. “Aye, ye will be sore for a while yet. Do ye ken where you are, Roselyn?”
She paused for several moments to consider his question. The events of the previous day rushed back to fill her consciousness and she groaned.
“You whipped me.”
“Aye, it was amply warranted an’ ye took it well. So, where are ye now? Do ye recall that?”
She nodded slowly. “Your bed. You left me to sleep in your bed. I… I am naked.” She clutched at the blanket, intending to pull it up to her chin.
Blair stayed her hand, slowly drawing the covers down to her waist. “Aye, ye are. Gloriously so. And ye are in my bed, ‘tis true, but I didna leave ye. I was here all night, beside ye.”
“Oh.” She stiffened, aware of his quiet scrutiny though less alarmed by it than she really ought to be. “You slept here? With me? Did we—”
He laughed. “Nay, we didna. I prefer my women to be conscious when I fuck them. Indeed, I insist upon it.”
“When you… Oh, my.”
She started to relax under the soft caress of his fingers as they trailed over her collarbone. “Much as I might relish the turn this conversation of ours has taken, I must ask ye to contain your enthusiasm for bed sport if ye will and remain with the matter in hand. We need to discuss your future.”
Though her head still spun and her bottom burned Roselyn was sufficiently shocked by his outrageous suggestions that she managed to ease herself up onto one elbow. “Bed sport? Sir, I would never…” She paused as the rest of his words sank in. “My future? What do you mean?”
“I mean, little English wench, that now your punishment is concluded you are free to leave here if ye wish.”
“Leave?” Again, that cruel spear of grief and impending loss. “But, where might I go? Do you mean to send me back to Etal?”
“Nay, not there. I have no intention of returning ye to your brother’s tender mercies in order that he might resume his negotiations for your marriage. He shall not have that benefit.”
“Thank you,” murmured Roselyn. “Then where…?”
“In any case, there is little enough left of your home,” continued Blair as though she had not spoken. “From the tone of Mother Sarah’s letter to me I would surmise that ye’d find a welcome at Kelso, but that is closer tae Etal than I would like and either your brother or Sir John would be able to snatch ye away at will. I find that not to be a prospect I can stomach.”
She was glad enough to hear that. “Me neither. Also, my welcome at Kelso had much to do with the allowance granted by my brother to the priory in exchange for their care of me. He was convinced that my blindness would render me incapable of any useful role in the world, which was another reason for his wish to get me married off to any man who might be prepared to take me. I doubt the holy sisters’ charity would prove boundless without a generous contribution to their coffers.”
“Aye, perhaps. But I gather ye have entertained a desire to take the veil, so if that is still your wish I could secure sanctuary for you at another house.”
“You would do that for me? After what I did to you? To your family?”
“All is forgiven now, Roselyn. Was that not the point of yesterday’s spot of unpleasantness?”
“Unpleasantness? Is that how you would term whipping me until I cried out for all in this keep to hear me?”
“Ye were never in danger. I gave ye my word an’ I meant it. Ye’re sore now, I ken that, but it is no more than a passing discomfort an’ within a few days ye shall be over it completely.”
“It hurts when I move,” she retorted, a note of indignation in her voice.
“Then remain still. I have said that ye may stay here until ye feel like rising from the bed. Meggie can attend to ye an’ I daresay I could be convinced to allow that hound of yours in here if ye insist.”
“Is Freya all right?”
“I expect so. She’ll come to no harm for spending a night in the stables. But enough of that, I shall be requiring an answer to my question. Do ye wish me to find a place in a convent for ye?”
“I…” Fond though she was of Mother Sarah and the holy sisters at Kelso, Roselyn had never seriously considered joining their blessed ranks. “Might I have some time to reflect upon that, if you please?”
