Johanna Lindsey: Johanna Lindsey When Love Awaits

and the king's injustice was appalling—worse because Alain did not have

the courage to fight for himself, and there was no one to help him.

"If you want to make a stand, Alain, you know I would call up my

men."

"No," he stopped her nervously, "I know you would aid me, Leonie, but I cannot ask it of you. The Black Wolf is too powerful. He comes even

now with his army to take Kempston. If the king were not behind him—"

He let the thought linger, as if the king were the only thing that kept him

from fighting.

"Where will you go, Alain?"

"I have a cousin in Ireland."

"So far?"

"I must. If I stay in England, the Wolf will find me and kill me. It is

true, Leonie," he insisted. "It is not enough that Henry has given my home to the Black Wolf. The bastard wants me dead so that I can never

claim Kempston. I cannot tell you the stories I have heard of him, for they

would make you fear your new neighbor. But you should know he is like

Henry in that he never forgets an ill, nor relaxes a hatred. Step carefully

with him, Leonie. Be warned."

She should have heeded Alain's warning and tried to be a peaceful

neighbor. It was too late now. He never forgets an ill, nor relaxes a hatred.

A feeling of dread crept over Leonie. She had caused Rolfe d'Ambert

trouble, and he had reason to hate her.

"You have nothing to do, Leonie?"

Leonie swung around to find Judith in her room. "There is naught that

needs my attention, madame."

"I am glad to hear it. I was afeared you would balk."

Leonie smiled tightly. "As to that, madame, I can say only that the

king's choice is not acceptable."

"I do not blame you, my dear. If I knew my future husband was

interested only in controlling my land, I would not like it either."

So that was it! "You know that?"

"D'Ambert tried to buy Pershwick, you see. Of course William had to

tell him he could not sell it, that it was part of your dowry. Then he asked

for you, but your dear father would not give you to a man interested only

in your land."

"My father refused his offer?"

"Of course he did. But you see what came of that. The man went

straight to the king, and now d'Ambert will have you, will you nill you."

"No, he will not. I said he is unacceptable. I mean it. I will not marry

Rolfe d'Ambert."

Judith's eyes gleamed for a moment. "But you will. In truth, I wish you

had a choice, Leonie, but with the king involving himself in this matter,

you must see you do not. It would break your father's heart to have to

force you, but force you he would. He cannot ignore the king's order."

"I can."

"Do not be a silly chit!" Judith snapped, visualizing a scene between father and daughter that might reveal too much and ruin everything.

"Henry cares nothing for any wishes but his own, and it is his wish that

you marry d'Ambert. Your father will not defy the king, nor will you."

Leonie jumped to her feet, her temper flaring. "Leave me, Judith. We

have no more to say to each other."

"But we do," Judith replied grimly. "You will swear to me by all that is holy that you will wed the present lord of Kempston."

"I swear I will not!"

"Fool!" Judith spat. "You bring this on yourself. Richer!" Judith shouted, and the man Leonie feared stepped into the room. "You know

what must be done," she told him. "Do not leave her until she has sworn."

With that Judith left the room. She went to make certain the hall was

deserted and would remain so for a while. No one must hear.

Leonie tried to calm the wild beating of her heart, prepared to

withstand the worst from this large brute. Long shaggy hair and a thick

beard suited his rough manner. Murky blue eyes impaled her with a

strange light, unnerving her badly. But it was Richer's slow grin that

made her stomach turn over in terror.

Chapter 7

IN Crewel that night, a different kind of fear was taking its toll on

Lady Amelia. She did not want to be sent back to court where she had

been just another of Princess Alice's ladies-in-waiting, just another pretty

face among so many. She had no power there, no control over her own

life. She must forever dance attendance on the princess, do her bidding,

suffer her moods.

A landless widow without relatives could expect few prospects. More

important, Amelia had found being a wife not nearly as desirable as

being a mistress. She had been her husband's mistress before they wed

and her circumstances changed so drastically afterward that she was not

at all displeased when he died. A man will not strive to please his wife as

he does his mistress, for a wife cannot leave him, while a mistress can.

She knew, too, that the quality of lovemaking from a husband could

not be compared with that of a lover. Perhaps the church had much to do

with that, preaching that lovemaking was solely for procreation and not

to be enjoyed. Amelia's husband had been an attentive lover until they

wed, and then he looked on their joining as a duty and, like other duties,

best done quickly.

No, Amelia was not fool enough to want another marriage, not even

marriage with her current lover, who was the most handsome of all the

men she had taken to her bed. But she also did not want to leave him. He

might be abrupt, even prone to rages, but her position as Rolfe

d'Ambert's mistress had turned out to be so much better than she could

have hoped for. She was treated with respect, almost as if she were the

lady of Crewel Keep. She had power here, as much as any wife would

have, and she loved it. There was no other woman of rank here, only

servants, no other woman she must answer to. Here there was only Rolfe,

and he asked nothing of her that she wasn't willing to do.

But Amelia did not deceive herself over the situation. She had all that

she wanted here, but it was only by Rolfe's will that she had it. When he

finished with her and sent her back to court, there would be nothing she

could do about it. All she could do was delay that time and wheedle as

many trinkets and gifts from him as she could so that, when the time

came for parting, she might be able to buy a house in London where she

could sell her favors.

If Rolfe put her aside now, she would have to return to the princess or

look for a new lover. She knew she would never find another one like

Rolfe, a man willing to take her into his home. It was only because he was

unmarried that she had managed that.

It was late when Rolfe entered his chamber and found Amelia

ensconced in his large bed. She was not sleeping. She watched him as he

crossed to the fire, now burning low. He had not looked her way, and the

frown creasing his brow kept her from speaking. Was he thinking how he

would tell her they must part?

"Come help me with this armor, Amelia. I have already dismissed that

incompetent squire of mine."

So he did know she was there, and awake. The simple request told her

so many things that she wanted to laugh. He had not forgotten her! He

meant to join her in the bed. That he expected to do so on the night before

he was to wed told her what he felt about his intended bride.

Amelia slipped from the bed. She did not reach for her bedrobe. She

was a tall, statuesque woman, twenty-three, with a sleek body of which

she was proud. She did not need to resort to hidden bindings to attain a

stunning effect, even in the form-fitting clothes of the day. Naked, she