Brianna, thrilled that she lingered in Lincoln’s thoughts, blushed prettily. “That was more than four months ago, Aunt Jane, I’m sure you exaggerate.”
“Not even a tiny exaggeration. He’s been up on the battlements since first light watching for your arrival. Any moment he will come dashing down the stairs to greet you.”
Jane’s words proved prophetic as her eldest son arrived before she finished her sentence, prompting everyone to laugh aloud. “You are just in time to carry our guests’ luggage upstairs. Brianna, I want you to have the chamber your mother occupied when she lived here at Hedingham.”
“Jane, you are always so thoughtful, not to mention sentimental. Your hospitality is ever warm and welcoming.” Jory kissed her sister-in-law’s cheek. After all these years she still marveled that her brother Lynx had had the good sense to make the gentle Scottish lass his wife. Though he had been heir to an earldom, he’d chosen a commoner to be the mother of his children.
Lincoln Robert hoisted Brianna’s trunk to his shoulder. “We do have a staff of servants to do this, but Mother believes menial chores strengthen the character.”
Brianna threw him an admiring glance. “It certainly strengthens the muscles.” She picked up her jewel case. “I shall come upstairs with you…Lead the way.”
Lincoln let the trunk slide from his shoulder to the wide bed. “Mother has little concept of how a countess should delegate responsibility to her staff. She has no ladies in waiting and instead she makes friends of the kitchen maids and sewing women.”
“She wasn’t brought up noble, and that is what your father loves about her. She is sweet and kind with no false airs whatsoever. She is without ambition and has never even visited the royal court, let alone sought a position there. Her husband and her sons are her life, her entire world. You are fortunate indeed.”
“I agree, Brianna, that I am blessed to have such a mother, but I am heir to a great earldom and seek higher qualities in a wife. Qualities that befit a countess, such as noble blood, a fine education, and a certain refined elegance that sets her high above other females.”
“A paragon indeed,” she teased.
“Qualities that you have in abundance, Brianna.”
“Flattery begod!” she said lightly, trying to dispel the air of seriousness that had settled about them.
“Don’t swear, Brianna. It detracts from your loveliness.”
Brianna raised her brows in amusement. “Bugger, bugger, damn, and bugger! Don’t try to make an angel out of me, Lincoln Robert. It makes me want to scrawl rude words on the walls.”
He laughed ruefully. “You take delight in teasing me.”
“Perverse delight. It stops you from being stuffy. And speaking of stuffy, let’s let some fresh air in.” Brianna could not bear the sensation of being stifled. She turned to the window, drew back the drapes, and saw the shutters were closed.
Lincoln’s arms moved around her to unfasten the iron bolt. The shutters swung open and the scent of lemon verbena wafted into the chamber. Brianna deliberately turned in his arms and smiled invitingly into his green eyes.
When Lincoln took her by the shoulders and set his lips to hers for their first kiss on the mouth, Brianna felt triumphant. It works every time. “Why did you never do that before?” she whispered.
“You are a gently born lady. I did not want to give you a disgust of me, Brianna.”
“Perhaps I would be more disgusted if you didn’t want to kiss me,” she teased.
“We shouldn’t be here alone in your bedchamber, my sweet. I don’t want to blemish your reputation or your innocence.”
She wound a strand of his tawny hair around her finger. “Not even a little?” she tempted wickedly.
“You are a minx, like your mother. I shall have to keep a tight rein on you.”
“Tight rein? You make me sound like a filly you intend to ride.”
He groaned and turned away from her, trying valiantly to control his physical response. “Come, I will take you back downstairs. I should go and greet your father and your brother. They are more than likely at the forge looking at the new shields our armorer has designed.”
At the evening meal, Brianna was amused to see that Lincoln Robert was once again eager to be close to her. He took the seat beside her and served her with all the most succulent pieces of game. As they sat flanked by their two younger brothers, their conversation and laughter flowed easily, and Guy Thomas proudly answered all the questions the de Warenne brothers asked about his exploits in the Welsh Marches, when he had helped to take back the castles and properties that the evil Despencers had stolen from the barons.
Brianna saw her parents as well as Lynx and Jane cast glances at their table and knew that she and Lincoln Robert were being discussed. She smiled inwardly, happy that the parents of her future husband already loved her. They were like one family, and Brianna felt blessed that she would not be wed to a stranger when she turned eighteen as her mother had been.
After dinner Brianna and Lincoln played backgammon. She won the first game and laughed with glee. But when she won a second time, she suspected that her partner was deliberately losing. “I believe you could have won that game if you had tried, Lincoln.”
He covered her hand and squeezed it gently. “You enjoy winning so much. I enjoy seeing your eyes gleam with victory.”
The two younger boys were playing an uproarious game of fox and geese. Jamie’s hunting dog kept stealing the pieces from the board and when they chased after him, the clever hound dropped them in Jane’s lap for safekeeping.
Lynx laughed. “Stalker is supposed to be Jamie’s, but all the animals at Hedingham believe they are the sole property of Jane.”
The next day Lincoln looked everywhere for Brianna and finally found her in the castle stillroom with his mother and her young maid, Rose. “I should have guessed that Mother would be monopolizing you,” he teased.
“You are quite wrong. I am the one who begged your mother to help me make some verbena-scented candles. I love the fragrance of lemon.”
Jane smiled inwardly at her son’s interruption. She knew he was enamored of Brianna and had wondered how long it would take for him to run her to earth. “Rose dear, fetch me one of the small flagons of verbena oil I have distilled.”
Rose brought the small bottle to Lady de Warenne.
“Try a few drops of it in the water when you wash your hair. I’ll have Rose take it up to your chamber.”
“What a lovely idea. Thank you, Jane…thank you, Rose.”
“It’s such a warm sunny day, I warrant it is an unconscionable waste to spend it indoors,” Lincoln declared. “I was hoping you would ride out with me around Hedingham. I’d like to show you the river and the woods we acquired last year.”
“I would like that above all things. It will take hours for the wax candles to set. I don’t need to stand vigil over them.”
“Why don’t I get cook to pack you a lunch, then you won’t have to come rushing back here to eat?” Jane suggested. “My son has the appetite of an ox and, like most male animals, is at his best when regularly fed and watered.”
“I’ll go up and change. Don’t leave without me.”
“No need to hurry, Brianna. I’ll saddle Venus for you.”
Brianna changed into her green riding dress, pulled on her boots, and made her way to the stables. She realized it may have been wiser to use the feminine trick of keeping him waiting, but she knew there was no need to pique Lincoln’s interest in her. He made no secret of the fact that he was enamored of her.
She felt his hands linger at her waist after he lifted her into the saddle. “Did you remember the food?”
“I did. My saddlebags are filled with tempting delights.”
She threw him a saucy glance. “Perhaps it’s a good thing your mother warned me about your appetite.”
The pair rode slowly, their stirrups almost touching, so they could talk, as their horses cantered over the vast Hedingham hol
dings. The orchard trees were laden with fruit and Lincoln picked them each an apple. He watched in fascination as Brianna bit into it with relish, then licked the juice from her lips.
It was harvest time and they rode past fields of wheat and barley that had been scythed and bundled into sheaves. The hay too had been cut and stacked so it could dry for a few days in the September sun before being gathered and stored for the winter. Their horses flushed a covey of wild game. The birds had been gorging themselves on the scattered seeds.
“We should have brought the dogs,” Lincoln said.
“Oh no, it thrills me to see the birds take flight and know they are in no danger. The iridescent feathers of the pheasants are brilliant in the sunshine.” She spied a blue-green tail feather on the ground and impulsively dismounted and picked it up.
Lincoln dropped from his saddle, plucked the feather from her fingers, and stuck it into his tawny hair. “It’s a cock feather, far too vivid for a well-bred lady.” When she tried to snatch it back, he danced away from her. “Catch me if you can.”
She was after him in a flash, joining the game with zest. She grabbed his shirt with one hand and jumped high enough that her fingers were able to filch the feather from his locks.
His hands encircled her waist and she dropped to the ground and tried to scamper away from him. He clung tight and the pair of them rolled against a haystack, knocking it over and scattering the hay stalks all about them.
He pinned her beneath him and as he gazed down at her, his laughter fled and his face became serious. “Brianna, I think you know how I feel about you.”
She laughed up at him. “Not really. Why don’t you tell me?”
“I’d much rather show you.” Lincoln bent his head and kissed her full on the mouth.
The kiss put her in a decidedly playful mood. “I concede,” she said breathlessly, adorning his hair with the vivid feather. “You have presented me with irrefutable evidence that you are the cock and I am the hen.”
“Brianna de Beauchamp, you say the most outrageous things.”
“Therein lies the attraction, mayhap.” At his quick frown, she said, “Surely I don’t shock you?”
“Sometimes,” he admitted.
“Yet you don’t consider that rolling me in the hay is shocking, Lincoln Robert de Warenne?”
He looked down into her eyes. “Are you shocked?”
“Not yet, but the day is young.” She grinned up at him with mischief brimming in her eyes. She quickly wriggled out from beneath him and ran to her horse. By the time he got to his feet, she had mounted. “Perhaps when we get to the woods you can try again.” She touched her heels to Venus and they took off, leaving her silvery laughter dancing on the breeze.
For their midday repast Lincoln chose a shady spot where the river skirted the edge of the woods. Brianna sat down on the grass dotted with lacy white saxifrage and purple Michaelmas daisies. She immediately removed her boots and hose, so she could wade in the water. “You will have to add impulsive to my faults.”
“I’ll add it to the things that make you irresistible,” he said gallantly.
She moved to the wide river’s edge. “Oh, how lovely…the fish are darting about like silver daggers.”
“We bought the river for the fish and the woods for the game. They help supply Hedingham with food.”
“How prosaic and practical. Don’t spoil my illusions. I imagined they were acquired to add a romantic atmosphere.”
“Let’s eat, I’m starving. We can wade later.” Lincoln emptied his saddlebags of the food that had been wrapped in linen cloths.
Brianna joined him on the grass. “What are the tempting delights, Scotsman? D’ye have a haggis hidden under your kilt?”
Lincoln gave her a quelling glance as he unwrapped freshly baked bread and soft cheese. “I have venison pies and quince tarts—I also brought a flagon of wine.”
“Ah, now you’re talking. Mother prefers ale, but I have recently discovered wine and I like it excessively.” Brianna nibbled on some cheese and enjoyed a pie, while Lincoln devoured everything else. He had a man’s healthy appetite and she took pleasure in watching him eat. Each time she drained her cup of wine, she held it out to be refilled.
After her third cup, she lay back among the wildflowers, replete and happy. The wine filled her imagination with daring thoughts as Lincoln Robert stretched his great length beside her. He leaned on an elbow and gazed down at her.
The corners of Brianna’s mouth lifted in a secret smile. You want something. Dare I hope you will challenge me to a naked race across the river?
Lincoln threaded his fingers into her dishevelled curls, and touched his lips to her wine-red mouth. “I love you, Brianna. Will you marry me?”
Chapter 6
“Lincoln Robert, you know I will.” She looked up into his green eyes that held a trace of uncertainty. “Surely you had no doubt of my answer? I’ve always known you would be my future husband.”
His uncertainty vanished in an instant and was replaced with a look of happy relief. “I needed to hear you say it. After all, you are the daughter of the Earl of Warwick and I’ve recently come to realize the danger in simply taking it for granted.”
“Danger?” she puzzled.
“Now that you are of marriageable age your father will be receiving other offers for you. The Barony of Warwick is both powerful and wealthy with its many castles and vast landholdings. You are a prize that will tempt every noble in the land.”
“Because of my father’s name and wealth?”
“Absolutely.”
“How very flattering,” she teased. “You, of course, are the exception. You love me for myself.”
He searched her face. “You know I do. But I’m a man, Brianna, and I must be practical. I am responsible for providing for our future. Father has promised me a castle of my choosing when I wed. I am torn between Wigton, near the Scottish Border, which has obvious appeal for me, or Farnham Castle in Surrey that Father inherited from Uncle John de Warenne.”
“You’ve never been to Wigton Castle. I think you should see it before you decide.”
“It could be a year before I get to travel to Wigton,” he protested. “I must decide now, my dearest.”
“But it will be at least a year before we marry.”
His brows drew together. “What do you mean, a year?”
“Mother has always been adamant that I be at least eighteen before I marry.”
“But that’s ridiculous! I just asked you to marry me and you accepted.”
“Lincoln, I thought you were talking about the future. We are so young…We have our whole lives ahead of us.”
“I’m nineteen. I want a wife now—I want sons.”
“That’s one of the reasons Mother wants me to wait until I’m eighteen. She thinks seventeen too young to have a child.”
He ran an impatient hand through his hair. “We’ll go and talk to her—we’ll persuade her to change her mind.”
“But I happen to agree with her.” She reached out and touched his cheek. “Lincoln, am I not worth waiting for?”
He groaned. “Of course, sweetest. But so much can happen in a year.” He gathered her close. “What if someone tries to steal you away from me?”
“Impossible,” she whispered. “I put my heart in your keeping, Lincoln. I pledge you my love.”
Her words lightened his mood. “I won’t give up,” he vowed. “I give you fair warning I intend to overcome your resistance.”
When they arrived back at Hedingham, Brianna went inside to freshen up and change her clothes before the evening meal, while Lincoln Robert took their mounts to the stable. Inside he found his father discussing the purchase of horses from Warwick.
“I’m glad I’ve found you together. I have a dilemma and hope you will conspire to help me. I asked Brianna to marry me today and happily, she said yes.”
Lynx grinned, pleased at the news. “I see your dilemma. You should have first made a formal
offer to her father here.”
“Yes, I am aware of the correct procedure and I apologize for not seeking permission before I proposed, but I wanted to make sure that Brianna felt the same way I did.” He looked at Warwick. “I’m making a formal offer for your daughter now, sir.”
“Warwick is a tough negotiator. When he married Jory, he actually managed to talk John de Warenne into giving her Chertsey Castle in Surrey. I have no doubt your lovely bride will cost me an arm and a leg,” Lynx jested.
“Brianna said her mother would not let her wed until she is eighteen. I need you both to help me change her mind.”
Lynx threw up his hands in mock horror. “My sister Jory has a will of iron. Once she makes up her mind about something, she is tenacious as a terrier. I’ll broach the subject, but I think it will take a man of Warwick’s courage to challenge her.”
Both father and son looked at Guy de Beauchamp, who had remained doggedly silent on the subject.
“Jory and I have discussed our daughter’s future marriage, and we agree that a match between you and Brianna would be ideal for both families. We could not ask for a finer husband for our daughter. Since she is almost seventeen, I see no reason why you could not be betrothed for a year, but I know her mother is opposed to Brianna marrying before she is eighteen.”
“Can’t you help me change her mind, sir? To me a year seems like an eternity.”
“Splendor of God, do you know how fortunate you are in being able to marry a lady of your own choosing? Neither Warwick nor I had that luxury. Our marriages were arranged. We did not get to know our brides until after our vows were exchanged. I warrant that a year is a short space of time to curb your impatience.”
Brianna found her mother and Jane in Hedingham’s lovely solar. When she found them alone together, she had an overwhelming desire to confide her exciting news.
“Lincoln Robert asked me to marry him and I said yes!”