Connor's horse started to stir at the edge of the woods lining the castle grounds. "Easy boy," he said in a hushed tone. His eyes scanned the grim landscape all around them. "Where are you?" he whispered.
"If it is the the beasts of the night that draws your concern the torches keep them at bay Welling," The man shouted from behind him.
The chuckling of the man's laugh crept up Connor's back. In his mind he did not trust this man to not turn into one of these so called beasts and lunge for the back of his neck. The draw bridge came into view and Connor felt as if he was a lad again. The scale of the castle was still as he had remembered and tried so many nights to push away.
Connor steered his stead into the gated courtyard and dismounted with Missy in his arms. The man approached him with a sudden slight limp. Something he ha not had before back at the carriage.
"I will send word to your father you are here and willing to aid him in his endeavors. I am sure he will be pleased as punch by the news." He flashed an evil smirk towards Connor.
"Is there a problem Sir?" Connor asked as he threw Missy over his shoulder.
Again showing his vile insides, the man laughed.
"When do you expect my father's return? I would much prefer to speak with him personally on the matter," Connor said.
"Return?" he stated. "He has made no appearance nor has plans to. This would be the cause for
my presence." He stepped forward and leaned into Connor. "Do not mistake this for an innovation to procure a place as commander. I will not take kindly to the notion of it."
Connor leaned in yet closer to the man. Glared into his hollow black eyes. "I do not posses nor desire to, but, I will not be treated as a commoner in my own home." He looked the man up and down briefly. "Do we now have an understanding between who desires what and who does not?"
The man leaned back as a deep bellowing laugh emerged form a place Connor did not like. "I like you Welling." He turned and walked to his horse. "I want her in the tower if you could be so kind to secure this and...I need someone inside the chambers with her. I would ask you but-"
"And why not the dungeon. I would think it to be far more secure," Connor said.
"I know it to be easily accessible from the outside world. In the tower there is merely one way in and one way out," he said stepping into the stirrups.
"I see," Connor said.
He is obviously no fool. Damn it! "You have clearly thought out everything Sir and I respect that. I will question you no further." Connor turned from him heading to the two story double doors.
"Good. Then I shall get no argument from you upon my request you secure her in the tower chamber with yourself locked inside as well," The man shouted turning his stead around. "I will return in three nights."
He kicked the stead hard. Connor watched him blaze a dusty trail to the forest. Making his way into the castle he made himself known giving orders for wine, water, rags, clothes, and food. Connor headed for the tower in the back of the castle. Nothing had changed in the past twenty years. It emulated a cold presence still leaving Connor uneasy.
The staircase was a narrow spiral tunnel of gray stone. Impossible to make out what was around the corner the entire length up, which was 96 steps. He was already exhausted from the nights events and now he had to not only carry him self up the long many flights but Missy as well.
Twenty minutes later he reached the corridor at the top. A narrow hall wound it's way threw two floors in the tower. He strode towards the second floor. Upon making it to the wood door, Connor laid his head to the chilled wood.
How the hell am I going to get us out of this? I wish he would have placed us in the dungeon.
After a brief moment he unlatched the lock pushing it open. The room was surprisingly somewhat warm. A few candles lit the area where a large table sat. Connor quickly found the bed and nearly dropped Missy in it. His body followed her down. His elbows caught his body from crashing into her. He allowed his head to rest above her shoulder.
The door rushed open causing a creaking to echo wretchedly throughout the chamber. Connor flew up and to his feet.
A guard placed a tray and basket on the table. Connor glared at him with fierce rage. Partly from the man's ignorance and the other part fear.
"Do not ever contemplate of barging in this chamber again unless you no longer value air to breath." The man stood stunned at Connor's sudden outburst. He winced as he saw Connor draw near to him. "Do you understand me?"
"Y-yes Sir."
Connor gazed over the table taking stock of all he requested. "I need two maids sent up here." He opened the basket and pulled out some bread. Biting off a chunk he glared back at the man. With a mouth full of food he spat out, "What the hell are you waiting for!"
"Well Sir, Velture does not allow woman at the castle."
Velture? That has to be the man with the evil laugh. He looked over to Missy in the bed.
There is no way I will allow any man to tend to her. Shit! Connor turned his back to the man. "You may leave now. Do tell the other idiots that at no point in time is anyone allowed in this room unless called upon by me."
He heard the door close at his back. Connor let his chin fall to his chest. After a long moment he reached out and took one of the bottles of wine and opened it. He thumbed through the basket.
No glasses? Inbred fools most likely don't even use glasses. He chugged down a good portion of the wine rather quickly. He glanced over to Missy laying perfectly still. The bottle found his lips once more.
Completely out cold as I would like to be at this moment. Oh God Missy, I now have to decloth you, sponge you down, and all the while be a perfect gentlemen about it. Could anything be more torturous? Of the long and endless list that was so very graciously provided to me by your brother, this one was not on the list, but I would definitely consider this to be forbidden. He finished off the wine and grabbed the supplies from the table along with the other bottle of wine.
Connor stood at the bed beside and popped open the second bottle of wine. "I much prefer a strong scotch but this will suffice." He swigged it back. "An impossible torturous task at times needs a little aid. And this will either help or hinder it. We will soon find out."
He could not bring himself to place the wine bottle to the table beside him. It seemed to be glued to his lips with no hope of remaining full. The liquid courage found it's way to his belly.
Finally he set the half full bottle down. He studied the quietness of her for a moment. He sat down on the edge of the bed and reached over to the buttons of her dress, well what was left of them. His hands trembled before him. Connor drew in a deep breath as he pulled away the material covering her breasts. "Oh it's hindering." He closed the material back over her bare chest. "I shall start at your feet."
He chuckled to himself softly. He crawled down the side of the bed to her shoes only after removing his boots, coat, and unbuttoning the first four buttons on his own shirt. "This is nothing short of insanity. I have thought about this moment for the last eighteen years since we were young and this is the big reveal. You out cold and me half drunk having to undress you all the while wanting nothing more than to ravish your body in any way possible."
He sat with his back to her and took the foot closet to him. Unlacing her shoe, he removed it and then the other. He examined her small narrow foot in his hand. The pale color of her skin stood out against his tan large hands. His erection from earlier started to make it's self known again. Connor shook his head. "Are you kidding me? Apparently I find your feet to be quit fetching and sensual."
His thumb rubbed over the top of her foot softly. After a moment he whispered, "I have never desired a woman as I do you, Missy."
Connor turned pulling her legs apart and hovered over her body on his knees. "I'm going to make this part quick. My plan is to disrobe you from the bottom layer out and by the time I get to the outer layer, being your dress, I can cover your body with a very thick blanket and I will not see a thing."
Connor ran his hands up along her outer thighs beneath her heavy dress and then paused upon reaching the top. "Ah Missy, where on earth are your undergarments?" Thinking they might have some how bunched up at her waist he pushed his fingertips up to the waistline of her dress. "Oh where the bloody hell are they?" His plan to safely keep his hands to her outer thighs of relatively what he deemed to be the safe area, was no longer possible.
He let his hands rest on her warm moist skin at her hips. Knowing he was now going to have to pull up her dress, he gazed up to her restful face and said, "If I pull back your dress and find not one stitch of clothing under here I will...well, I don't know what I'll do but I am going to do something."
Connor then took a deep breath and slowly, very slowly, pushed up her dress gazing at every inch of bare skin her dress exposed to his greedy eyes.
© copyright 2012
by Pages of Romance Publishing
