Before the Fire Read online

  “’Tis also the name of this gypsy,” she rasped out. “And ye must be mistaken fer I ain’t seen but nineteen virgin summers.”

  Kane clapped her hand over her mouth and giggled.

  “Give it up, Girty,” James forewarned, “we’re on to your game.”

  “’Ere now,” Girty frowned, falling back into her own shrewish voice, “ain’t nothing wrong with making a bit more blunt.” She sat up straighter in her chair and pushed the gypsy veil out of her face. “Besides that, the women in me family have been seers fer as many generations back as I can remember.”

  “Fine,” Kane chuckled, “read us our fortunes then.”

  Old Girty harrumphed. “I thought ye would see the right of it.” She took out her tea leaves and runes and splayed them on the table set up before them. She grinned up to the viscount, displaying her winsomely gummy smile. “’Ere now, milord, let us see what kinds of trouble yer poker will be getting ye into.”

  Kane burst out laughing.

  James buried his face in his hands and shook his head.

  * * * * *

  Bessy twirled around, showing off her new gown of green silk and white lace ruffles to her dad and stepmother who had a minute or two to rest in between the nonstop flow of patrons they’d had to their booth. The MacAllister booth boasted both silk tapestries and dolls made of knotty pine, horse hair, and dried leaves. Both of which were turning out to be quite popular as keepsakes amongst the visiting aristocracy. Aron was grateful indeed that his daughters and wife had talked him into emptying the family coffers to buy the supplies.

  He surveyed his twirling daughter and her garment. “’Tis almost as beautiful as ye,” Aron told her proudly.

  “Aye,” Alice seconded, grinning broadly as she rocked their twin sons back and forth in the cradle Aron had carved by hand, “yer beautiful, Bessy girl.”

  Bessy blushed. “’Twas a gift from the countess fer coming up with the idea of the fair.”

  “This was yer idea, Bessy girl?”

  “Aye, papa.”

  He clapped her on the back. “I dinna know. I should be the one buyin’ ye a new dress then, fer me and yer mum are making quite a showin’ today.”

  “Hullo Bessy.”

  Bessy spun on her heel and smiled breathlessly at…

  “Jack.”

  Jack Turgot took of his cap and bowed low to the lady’s maid. Aron looked at his grinning wife and winked. “I heard ye ha’ become stable master tae Himself. Is it true, lad?”

  “Aye.” Jack puffed out his chest arrogantly. “Amongst other things.”

  Aron nodded, clearly impressed.

  Bessy rolled her eyes, clearly not. “And yer point, Jack Turgot?”

  “I’m good enough fer ye now.”

  Bessy cocked her head and squinted her eyes, not understanding. “Whoever said ye wasn’t?”

  He shrugged.

  Bessy sighed. “’Twas yer mum who thought I wasn’t good enough fer the likes o’ ye, Jack Turgot. Not the other way around.”

  Jack grunted. “Me mum is as crazed as the day is long. Her opinion didn’t matter a lick to me then, and it don’t be matterin’ to me now, Bessy MacAllister.” He gave her a reproving glare. “I’m me own man, don’t ye know?”

  Bessy straightened up, her hands flying to her hips in perfect imitation of the countess. “Are ye wantin’ to court me proper then, Jack Turgot?”

  He blushed, but nodded.

  “Then ye better ask me papa fer his blessin’.”

  Red-faced, Jack turned on his heel and made eye contact with the extremely tall Highlander known for his possessiveness of what was his. He shoved those thoughts aside, determined to win his Bessy. “Sir, I am making a right good livin’ now and can take care of yer Bessy well and good.” He eyed him hesitantly, wondering over his thoughts. “May I formally court yer daughter, Mister MacAllister?”

  Aron scratched his chin as if to consider it. He could feel the whelp sweating under his gaze and allowed himself to enjoy every moment of it. “A guid livin’, ye say?”

  “Aye.”

  “Yer intentions are honorable?”

  “Aye.”

  Aron drew out his decision for as long as possible before relenting in the end with a grin and a nod. “Then aye, ye may court me Bessy girl.”

  Jack released a breath he’d been holding. He nodded to Aron, bowed to Alice, then turned to face Bessy. “Can I buy ye a cup of honeyed mead at yon table, Bessy?”

  Bessy smiled brilliantly, all but knocking the stable master to his feet. “Aye, Jack. Ye can.”

  Just as the giddy couple was about to take their leave, Kane and James halted their departure. Bessy bowed quickly. “Good day, milord, milady. I was just about to get a cup o’ mead with Jack Turgot. Unless yer needin’ me m’um?”

  Kane shook her head, smiling at her maid. “By Jupiter’s moons, no! You’ve earned the day off a thousand times over. This was all your idea, so go enjoy it.” She tapped her cheek and nibbled on her lower lip as she considered something she hadn’t before. Fishing into her pockets, she thrust some coins into Bessy’s hands.

  “What’s this fer, m’um?” the maid asked hesitantly.

  “Just pocket money. Go buy yourself something pretty.”

  Bessy’s eyes widened. “But ye have givin’ me so much already.” She tried to hand her the money back, but the countess refused it.

  James laughed. “You might as well give it up, Bessy. You know how stubborn your lady is.”

  Bessy blushed, but relented with a grin. “Aye, milord. And thank ye, m’um.” She turned to Jack, smiling brightly. He grinned and led her through the crowds to get some mead from Old Girty.

  Kane introduced Viscount Freemont to Bessy’s parents. That accomplished, she smiled up hesitantly to the very tall Aron MacAllister. “Sir, I have a request to make of you, but if you haven’t the time I understand.” She held her hands out in supplication. “Please do not feel obligated.”

  Aron smiled down to the countess, shaking his head in confusion. “I canna imagine what a mon like me can do fer ye, but I promise ye that if I can I will.”

  She bit her lip and pointed to the MacAllister twins’ cradle. “Could you carve one for my unborn child?” Before he could deny her request, she quickly added, “I would pay you well, of course.”

  His chest puffed out with pride, he regarded his beaming wife for a moment before answering the countess. “T’would be an honor, milady.”

  “Are you sure you have the time?”

  “Aye.”

  “Because I could—”

  “Kane!” James chuckled. “The man said he’d be honored to.”

  She chewed on her lip as her gaze met the viscount’s. Turning back to Aron, she nodded. She pulled a sheet of parchment out of her reticule and handed it to him. “It’s the Blackmore Coat of Arms. Would it be too much trouble to engrave this into the sides or something?”

  Aron accepted the sheet of parchment and studied it a moment or two before shaking his head. “No trouble a’tall. I daresay I’m guid with me hands, milady, and I ha’ a knack fer carvin’ and whatnot.”

  “I’ve noticed.” Kane grinned. “On the few occasions I’ve been to your domicile with herbal remedies I saw how well done a lot of your work is.”

  He blushed, but nodded.

  “And I think,” she went on, “you should consider opening up your own shop in the village one day.” She tapped her foot as she contemplated the best way to say her piece, not wanting to underline the fact that she knew more about the future than one should. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly and smiled. “Times are changing, Mister MacAllister. The number of farmers will lessen over the years, but skills like yours will always be in high demand.”

  Having accomplished what she’d set out to do, she pulled out a burlap sack and thrust it into the bewildered farmer’s hands. “Here’s a payment on the cradle. Should you require more, let Bessy know and I’ll send her around with it.” />
  Aron smiled at her. “I thank ye, milady.”

  Kane smiled back to him, nodded and waved to his wife, then spun around to face James. “Shall we?”

  He took her arm and led her away, acknowledging the MacAllisters with a nod to his head as they made their way toward the next booth.

  Aron opened the burlap sack, took one look at its contents, and had to sit down. Alice rushed over to tend to him. “Aron, yer pale. What’s wrong, lovie?”

  He handed the sack over to his wife. She opened it up and gasped. “Good Lord in heaven, Aron, it looks to be about fifty pounds!”

  He nodded.

  Alice laughed. “Mayhap the countess is right. Between yer carvin’ and me sewin’, not to mention all this blunt, I think we can afford to open a shop our very own!”

  Aron crossed his arms over his chest while he mulled over that possibility. “I ha’ always wanted tae carve fer a livin’. Do ye really think we can do it, Alice mine?”

  “With yer first sale goin’ to the Countess of Blackmore? Aye, Aron me love, I know we can.”

  Chapter 36

  Kane took one look at her gigantic husband in his medieval warrior’s garb as he strolled into her dressing chamber and got as horny as a one-eyed zilch in the peak of its heat. Since zilches were known for their amorous ways as it was, that was saying a lot.

  By the galaxies, he was magnificent!

  He sported a green silk and black velvet tunic that didn’t bother to cover his bared, muscular arms. His naked biceps were clasped about the middle with thick gold arm bands she had paid the smithy and jeweler a pretty pound to fashion. In the middle of one band was a ruby dragon. In the middle of the other, an amber dandelion. She couldn’t resist when the smithy and jeweler had suggested the dandelion as an ornament. It was too cute an inside joke to let pass by.

  Her husband’s black hose matched the jade green tunic to perfection. His muscular thighs could not go unnoticed in such an outfit.

  The earl sported rings on every finger, which in the days of old would have signified his great wealth. He wore a sword and scabbard, and an eating dagger had been secured to his hip.

  She licked her lips in anticipation.

  George was doing a little lusting of his own, eyeing his lady wife through glazed over eyes. Kane’s ankle-length, curve-hugging maiden’s gown was wickedly provocative. It was fashioned of green velvet so their outfits matched in coloring, and the gorgeous garment teased every last one of his erotic senses.

  A rope of gold about the hips drew the eye to her slightly rounded belly, then was taken even lower to the enticing amulet of an amber dandelion and ruby center that clasped together just above her mons.

  Best of all, his wife’s hair was unbound, secured only at the forehead by a ring of gold, amber, and rubies. The back of her hair flowed past her shapely arse in rivulets of seductive curls.

  George frowned. On second thought, he didn’t care o’er much to have other men ogling her hair in such a state. Aside from him, no other gentleman of this time had been given the pleasure of witnessing it unbound because it was only done so within their private bedchamber.

  That thought only led to others. Specifically of the way in which Kane would oft times wrap her hair about his—

  “Why are you frowning?” Kane spun around, enticing her husband with a full view of her sinful curves. “Did I forget something?”

  George was about to demand that she bind her hair, then snapped his jaw shut before he could do so. It would be unfair of him to ruin his beloved’s night merely because he was feeling jealous. Besides, she was his. All of her belonged to him.

  So instead the earl made light of his feelings. He sauntered up to Kane’s side where she stood by her dressing table and grabbed a fistful of her glorious blonde hair. Wrapping it about his large hand, he turned his voice into a false rasp. “Be warned, ye virgin maiden. I am a knight of the realm. They call me Sir Long Cock and I’ve me eyes on ye, wench.”

  Kane giggled. “Ooohhh Sir Long Cock, whatever do you plan to do with me you wicked man?” She batted her eyelashes becomingly.

  The earl kissed his wife soundly on the lips, then proceeded to nibble on her throat. “I’m going to ravish ye, Lady Kane.” He picked her up off of the floor and began to rub his wife’s body up and down the length of his aching arousal.

  It quickly became more than just a game.

  Kane moaned into her husband’s ear, causing his undoing. He placed her carefully on the edge of the raised bed, noticing as he spread her legs apart that the wicked wench hadn’t donned any undergarments. He pulled his hose down to his knees, preparing to give her a little taste of his battering ram. “Can yer fortress withstand this assault, wench?”

  “Mmm…why don’t we find out?”

  Standing between her splayed thighs, he gripped her hips and thrust into her wet flesh in one powerful thrust. Gritting his teeth, he moved in and out of her tight opening, pounding her fast and hard.

  “Oh George.” Moaning, Kane gave into the carnal contractions that seized her quicker than they ever had before. There was something wild and dangerous about her husband tonight, making her orgasm that much better.

  “Christ.” Gritting his teeth, George continued to thrust as he felt his wife’s vagina contract around his cock. Biceps bulging as he leaned over her, he pounded into her harder, his muscles corded as he thrust. “Christ you feel good.”

  Kane reared up and met his thrusts. “Do you like the way I wrap around you?” she asked in a seductive murmur. “Do you like the way my swollen flesh sucks you in each time you pull back?”

  “Yes.” George’s jaw clenched as he raised her hips a bit higher and pummeled harder. The deep sensations set his wife to moaning again, bringing him closer to his own release. “Come for me again,” he growled. “I want to feel this sweet pussy contract around me again.”

  “Oh yes George.”

  And when she did it was more sensate temptation than he could stand. Clutching a silky buttock in either hand, he rammed into her with as much force as he could muster, stroking in and out of her pulsing vagina in a series of deep, long strokes before throwing his head back and shouting out his orgasm.

  His breathing raspy, he collapsed on top of her, mindful of her belly. He sounded like a man who’d gone to battle. “What think ye of that assault, wench?”

  Kane giggled. She waited for her exhausted husband to make eye contact then treated him to another round of batting eyelashes. “Why Sir Long Cock, my fortress has been breached well and good.”

  He sucked on her bottom lip, chuckling at the same time.

  * * * * *

  “Good god, Kane,” Viscount Blake sputtered, “is that truly your real hair, gel?” Chester did a circle about his daughter-in-law, admiring her long pale tresses.

  George grinned. “Yes, ‘tis. I, her lord husband, can vouch for that fact.”

  Viscount Freemont whistled through his teeth. “Goodness, me. That hair is…is…” He stopped mid tirade at George’s scowl. “Nice enough,” he finished. Grinning, he winked at Kane.

  She shook her head, laughing. “Where on earth is Melea?” Kane asked, effectively changing the subject once she noted the possessive gleam in her husband’s eyes.

  Chester, moving his sword and scabbard out of his way and mumbling something incoherent about “bothersome chain mail”, pointed toward the table of refreshments. “Over yon with my lady wife. The deuce of them couldn’t seem to wait for the banquet before eating.”

  Seeing this as a perfect opportunity to bring James and Chester up to date on the Montieth situation, he encouraged her to join her best friend. “Go on, my dear. Don’t worry for me. In fact, it would be wonderful if you’d be so kind as to send Bessy to cook to find out when our medieval feast shall be served.”

  Kane nodded her agreement. Smiling prettily at her husband, she bade the gentlemen good evening and made a beeline for the refreshment table.

  “Alright,” James said, �
�we might have only renewed our acquaintance three days ago, but I remember that look well and good from university. What’s the matter?”

  George sighed. Seeing no point in mincing words, he came straight to the point. “My man Jack spotted Montieth on the grounds a few times.”

  “The devil you say!” Chester crossed his arms over his chest and scowled. “Damn me but I hate that troll in gentleman’s clothing.”

  Bemused at Blake’s analogy, James shook his head. He then turned to George. “What do you think the baron is about?”

  “I think he’s going to try something tonight, but I’ve no idea what.” The earl glanced at his wife who was laughing at some jest his mother apparently made, then turned back to the viscounts. “I want the deuce of you to watch my wife at all times. One of us always needs to make certain she’s within our notice.”

  “Of course,” Chester agreed.

  Lord Freemont nodded grimly. It occurred to him that the earl was placing a great deal of trust in their renewed friendship. He wouldn’t let him down. “Of course.” He scanned the room, trying to locate the marquess. “And what of Alex?”

  “He’s aware. Even now he’s in the courtyard gaining a report from his footmen whom he sent out scouting.”

  “His footmen?”

  George shrugged. “A least four of them have had the misfortune of meeting the baron whilst accompanying the marquess to his clubs.”

  James snorted. “Misfortune for the footmen, mayhap. Fortune for us.”

  George chuckled. “Agreed.”

  “Unless there’s more to tell, I’m going to go do a little chaperoning,” Chester informed his son-in-law.

  George shook his head. “No more. Go on, man.”

  Viscount Blake inclined his head to his companions, then sauntered off.

  George turned toward Viscount Freemont and grinned. “I see my wife managed to talk you into the chain mail purchase.”

  James laughed. “Aye.” He shook his head in amusement. “I was wearing a visor earlier but the bloody thing was too damned annoying, constantly clapping closed over my eyes whilst I was doing my best to try and woo a few wenches.”