Crying out, Willa arched and closed her legs around him as he cupped her bottom. She clawed at his shoulders and chanted, "Please, please, please," by his ear as he pounded into her. Cursing, he tugged her tighter to him with his hold on her bottom, grinding himself against her with each thrust until she stiffened and shrieked as she convulsed in his arms. Lost in a world of sensation, Willa was barely aware of his stiffening and shouting as he joined her in that release.
When next she became aware of her surroundings, it was to find herself still seated on the table, leaning limply against her husband's chest. She heard him groan; then he pulled back slightly and she felt him press a kiss to the top of her head. Lifting her head, she met his gaze briefly, then blushed as she recalled her abandon of moments ago. Willa started to duck her head, but he caught her chin and pressed a kiss to one flushed cheek.
"You pleased me," was all he said. It was enough. Still inside her, Hugh scooped her up off the table and turned to walk to the cot in the corner. She felt him move inside her and grow stiffer with each step, and then he eased her onto the bed and slid out of her as he straightened.
Willa watched in silence as he removed the open braies hanging off his hips. He was fully erect again, or so she thought until his manhood grew even larger under her gaze. She found it rather shocking that something so large had fit inside her and felt good in the fitting. Then her gaze moved up to admire the broad expanse of his chest as he tugged his tunic off. Willa's hands reached up of their own accord to smooth over his torso as he joined her on the cot. She closed her eyes and enjoyed the feel of him under the sensitive tips of her fingers as he lay half on top of her, holding most of his weight with his arms. She allowed her hands to drift to his n**ples, rubbing her thumbs over them as he did to her. Her eyes opened at a sound from him. Hugh was smiling. He seemed to enjoy her touch, so she slid her hands down across his stomach, then to his hips. She caught him there and tried to pull him against her, but he resisted, looking a bit vexed.
"What is it?" Willa asked.
"This cot is small; 'tis hard to find purchase. I may crush you." He hesitated, then lay on his side. He shifted until he lay on his back and had maneuvered her on top of him. Willa lay there uncertainly for a moment, then pushed herself upright until she straddled his hips. She felt him hard beneath her and blushed, then began to run her hands curiously over his chest as her drying hair slid down to curtain them.
Smiling, Hugh caught several strands and used them to tug her down for a kiss. Willa sighed against his mouth as the movement rubbed her across the hard flesh of his erection. Then she kissed him eagerly as he let go of her hair to clasp her h*ps and draw her across his flesh in a deliberate caress. Enjoying the sensation, Willa took over the movement, sliding along his shaft as Hugh shifted his hands to cup her br**sts between them. She was enjoying the sensation so much that she was almost disappointed when she angled herself too much and he slid into her. Willa hesitated, then sat up and clasped his hands over her br**sts as she began to ride him. She was awkward at first, and uncertain, but she was also in control and quickly found just the right position and angle to gain the most pleasure.
Hugh pulled one hand away from her breast to grasp her hip, attempting to urge her to a faster motion, but Willa resisted, driving them both mad with her slow pace. As her excitement mounted, so did a frantic need to kiss him, but she was unable to reach his lips. Finally she grabbed the hand at her hip and drew it up to her mouth, licking, nipping and finally sucking on it in her urgency. This just seemed to make Hugh move more desperately beneath her.
This time it was he who begged in an incoherent plea, and he who first arched, raising his back up off the bed with a shout as he poured himself into her. Willa followed quickly, biting down on his finger and arching into her own release. Then she collapsed on top of him, feeling completely drained and thoroughly satisfied.
Hugh mumbled something that might have been a compliment or an endearment as he wrapped his arms around her to hold her close, but Willa was too exhausted to ask what he'd said. Snuggling close, she sniffled, frowning slightly at the scent of smoke in the air. It reminded her that Hugh had meant to light a fire for her, but they had forgotten. She didn't suppose she needed it anymore and drifted into sleep.
Chapter Fifteen
Hugh was dreaming. He stood in a thick fog, shouting for Willa. He knew she was there somewhere, but he couldn't find her in the swirling mist. Hugh stumbled forward through the haze, calling her name and begging her to answer. But the only response he received was the mournful howling of her wolves.
Hugh blinked his eyes open and, for a moment, thought he was still dreaming. The dim room was aswirl with fog and the concerted howls of Wolfy and Fen were still echoing in his ears. Then he realized that the sound wasn't an echo. Wolfy and Fen were howling. And the fog in the room wasn't fog at all, but smoke... from a fire... that he'd forgotten to light.
"Fire!" He sat up, unintentionally dislodging Willa and tumbling her to the floor. He leaned over to peer at her at once, but couldn't see her for the smoke. "Willa?"
"Hugh?" Her voice was pained and confused, but at least she was answering him. She hadn't in his dreams. Relief slid through him even as she began to cough. Then she asked, "What is happening?"
"The cottage is on fire." He got off the pallet, careful to avoid stepping on her and began a blind search for his clothes. Hugh found what he thought were his braies and started to drag them on, only to realize that he was trying to stick his feet into the arms of his tunic. Cursing, he pulled it on over his head.
"Nay. You forgot to light a fire," Willa said. Her words ended on another coughing fit.
Hugh knew the smoke must be irritating her already sore throat. He had to get her out of there. "Get up, Willa. Find your clothes."
Hugh found his braies and pulled them on as he stumbled in the direction of the door. The smoke was heavy in the room and he couldn't tell exactly where the fire was. He was hoping that opening the door would allow some of the smoke out and increase visibility. He could then help Willa find her gown and they could escape. Hugh would take her nak*d if he had to, but didn't wish to return her to Hillcrest in such an embarrassing state.
Fortunately, it was a small cottage and he had correctly recalled the direction of the door from the cot. Hugh released a breath of relief and pushed on it. A chill ran down the back of his neck when it did not budge. He pushed again. Nothing. It wasn't moving at all.
Hugh took a step back, then rammed himself against the door. It didn't budge. Stepping back, he tried to understand what was happening, but the sound of Willa coughing drew his attention. He glanced in her direction, but the smoke was thick. As it had been in his dream, he could not see her. Panic seized him briefly, but a coughing fit of his own brought him out of it. Leaving the door for the moment, he followed the sound of her coughs until he stumbled over her.
"Willa?" Bending, he grabbed the first thing that came to hand. Her derriere. She was on her hands and knees. However, she was also partially dressed. She had donned either her shift or her gown, Hugh wasn't sure which. Whatever it might be, it was enough. Shifting his hands to her arms, he dragged her to her feet. "We have to get out of here." He felt her nod against his chest as she coughed.
"The door is barred from the outside."
"There is no bar on the outside," she panted weakly as her coughing fit came to an end.
"Aye, well, there is now."
Wolfy and Fen howled in concert again, and he felt Willa stiffen. "The wolves."
"Aye. Their howling woke me." He stumbled toward the place where the table should be, relieved when his hand bumped against it. "Here, stay here. I am going to try to open the door."
"You said 'twas barred."
"Aye. Something is keeping it closed. Is this cottage of cob or wattle and daub?"
"Wattle and daub. Baldulf once said 'twas almost twenty years old. The back wall has been damaged by rainstorms. He said 'twould have to be repaired or another cottage built soon. He - " She broke off to cough again and Hugh thumped her back a couple of times, then told her to remain where she was and moved to the back wall. Much to his relief it was wattle and daub. Cob would have been much harder to smash through. And Willa was right, it had suffered water damage. It was crumbling under his touch. It was also hot.
Hugh made his way back to the table, following the sound of Willa's coughing again. Finding her hand, he hooked it into the waist at the back of his braies. "Hold on to me. I am going to break through the back wall. Do not let go of my braies," he ordered, then picked up the table and moved toward the back of the small cottage. The table hit the wall first and jarred against him. Hugh felt along the wall until he was sure he knew where the timbers were. He did not want to waste time on the frame of the building. Once assured he knew where to hit, he reached back to make sure that Willa was out of the way behind him. Hugh then used the table as a battering ram and smashed it through the panel of woven sticks with its cover of straw and cow dung. The table went pitching through on the first blow.
Releasing a sigh of relief, Hugh grabbed Willa's hand from the back of his braies and bent to charge through the splintered opening. He didn't stop running until he was sure they were well clear of the burning cottage. He paused and turned toward Willa then and cried out when he saw that the back of her gown was on fire. Throwing her to the ground, he used his hands and the untouched parts of her own gown to smother the fire. Hugh had just doused the last of it when Wolfy and Fen came charging around the cottage. For one moment, he thought that the beasts were going to attack... and they did. They leaped on Willa, licking her face with joy to see her alive and well.
Cursing, he pulled Willa up into a sitting position, then paused to survey the burning structure. The cottage was now nearly completely aflame. The thatch roof was one large torch; the walls had gone up like tinder.
"You said their howling woke you?"
Hugh glanced down at Willa and nodded. He frowned. "I wonder where they were when the fire was set?"
"Probably still sleeping after their meal," Willa said. Her eyes sharpened. "When the fire was set?"
"Hmm." Hugh helped her to her feet and started around the cottage toward the clearing. He wasn't really concerned that whoever had started it might still be present. Wolfy and Fen would have taken care of him if he were, but he wanted a look at the front door. He wished to see what had been barring it from opening.
It was a wooden plank. They barely got around front in time to see it before the roof collapsed into the cottage. The walls followed quickly, and the wolves immediately took flight and disappeared back into the surrounding woods. Hugh glanced at Willa to see that silent tears were running down her cheeks. This had been her home for ten years, he recalled, as he hugged her to his side. It would be hard for her to watch it fall like this. They stood in silence for several minutes watching it burn, then Hugh recalled his horse and led her to the stable. It was a relief to find the animal still there. Leaving Willa leaning against the door, Hugh walked inside and quickly checked the animal. Finding him uninjured, he saddled, then led him out of the stable. Hugh mounted, then lifted Willa up before him.
It was a silent return journey. Willa huddled before him in the saddle, careful not to touch him more than necessary. Her face was pale and drawn and Hugh could feel her tremble. What worried him most, however, was that her eyes seemed empty. It was like his dream, in a way. He felt as though he had lost some vital part of her in the smoky cottage and now could not find her. She had withdrawn from him, and he didn't like it.
Hugh rode his horse straight up to the castle stairs, and gently deposited his wife on her feet there. She stood there, looking lost, and Hugh noticed for the first time that her face was soot-streaked. The wolves had cleaned some of it away with their joyous greeting, but had missed much of it. He also saw, with some regret, that the bottom of her hair had been singed when her gown had been afire. It would have to be cut off a little above her waist.
"Go change. Order a bath to help remove the smoke and soot," he added as she started up the stairs. "I will send Baldulf up to wait outside our chamber for you. Do not leave until he arrives."
Willa didn't say anything, but he thought she nodded. Hugh watched her until she disappeared inside the castle, then turned his horse toward the stables. He wanted to leap off his horse and take her upstairs himself. He wanted to bathe away the signs of the fire from her body, then make love to her until he had also banished it from her mind. But he had to talk to the men. This was the third attempt on her life. He wanted the culprit caught before there was a fourth.
Willa made it all the way upstairs to the bedchamber she shared with Hugh without anyone stopping her. Once there, she didn't seem to have any idea what to do. She had a vague recollection of Hugh telling her to do something, but the memory was hazy. She stared around the room. Today had been a glorious day. Today had been hell. This morning her husband had taught her passion beyond anything Willa had dreamed of. This afternoon she had nearly lost him to death.
Of course, Willa had nearly died, too, but someone had been trying to kill her all her life. Every day she breathed was a gift. But the assassin had nearly killed Hugh today; as he had killed Luvena years ago. Her own mother had died giving Willa life. Ilbert had died while guarding her. The man who had raised her as his own child had died just days ago...
Willa was terribly tired of losing those she loved.
She dropped onto the edge of the bed with a moan. Her feelings for Hugh were new and confused. Willa had thought herself in love with the man before she'd ever met him. It was her duty to love her husband. But before these last few days, the thought of his dying would not have affected her as it now did. She was sure if he had died ere they had met, she would have felt sad regret. Nearly losing him today had caused terrible fear and wrenching pain. Willa didn't know if she could bear losing Hugh. She did know she couldn't bear it if she lost him to someone who was trying to kill her.