Hearts in Cups Read Online Free

Even young Ian here is a handy man with a
sword when pushed to it."
    Ian grinned.
"Grandfather certainly has retained his strength to a remarkable degree. I
watched him best six young knights-in-training the last time I was visiting
Medicat Hall. Fought them first and then proceeded to drink them under the
table."
    "Aye, a wonderful
man is Sir Alister," Griswold rejoined with a glint in his eye. He had
served the de Medicat family all of his life. First as a page to Alister de
Medicat and later as a knight. When Alister's son, Courant de Medicat, had
married the heir to House Langstraad, Griswold had followed him to Castle Lir.
He had trained Courant, and eventually taught Hollin and Ian. After the deaths
of her parents, Hollin had made him Lir's Master of Sword.
    Hollin grinned at Ian,
then saluted both men and exited through one of the smaller archways connecting
the practice yard with the rest of the castle complex. Ian exchanged a few
words with Griswold and then made for his own quarters to change his clothing.
     
    Ian's apartments had
been given to him by Hollin when she became Duchess of Langstraad. He had been
grateful, for it finally gave him a permanent and private place of his own and
ensured that he would be able to avoid long stays on his grandfather's estate.
The rooms were well-appointed and fastidiously clean, aside from a few books
lying on or about a large chair beside a window. He entered his bedchamber and
was undressing when he heard a sound from the adjacent room. The door was slyly
pushed ajar and a young woman sidled through the doorway with her hands behind her
back.
    "Hello my
lord." She swayed slightly as she advanced towards him.
    "Well, well."
He examined her with a slow smile. She had piled her tawny-coloured hair up
onto her head exposing the nape of her neck as well as quite a lot of her bust
and shoulders.  The impression that she initially made on men was one of
wonderful softness and pliability coupled with a childish desire to please. It
had not taken Ian long to discover that her ingenuousness was contrived and
that she could be more than a little unscrupulous when she wanted something.
She did however satisfy some rather basic needs in Ian, and he considered it a
fair trade for the gifts and minor privileges that she demanded in return.
     "Was the
hunting good?" she asked while running her fingertip over his bared chest.
    "Could have been
better," he replied cheerfully.
    "Nasty
hawks." She began to wrap her arms around him. "Shall we send for
supper in bed then?"
    "Sorry my girl,
but I'm dining out tonight."
    "Again! Who is it
this time?" He read suspicion as well as disappointment in her voice.
    "The lady of the
castle, as a matter of fact." Ian was clearly amused and let her know it.
"By the way, have you seen Evan skulking about? I need to wash up."
    "No, I
haven't," she relied with asperity. "How would I know where your
manservant is? I'm not a serving wench!" This last remark was delivered
with a flounce of her skirts as she sat down on the bed.
    "No, just the
delicious daughter of the head-cook." Ian pushed her gently onto her back
and pinned her there.
    Kathryn glared up at
him. She was sensitive on the subject of her family origins. Using her own wits
and feminine charms, she had found her way into the bed of the highest ranking
lord of the castle, which in her eyes made her almost a lady; and she was determined
to stay there.
     "It's been
so long since we've had a whole night together," she implored, changing
her tact. "You went off to visit your grandfather and left me alone for
weeks and weeks... Can't you send word that you are ill or something?"
    Ian looked thoughtfully
into her very round, dark eyes and briefly speculated on just how alone she had
been while he was away. And then he smiled. He was hardly in a position to feel
offended. If his cousin indulged in abstinence, his was an equal indulgence. Rolling
off the bed, he stood up and stretched his arms over his head.