Forbidden: Claude (Second in Command #2)(31)

Evelina followed Claude up the stairs, glad to be away from the crowd, the drunks, and the noise. When they got to the end of the hall, he reached out and opened the door. She was about to enter the room when he stopped her.

“Let me make sure it is safe, first.” He drew his sword and walked into the room.

Evelina thought he was overreacting. “I hardly think it is -” She stopped speaking when Claude pulled someone out of the shadows and held his blade to the person’s throat. It was a young boy perhaps ten years of age. He had the package in his hands.

“You thought you’d steal from me, did you?” growled Claude.

Evelina stood there with her mouth hanging open.

“Please, don’t kill me, my lord,” begged the frightened boy.

Claude ripped the package from the boy’s hands and threw it onto the pallet. “Why are you in here?”

“I am just a peasant,” said the boy. “I work for the innkeeper and just finished bringing hot water for your bath.” He pointed to an empty bucket on the floor.

“You were trying to steal my package,” said Claude, using a voice that sounded very threatening. “You should know thieves stealing from nobles have their hands cut off.”

“I wasn’t stealing it,” squeaked the boy. “I was just curious and wanted to know what was in it. Please don’t cut off my hand, my lord.”

“Sir Claude, please don’t hurt the child,” begged Evelina. “I believe he was just curious, that’s all.”

Claude sighed and lowered his blade. “Take your bucket and go,” he told the boy. “Next time I catch you touching my belongings, you will find your hand next to you on the ground.” He gave the boy a push, and he landed on the floor next to his bucket.

“Thank you, my lord,” said the boy with wide eyes, still staring at Claude’s sword. He picked up the bucket and ran out of the room.

“Thank you for not hurting the boy,” said Evelina once the child had left the room.

“I wasn’t going to hurt him. I just wanted to scare him.” Claude slid his sword back into the scabbard. “If he doesn’t learn his lesson now, someday another lord will cut off his hand or do something worse. A little fear as a child goes a long way.”

Another rumble of thunder shook the building. Claude’s body became rigid. He hurried over to the window and secured the shutter.

“You seem a little jumpy tonight,” she told him, skimming her fingers over the surface of the bath water, sinking down to sit on the edge of the tub. The water felt hot and inviting. A fire burned in a small hearth at the other side of the room making it very cozy. The room was small and plain. The only other furnishings were a pallet lying directly on the floor and one chair.

“I don’t like storms,” he told her.

“Why not?”

“It doesn’t matter. Now use the bath before it gets cold. I will be sitting outside the room to make sure nobody enters.”

He grabbed the chair and headed for the door, but she reached out and touched him. He stopped and looked over his shoulder.

“Thank you, Claude,” she said, not using his title. Her eyes met his. She was alone with him and wanted to kiss him. Reaching up, she cupped his cheek in her hand. His eyes closed and he seemed to be holding his breath.

Evelina was taking a chance but she no longer cared. Claude’s eyes were closed, and she used it to her advantage. Standing on her tiptoes, she reached up and gently kissed him on the lips.

His eyes snapped open. He almost looked frightened for a split second. Then his gaze became hooded and he leaned forward, his face coming closer to hers. And just when she thought he was going to return the kiss, he stopped.

“You are wasting hot water. Now use it before I throw you in the tub.” With that, he turned and left the room carrying the chair.



Claude closed the door and sat on the chair, raking his hand through his hair in confusion. Evelina kissed him! And when she did, everything inside him came to life.

Damn, he liked it. The touch of her hand on his face and the gentle way she’d caressed his lips with hers about drove him out of his mind. He wanted to kiss her back, but he didn’t. His feelings for her made him want to throw her down on the pallet, strip off her clothes and make love to her, but something made him stop.

She was only a handmaid. He shouldn’t want her as much as he did. It was more than lust, and this is the part that scared him. He had a feeling deep down that somehow, some way they belonged together even if it didn’t make any sense. Claude was a noble, and she was only a servant. Nay, he couldn’t feel this way about her because love between a noble and a servant wasn’t right. It was forbidden.

He also felt that by feeling this way he was somehow being disloyal to Rose. He understood that Rose was happily married to Toft, but a small part of him still held a flicker of hope that they would eventually end up together.

That was why he’d never married. Rose had broken his heart years ago. If he became vulnerable by falling in love with a woman and then she said she didn’t want him, he wouldn’t be able to face the pain. Being rejected by Rose was bad enough. He didn’t need it to happen with another woman as well.

“God’s eyes,” he spat, hating himself for feeling this way. Rose didn’t want him and made it very clear that they were only friends. So, why couldn’t he let go?