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about
at this late hour, the figure smiled and reached into a hidden pocket of its
tunic and withdrew a vial of liquid. 

FOUR
     
    The chill of the morning draft crawling up her spine
woke Alexa from her deep sleep slightly dazed.  After a few moments, she
gathered her bearings and a multitude of emotions hit her.  It took but a
second for the night before to come rushing back to her with vivid
images.  Her eyes shot quickly to where she expected to see Rourke. 
The Norman was gone.  The flush covered her from head to toe and she
kicked off the furs across her lower body.  Her eyes fell on the rope and
she rubbed her wrists. She rose and moaned suddenly at the soreness that
protested her sudden movement and taking a breath she moved slower and
stood.    She was still naked and rubbed her hand over her
belly.  Grabbing a fur, she wrapped it around her body and clutched it
together at her breast. 
    She sucked in a breath when her eyes spied the
droplets of blood on the bed linen.  Her blood.  He’d taken her only
once last night.  Once was all it took sometimes, Camm had said and
he had spilled his seed.  Sudden regret snaked up the back of Alexa’s
neck and she felt the flush warm her cheeks.  He had been part of her body
and she could not deny it, it had felt good.  Hell and damn, too
good.  That craving she felt last night stirred inside her as did renewed
hatred and anger for it.
    Alexa was drawn from her turbulent musings by a
knock at the chamber door.  She bid enter.  In came Camm, fresh linen
draped over one arm and in the other a tray to break her fast of bread, sweet
meats and her favorite, sweet wafers.
    Camm smiled.  “Noon, mistress.” 
    Alexa wrapped the fur around her nakedness more
snuggly, her eyes wide and gasped.  “Noon?  Surely, Camm, ‘tis not
so.”
    Camm, having laid the items in her hands down, was
now stripping the linens from the bed quickly after spotting the proof of the
night on them.  Alexa reddened even more.  Although she viewed her
maid as more than a servant, despite their closeness Alexa found that she was
embarrassed. This was different.
    “Aye, mistress, ‘tis so. ‘Twould seem you survived
the night. Appears it may have been quite taxing on you as well.”  Camm
covered her mouth at her words.  She reached out and touched Alexa’s
forearm.  “Forgive me, mistress.” 
    Alexa gave her hand a comforting pat, her
embarrassment dissolving.  What had she been thinking? Camm had been like
another sibling to her and Lisbeth and Alexa still saw her that way. 
“’Tis alright, Camm.  You did nothing wrong.  You do tell the
truth.  It was not what I had expected.”
    Camm noticed the puffiness around her mistress’s
eyes and concern marred her features.  She had feared the worst and the
sight of her mistress’s face told her she had been right.  The Normans
were well known for their savagery.  After all he had tied her down.  
“He didn’t hurt you much, did he, mistress?”  Camm’s voice was full of
concern.
    Alexa shook her head.  “Nay, Camm. It did hurt
briefly as you said it would, but that was all.  It also felt...” she
stopped herself from saying good. Wiping back wisps of hair from her face, she
gave her maid a tight smile. “I am fine. Thank you for asking, Camm.” 
    Camm’s expression was one of suspicion, but she did
not press her for more and Alexa was glad when two of the other maids,
including the redhead appeared in the doorway with the two guards behind them.
Two male servants also entered carrying buckets of steaming water.  They
went over to the wooden tub and poured the water in over the linen covered
tub.  Another pair of new faces.  They weren’t her servants.  Alexa
frowned.  Was the Norman going to replace her entire household? 
Again she wondered at the number of people that had accompanied him here to
take over her life and home.
    The men set up the bath across the room in front of
the hearth;