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Conquered and Seduced
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Tempted By Innocence
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By the time Alejandro and Barto guided their horses through the muddy lane that formed the main street of the small village, the storm raged around them.

Alejandro carried the sleeping Anne across his own saddle, close to his warm body, with his thick woolen sea cloak thrown over her. It was little enough protection from the cold rain, and soon both of them were thoroughly drenched. That she shook with cold and moaned in her sleep made him worry. He didn’t have a change of clothing for her. He’d hoped to ride hard for the coast and be on his own vessel by morning. But now the storm had caught them unprepared, and the last thing he wanted was for Anne to become chilled and feverish.

He was thankful that the priest who met them just inside the doorway of the church was a kind man and not overly annoyed by having been roused from his sleep to attend to the needs of three bedraggled travelers. The young priest had, instead, welcomed them in the name of the Holy Savior, and sent two nuns scurrying for warm blankets and bowls of hearty mutton stew.

“Padre Francisco,” he had introduced himself. “May I ask, sirs, to where you travel on so dark and unpleasant a night?”

“We’re heading for the coast,” Alejandro said, volunteering no more than necessary.

Padre Francisco studied the young woman held so tightly against his guest’s body. “And the girl? She is ill?”

Alejandro shook his head. “No, Padre. Merely exhausted.” He smiled gently, looking down at Anne’s face, so lovely in repose. “It’s been a long and difficult night for her, I’m afraid.”

“It’s not good for any of you to remain in your wet clothing. I can spare rooms for you to change into dry garments and beds for you to rest in comfort.”

Barto threw Alejandro a worried look, which the priest immediately noticed.

Alejandro cursed silently. “Your kindness is more than appreciated, Padre,” he said, giving the priest his most reassuring smile. “But we have just rescued my sister from a heathen band of Gypsies who abducted her and freely availed themselves of her possessions. She has no dry clothing.”

The priest looked concerned. “I’ve heard the Zincali were in the area, but I had no idea they’d do something so vile.” He touched Anne’s cheek gently. “Poor child. Perhaps the sisters here can find something. Will you allow them to take her to their room and a warm bed?”

Alejandro was reluctant to let Anne go, but even he could not be so selfish, not when she shivered almost violently in his arms.

“Take good care of her,” he said quietly, “and I will recompense you for whatever garments the good sisters can spare.”

Alejandro followed the priest through a narrow hallway, past several doorways, toward a dimly lit room at the far end of the corridor.

Before much longer, the two nuns had taken charge of Anne and pushed both men from the room so they could undress her, chafe her chilled limbs and tuck her beneath warm bedclothes.

Padre Francisco smiled at Alejandro as they closed the door behind them. “Your sister will be much better by morning,” he said. “By the time you see her again, she’ll be eating her breakfast and talking happily to us all.”

And that, Alejandro thought grimly, was just what he most feared.

To be continued…

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