JOHN SINCLAIR DRAINED the ale from

JOHN SINCLAIR DRAINED the ale from his cup, the contents sour on his tongue. His head ached from too much of the stuff and from the incessant scrape of Simon’s voice against his ears. From the moment the last Campbell’s horse disappeared from their view, his brother had done nothing save plot and rant.
“The Sutherlands are sure to side with us. They lost a third of their holdings to Cedric Campbell when King James claimed his throne a decade ago. And for what? His valor?”
Simon spit out the word like it tasted of piss. He slammed his own cup down upon the rough-hewn table, splashing the contents without care.
The two brothers were in the hall surrounded by a half dozen of their most trusted men. Sinclair cousins, mostly, each devout in their hatred of the king and Campbells. They lounged indolently near the fireplace, legs flung over chair arms, cups ever present in their hands. They’d spent the evening drinking and boasting of the victory sure to come.
Simon scowled and blinked into his empty mug. “Where is that girl? Say, you there! Bring us more drink.”
John sat at the far end of a trestle table—a bit away from the others, as usual—and turned to see the girl Simon had beckoned. Her eyes narrowed at his brother’s tone. But she ducked her head with a nod and moved toward the buttery, where the ale was stored.
“That’s a bonnie piece, aye?” Simon asked the group, licking his lips and staring after the girl’s retreating backside. “Ripe as a melon, that one. I’ve a mind to split her open, have a taste.”
Cousin Darrin, sitting closest to Simon, grunted his approval. “She’s a widow. They’re the finest. Trained and left wanting.”
John’s fingers clenched into a fist, and angry words stung his throat. He’d not defend her, though, no matter what sludge Simon flung her way. His attention so would only bring her more harm.
She was Genevieve from the village, with hair so thick and blonde a man could wrap himself in it and imagine it was starlight. Her eyes were green as the moors at dawn and just as lonely. She was John’s woman and had been for months, but none save the two of them knew it.
She was back fast as a hare, filling the mugs and deftly avoiding each man’s hungry stare. Except for John’s. She winked at him when none could see and bent lower to fill his cup than for any of the others. John’s heart ached at the sight of her. He’d take her far from here if he’d a way. But the second son of an exiled lord had few options. Simon’s was the cloak he clung to for his daily bread now, and he himself had nothing to offer.
But if Simon’s plan went their way and they defeated the king in battle, the Sinclairs would be in power once more, and John would take his place among the reinstated nobility. But news had come of late that gave him pause and made him wonder at the necessity of their scheme. Cedric Campbell could not be trusted, for he was a conniving murderer, and yet at the wedding, he’d pulled John aside and spun a tale for him so fantastical it very nearly might have been true. And if it was, John had more options than ever he’d had before. Perhaps his fate might change. But only if he had the courage to set things into motion, for once he pushed this boulder from the cliff’s edge, there’d be no stopping it.
“John!” Simon growled. “You are silent today. What say you about the Sutherlands? Will they stand with us or cower like maidens?”
John met each man’s gaze before speaking. “My sister’s marriage has bought us time to forge those necessary alliances and to build our army. If we strike too soon, without the support of the other Highland chiefs, they’ll turn us over to the king and we’ll hang as traitors. For once, we must be patient.”
Simon laughed and wiped away a dribble of ale upon his chin. “Patience? Bah! Patience is nothing but lost opportunity. No, John, in this, you are wrong. The king will sail around the Highlands in just a few months’ time. Pompous bastard that he is, he thinks to command our fealty just by asking. But when he arrives in Gairloch, we’ll be waiting with a fierce Highland welcome. One of steel and might.” He smacked his hand against the table.
The men turned back to Simon, grunting their collective approval like sheep bleating in unison. John watched his brother’s chest swell with their acceptance, and Simon spoke once more.
“Even the king’s stepfather, Archibald Douglas, is on our side. Though he is exiled in London, he is anxious to reclaim his post as Scotland’s regent and knows well we can get him there.”
John swallowed down his sigh. God, these men were so simple. Not one of them could think more than a few days into the future.
“So you’d ally us with England just to rid us of James?” Darrin asked, getting a sharp look from Simon.
“I ally us only to our own freedom,” Simon stated. “I want back all that King James took from the Sinclairs when he claimed his throne these ten years past. I want our lands, our homes, and the honor of our good name. We sided with Douglas when he held the boy king captive. He owes us now. And when this king is dead and Scotland is a regency once more, I will sit upon the board and rule beside Douglas, just as my father did.”
John drained another cup, motioning to Genevieve to fill it once more. His brother could boast like this for hours. It was thirsty work, listening and nodding.
Genevieve ambled to his side, her hips swaying in a way that made him think of meadow grasses blowing under a warm sun.
“You drink too much, my lord, and too often,” she murmured quietly so none might hear but him.
He let his eyes travel up her body slowly, lingering on the curve of her breasts before reaching her face.
Her cheeks flushed pink, the way they did when he pressed her against the pillows.
He held out his cup, his fingertips extending to touch her wrist discreetly. “I’m thirsty.”
Her lashes sank in a slow blink. “Perhaps you’re lonely too.”
He looked to Simon, fearful his brother might be watching, for Simon was greedy as well as jealous, and if he thought John favored this girl, he’d take her for himself. Just because he could.
“I am,” John whispered softly. “Will you come to me?”
She tilted her chin and filled the cup halfway. “I will. Best you sober up a bit.”
When she arrived in his room that night through a servants’ passageway, John was waiting. He kissed her, hungry and urgent. She met him with equal fervor, pulling at his clothes and biting his shoulder when he squeezed her breast. Their coupling went fast, so fast he had no time to fully undress her, though long enough to leave them both spent and well satisfied. When it was done, he savored the task of removing her garments, exploring the lush treasures he found beneath with still more kisses.
“Simon makes me uneasy,” she admitted sometime later as she pressed against John beneath his covers.
Her words made him pull her closer, so tight she giggled from it.
“How so?” As if he did not know the answer.
“He watches me, but no more so than he watches the other women. Bertrice is fond of him, so we usually send her his way.”
“If he makes a menace of himself, you must let me know.”
She nodded, her tresses tickling his nose as she did so. Then she rolled onto her back to look him in the eyes. The light was dim, but candles and the fire lit their faces. “It’s not my place to ask, I know. But could you tell him now that I am yours? And save me the risk of his attentions?”
How he wished he could. “You know Simon well enough, Gen. He covets most what others have. But he’s the laird now, and were I to ask permission for your hand, his interest in you would only grow more intense. Keeping us a secret is the best way to keep you safe. Rest easy, though. Things are happening, and when the summer is over, my place will have changed one way or another.”
“I don’t understand,” she whispered.
“I cannot tell you more, Gen. Not just now.”
She sighed and rested a soft hand against his cheek. “So many secrets with you, John. I cannot keep them all straight.”
He turned his face to kiss her palm. “But you know the most important truth.”
“What’s that?”
“I love you.”
She sighed and slid her hand down between them, wrapping it around the length of him. “Show me,” she whispered.

Hasil (Bahasa Indonesia) 2:

JOHN SINCLAIR dikeringkan ale dari cangkirnya, isi asam pada lidahnya. Kepalanya sakit karena terlalu banyak hal dan dari gesekan gencarnya suara Simon melawan telinganya. Dari saat kuda Campbell lalu menghilang dari pandangan mereka, saudaranya telah melakukan apa pun kecuali plot dan kata-kata kasar.
"The Sutherlands yakin untuk memihak kami. Mereka kehilangan sepertiga dari kepemilikan mereka ke Cedric Campbell ketika Raja James mengaku tahtanya satu dekade lalu. Dan untuk apa? Keberaniannya?
"Simon meludahkan kata seperti itu terasa kencing. Dia membanting cangkir sendiri turun di atas meja yang kasar, percikan isi tanpa perawatan.
Dua saudara berada di aula yang dikelilingi oleh setengah lusin orang paling terpercaya mereka. Sepupu Sinclair, sebagian besar, masing-masing yang taat dalam kebencian mereka terhadap raja dan Campbells. Mereka duduk-duduk indolently dekat perapian, kaki melemparkan lebih lengan kursi, cangkir pernah hadir di tangan mereka. Mereka telah menghabiskan malam minum dan membual kemenangan pasti akan datang.
Simon cemberut dan berkedip ke cangkir yang kosong. "Dimana gadis itu? Katakanlah, Anda di sana! Membawa kita lebih minuman.
"John duduk di ujung meja-trestle agak jauh dari yang lain, seperti biasa-dan berbalik untuk melihat gadis Simon telah memberi isyarat. Matanya menyipit di nada saudaranya. Tapi dia menunduk dengan anggukan dan bergerak menuju mentega, di mana ale itu disimpan.
"Itu sepotong Bonnie, aye?" Tanya Simon kelompok, menjilati bibirnya dan menatap setelah mundur belakang gadis itu. "Matang sebagai melon, salah satu yang. Aku sudah pikiran untuk membagi nya terbuka, memiliki rasa.
"Sepupu Darrin, duduk paling dekat dengan Simon, mendengus persetujuannya. "Dia seorang janda. Mereka yang terbaik. Terlatih dan meninggalkan ingin.
"Jari John mengepalkan tinju ke, dan kata-kata marah menyengat tenggorokannya. Dia tidak akan membela dirinya, meskipun, tidak peduli apa lumpur Simon melemparkan perjalanan. Perhatiannya sehingga hanya akan membawanya lebih berbahaya.
Dia adalah Genevieve dari desa, dengan rambut pirang begitu tebal dan seorang pria bisa membungkus dirinya di dalamnya dan membayangkan itu cahaya bintang. Matanya hijau Moor saat fajar dan hanya sebagai kesepian. Dia adalah seorang wanita John dan telah selama berbulan-bulan, tetapi tidak menyimpan dua dari mereka tahu itu.
Dia kembali secepat kelinci, mengisi mug dan cekatan menghindari tatapan lapar setiap manusia. Kecuali Yohanes. Dia mengedipkan mata dia ketika tidak bisa melihat dan membungkuk rendah untuk mengisi cangkirnya daripada apapun yang lain. Hati John sakit saat melihat dirinya. Dia akan membawanya jauh dari sini jika ia Sebaiknya jalan. Tapi anak kedua dari tuan diasingkan memiliki beberapa pilihan. Simon adalah jubah ia menempel untuk roti sehari-hari sekarang, dan ia sendiri tidak ada untuk menawarkan.
Tetapi jika rencana Simon pergi jalan mereka dan mereka mengalahkan raja dalam pertempuran, Sinclair akan berkuasa sekali lagi, dan John akan mengambil nya menempatkan kalangan bangsawan dipulihkan. Tapi berita datang dari akhir yang memberinya jeda dan membuatnya bertanya-tanya pada perlunya skema mereka. Cedric Campbell tidak bisa dipercaya, karena ia adalah seorang pembunuh licik, namun pada pernikahan, dia menarik John samping dan berputar kisah untuknya sehingga fantastis itu sangat hampir mungkin benar. Dan jika itu, John memiliki lebih banyak pilihan daripada sebelumnya dia miliki sebelumnya. Mungkin nasibnya akan berubah. Tapi hanya jika dia memiliki keberanian untuk mengatur hal-hal ke dalam gerakan, untuk sekali ia mendorong batu ini dari tepi tebing, tidak akan ada menghentikan itu.
"John!" Simon geram. "Kamu diam hari ini. Pendapat Anda tentang Sutherlands? Akan mereka berdiri dengan kami atau meringkuk seperti gadis?
"John bertemu tatapan setiap manusia sebelum berbicara. "Pernikahan adik saya telah membeli kami waktu untuk menempa mereka aliansi yang diperlukan dan untuk membangun tentara kita. Jika kita menyerang terlalu cepat, tanpa dukungan dari para pemimpin lainnya Highland, mereka akan mengubah kita ke raja dan kami akan menggantung sebagai pengkhianat. Untuk sekali, kita harus bersabar.
"Simon tertawa dan menyeka menggiring bola ale pada dagunya. "Kesabaran? Bah! Kesabaran tidak lain adalah kesempatan yang hilang. Tidak, John, dalam hal ini, Anda salah. Raja akan berlayar di sekitar dataran tinggi dalam waktu hanya beberapa bulan '. Bajingan sombong bahwa ia adalah, ia berpikir untuk perintah setia kami hanya dengan meminta. Tapi ketika ia tiba di Gairloch, kami akan menunggu dengan sengit Highland welcome. Salah satu baja dan kekuatan. "Dia memukul tangannya melawan meja.
Orang-orang berbalik kembali ke Simon, mendengus persetujuan kolektif mereka seperti domba mengembik serempak. John menyaksikan dada kakaknya membengkak dengan penerimaan mereka, dan Simon berbicara sekali lagi.
"Ayah tiri Bahkan raja, Archibald Douglas, ada di pihak kita. Meskipun ia diasingkan di London, ia ingin merebut kembali jabatannya sebagai bupati Skotlandia dan tahu juga kita bisa mendapatkan dia di sana.
"John menelan bawah napas nya. Allah, orang-orang ini begitu sederhana. Tidak salah satu dari mereka bisa berpikir lebih dari beberapa hari ke depan.
"Jadi, Anda akan bersekutu dengan Inggris kami hanya untuk menyingkirkan kami dari James?" Tanya Darrin, mendapatkan tampilan yang tajam dari Simon.
"Saya sekutu kami hanya untuk kita sendiri kebebasan, "kata Simon. "Saya ingin kembali semua yang King James mengambil dari Sinclair ketika ia mengklaim tahtanya sepuluh tahun terakhir ini. Saya ingin tanah kami, rumah kita, dan kehormatan nama baik kami. Kami memihak Douglas ketika ia memegang anak raja tawanan. Dia berutang kami sekarang. Dan ketika raja ini mati dan Skotlandia adalah Kabupaten sekali lagi, saya akan duduk di atas papan dan aturan samping Douglas, seperti ayah saya lakukan.
"John dikeringkan secangkir, menunjuk ke Genevieve untuk mengisinya lagi. Saudaranya bisa membanggakan seperti ini selama berjam-jam. Itu pekerjaan haus, mendengarkan dan mengangguk.
Genevieve melenggang ke sisinya, pinggulnya bergoyang dengan cara yang membuatnya berpikir dari rumput padang rumput bertiup di bawah matahari yang hangat.
"Anda minum terlalu banyak, tuanku, dan terlalu sering," gumamnya diam-diam sehingga tidak mungkin mendengar tapi dia.
Dia membiarkan perjalanan matanya hingga tubuhnya perlahan, berlama-lama pada kurva payudaranya sebelum mencapai wajahnya.
Pipinya merah muda merona, seperti yang mereka lakukan ketika ia ditekan melawan bantal.
Dia mengulurkan cangkirnya, ujung jari memperluas untuk menyentuh pergelangan tangannya diam-diam. "Aku haus."
Bulu matanya tenggelam dalam sekejap lambat. "Mungkin kau kesepian juga."
Dia tampak Simon, takut saudaranya yang mengawasi, untuk Simon serakah serta cemburu, dan jika dia berpikir John disukai gadis ini, dia akan membawanya untuk dirinya sendiri. Hanya karena dia bisa.
"Saya," bisik John lembut. "Maukah kau datang padaku?"
Dia memiringkan dagu dan mengisi cangkir setengah. "Aku akan. Terbaik Anda siuman sedikit.
"Ketika dia tiba di kamarnya malam itu melalui sebuah lorong hamba ', John sedang menunggu. Dia menciumnya, lapar dan mendesak. Dia bertemu dengan semangat yang sama, menarik-narik bajunya dan menggigit bahunya saat ia meremas payudaranya. Kopling mereka pergi cepat, begitu cepat ia tidak punya waktu untuk sepenuhnya menanggalkan pakaian nya, meskipun cukup lama meninggalkan mereka berdua menghabiskan dan puas. Ketika hal itu dilakukan, ia menikmati tugas menghapus pakaian nya, menjelajahi harta subur ia ditemukan di bawah dengan masih lebih ciuman.
"Simon membuat saya tidak nyaman," akunya beberapa waktu kemudian saat ia menekan John bawah selimut nya.
Kata-katanya membuat dia menariknya lebih dekat, begitu ketat dia terkikik dari itu.
"Bagaimana bisa begitu?" Seolah-olah dia tidak tahu jawabannya.
"Ia menonton saya, tapi tidak lebih dari ia menonton wanita lain. Bertrice gemar dia, jadi kami biasanya mengirim dia jalan.
"" Jika ia membuat ancaman sendiri, Anda harus membiarkan saya tahu.
"Dia mengangguk, tresses nya menggelitik hidungnya saat ia melakukannya. Kemudian dia berbaring telentang untuk melihat dia di mata. Cahaya redup, tapi lilin dan api menyala wajah mereka. "Ini bukan tempat saya untuk bertanya, aku tahu. Tapi bisa Anda mengatakan kepadanya sekarang bahwa saya milikmu? Dan menyelamatkan saya risiko perhatiannya?
"Bagaimana dia berharap dia bisa. "Kau tahu Simon cukup baik, Jenderal Dia mengingini paling apa yang orang lain. Tapi dia yang laird sekarang, dan saya meminta izin untuk tangan Anda, minatnya dalam Anda hanya akan tumbuh lebih intens. Menjaga kita rahasia adalah cara terbaik untuk membuat Anda aman. Tenang, meskipun. Hal-hal yang terjadi, dan ketika musim panas berakhir, tempat saya akan berubah satu atau lain cara.
"" Aku tidak mengerti,
"bisiknya." Aku tidak bisa mengatakan lebih, Jenderal Bukan hanya sekarang.
"Dia menghela napas dan beristirahat tangan lembut pipinya. "Begitu banyak rahasia dengan Anda, John. Aku tidak bisa menjaga mereka semua lurus.
"Dia memalingkan wajahnya untuk mencium telapak tangannya. "Tapi kau tahu kebenaran yang paling penting."
"Apa itu?"
"Aku mencintaimu."
Dia menghela napas dan menyelipkan tangannya ke bawah di antara mereka, membungkusnya sekitar panjang dia. "Tunjukkan," bisiknya.