Lord of Fire,Lady of Ice(34)

“Yea, you said repeatedly. How could one forget such a threat?” Though she tried to look brave, she trembled violently. Her hand sought the support of the wooden loom and she leaned into it. Then, as an angry heat rose over his features, she stumbled back, nearly tripping on Quinn’s abandoned chair. She nudged the chair out of the way. “I have never played you false. I swear to it, m’lord, on my own life.”

“I will have no more of your lies.” His hands fisted. There was no place for her to go.

“I swore to be honest to you and I have been. Except for my earlier deceit, which I have paid fully for I might add, I have never lied to you. I have never made you the fool.” Her back hit the stone wall and she began inching along it as if to get farther from him. Her eyes pleaded with him to believe her. “I don’t wish to be with any man, ever. Methinks copulation is a distasteful, disgusting act of which I wish never to be a part.”

Bewildered by her words, he kept moving toward her. Against his better judgment, he glanced over her slender frame. Even in anger, he found her the most beautiful of women. “Methinks there is much wrong with your statement, lady wife. Have you forgotten your Sir Stuart?”

Della rolled her eyes heavenward. “My father married me to an imbecile. You do not have a brain in your head if you still think I want Stuart. I only wanted what he promised me five years ago before my father encouraged him to leave Strathfeld to seek his own way.”

“And what was that, pray tell?” He stopped to study her, torn by the fire coursing in his blood. The warrior in him wanted to take. The man in him wanted to seduce. The lord in him wanted to demand. For the moment, he did none of those things.

“To only have to lie with him in the marriage bed once, to both consummate the union     and to get me pregnant so that we may have an heir. He said he could give me a draught so I would not feel it. Indeed, so I could sleep through it. And I told Stuart he could have a mistress after it was done, so long as he was discreet with her.” She lifted her chin in victory, her expression proud. He knew she was being honest, for who would say such a foolish thing unless they believed it? “And so long as he kept her from becoming with child. It would not do to have bastards about the manor. It would not be fair to the mistress or the children.”

Brant made his expression blank. In truth, he was fascinated, if not slightly dispirited, by her claims. She looked down at his chest, gulping visibly as she tried to press harder into the stone. Her breathing deepened and her fingers worked against her skirt, clutching the material tight. He took it all in, reading that which she would not say.

“I…” She swallowed, turning her attention over his shoulder, refusing to meet his gaze. When she continued, the hope in her voice was palpable. “I’m willing to offer you the same, m’lord, though instead of mistresses here, mayhap you would like to travel with them. It is a very noble pursuit to travel and Strathfeld is rich enough to send you about the world thrice in the utmost comfort. I could continue to manage the keep as I always have, and if there was a war or if you were needed, then I would call you home. I swear to take no man to my bed, if that worries you, though it’s of no concern to me. After the one time we, ah, consummate, I will be pregnant and I promise to be a good mother to the child, like you decreed. I do not hate children. In truth, I would love the child and be an extremely good mother.”

“And what if I wanted to see the child?” he ventured carefully, amazed at how much thought she’d given the insane plan.

“I would write you with the news of the birth. I would write you every sennight with news if you so wished it, though to me that would be excessive. There is no need for you to be around while I brought the child up. My father was not around when I grew, except to stop in and check on the manor. It could be the same for you.”

Della smiled and hope shined from her eyes. He stood motionless under the amazing strength of her expression. If her happiness were not stemmed from a desire to be rid of him, he would have basked in the beauty of it. Raising his hands to rest on his hips, he waited patiently.

“I’m glad you are considering it, m’lord,” she said, assuming he was. “I promise to never speak ill of you to the child. I will tell him all the battle tales I hear of you, even the embellished ones. I will tell him you are a great hero. I know you have reasons to doubt my word, but truly, it can be trusted. Just ask anyone. I’m an honorable woman.”

The torchlight flickered over the span of their silence. Her lashes dipped to hide eyes that drowned in aspirations of victory. Brant couldn’t move. What could he say to her? Where did he start? Why did she hate him so much and wish to be rid of him?