visit.”
“Ohh, yes, my lord!” Her very look lightened, and he suddenly realized that she was afraid. “Ohh, I should like that very much! I miss them already. We never thought to be separated from one another even in marriage, for of course none of us ever thought to make such a fine marriage.” Her words tumbled out hurriedly as her lovely violet-blue eyes looked directly at him, rendering him breathless with her beauty. “How can I thank you for your kindness, my lord?” she continued. “You have become a fairy godfather to us all by first making me your wife and then dowering my sisters so that they might make good matches also. I shall endeavor to be the best of wives to you, my lord, and surely God will bless us with the sons you desire!”
Fairy godfather! He almost winced at her earnest words. For almost two months he had stared at her miniature, but the reality was far better than he could have ever anticipated, surpassing the painted image by far. He didn’t want to be her fairy godfather. He wanted to be her lover. She was the most tempting creature he had ever seen, and already he desired her. Instead he said in a calm and grave tone, “I am certain you will be a perfect wife, Blaze, and that we will have a houseful of children, some of whom will be sons.”
They ate, and when they had pushed back their plates he noticed that her plate was still half full, though her goblet was empty. There was an apple tart upon the sideboard along with a bowl of clotted cream. Rising, he removed their dinner plates to that sideboard, and served them each a slice of the tart, placing cream upon their table. That, he noted, she ate. When they had finished and she had wiped the crumbs from her mouth, he arose. Coming around the table, he drew her up, slipping his arm about her waist.
Blaze stiffened. She knew she should not, but she simply could not help it. Anxiously she bit her lower lip, her gaze now averted from his. She could feel her heart beginning to beat more rapidly within her chest. He is my husband, she thought desperately. I must acquiesce to his every demand. I must please him. I cannot give way to childish fears. I am a wife now. She trembled against him.
“You are afraid,” he said quietly. It was a statement.
“Aye,” she whispered, hating her cowardice.
He tipped her little face up so he might look at her, and bending his own head, touched her lips with his. They were cold and stiff, and at his touch she began to shake uncontrollably. He was surprised, but following his instincts, he held her in his protective embrace. “You are a virgin,” he said. Another statement. “It is natural for you to be afraid. Has your mother told you what to expect?”
Mutely she nodded, hiding her head again from his direct glance.
There was more to this, he realized, than just a virgin fearful of her first sexual encounter. “You must not be afraid of me, Blaze,” he said in a calm voice. “I want you to tell me why you are frightened. You must not worry about the fact that I am your husband, and think that you owe me any loyalty. I would have the truth from you, my dear. Truth between a husband and a wife is the cornerstone of a strong and happy marriage. Look at me now, sweetheart, and speak.”
She raised her face to his, and her wonderful eyes looked into his. “I know that you will think me foolish, my lord, and I pray you not be angered by my words. I know that women wed with men that they do not know; and I know they are expected to bed with them immediately, but it is not my way. I do not know you. I know that you would have a son, for that is the purpose of our union. It has been pounded into me by my family for weeks, and by your nephew both yesterday and as we rode from Ashby this day.
“Still, I am uncomfortable with the notion. I am happy and honored to have been chosen to be your wife. I swear to do my best to give you a son, but you, sir, have stolen my courtship from me. I would have
“Ohh, yes, my lord!” Her very look lightened, and he suddenly realized that she was afraid. “Ohh, I should like that very much! I miss them already. We never thought to be separated from one another even in marriage, for of course none of us ever thought to make such a fine marriage.” Her words tumbled out hurriedly as her lovely violet-blue eyes looked directly at him, rendering him breathless with her beauty. “How can I thank you for your kindness, my lord?” she continued. “You have become a fairy godfather to us all by first making me your wife and then dowering my sisters so that they might make good matches also. I shall endeavor to be the best of wives to you, my lord, and surely God will bless us with the sons you desire!”
Fairy godfather! He almost winced at her earnest words. For almost two months he had stared at her miniature, but the reality was far better than he could have ever anticipated, surpassing the painted image by far. He didn’t want to be her fairy godfather. He wanted to be her lover. She was the most tempting creature he had ever seen, and already he desired her. Instead he said in a calm and grave tone, “I am certain you will be a perfect wife, Blaze, and that we will have a houseful of children, some of whom will be sons.”
They ate, and when they had pushed back their plates he noticed that her plate was still half full, though her goblet was empty. There was an apple tart upon the sideboard along with a bowl of clotted cream. Rising, he removed their dinner plates to that sideboard, and served them each a slice of the tart, placing cream upon their table. That, he noted, she ate. When they had finished and she had wiped the crumbs from her mouth, he arose. Coming around the table, he drew her up, slipping his arm about her waist.
Blaze stiffened. She knew she should not, but she simply could not help it. Anxiously she bit her lower lip, her gaze now averted from his. She could feel her heart beginning to beat more rapidly within her chest. He is my husband, she thought desperately. I must acquiesce to his every demand. I must please him. I cannot give way to childish fears. I am a wife now. She trembled against him.
“You are afraid,” he said quietly. It was a statement.
“Aye,” she whispered, hating her cowardice.
He tipped her little face up so he might look at her, and bending his own head, touched her lips with his. They were cold and stiff, and at his touch she began to shake uncontrollably. He was surprised, but following his instincts, he held her in his protective embrace. “You are a virgin,” he said. Another statement. “It is natural for you to be afraid. Has your mother told you what to expect?”
Mutely she nodded, hiding her head again from his direct glance.
There was more to this, he realized, than just a virgin fearful of her first sexual encounter. “You must not be afraid of me, Blaze,” he said in a calm voice. “I want you to tell me why you are frightened. You must not worry about the fact that I am your husband, and think that you owe me any loyalty. I would have the truth from you, my dear. Truth between a husband and a wife is the cornerstone of a strong and happy marriage. Look at me now, sweetheart, and speak.”
She raised her face to his, and her wonderful eyes looked into his. “I know that you will think me foolish, my lord, and I pray you not be angered by my words. I know that women wed with men that they do not know; and I know they are expected to bed with them immediately, but it is not my way. I do not know you. I know that you would have a son, for that is the purpose of our union. It has been pounded into me by my family for weeks, and by your nephew both yesterday and as we rode from Ashby this day.
“Still, I am uncomfortable with the notion. I am happy and honored to have been chosen to be your wife. I swear to do my best to give you a son, but you, sir, have stolen my courtship from me. I would have
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