over her seem so appealing all of a sudden? Mayhap because she was weak and foolish. After all he had put her through, the self-doubt, the taunts…did they count for nothing?
Pulling her chin up, she affected a cool look. “I will be bound to no man.”
“‘Tis a shame, lass, for I am bound to you. The hold you have over me is surely far more than that of a marriage contract.”
Shaking her head, she drew back toward the door. “I thank you for the book,” she mumbled.
Leaping forward, Dominic strode over and snatched at her arm before she could escape. She sucked in a sharp breath as his fingers seared through her sleeve.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“What more can I say? I remain here at my mother’s behest. I know not what your fascination is with me, for you have surely met more beautiful, more accomplished women, so I can only assume that it is the thrill of the chase that drives you. I’d wager many women succumb to your charms readily, but let me assure you Lord Dominic, I am not one of them. I will not marry you. You would do better to forget this ridiculous contract and pursue another.”
Dominic cast his gaze over her, apparently considering her words. A sharp jolt of disappointment speared through her as he released his grip on her and stepped back.
Shaking his head, he chuckled unexpectedly. “You speak these words well, my lady, but your eyes betray you. I shall have you as my wife, Lucy Montgomery.”
~* * *~
Observing the flurry of her skirts, Dominic smothered his look of triumph as she darted one last glance towards him before hastening out of the solar. He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. God’s blood, that woman would be the death of him.
But she wanted him. He understood women well enough to know when one wanted him, and Lucy wanted him with a desperation that near matched his own. Any other man would have been discouraged at such words, but not him. What Dominic of Thornewall wanted, he got. And he wanted Lucy.
Slumping back into his chair, he dipped his quill in the ink and stared at the numbers in front of him. With a curse, he slapped the feather onto the desk and leaned back in his chair. Was she right? Was it merely the thrill of the chase? You spoke of her heart , a little voice whispered. Aye, he had. And everything he had uttered was true. More than anything, he aspired to hold her heart. Was this love? This twisted, agonising, consuming fascination with her. He could not be sure, but whatever it was, it was not something as fickle as some love game. As much as he wanted her in his bed, naked and crying his name, he wanted to get behind those quick eyes and soothe every worry, every fear that she had ever had.
Dominic pressed his fingers to his temples. So how would he capture his fair maiden’s heart? Usually a few sweet words, a couple of carefully timed caresses, and he would have his prize, but not so with Lucy. He was going to have to raise the stakes.
~* * *~
Lucy deliberately hurried her morning meal as Dominic’s words churned in her mind.
Her heart.
He spoke of her heart. What manner of seduction was this? Whatever it was, it was working. She had slept little after their confrontation.
Throwing back some ale, she crammed a chunk of bread into her mouth, keeping her head down as one of the servants eyed her with wonder. Without finishing her mouthful, she stood and nodded her thanks to the maid before hastening from the hall.
Glancing around, she walked across the snow-laden courtyard, her hands in her skirts, and ducked into the narrow recess that led to the chapel. She came to a sudden stop as an armoured chest blocked her path and she inhaled sharply, the remaining crumbs of bread sticking in her throat. She coughed and wheezed as Dominic eyed her with amusement before patting her on the back.
“You make your way to the chapel with great haste, lass. Have you done some terrible wrong that you dare not even finish your meal?”
She cleared
Pulling her chin up, she affected a cool look. “I will be bound to no man.”
“‘Tis a shame, lass, for I am bound to you. The hold you have over me is surely far more than that of a marriage contract.”
Shaking her head, she drew back toward the door. “I thank you for the book,” she mumbled.
Leaping forward, Dominic strode over and snatched at her arm before she could escape. She sucked in a sharp breath as his fingers seared through her sleeve.
“Is that all you have to say?”
“What more can I say? I remain here at my mother’s behest. I know not what your fascination is with me, for you have surely met more beautiful, more accomplished women, so I can only assume that it is the thrill of the chase that drives you. I’d wager many women succumb to your charms readily, but let me assure you Lord Dominic, I am not one of them. I will not marry you. You would do better to forget this ridiculous contract and pursue another.”
Dominic cast his gaze over her, apparently considering her words. A sharp jolt of disappointment speared through her as he released his grip on her and stepped back.
Shaking his head, he chuckled unexpectedly. “You speak these words well, my lady, but your eyes betray you. I shall have you as my wife, Lucy Montgomery.”
~* * *~
Observing the flurry of her skirts, Dominic smothered his look of triumph as she darted one last glance towards him before hastening out of the solar. He ran a hand through his hair with a sigh. God’s blood, that woman would be the death of him.
But she wanted him. He understood women well enough to know when one wanted him, and Lucy wanted him with a desperation that near matched his own. Any other man would have been discouraged at such words, but not him. What Dominic of Thornewall wanted, he got. And he wanted Lucy.
Slumping back into his chair, he dipped his quill in the ink and stared at the numbers in front of him. With a curse, he slapped the feather onto the desk and leaned back in his chair. Was she right? Was it merely the thrill of the chase? You spoke of her heart , a little voice whispered. Aye, he had. And everything he had uttered was true. More than anything, he aspired to hold her heart. Was this love? This twisted, agonising, consuming fascination with her. He could not be sure, but whatever it was, it was not something as fickle as some love game. As much as he wanted her in his bed, naked and crying his name, he wanted to get behind those quick eyes and soothe every worry, every fear that she had ever had.
Dominic pressed his fingers to his temples. So how would he capture his fair maiden’s heart? Usually a few sweet words, a couple of carefully timed caresses, and he would have his prize, but not so with Lucy. He was going to have to raise the stakes.
~* * *~
Lucy deliberately hurried her morning meal as Dominic’s words churned in her mind.
Her heart.
He spoke of her heart. What manner of seduction was this? Whatever it was, it was working. She had slept little after their confrontation.
Throwing back some ale, she crammed a chunk of bread into her mouth, keeping her head down as one of the servants eyed her with wonder. Without finishing her mouthful, she stood and nodded her thanks to the maid before hastening from the hall.
Glancing around, she walked across the snow-laden courtyard, her hands in her skirts, and ducked into the narrow recess that led to the chapel. She came to a sudden stop as an armoured chest blocked her path and she inhaled sharply, the remaining crumbs of bread sticking in her throat. She coughed and wheezed as Dominic eyed her with amusement before patting her on the back.
“You make your way to the chapel with great haste, lass. Have you done some terrible wrong that you dare not even finish your meal?”
She cleared
Similar Books
