pressed to the trestle table, head between her arms, Rexana shut her eyes and waited for Henry's shout to fade. Oh, God, how could she have told Linford she was practically betrothed to Garmonn? Loathing shuddered through her to the core of her soul. She would die before she ever committed herself to that merciless oaf.
Weariness pressed upon her heart. Despite her best efforts, she had failed to thwart Linford. Now, she must do what had to be done.
"' Tis the only option, Henry," she said quietly. "You know it, as well as I."
"Surely there is another. If you spoke to Lord Darwell —"
"Whatever opinion he has of the sheriff, Darwell will not act against a high-ranking crown official. He would be foolish to do so. He could lose his lands, his keep, his fortune." She sighed and felt the morning's frustrations settle deeper into her bones. "Since Darwell is the one who revealed me to Linford, I would rather eat pig slop than ask him for a favor."
Henry exhaled on a growl. "How could he?"
"I know." Nudging aside skeins of hair, she stared at the parchment pinned down with ale mugs and the fragrant soap. Her brooch glinted nearby. She inhaled a calming breath, then, as Linford's essence drifted up to her, dearly wished she had not.
The memory of his kiss shuddered through her. The back of her hand warmed, as though once again his lips caressed and nibbled her flesh. An indecent heat roused within her.
She blinked hard. Focus, Rexana! She must not let Linford's flirtations rule her body or ruin her concentration. Narrowing her gaze, she focused on the missive's lines of black ink.
Behind her, Henry paced. "Why not contact Garmonn?"
Her stomach tightened. With effort, she steeled the disgust from her tone. "He is of a temper to charge into Tangston and challenge the sheriff to a bloody tourney. I do not wish any deaths on my conscience."
"Wait! If Garmonn weds you on the morrow . . . a secret ceremony —"
Beneath her hands, the wood felt cold as a sheeted ice. "Then Rudd will be at Linford's mercy. Rudd will have no one to help him win his freedom. I cannot allow that to happen."
Henry snorted. "You place a great deal of faith in Linford's vow. Can you guarantee he will follow through with his offer to help Rudd? Nay. Since your brother is no doubt innocent of treason — as Linford will discover — you will have bound yourself to that. .. that barbarian for naught."
She squeezed her lips together. Dear Henry. Ever loyal to the Villeaux. For his support, she would always be grateful. Yet, she had no other course but to tread the path Linford had set for her. Rudd had risked his life to save her from certain doom months ago, and now she must risk hers.
"Linford will keep his word. I will make certain he does, by becoming his wife." Swallowing the lump in her throat, she traced the parchment's rough edge and skimmed the formal Latin script that committed her in mind and body to Linford.
Her breath caught. "In written word . . . only?"
Hope bloomed inside her. Could the answer be so simple?
Her finger skimmed the neatly penned text, the parchment slightly abrasive against her fingertip.
Henry stopped his furtive pacing. "Milady?"
Excitement thrummed inside her. "What if the marriage is not consummated? Linford and I will not lawfully be man and wife. Correct?" She looked up at Henry, sweet hope pulsing through her. "I can say I stayed pure because I did not truly consent to the marriage. I can petition for an annulment."
With a hearty roar, Henry clapped his hands together. "Aha! In the meanwhile, being inside Linford's keep, you will find a way to save Rudd. Rudd escapes, he is proven innocent, you demand an annulment, and the sheriff is left in a very foul mood."
Rexana laughed. "Exactly."
Hands on his hips, Henry grinned at her. "A clever plan, milady." The warmth in his eyes faded. "But dangerous."
She straightened away from the table. "I am willing to face the danger."
"You are prepared to tempt
Weariness pressed upon her heart. Despite her best efforts, she had failed to thwart Linford. Now, she must do what had to be done.
"' Tis the only option, Henry," she said quietly. "You know it, as well as I."
"Surely there is another. If you spoke to Lord Darwell —"
"Whatever opinion he has of the sheriff, Darwell will not act against a high-ranking crown official. He would be foolish to do so. He could lose his lands, his keep, his fortune." She sighed and felt the morning's frustrations settle deeper into her bones. "Since Darwell is the one who revealed me to Linford, I would rather eat pig slop than ask him for a favor."
Henry exhaled on a growl. "How could he?"
"I know." Nudging aside skeins of hair, she stared at the parchment pinned down with ale mugs and the fragrant soap. Her brooch glinted nearby. She inhaled a calming breath, then, as Linford's essence drifted up to her, dearly wished she had not.
The memory of his kiss shuddered through her. The back of her hand warmed, as though once again his lips caressed and nibbled her flesh. An indecent heat roused within her.
She blinked hard. Focus, Rexana! She must not let Linford's flirtations rule her body or ruin her concentration. Narrowing her gaze, she focused on the missive's lines of black ink.
Behind her, Henry paced. "Why not contact Garmonn?"
Her stomach tightened. With effort, she steeled the disgust from her tone. "He is of a temper to charge into Tangston and challenge the sheriff to a bloody tourney. I do not wish any deaths on my conscience."
"Wait! If Garmonn weds you on the morrow . . . a secret ceremony —"
Beneath her hands, the wood felt cold as a sheeted ice. "Then Rudd will be at Linford's mercy. Rudd will have no one to help him win his freedom. I cannot allow that to happen."
Henry snorted. "You place a great deal of faith in Linford's vow. Can you guarantee he will follow through with his offer to help Rudd? Nay. Since your brother is no doubt innocent of treason — as Linford will discover — you will have bound yourself to that. .. that barbarian for naught."
She squeezed her lips together. Dear Henry. Ever loyal to the Villeaux. For his support, she would always be grateful. Yet, she had no other course but to tread the path Linford had set for her. Rudd had risked his life to save her from certain doom months ago, and now she must risk hers.
"Linford will keep his word. I will make certain he does, by becoming his wife." Swallowing the lump in her throat, she traced the parchment's rough edge and skimmed the formal Latin script that committed her in mind and body to Linford.
Her breath caught. "In written word . . . only?"
Hope bloomed inside her. Could the answer be so simple?
Her finger skimmed the neatly penned text, the parchment slightly abrasive against her fingertip.
Henry stopped his furtive pacing. "Milady?"
Excitement thrummed inside her. "What if the marriage is not consummated? Linford and I will not lawfully be man and wife. Correct?" She looked up at Henry, sweet hope pulsing through her. "I can say I stayed pure because I did not truly consent to the marriage. I can petition for an annulment."
With a hearty roar, Henry clapped his hands together. "Aha! In the meanwhile, being inside Linford's keep, you will find a way to save Rudd. Rudd escapes, he is proven innocent, you demand an annulment, and the sheriff is left in a very foul mood."
Rexana laughed. "Exactly."
Hands on his hips, Henry grinned at her. "A clever plan, milady." The warmth in his eyes faded. "But dangerous."
She straightened away from the table. "I am willing to face the danger."
"You are prepared to tempt
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