across the hall.
But before she could mount even the first stair, her arm was caught. She was spun bodily around. Her cry of protest withered when she saw it was Sybil.
It was readily apparent her sister was in a temper. “I should have known you would find a way to be free of the toil the rest of usmust endure,” she spat. “You are a sluggard, Alana.”
Alana shook her head. “Nay, ’tis not that at all, Sybil. I know you are angry that I did not come to aid you, but Merrick…he wouldn’t allow it—”
“Merrick! Ah, I understand only too well, sister. You cast your witch’s spells on him, the way your mother did with Father. Well, best enjoy it whilst you can, Alana, for he is a devil. No doubt he will find another whore to replace you soon enough.”
“Oh!” Alana was both furious and hurt. “You cannot think I want this. I want nothing from him—nothing! And I am not his whore, Sybil. Indeed he has not yet…” She stopped and her cheeks went fiery red. All at once she was acutely embarrassed at what she’d been about to divulge.
Sybil planted her hands on her hips. Her expression was a cross between incredulous and suspicious. “Do you mean to say you haven’t lain with him yet?”
Alana’s cheeks went fiery red. “Lord, no,” she said with a shudder.
Sybil tried to disguise her sly smile. “Then you are wise to be wary,” she said suddenly. “I’ve heard some of his soldiers talking. They say his prick is enormous. As thick as a man’s wrist and half as long as his sword. Why, surely he is a monster, to be fashioned so…”
Alana was stunned, mortified and wholly taken aback at Sybil’s crudity. Lord knew Edwyna had tried to shelter her as best shecould, however living in the village, Alana had been exposed to all manner of speech by the village men. But never in her days had she heard a woman speak thusly—and Sybil a lady yet!
Sybil’s chin climbed high when at last she gleaned Alana’s horrified expression. “I only repeat what I heard.” She defended herself staunchly. “That’s what they said, I swear on the grave of our father.”
Alana was still too shocked to say a word.
Unbeknownst to her, Sybil relished a secret satisfaction. “Aye,” she said sweetly. “You are wise to be wary, Alana. But mayhap you will be lucky, eh? If you do not please him, mayhap he will turn his favors to another. Indeed, I shall pray it will be so.” She patted Alana’s shoulder before departing.
Alana climbed the stairs slowly, unable to put aside Sybil’s words. Enormous…thick as a man’s wrist…half as long as his sword . A sickening dread churned low in her belly. She told herself Sybil had been trying to frighten her, for what she said was simply not possible. Surely Merrick couldn’t be so very different from other men…or could he?
So preoccupied was she that she did not see the shadowy figure that stepped out before her until it was too late. She barreled nearly full tilt into a solid form. She was righted by a pair of hands that reached out and grasped her shoulders. Her breath caught as she recognized Raoul.
She tried to step back, but he would not allow it. His fingers dug into her soft flesh.Alana battled a faint alarm. Merrick’s chamber was but a few footsteps down the passageway. If she could break free and run…
“Oh, no,” he said with a faint smirk. “You will go nowhere, Alana.”
Alana struggled for calm. “Release me,” she said evenly.
His regard was leering. “Do not be so impatient. We have much in common, you and I.”
Her back went rigid as stone. “Are you braver than your fellow soldiers? I told them I would turn them into goats, and that’s what will happen to you if you don’t let me go.”
Such bravado did little good. He merely smiled, a smile that turned her blood to ice. “Were you possessed of such power, you’d already have done so to free yourself. There would have been no need to run from Merrick. Or mayhap you should
But before she could mount even the first stair, her arm was caught. She was spun bodily around. Her cry of protest withered when she saw it was Sybil.
It was readily apparent her sister was in a temper. “I should have known you would find a way to be free of the toil the rest of usmust endure,” she spat. “You are a sluggard, Alana.”
Alana shook her head. “Nay, ’tis not that at all, Sybil. I know you are angry that I did not come to aid you, but Merrick…he wouldn’t allow it—”
“Merrick! Ah, I understand only too well, sister. You cast your witch’s spells on him, the way your mother did with Father. Well, best enjoy it whilst you can, Alana, for he is a devil. No doubt he will find another whore to replace you soon enough.”
“Oh!” Alana was both furious and hurt. “You cannot think I want this. I want nothing from him—nothing! And I am not his whore, Sybil. Indeed he has not yet…” She stopped and her cheeks went fiery red. All at once she was acutely embarrassed at what she’d been about to divulge.
Sybil planted her hands on her hips. Her expression was a cross between incredulous and suspicious. “Do you mean to say you haven’t lain with him yet?”
Alana’s cheeks went fiery red. “Lord, no,” she said with a shudder.
Sybil tried to disguise her sly smile. “Then you are wise to be wary,” she said suddenly. “I’ve heard some of his soldiers talking. They say his prick is enormous. As thick as a man’s wrist and half as long as his sword. Why, surely he is a monster, to be fashioned so…”
Alana was stunned, mortified and wholly taken aback at Sybil’s crudity. Lord knew Edwyna had tried to shelter her as best shecould, however living in the village, Alana had been exposed to all manner of speech by the village men. But never in her days had she heard a woman speak thusly—and Sybil a lady yet!
Sybil’s chin climbed high when at last she gleaned Alana’s horrified expression. “I only repeat what I heard.” She defended herself staunchly. “That’s what they said, I swear on the grave of our father.”
Alana was still too shocked to say a word.
Unbeknownst to her, Sybil relished a secret satisfaction. “Aye,” she said sweetly. “You are wise to be wary, Alana. But mayhap you will be lucky, eh? If you do not please him, mayhap he will turn his favors to another. Indeed, I shall pray it will be so.” She patted Alana’s shoulder before departing.
Alana climbed the stairs slowly, unable to put aside Sybil’s words. Enormous…thick as a man’s wrist…half as long as his sword . A sickening dread churned low in her belly. She told herself Sybil had been trying to frighten her, for what she said was simply not possible. Surely Merrick couldn’t be so very different from other men…or could he?
So preoccupied was she that she did not see the shadowy figure that stepped out before her until it was too late. She barreled nearly full tilt into a solid form. She was righted by a pair of hands that reached out and grasped her shoulders. Her breath caught as she recognized Raoul.
She tried to step back, but he would not allow it. His fingers dug into her soft flesh.Alana battled a faint alarm. Merrick’s chamber was but a few footsteps down the passageway. If she could break free and run…
“Oh, no,” he said with a faint smirk. “You will go nowhere, Alana.”
Alana struggled for calm. “Release me,” she said evenly.
His regard was leering. “Do not be so impatient. We have much in common, you and I.”
Her back went rigid as stone. “Are you braver than your fellow soldiers? I told them I would turn them into goats, and that’s what will happen to you if you don’t let me go.”
Such bravado did little good. He merely smiled, a smile that turned her blood to ice. “Were you possessed of such power, you’d already have done so to free yourself. There would have been no need to run from Merrick. Or mayhap you should
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