Her blush deepened to two bright spots of colour. ‘After the consummation, of course. As I said, it…it…’ Faltering, she glanced at the Imperial couch. William had made it up into a bed using the blankets that Constantine had brought. Her chin inched up. ‘It should not be a task that is beyond you. I want there to be no doubt that you have…married me in the fullest sense of the word.’
‘You would marry your slave?’
‘Yes.’
William rubbed his face. ‘Is this permitted? Surely a lady of your standing cannot marry a slave?’
She lifted her head and finally looked straight at him. ‘That used to be the case in Roman times, but it is centuries since that law was changed.’ Her mouth firmed. ‘William, I have come to tell you that if you want your freedom back, you will have to marry me.’
Chapter Twelve
As her ultimatum sank in, William’s stunned expression was replaced with a look of weary cynicism. Anna was saddened to see it. She would rather William married her willingly, but her choices were limited. I refuse to marry simply to satisfy my father’s ambitions, I cannot marry Lord Basil!
If thought of marriage with her made William miserable—Anna’s heart squeezed—so be it. She would marry him, he would ensure that the marriage was consummated, and then…she would free him.
After that, he may do as he pleases.
She straightened her shoulders, hoping to appear confident. She even managed to lift an eyebrow as she looked meaningfully at the couch in the central alcove. ‘If you agree, we shall be progressing to the lesson of the nineteenth couch more quickly than you had anticipated.’ She shrugged. ‘You have given me reason to believe that is one aspect of our…arrangement you will not cavil at.’
He looked blankly at her for a moment. ‘Why me?’
‘I beg your pardon?’
‘Why not Lord Constantine? He would have you in a heartbeat—a blind man can see he adores you.’
Anna sighed. ‘That is exactly why I cannot marry him.’
‘Your reasoning escapes me.’
‘William, I can never love Constantine in the way he deserves to be loved. It would not be…fair.’
He took a step towards her. ‘And it’s fair to marry me? Why? Because you bought me?’
She lifted her chin. A muscle was twitching in William’s jaw. Shock was being replaced by anger and he was barely managing to contain it. ‘You are my slave, I bought you with this thought in mind.’
‘You said nothing of this earlier. All that time…in the Palace, in the cistern…I knew there was something you wanted from me, but you said nothing. Why wait so long to tell me?’
Never had his green eyes looked so intently at her. She looked away. It was easier to look at the wall behind him. ‘I…I was uncertain of you.’
‘Uncertain of me? Jesu, woman, you bought me! By the laws of this land I am compelled to obey you. Particularly since…’ a baleful glance was directed at the door ‘…you have set the Guard over me. But I am not a slave, I am a knight!’
She forced her eyes back to his. ‘In the City you are my slave and, as you pointed out, I have both might and law on my side.’ Men had most of the power in this world. It was ironic that all her life Anna had wanted the power that men enjoyed and now she had it, she did not want to use it. She was fond of this man, she wanted to keep his good will. She made her voice soft. ‘William, I am offering you your freedom. I am sorry that I have to ask you to earn it, but that is how matters stand. I need your help.’
He gave a calculated glance at the windows. With a slight smile, she shook her head. ‘That might have worked in the bathhouse, but it will not work here.
Varangians are posted outside each window.’
In a blur of movement, he was on his feet, striding for the door.
‘That is no good either, William. The guards are armed, while you…’
‘You seem to have thought of everything.’
‘I hope so.’
Swearing, William began heaving at a fallen chunk of stone, shifting it until it was positioned in front of the door. His movements were jerky. Whirling round, he stalked back, his eyes were bleak.
Anna’s heart thudded like the battle drums in the Augustaion. Edging away from him, she pointed at the stone. ‘What did you move that for?’
‘Can’t you guess?’ Strong hands reached for her. She was pulled hard against that powerful body, and he walked her—half towing, half dragging—towards the central alcove.
Towards the Imperial couch.
‘We will be needing privacy for what I am about to do to you. My lady.’
Anna heard herself make an embarrassing squeaking sound, she seemed to have lost the power of speech. Her pulse was racing, there was a strange trembling sensation in her belly and her legs could scarcely hold her up.
He will not hurt me. This is William. William, who put himself in harm’s way to save me from the German mercenaries, William, who was kind to me in the
Basilica cistern…
‘Will—’
‘Those are your final terms?’
‘T-terms?’ His eyes were hard and cold as Venetian glass. If only he would not hold her so tightly, she was starting to feel quite dizzy.
‘If I marry you, you swear to free me, that is our agreement. I take it our marriage will be annulled later?’
‘If that is your wish.’
‘Lord…’ he shook his head ‘…there was a woman in the slave market, a grand lady in cherry-coloured silks, she was bidding for me, too.’
Anna was beginning to feel quite ill. Holy Virgin, I knew this would be hard, but I did not think he would be quite so…hurt. Is hurt the right word? I believe it is. I have disappointed him.
‘That woman looked like a degenerate with her painted face. I did not want her to buy me, she looked as though she wanted to eat me.’
Anna hung her head. ‘She wanted you as a plaything.’ He is saying that what I am doing to him is far worse than whatever his painted lady had in mind. Will he ever forgive me? ‘William—’
‘I was actually pleased when your princess won the bidding. Lord, if I had known what was coming… .’ He shoved his hand through his hair and gave a bitter laugh. ‘I thought it would be easier to escape you.’
‘William, try to trust me, I swear I shall free you.’
‘God knows if I can trust you again. However, if this is what you want…’ William lowered his head, his grip was like iron.
Anna put her hands on his arms, trying and failing to make him loosen his hold. Instead the strong muscles shifted and his hold tightened.
‘Keep still.’
‘I can’t breathe, you are making me dizzy.’
The grip eased, the dizziness remained.
His mouth hovered over hers. ‘Swear you will not change your mind.’
‘William, I shall not change my mind. In the name of the Virgin, I swear it. After we have…married, you will be given your document of manumission.’
His mouth relaxed enough to twist up at one corner. ‘You may find this very strange, my lady, but I like to know where I stand. When we first met, I took you for someone else. Someone who doesn’t exist.’
‘William?’
‘I took you for a woman whose word was her bond.’ He snorted. ‘I should have known better, women have no sense of honour as I learned to my cost some while ago. But you…’ he shook his head at Anna’s involuntary movement of dissent ‘…you made me forget what I had learned. But now you have reminded me—I find it hard to believe anything you might say.’
‘Please—’
‘Enough. Just keep your oath and when this is done, give me my document of manumission.’
‘You shall have it.’
‘I shall be free to leave Constantinople?’
‘You will be free to leave.’ She swallowed. ‘I would not dream of keeping you from your beloved Duchy a moment longer than I have to.’
‘Would you not?’ When she sh
ook her head, his lips softened. ‘My lady, it is odd how convincing you are when you set your mind to it.’
Anna gripped the sleeves of his tunic. It was suddenly vital that he believe her. ‘I shall free you!’
He gave her a maddening smile. ‘Setting the Varangian Guard over me to bend me to your will is not the best way to convince me of your integrity. However, I have thought of a way to make you keep your word.’
Her pulse skittered. ‘Yes?’
‘We shall consummate our marriage. Today.’
Anna’s mouth went dry, it took a moment to frame a denial. ‘No, you are still my slave and I say it is too soon.’
He tightened his hold. ‘I regret, my lady, but in this I will have my way. If you want my compliance in the matter of our marriage, you will give me your body. I take it that even this Godforsaken place when a slave marries his mistress, there must be some form of agreement on both sides. Mon Dieu, to think you Greeks call us barbarians!’
Keeping an arm firmly about her, he reached for the cover on the Imperial couch and whisked it aside. Constantine had equipped him well, there was a mattress…sheets…blankets…cushions…
Anna swallowed. ‘Today?’
‘Yes, my lady, today.’ William nudged her up against the Imperial couch. ‘Please, be seated.’
Anna’s legs gave way and she sat, staring blindly at a leaf on the floor while William took his place next to her. He means to consummate the marriage at once! ‘You mean this?’ His eyes were no longer cold and glassy—was the bitterness leaving him?
‘I mean this,’ he said, softly.
A large hand reached for her, tugging her close so he could drop a gentle kiss on her mouth. He nipped her lower lip and pulled back, green eyes watchful. ‘If you are to impose your will over me in the matter of our marriage, I shall have my way over this.’
‘Surely, it…it does not have to be quite yet.’ I am not ready! It is too soon! ‘It would be wrong to anticipate our vows.’
‘Unless you plan on using those guards to drag me before a priest, we will consummate our inconvenient marriage now.’
Our inconvenient marriage. A chilling thought occurred to her. Stricken, she looked at him. ‘There is someone waiting for you in Apulia?’
His hands were at her veil, searching for pins, dropping them heedlessly onto the floor. ‘My lady, there is no one. So for the moment, I accept this marriage.’ Another pin tinkled onto the mosaic tiles and he tugged her veil aside. ‘I had hoped for better, but…’ he shrugged ‘…at least there is a…spark between us. And thank God I will no longer have to watch you tiptoeing around your suitors in that ridiculous manner.’
He fell silent, he was staring at her hair. That morning, before she had put on her veil, Juliana had twisted it into a coronet. He cleared his throat. ‘Loosen it.’
Anna drew a shaky breath. ‘It…it is a complicated style, I am not sure I can replicate it afterwards.’
Afterwards. Sweet Mother, help her, William was not going to change his mind, he was intent on consummation.
‘I don’t care how complicated it is, loosen it.’
She put her hand on his shoulder. Undoubtedly William must feel some bitterness against her, but they had kissed several times and he had never hidden the fact that he had taken as much pleasure in it as she. He is not a cruel man, I will hold to that thought…
‘William, I know you are disappointed, but can you not set that aside? I will do as you ask, only, please, let us not do this if you feel dislike in your heart.’
‘Dislike?’ His eyes were startled. Large fingers ran over her hair, they hesitated as he puzzled out how to unfasten the complicated braiding. ‘Dislike is not what I feel for you, my lady. I want to see your hair undone, but I am afraid of hurting you.’
Reassured, Anna reached up and pushed his hand aside. ‘Start here,’ she murmured. ‘See? There is a hairpin here…’
He leaned close, so close her breasts brushed his chest. Anna’s nipples tightened. He has put disappointment behind him. His face was as intent as it had been a moment ago, but he was no longer driven by bitterness. Thank God.
‘And here?’ The fingers paused in her hair. ‘This one next?’
She felt his fingers with hers. ‘Yes.’
Several more hairpins were tossed onto the tiny tiles. Anna kept her hand on his shoulder and watched his face. Intent, yes, but not bitter. However, he moved that block in front of the door to ensure our privacy, he will not be deterred.
‘There!’ A twisted skein of hair fell heavy down her back. He grinned. ‘Turn a little, my lady.’
Anna obeyed, she felt a small tug and her hair swung free.
He sighed, turned her back to face him again and pulled her hair forwards, arranging it so it flowed over her shoulder and breasts. ‘I longed to see you like this…’ his voice was husky ‘…when we took refuge in the cistern.’
Anna’s breasts felt heavy, she was taken with the most scandalous impulse to press herself against him and urge the hand that was carefully arranging her hair to shift slightly, ever so slightly, and cup her breast.
Green eyes found hers, her belly lurched with anticipation. His pupils were large and dark, his eyes seemed almost black, there was a slash of colour on his cheeks. She was aching so much, she hurt. Is this longing? It must be. William’s breathing sounded constricted, hers certainly was. If only I did not have to force him to this, if only he were a suitor who had my father’s approval… Anna’s throat closed, she swallowed convulsively.
‘William.’ Shyly smiling, she touched his cheek and boldly slid her fingers into his hair, that beautiful, golden hair. William’s hair fascinated her as much as hers seemed to fascinate him. ‘You must accord me the same privileges that I grant you, you cannot object.’
‘Do you hear me objecting?’
His hair felt like silk. Anna’s fingers tingled as she combed through it. So soft. The light from one of the windows was falling on him, a trick of the light that created an odd effect. ‘You have a halo—you look like an angel.’
He caught her to him, stopping her words with a warm kiss. Anna heard him groan. As his lips moved over hers, as his tongue entered her mouth, she groaned herself. He explored her mouth slowly and with great thoroughness, and when she touched her tongue to his, he gave another groan.
There was a delicious trembling in Anna’s belly. She was conscious that her hand, as it threaded through the yellow silk of his hair, was shaking. And his—she watched as he drew back to take hold of her skirts—his hand was shaking, too.
We are equal in this desire for each other.
A pang of foreboding went through her. Anna was entering this contract to prove to her father that she was not to be dictated to, but that did not alter the fact that she was dreading the time when she must bid William farewell. I want William to stay. I want William to remain here as my husband. I shall never want another man.
She pushed the thought away even as William pushed her back against the cushions.
Enjoy this time with him—it will not last. Once you have proved your point with your father, you will have to release William. He is not for you.
William leaned on an elbow as he looked at her, his breath warmed her cheek. ‘So lovely,’ he murmured. She saw hunger in his eyes.
Somehow he had got Anna’s skirts up about her knees. His hand hovered over her girdle, he scowled at it, and a moment later the buckle clattered on the tiles.
‘Your belt, too,’ Anna said, fumbling at the fastening with fingers that were clumsy with need. ‘Off, take it off.’
His belt flew aside. She tugged at his tunic and hesitated, recalling how cold he had been in the cistern. She wanted to see him, to touch his skin, but…
‘The hypocaust in here hasn’t worked for years. Will you be warm enough?’
His mouth curved. Leaning over her, he put his lips to her ear and kissed it. ‘You will warm me.’
William was reducing her to a writhing mas
s of needs, she felt like a wild thing. She wanted to lick him, to taste him. She wanted to bite. Lord. A lady-in-waiting should not be having these thoughts. When she felt his tongue in her ear, she gasped. ‘That feels…’
‘Good?’
‘Yes, very…animal.’
He gave a choked laugh. ‘Never fear, we shall be more…animal yet.’
Anna’s cheeks burned, her mind reeled. She was a virgin, but she knew what went on between men and women. In Rascia, when Princess Theodora had anticipated her marriage vows with Prince Peter, Anna had guarded the bedchamber door for them. The noises she had heard had told her that pleasure was involved, much pleasure. But this knowledge, even when added together with the knowledge she had gleaned of the actual physical act of love, had none the less left her woefully unprepared for the reality of surrendering to William. He was, quite simply, laying siege to her every sense.
‘More animal?’ Saints.
The palm of his hand was on her skin, he had found his way under her gown and—yes!—his hand closed firmly over a breast. Shockingly, she found herself wriggling to allow him fuller access.
‘More animal,’ he murmured. ‘Much more.’
Anna’s heart thudded. She was hot from head to toe, she ached with want.
Lifting his head, he frowned down at her.
‘William?’
‘What about you? Will you be cold without your gown?’
The question seemed to break the sensual spell he had cast over her. Anna glanced down the length of the hall. Yes, he had blocked the door, yes, she herself had posted the Guard outside with orders not to disturb her unless she called for them, but… ‘Imagine what we would look like if anyone should chance to enter,’ she muttered, flushing even more hotly.
William was sprawled alongside her, gut-wrenchingly handsome in a cream-silk undershirt. The ties at his neck were undone, revealing a sprinkling of hairs at his throat. She could smell that masculine scent that was him, William.
And as for me…
Anna’s skirts were bunched up under her, her feet and legs were quite bare.
William leaned in, smiling. ‘We would look like lovers.’
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