Bride for a Knight (9781460344804)
Page 25
“Yes, and he attacked me,” Roland replied, his speech coming easier now. “He was half-crazed with guilt and trying to justify what he’d done, but he was alive when I left him.”
“He must have been weak from his wounds and fell into the river trying to flee,” Mavis said.
Roland sighed heavily and closed his eyes.
Mavis put her hand lightly on Gerrard’s arm. “That’s enough for now. We must let him rest.”
Roland opened his eyes again. “Celeste,” he said, looking at his brother.
“Audrey has a younger sister. She’s at the convent of Saint Agatha,” Gerrard explained before Mavis asked. “I’ve sent the priest to tell her,” he said to Roland.
Roland nodded and closed his eyes again.
“Now we must let him sleep,” Mavis insisted.
Gerrard didn’t protest and she walked with him to the door. “I’m leaving for Dunborough at first light,” he said before he grinned that devil-may-care grin of his. “I promise not to burn the place down, and we’ll speak about Roland’s offer regarding the estate when you return.”
She embraced him warmly. “It’s my offer, too, Gerrard. We’d both be pleased if you accepted.”
“I’ll remember that, my lady,” he said, “and with gratitude.”
* * *
“God’s blood, that’s tiring!” Roland said several days later as he made his way into the bedchamber at DeLac, a crutch under his arm to help support his injured leg, and Mavis under the other, although not for support.
“Perhaps you should have waited another day or two to join the household for the evening meal. It’s only been a fortnight.”
“Gilbert said I could, and truth be told, my lady wife, I am heartily weary of these four walls.”
“And your welcome was so warm, it was surely worth it,” she added with a pert little smile.
“It was gratifying,” he agreed. “And that bread was excellent. I don’t begrudge your absence to make it.”
“You were sleeping, as you should.”
She expected him to make some light remark about his naps, or lack thereof. Instead, he set his crutch against the wall and, with one hand on the wall for support, turned toward her with a serious expression. Then he struggled to go down on one knee.
“What are you doing?” she cried, aghast, and hurried to help him up.
He shook his head. “No, not until I’ve done what I must do, the reason why I set off so swiftly and without an escort from Dunborough—to beg your forgiveness for being a stubborn, pigheaded, blind and arrogant fool.”
“Roland!”
“Please, Mavis, let me explain why I’ve acted as I have. I saw you crying the morning after our wedding and thought that despite your smiles, you’d been forced to marry me.”
“That morning? When I was at the window? I was only sad to be leaving Tamsin! You should have said something!”
“I was too full of pride and vanity and, I confess, fear. I was sure you had wed me because your father wanted the alliance and you were to be the means to accomplish it. And deep in my heart, I feared no one would ever want me for myself alone. Then I comforted myself with the notion that my beautiful bride would make Gerrard jealous—so you see, he was right about that. But it was only when I thought you didn’t want me that I told myself that lie. And I couldn’t admit that I cared for you because I thought to do so would make me weak and vulnerable. When we got to Dunborough, I made things even worse. I selfishly considered only my own needs and my own anger. I built a wall between us, not realizing I was still letting my father and my brothers rule me and guide the course of my life. I am heartily sorry for that, Mavis, and I vow that from now on, your happiness will be my first concern. My second will be to be worthy of you. Your opinion will be the one I value above all others. I can only hope that you’ll forgive my vain selfishness and stubborn pride, and give me the chance to win your love, as you have won mine.”
“Oh, Roland,” she said, taking hold of his hands, pulling him to his feet and into her arms. “You love me?”
“I’ve loved you from the first moment I saw you in your father’s solar,” he said softly.
“As I’ve loved you from the morning I saw you in my father’s stable,” she said, joy filling her heart as she kissed him passionately. She soon drew back and regarded him gravely, for there were things she, too, must say. “I’ve made mistakes, as well. I was jealous of Audrey and should have told you sooner how I felt about Gerrard, instead of bottling everything up until it burst out like a lightning bolt. I should have realized that as I hoped you would love and be loyal to me, you must love and be loyal to your brother. There are things beyond blood you’ve shared with Gerrard, suffering you’ve both endured, that’s made a bond between you. I’ll never try to come between the two of you again. I will do all I can to ensure that our children have a happy and peaceful home.”
He held her close. “I’ll try to be a better father than my own, although I have no other model.”
“You’ll be a wonderful father,” she assured him, giving him another kiss. “Look how you protected Gerrard all those years, and the generous offer you’ve made him.”
“Which he has yet to accept.”
Roland moved to sit on the bed, where she joined him. “I have another offer to make to him, if you agree,” he said, taking her hand and kissing it lightly. “Since you are now the heiress of DeLac, I’m thinking I should let Gerrard have Dunborough, and we could stay here. If we do, you’ll be closer to your cousin, in a household you know well. Gerrard will have what he deserves, and I will have what I most want—your happiness.”
He had caught her completely off guard. “You would stay here? Although Dunborough is rightfully yours?”
“Yes.”
Still she couldn’t quite believe him. “I thought you said you liked the cold.”
“At that time, I would have said the sky was green if you’d said that it was blue,” he murmured, pulling her close for another kiss.
Laughing, she gently pulled away. “As glad as I am to be in your arms again, you must do what the physician says.”
“For your sake, I will obey,” he gravely replied. Then he smiled a glorious smile. “And I will be just as willing to obey any orders you have to give, now or ever.”
“I don’t give orders,” Mavis replied, her eyes dancing. “I only give suggestions and occasionally my opinion. For instance, I suggest that you try to sleep. It’s late.”
“By myself?”
She tilted her head, a little smile playing about her lips. “As you are well aware, the cot I’ve been using is not here tonight. Gilbert said we could share a bed again, although he warned me that you should not overtax your strength. I think we both can guess what he meant by that.”
“At least we can share the bed,” he said. He took off his shirt and tunic, and she pulled off his boots. He grimaced when she pulled off the one from his wounded leg, then grinned when she helped him remove his breeches.
He got into the bed and patted the place beside him. Fully clothed, she lay down next to him.
“Are you planning to sleep in your clothes?”
“I think that might be best.”
“Best for whom?”
“Best for the one who needs to rest. Neither of us seems able to resist temptation when we’re naked.”
“I give you my word that I won’t touch you...although I might accidentally brush my hand against your soft and lovely breasts.”
“Then I’d best keep my clothes on.”
He sighed heavily. “If you wish.”
“I don’t wish, but it would be better,” she said, nestling against him. “After all, I want you to get well quickly.”
Mavis slipped her hand beneath the covers.
�
�What are you doing?” he gasped.
“Trying not to overtax your strength.”
“If you keep doing that, I’m going to overtax us both,” he warned.
She withdrew her hand.
“I’m delighted to know that you still desire me, even in my decrepit state.”
“You will never be decrepit, my lord. I thought that the first time I saw you. I may become a burden, though, when I’m near my time.”
“You could never be a burden, Mavis. I knew that the first time I saw you, too, as I wanted you the first time I saw you.” He held her close and sighed. “I never dreamed I would ever be this happy and content.”
“Nor I,” she whispered.
“I love you, Mavis of Dunborough,” he murmured sleepily.
“And I love you, Sir Roland of DeLac,” she replied as, smiling, she put her hand upon his chest, the better to feel the steady beat of his strong and loyal heart as he drifted off to sleep.
* * * * *
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ISBN-13: 9781460344804
Bride for a Knight
Copyright © 2015 by Margaret Wilkins
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