“I don’t know what you mean,” she insisted, keeping far from him, but she was fast running out of space. “You speak in riddles.”
“Do I?” His sword came free of his waist. He tossed it at the bed and it slid across the covers, landing on the floor with a clatter. “I think not, little one. You are eager to experience all that happens at James’s court, good and bad alike. Who better to teach you than I?”
Chandra gulped as his cape fell across a chair and he began to work the fastenings at the top of his doublet. If he meant to frighten her, he was succeeding. “Stay away from me or I’ll scream.”
Intent on scaring the wits out of her, Aleck continued to stalk her. She had no idea what intrigues were played out in these hails, what dangers lurked behind each door. Were she to be drawn into even one such cabal, innocent as she might be, it could spell her death. “Scream away. No one will think much of it—they’ll assume I’ve made another conquest, my exceptional skills at lovemaking having driven the chit nearly insane. Laughter is all you’ll get, Chandra, not help. Believe me when I say it’s true.” It was a lie, but she had no way of knowing that. “A tutor you want, a tutor you shall have. The best there is in all of England. Rid yourself of your clothes and make ready for your first lesson.”
Chandra stared at him. She’d wanted to worry him, annoy him, give back what had been his due, but she’d never expected this. “I promise never to disobey you again,” she blurted, backing close to the wall.
“I’ve heard those words too many times before,” he said. Aleck freed himself of his doublet and tossed it at the chair. It missed its mark, but neither of them noticed. “No, little one, I fear you’ve played your game once too often. Now we’ll play mine.”
Chandra stumbled back against the wall. The farthingale popped up; she fought it down, only to hear Aleck’s chuckle.
“Here, let’s rid you of that thing,” he said, pulling the tails of his silk shirt from the waist of his trunk hose.
“’Tis fine where it is,” she insisted, holding on to the thing through her dress.
“I thought you despised it. Called it ridiculous, I believe.”
“Did I?”
“Yes, you did.” Before Chandra could protest, her hands were pushed aside, her skirt was raised, the tapes were released, and the farthingale collapsed at her feet. Long fingers spanned her waist, lifting her a few inches into the air. With a rake of Aleck’s heel, the thing spun like a top across the floor. “Now your gown,” he said, setting her on her feet again.
Chandra squeezed herself against the wall. “No,” she cried, tears stinging her eyes. “Please, don’t do this.”
She attempted to break free, but Aleck’s hands hit the wall, trapping her. “Why?” he asked, leaning into her.
His hard body pinned her to the wall, his hips pressing intimately against her own; Chandra suddenly felt dizzy. Something quivered in the pit of her stomach while tremors raced up and down her spine. She was hot and cold all at once. Was it fear? Or something else entirely? She found she couldn’t hold his gaze. Nor could she speak.
“Why?” he asked again, his breath fanning her face. She remained mute. “Is it this you want?” His lips traced her cheek to her jaw, then along the side of her neck. “Or is it this?”
The tip of his tongue flicked upward again; a small moan bled through her lips, and Chandra’s head jerked aside. “No,” she insisted, her heart pounding in her ears. She felt as though she couldn’t breathe. “Don’t.”
“Why?” he questioned once more, his lips playing at the corner of her mouth, his hips moving suggestively. She whimpered, and he knew she felt his arousal. “Tell me.”
“B-because I am not ready for this,” she said, her voice a mere whisper.
Aleck would have disputed those words. Given a few short minutes, she’d be more than ready. Even now, he knew he could have her, and easily. Were he a lesser man, he’d take advantage of that knowledge. But her innocence prevented it—that, and the fact that he cared about her. Maybe too much, he thought, trying desperately to quell the hard ache that throbbed low inside him. “No, you’re not,” he said, then realized his words were naught but a groan. He pulled away from her. “You may not be ready, but you seem to want to tempt fate. Not every man will free you as I will, Chandra. Your innocence and beauty are alluring. You know you have the power to arouse a male. You have felt that for yourself.” Two streaks of red painted her cheeks, but Aleck ignored her embarrassment. “A virgin is a rarity at court. Whether you know it or not, you are already being singled out.”
“If you speak of your cousin, you are wrong. Jason would not harm me.”
“Jason would have you as quickly as you could lift your skirts.” Chandra’s eyes widened. He’d shocked her. Good. “But he is not the only rake vying for the honor. Persist in this game, arranged simply because you wish to defy me, and you’ll lose.” Mutiny danced in her eyes; Aleck’s gaze bored into her. “Take heed. If anyone has the pleasure of lying between those shapely legs of yours, first and foremost, it shall be me. Look upon it as payment for what I’ve been made to suffer.” She seemed stunned, then appalled; Aleck chuckled. “Believe me, little one, you’ll experience as much enjoyment in our union as I will. Ecstasy is what we’ll share.”
At the same time that Chandra’s mouth flew open to refute his words, so did the door. A half dozen feet shuffled into the room. “Ah, Montbourne, there you are.”
Aleck spun round, his gaze affirming what his ears had already borne out. Damnation! Of all times, why had James picked this one? Not wanting to expose Chandra’s identity, he remained firmly fixed between his ward and the door. “Your Majesty,” he said, his head bowing slightly.
“Not interrupting anything, am I?” James queried, his head tilting. “You, there, step forward and greet your king.”
Chandra had nearly dissolved into the wall when she’d heard who had entered. There was no way around it. She had to obey James’s command, she knew. On shaky legs, she inched sideways, until the king could see her.
Studying the girl, he glanced at Montbourne, then back to the beauty who hugged the wall. “’Tis the lovely Lady Lochlaigh.”
Chandra made an inept attempt at a belated curtsy. “Sire.”
“No need for that, child,” he said, waving her upward. Then he looked to Aleck. “What I have found here makes my decision far easier,” he said in his Scottish burr. “I was, at first, most upset by all that had happened. ’Twas an embarrassment, to say the least. I do not fault you entirely, Montbourne, for from what Sir John told me, I understand you were continually provoked.
“And you, Lady Lochlaigh,” he said, his attention shifting to her, “I am grieved by your loss. But I feel your cousin’s death could have been avoided had you quelled your Scot’s stubbornness. ’Tis hard to do, I know—I’m cursed with the same affliction myself. However, as your guardian, Montbourne had full control over you. You should not have baited him as you did.
“Likewise, Montbourne,” he said, his eyes pinpointing Aleck again, “you should not have lost your temper. Since you are English—restraint supposedly being an inherent part of you—you have no excuse. To steal her away from her home. Tsk, tsk. ’Twas a fool thing to do.” He moved a few steps closer to the pair, their eyes duly downcast. “At first I was troubled how this might work out, but seeing you thus, I no longer have any qualms. Happily, the embarrassment will be undone, the Lady Lochlaigh’s reputation saved.
“Look upon me now,” he ordered, and Chandra’s and Aleck’s gazes beheld him. “Congratulations, my children,” he said, a smile trailing across his face. “In just a few days, you shall be wedded.”
Chapter
10
Hearing James’s words, Chandra nearly collapsed. At the same time, she saw Aleck stiffen. Madness, she thought, wanting to scream her objection. Yet she could not. Their king had spoken, and his edict must be followed. To defy him meant disaster. Arabella had outfaced him, and because of it, th
e woman now sat in the Tower.
Dazed, Chandra listened as James set forth the arrangements. A private betrothal ceremony was to take place in the morning. By week’s end, the couple would be married. A small wedding would be preferable, considering the circumstances. Yet a celebration was in order. Naturally, the funds for such were to come out of Montbourne’s purse, not the king’s. James, however, offered the use of the Chapel Royal and the banqueting hall, as well as the bishop who’d officiate at the wedding. “Inside of a year, I’ll expect an heir from your joining. It will assure the continuation of both your lines, combining two houses into one, and linking both countries as well. I know, Montbourne, that you oppose a united Britain, as do many of your English brethren. Look upon this marriage as a beginning to that new union. Mark my words: Someday it will actually come about.”
With a bow and a curtsy, Aleck and Chandra bade their king farewell. The moment he and his attendants had left the room, the door closing behind them, Chandra attacked Aleck. “This is ludicrous!” she cried. “You must do something. We cannot marry.”
Slowly he turned to face her. “What is it you want me to do?” he asked, wondering if she truly thought him that abominable. “Our king has spoken. We cannot defy his command. Not unless we wish to suffer his wrath.”
Chandra could hardly believe her ears. How could he just give in so easily? “Then you do not intend to seek a private audience and request that he reconsider?”
“What would be the point? You heard him. He had already intended to see that we were wed. Finding us thus simply affirmed his decision. Obviously he believes we are … uh … exceptionally fond of each other.”
“Fond of each other?” Her words were an incredulous shriek. His ears still ringing, Aleck cast her a dark frown, but Chandra missed it. “He must be blind,” she ranted. “How can he possibly think such a thing?”
“The notion probably came to him because of the way he found us. We are not exactly attired in the normal fashion in which one receives visitors.”
She noted Aleck’s extremely informal mode of dress. Her own raiment was less than conventional. Though nothing had happened, it certainly appeared that it had—or at least that it would. On the floor near the door lay her farthingale. James had nearly stepped on it when he entered the room. What else was the man to believe?
Another thought struck. She pictured her gown and undergarments lying atop the farthingale, the remainder of Aleck’s clothing carelessly strewn in the same general area. Imagining the scene further, and how things could very well have progressed, she suddenly felt all hot and quavery. Delay his arrival, and their king probably would have caught them in her guardian’s bed. Biting back a groan, Chandra was now grateful that James had burst into the room when he had.
“’Tis all your fault,” she accused angrily, trying to fight back the heated flush traveling, up her body. “You are the one who has caused this mess. Think of a way to free us from it.”
Aleck knew he was at fault for much of what had transpired, but he was unwilling to take all of the responsibility. “As I recall, our king said we were equally to blame for all that has happened. Finding us half dressed had nothing to do with his decision.” She appeared not to believe him. “He could have caught us in bed naked and joined in, for that matter. I tell you, his mind was already set. There is no way out of it, Chandra. So I suggest you accept the fact. In just a few days we will be married.”
“’Tis not fair,” she insisted. “How can he expect us to marry? We cannot even abide each other. Doesn’t he know we are enemies?”
“Enemies?”
“You are English and I a Scot. ’Tis like oil and water—impossible to mix.”
“Are you certain of that?” he asked.
“Aye, I am. We will never come together.”
“Oh, but I think we will.” She questioned him with her eyes. “James has ordered us to produce an heir, and he expects to see evidence of such before our first wedding anniversary. There is only one way for us to make a babe, Chandra. We’ll definitely come together.”
Chandra trembled at the thought. If she allowed him mastery over her, she’d lose herself altogether. She was fast becoming powerless against the force of his masculinity. Whenever he was near, whenever he touched her, whenever his lips foraged hers, whether the kiss was born of anger or desire, she felt herself succumbing. Soon she’d surrender completely. The knowledge frightened her. Somehow she had to resist him and the feelings he evoked or she’d be doomed. She’d no longer be an entity unto herself. There would only be him, she being his slave. Masking her fears with indignation, she glared at him. “I’d sooner die than lie with you,” she stated, then turned on her heel and headed for the door.
Like a spear, Chandra’s words pierced Aleck’s male vanity. Elinor had uttered nearly the same phrase. I’d rather die … And she had. Vowing he’d not be made to remain celibate in his second marriage as he had his first, Aleck strode after her. Just as the door opened, his hand met the wood. The panel slammed shut; Chandra spun round and faced him.
“Do not doubt that we shall become man and wife, Chandra—in every way. An heir we have been ordered to produce and an heir we shall have. Be assured: However long it takes for my seed to find its mark, that is the length of time you will share my bed. Until we are certain you have conceived, expect it to be nightly. Either you can willingly participate and gain pleasure from our union, or you can lie with your face hidden in the pillows, pretending to have swooned. Whichever you decide, your body is mine to do with as I please. Should you find you abhor my touch—though I doubt you will—pray that our firstborn is a boy, for in my line only males are allowed to inherit. Remember, for as long as it takes, you will lie with me.”
A brood mare—was that how he perceived her? Or was it as a whore? To him, she was merely female, a receptacle for his seed, an object on which he could slake his desire and gain his pleasure. Were all men this unfeeling? “After I’ve fulfilled my duty and have presented you with an heir, what then?”
“When that time comes, if you have no fondness for me, you may return to Scotland and Lochlaigh Castle.” She appeared relieved. Again his vanity felt the sting. “But if you go, Chandra, our son will remain with me.” Whether it was pure arrogance or simply that he needed to trust that it would be so, he was unable to say, but he was certain that by then, things would be far different. She’d not leave him. And she’d never desert her child. “You have several days to make your decision. Come to me willingly, and I promise to give you pleasure. React as my first wife did by attempting to push me away, and you will discover my patience has been exhausted. One way or the other, you will be mine.” His gaze softened, as did his words. “Do not fight me on this, little one. We have no choice but to wed. Let us make the best of it. Especially since our fate is already met.”
Chandra searched his face. He seemed sincere, almost apologetic. His threats, she realized, were generated by what he’d suffered during his first marriage. His vanity would not allow him to abide such a rejection again. Chandra fought down a blush, for she imagined him to be a gentle and caring lover, a man who bestowed pleasure as well as seized it. Otherwise he’d find no joy in the act himself. But too much had gone between them, too much stood in their way. To accept him freely as her husband was to betray her very existence. Her clan would never forgive her. “I will think about what you have said. But do not expect me to hold feeling for you. Because of Devin, I’m not certain I ever could.”
At length, Aleck studied her face. Expelling his breath, which unknowingly had been suspended in his chest, he bent and retrieved the farthingale, then looped it over her arm. He opened the door and urged her into the hall. “Rid yourself of your guilt and your anger, Chandra, and you may discover that you already do.”
She gazed at the panel long after it had closed in her face, his words tumbling through her head. Was it possible that she actually did hold some affection for the man, the emotion masked by her guilt an
d anger, as he’d said? Blether, she decided. He hoped to manipulate her mind, convince her that a genuine attachment actually existed, all to make her more receptive to sharing his bed. A useless move, she thought; no such feeling dwelled inside her. Or so she wanted to believe.
She turned and, gathering a handful of skirt, walked toward her own room. Curious stares came her way from several servants in the hallway, but she was unaware of their presence or of the comical sight she presented. She opened the door and stepped inside.
The moment Winnie saw her, she gasped. “Child, you’re so pale,” she said, waddling toward Chandra from the hanging cupboard where she’d been placing a newly altered gown. “Are you ill?” Then she spied the farthingale. “What’s happened? You haven’t been accosted, have you? Master Aleck should be made aware of this!”
“Master Aleck knows all there is to know. He’s the one who has done this.” The farthingale sailed through the air. It ricocheted off the carved bedpost and fell to the floor. “And he’s the one who is the cause of all my misery.”
Winnie’s eyes widened, then sparked with unexpected fire. “The rascal didn’t defile you, did he?” Chandra shook her head, and she breathed a bit easier. In a motherly fashion, she placed her arm around the girl’s shoulders. “Just the same, I suppose the knave hoped to take unfair advantage. Here, child,” she said, leading Chandra toward the bed, “let’s sit, and you can tell old Winnie all about it.”
Winnie’s girth settled onto the mattress beside her, and Chandra spilled out her version of the evening’s events. Not having had anyone to confide in, especially an older woman, for a very long time, she held nothing back. Lady Emory, Lord Whitfield, Aleck’s bold overtures, the king’s interruption, all tumbled from her lips. “He has ordered us to be married,” Chandra moaned, her head resting against Winnie’s ample bosom. “The deed will be done by week’s end.”
“Does the thought of having Master Aleck as your husband really upset you so?” she asked gently. Chandra pulled from Winnie’s arms to gaze at her. “I have known him since birth,” the older woman said. “He has many faults, his temper being the worst of them, but he has many virtues as well. He is kind to a fault and is most caring of those less fortunate than himself. Since you say neither of you has a choice—James has sealed your fates, hasn’t he?—perhaps it is time you searched out the man who has remained hidden from you. You may discover he is very much to your liking.”
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