by Wood, Lynn
Luke sat back on the bench and eyed her as if he was examining a potentially slippery prey caught in a trap of his setting. “Irrefutable by whose judgment?”
Melissa considered and replied, “The king’s, my sister’s, and your good friend, Baron Nathan.”
“And how long do I have to provide this proof?’
“One year.” Melissa felt certain Luke would have come to his senses by then. If not, she could always take refuge with her grandmother’s people.
“Fine, I agree to your terms, but I have a condition of my own to add.”
The triumphant light died in her eyes when she realized Luke was regarding her with an expression indicating he believed he was about to be pronounced the victor in their bizarre confrontation. “What is your condition?”
“We marry tonight, and the marriage is consummated.”
Muffled laughter greeted Luke’s demand, but Melissa was less than amused. “That’s ridiculous. Then if you do not hold up your end of the bargain I am stuck with you for a lifetime. I will marry you when you return from your search, that is, if you are successful in locating my brother, or providing proof of his death.”
“Forgive me if I am reluctant to agree to your condition and find myself forced to chase my bride all over Saxony in order to convince her to honor our agreement.”
As much as she was stung by Luke’s insult, Melissa could hardly convince him she wouldn’t run, as she done exactly that at the first opportunity granted her. She feared the king would weary of their contest of wills and award her to Luke without further ado. “I will agree to your terms with an added condition of my own.”
“Do tell, bride.” His assurance and the laughter in his eyes indicated he thought he’d already won.
“That you sign a bill of divorce, dated one year from today. If you do not fulfill your end of the bargain in one year, I will be free of you.”
The hushed silence that fell over the room at the mention of the word divorce was broken only by Rhiann’s astonished gasp. “Melissa, have you gone mad?”
The queen seconded Rhiann’s concern. “My dear, surely you realize the consequences of a divorce to your future. A second marriage would be quite impossible.”
“Thank you for your concern, your highness. I thought I had made my feelings on the matter of marriage perfectly clear. As I am not particularly interested in a first marriage, a divorce will serve me well as it will only bolster my attempts to avoid a second.”
“Are you both agreed on the terms then?” the king’s amused voice interjected.
“Yes,” they both replied at the same time.
“Then it is done. The ceremony will be held tomorrow night. I will have the necessary paperwork drawn up in regards to Lady Melissa’s condition in the event Baron Luke fails to bring her brother back alive, or deliver irrefutable proof of his death within the next twelve months.”
“Thank you, Sire,” the newly betrothed couple’s voice echoed in unison.
“With your permission, Sire. I believe I have had enough excitement for one evening.”
“Of course, my dear.”
At the king’s gracious permission, Melissa rose from her place at the long bench, curtseyed in his direction, turned a furious glare in Luke’s, and finally, an apologetic one in her sister’s. She made her exit from the crowded hall with as much dignity as possible given the circumstances, fully aware every eye in the room was following her ascent up the stairs.
Rhiann sat staring after her sister with a stunned expression on her face. Her mouth opened once or twice but no words came out. Nathan was regarding her reaction to the news of her sister’s betrothal with an amused smile on his face. When his wife would have leapt from the bench to follow her sister, his restraining grip on her arm prevented her from doing so. “Nathan, what are you doing? Please let go of my arm. I need to speak to Melissa and convince her to put an end to this insanity.”
“It is too late for that, Rhiann.”
Rhiann looked across the table at her future brother-in-law. Becoming aware of her attention, Luke raised his full glass of ale in her direction in what she suspected was a mocking salute, “Sister.”
Next she turned her attention to the king and his wife, who met her concerned glance with amused laughter lurking in the king’s eyes and a similar amusement, tempered by very real concern, in Matilda’s. Seeing no help there, Rhiann turned back to her husband. “I don’t understand how these kinds of things keep happening to Melissa. I told you she was headstrong, but divorce, Nathan? Thank God my father is quite unable to witness this latest mishap. I believe even Michel would be shocked.”
“Forgive me, Lady Rhiann, but I must take grave offense at your referring to my betrothal to your sister as a mishap.”
Rhiann was not amused by Luke’s joking comment and she turned to unleash her frustration on him. “Ha, I do not know what kind of game you think you’re playing with my sister, baron, but you only think you’ve won. If you believe you’ve bested Melissa with your foolishness I pity you. She’ll lead you around in so many circles your head will be spinning by the time she’s taken her revenge for whatever you were about tonight. Oh, and because you are my husband’s good friend I will share one secret with you. My sister does not wear her dagger around her arm as I do. She wears it strapped to her thigh. May you find joy in your wedding night, but I recommend you sleep lightly.”
The rest of the hall remained silent as Rhiann rose and bowed her head in her husband’s direction. “With your permission, husband. I no longer find the company as pleasing as I did earlier.” At Nathan’s amused but admiring nod, Rhiann turned to the king. “Sire.”
The king granted his permission and waited for Rhiann to leave the hall and ascend the stairs before calling for fresh ale to be poured.
He raised his glass in a mocking salute to both Nathan and Luke. “My congratulations, my friends. I believe you’ve both won the greatest treasures Saxony had to offer.”
“Agreed,” Nathan pronounced heartily and turned a mocking query in Luke’s direction.
Luke was watching Rhiann’s retreating back with a half-stunned, half-amused expression on his face. Then at the king’s announcement he turned to meet Nathan’s grin with a wide one of his own. “I thought Melissa was the headstrong one.”
chapter Fourteen
“Melissa, divorce? What in the world were you thinking? Not that I completely blame you. I can’t imagine what Luke was about demanding the king give you to him as compensation for his family’s contribution to the war.”
Melissa waited for Rhiann to fill in the answers to her questions with more questions as she’d been doing since the little dressmaker left the two of them alone. When the silence extended between them and it was clear Rhiann was expecting some sort of response from her, Melissa simply parroted Rhiann’s confusion. “I cannot imagine either what Nathan’s friend was about. Surely he was jesting with his king and this foolishness will all be forgotten by morning.”
Rhiann raised skeptical brows in her direction. “I doubt the queen would have ordered an expensive new gown for you for a wedding she would surely be in a position to know would not be taking place this evening.”
Melissa felt her sister’s intent gaze on her back where she stood at the window looking out at the courtyard below. Since she could not possibly confide in her sister the real circumstances motivating the outlandish bargain she made with Luke she took refuge in evading Rhiann’s insistent queries as best she could.
When a brisk knock sounded on her door, Melissa let out a relieved breath and hurried away from the window to answer it, surprised to find her brother-in-law’s rather intimidating presence standing in the doorway.
“Lady Melissa, if you will excuse Rhiann, it is time for her afternoon nap,” he announced, pinning the object of his suggestion with a look of husbandly expectation she not argue with him.
At his order, barely veiled in the guise of concern, Melissa noticed Rhiann was regarding her husband as if
he’d grown an extra head, but Melissa couldn’t help but admire the way he ordered, cajoled, demanded and prodded her sister out into the hall. He turned back and winked when Melissa released a soft sigh of relief at the prospect of some time alone away from Rhiann’s heartfelt and clearly anxious concern. Melissa smiled her appreciation in her new brother-in-law’s direction and decided he might be a tolerable addition to the family after all, despite his questionable ancestry.
She loved her sister but there were no answers to her pointed questions without going into the entire history of her acquaintance with Luke, and that she was unwilling to do. It would only make Rhiann more nervous about her upcoming marriage and Melissa reluctantly acknowledged there was nothing either of them could do about it at this point. Melissa played her hand last night by agreeing to marry Luke. There was no backing out now. At least she managed to buy them both a year’s time for Luke to get over his anger with her and to consider whether or not he really desired her for his wife.
His public insistence on the consummation of their marriage was no doubt a petty act of revenge on his part. Well at least she didn’t have to face the prospect of her wedding night with a virgin’s fears about the marital act worrying her thoughts. The memory of her single experience with the more intimate side of her wifely duties made her breath catch in her throat at the prospect of sharing a bed, and not the stone floor of a cave, with Luke.
She just had to get through tonight. Luke would leave in the morning to keep his side of their agreement. She would have a year to figure a way out of this mess. The divorce papers, dated one year from today, complete with the king’s seal, and Luke’s bold signature scrawled across the bottom were delivered to her room earlier in the day. If a man’s mood could be discerned by his handwriting, she would say Luke’s signature was filled with offended male pride at her insistence on her freedom if he failed to deliver either Michel or proof of his death to her in time. It was a ridiculous condition and one she regretted giving voice to the moment the words left her mouth. Her brother’s life or death was not something to be bandied about so casually, to be made the brunt of jokes among the king’s guests in attendance last night.
The four walls of her small room began to close in around her. She was so busy soothing Rhiann’s anxieties she had no time until now to fully contemplate the enormous step she was about to take. Without the distraction of her sister’s worried looks and probing questions the magnitude of the commitment she would give voice to in the new abbey this evening nearly overwhelmed her. The thought of jumping on Arden’s back and racing off into the Saxon countryside was an appealing one, but Luke already saw to it that particular escape route was closed to her.
Two of the king’s personal guard stood outside her door. They were polite and willing to escort her wherever she wished to go as long as she remained safely within the confines of the city. Neither her betrothed, nor the king was taking any chances of her sneaking off into the dim light of the winter afternoon. As appealing as the prospect of escape was, her pride would not have allowed her to take the coward’s way out. She agreed to this mockery of a marriage along with its conditions and she would accept the consequences. If by some chance Luke managed to find Michel and bring him back safely to her, then she had no doubt that together she and her twin could figure a way out of this latest disaster.
Luke watched Nathan’s approach as he crossed the courtyard and strode in the direction of Luke’s tents. The fact that Luke was standing alone at the entrance of his own, his men a good distance away, should have given his friend a hint of his current mood. He had no doubt Nathan was aware Luke’s solitary posture was not a good sign, but Nathan apparently decided he had no choice but to brave his foul mood and seek an explanation for the bargain Luke struck last night with his wife’s sister. Despite understanding his friend’s concern, Luke offered him no encouragement to continue seeking his company.
“Luke.”
“You know me well enough, Nathan, not to attempt to have a reasonable conversation with me in my present mood.”
Nathan nodded his acknowledgement of Luke’s point. “Yes, but since it seems unlikely your mood will improve any between now and this evening, I have little choice but to approach you in your current mood.”
“I would recommend against it.”
“I assure you I have no liking for the task, but since you risked a fist to your face in the name of our friendship to warn me of my foolishness in regards to my wife, I could do no less for you, my friend.”
“Stop referring to me as your friend. I assure you it will not save your pretty face if you presume to interfere in my affairs.”
“Yes, well unfortunately our affairs are about to become uncomfortably intertwined. It may have passed your notice last night as you were so occupied with your self-righteous rage, but we are about to become brothers by marriage.”
“Well if my wife has anything to say about it, our new relationship will be a temporary one.”
“Luke, you cannot seriously be contemplating granting Melissa a divorce, regardless of whether or not you are able to produce either Michel himself or proof of his death.”
“It is out of my hands. The king’s seal is already on the papers.”
“Luke, what happened? Whatever slight you believe she committed against you, Melissa is an innocent young woman.”
“Innocent? Slight?” Luke echoed in quick succession, his voice rising in anger. “Stay out of this, Nathan.”
“I would be perfectly happy to stay out of this, except for the fact my wife’s sister is squarely in the middle of it, which means my wife is squarely in the middle, therefore I have no choice but to concern myself.”
Luke finally turned to fully face his friend. Black eyes clashed with blue and there was no give in either. Undaunted, Nathan continued to pursue his course. “What could Melissa possibly have done to you to warrant such an act of revenge on your part? When she arrived here she was barely clinging to life. I was afraid she would die before we even got her inside the keep and I would be forced to watch Rhiann’s devastation all over again at the loss of her sister.”
“What?”
“I said I was afraid Melissa would die.”
“She was ill?”
“Ill?” Nathan echoed astonished. “She was on death’s doorstep. She was hallucinating in her fever and kept claiming death was stalking her. Rhiann refused to leave her side for a week.”
“Ah. I imagine that did not sit well with you,” Luke commented drily.
“No, it did not.”
“You could have just ordered her into your bed. She is your wife, after all. Your property in the eyes of the law and the church.”
“Yes, well. Rhiann does not seem to comprehend this truth.”
“And you are so besotted with your wife you allow her to dictate to you.”
Nathan grinned at Luke’s deliberate provocation. “What did Melissa do to you?”
Luke relented. “She made a fool of me in front of my men.”
Nathan merely shrugged aside Melissa’s admittedly grave sin. “Rhiann challenged my authority over her in front of the king and queen and a hall full of noblemen.”
“And what did you do?”
“I forgave her,” Nathan replied, then added with a grin, “Actually I believe I ended up apologizing for upsetting her.”
Luke couldn’t completely swallow his bark of laughter at his friend’s wry admission. “I do not share your patient and even-tempered nature.”
“No, you are generally far slower to anger.”
“She stole my horse.”
Nathan’s lips twitched at Luke’s hushed confession. “Yes, I can see how that grave insult would lead you to demand the king give her to you in marriage in exchange for your family’s contribution in the war effort.”
Luke looked around to make sure there was no one close enough to hear their exchange and admitted softly, “My brother was responsible for her injuries. She killed him when h
e attempted to rape her.”
“Good riddance,” Nathan muttered with disgust.
“Yes, but no one knows the truth. My men suspect. I told my brother’s men the bastard slipped from a cliff on an icy patch and he was killed in the fall.”
“So you feel responsible for her.”
“Of course I feel responsible for her.”
Nathan pushed a little harder. “But that’s not why you’re marrying her.”
Luke met his friend’s direct glance, and asked softly, “When did you know?”
“When did I know what?”
“Her father’s estates were just an excuse. That your wife was the true gift William bestowed upon you in return for your long years of loyal service.”
Nathan hesitated before admitting with a grin, “When I woke up the morning after our wedding and she was sprawled across me like a blanket. In that moment, I realized she belonged to me and I would kill anyone who tried to take her from me.”
A slow grin slid over Luke’s face as he considered his friend’s response. “I may have signed the damned papers, and I will do my best to find Michel, but I have no intention of letting her go. Melissa is already mine. The priest’s blessing tonight is a mere formality. I, too, will kill anyone who attempts to take her from me.”
Luke was aware of his friend’s amused grin and speculative glance. “I will do you a favor and return the counsel you offered me in regards to my wife.”
“I’m listening.”
“I would take my wife’s warning to heart. You believe you’ve already won this game you’re playing with her sister, but I think Melissa is not done playing yet.”
Luke nodded. “Of that truth I have no doubt.”
Later that evening with Rafe at his side, Luke waited at the front of the church while his king escorted his bride down the long aisle of the new abbey. He’d been so preoccupied with his righteous anger over the past twenty four hours he’d been able to keep his driving lust for her at bay. Now seeing Melissa approach him in the elegantly stitched gown, its cream color the perfect backdrop for his bride’s pale complexion and dark curls, his heart was suddenly hammering in his chest. The Salusian stone burned brightly where it lay nestled between the promise of her full breasts the rich gown revealed. Her long dark hair fell around her shoulders and trailed behind her like a veil.