Hugh had obviously met his match and watching the ensuing battle between his sister-in-law and his friend was going to cause him a great deal of amusement in the days and weeks to come. He couldn’t wait.
*****
Eva sat on the bed Christiana shared with Roland, her eyes fiery. “The man is so stubborn he can’t see what’s right before his eyes!” She crossed her arms over her chest, anger vibrating off her.
Christiana looked over her shoulder from where she stooped to pick up the tunic her husband had dropped to the floor in his haste to bed her the previous evening. “What’s right before his eyes, Eva?”
Eva glared at her sister. “Love. Love is right before his eyes. He rejects me because I’m a noblewoman. There’s no reason to throw away love, and if there were, that would still be a stupid one. I will not allow him to spurn me!” She just needed a plan. Once she had a plan, she would be able to have Hugh in her life and keep him there.
Christiana bit her lip to stifle her laughter. “So what will you do?”
Eva shrugged. “’Tis a very good question you ask, sister. I will do whatever I must do to make him see reason, of course.” She didn't know what that was yet, but she'd know soon, and then she would take action.
“To see what you consider reason, you mean?”
“”Tis the same thing. I will make him understand that there is no way I will allow him to throw my love away. I will never marry another. Roland has given me permission to turn away all suitors, and that’s exactly what I will do, unless Hugh offers to become one of them. The man will never know what hit him.” Unless she took a sword to him, of course. He'd know what that was.
Christiana sat down beside her sister on the bed, her legs folded under her. “Do you have a plan?”
Eva nodded. “Of course I have a plan. ‘Tis obvious the man has no idea how to control his baser urges when I’m around. I will kiss him at every opportunity. I will bare myself to him whenever no one is looking. I will make sure he sees my legs and my breasts whenever I can. The man will be tormented so much, he will see my very nipples in his sleep!” She wondered if she could add a bit of berry juice to them, so they would be more prominent, but quickly dismissed the idea. She wasn't quite that brazen. Yet.
Christiana threw her head back and laughed. “‘Twould certainly get the job done, sister. I cannot imagine how he could resist all that. ‘Tis a good plan indeed.”
The door opened, and Marina joined them both on the bed, sitting on the edge with a defiant look on her face. “What’s a good plan?”
Eva repeated her ideas to catch Hugh to her younger sister. She was certain Marina would understand with the way Charles had rejected her the previous evening.
Marina shook her head. “Not me. I don’t care if Charles never looks at me again. I never loved him. His kisses were sweet, but there are too many men in this world for me to care that one doesn’t wish to have me for his wife. I shall simply find another man who kisses even better.” She shrugged to indicate it truly didn't matter to her.
Eva shook her head. “You would kiss another man? How could you do that when you know Charles is the man meant for you?”
“Who says Charles is the man meant for me? He’s an overbearing pig of a Norman, and I have no need for him in my life. I’m not so old I must have babes immediately. I will wait until a real man comes along who will treat me the way I deserve to be treated.”
Christiana sighed heavily. “You know as well as I do you don’t mean that, Marina. You love Charles just as Eva loves Hugh, and I love Roland.”
Marina shook her head emphatically, denying everything. “He was a fun dalliance and a way to pass the time. Now my time is needed for my training. We must still fight the evil that is to come. Our strength comes from our bonds of sisterhood, not from a man. Nay, I will not fight the man and force him to stay for me. I care naught for his hardheaded, bossy ways.”
Eva simply looked down at the fur covering the bed. “You can say that all you like, Marina. We know your true self, though, and we will never believe it.” She eyed her sister carefully, noting the sadness in her eyes. “I believe you and Charles will find your happiness together. Give him some time.” She wished she could take away her sister's pain as her sister did for others' wounds, but she knew it was impossible.
Marina shrugged to indicate she didn’t care.
Eva sighed. She wished her sister would admit to her feelings. “I need to find a way to get Hugh to realize he’s the best choice for me to marry.” How could she possibly do that? She'd never chased after a man in her life.
Christiana grinned. “Are we going to come up with a new plan? Or will you simply torment him as you suggested earlier?”
Eva shrugged. “I’d like to have a plan in case this plan fails. Or something a little less drastic, if possible. I want to marry the man, not have a child with him out of wedlock.” She shrugged, knowing if it meant having Hugh's child, she would happily take on the stigma that came with being an unwed mother.
Marina eyed Eva. “I guess I wasn’t really thinking about how much you must be hurting as well. I’m sorry.”
“I’m not hurting. I’m angry, but determined to find a way to make the man admit his love for me.” Eva sighed, looking at the ceiling. “Mayhap I should turn my attentions from him? Pretend I don’t care one whit for his feelings?” She watched her sisters carefully to see how they'd react to her plan.
Christiana shrugged helplessly. She had been fortunate to have the matter taken out of her hands. Eva and Marina’s torment with the men they loved would have driven her insane. She needed to be able to concentrate on the coming evil, not on the man of her choosing. Of course, if she’d married any man other than Roland, she didn’t think she’d feel the same way. “I would suggest playing mind games with him. One minute you pretend he’s not there. The next time you see him, you back him into a corner and kiss him until he’s panting with passion.”
Eva sighed. “’Twill probably work better than my plan. I’ll try it.” She looked at Marina. “How can we help you?” She wanted to see Marina smile again, and she knew helping her to snare Charles was the way to make that happen for her.
“I need no help. I’m not lovesick for the fool.”
Christiana and Eva looked at one another, and Christiana gave a slight shake of her head. They let the matter drop, for the time being concentrating on Eva and her plan to call Hugh her own.
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