Read Online Charming the Prince by Teresa Medeiros - Free Book Online
Authors: Teresa Medeiros
Tags: Fiction, General, Romance, Historical, England, Man-Woman Relationships, Love Stories, Nobility - England
Ads: Link
you bring me a ... a ..." Bannor sputtered to a halt, at a loss to describe the exquisite creature who had emerged from the fur-lined depths of the hood. His voice both roughened and softened as her piquant features and cloud of sable hair danced before his eyes. "A goddess!"
"Not a goddess—a Madonna," Hollis protested. "You should have seen her with her brothers and sisters. She was the very soul of tenderness and devotion. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she would welcome your own children with open arms."
"Aye, that she did." Bannor slapped at his chest through the thin linen of his shirt. "That's why I'm marching around the tower in naught but my shirt and hose while the maidservants scrub piss out of my finest doublet."
Hollis heaved a defeated sigh. "When I first saw her, she was wearing a cap. And apples."
Bannor swung around to blink at his steward, wondering if the man had well and truly lost his senses.
"By the time I got a clear look at her, 'twas too late. The bargain had been struck. She had defied her own father to plight her troth to you."
"So you chose to defy me by accepting her pledge."
It was a statement, not a question, and Hollis wisely held his silence. Until he muttered beneath his breath, "You would have done the same."
Bannor gave him a narrow look.
Hollis dared to meet that look. "If you had seen the heartless manner in which her family treated her while we were waiting for the banns to be read, you would have done the same. Her father ignored her. Her stepmother disdained her. Her brothers and sisters ordered her about as if she was no better than a slave. And her stepbrother ..." Hollis shook his head, his mouth thinning to a grim line. "I cared naught for the look in his eyes whenever they lingered upon her."
The thought of such a delicate treasure being ill used made Bannor want to slam his fist into the wall. Made him long to march upon this Rufus of Bedlington and burn his keep to the ground. Made him yearn to pound that lecherous stepbrother of hers until he begged for mercy.
"Did they beat her?"
"I think not. 'Twas her spirit that was bruised by their lack of kindness, not her flesh. Bruised, but not broken."
Bannor had caught a glimpse of that spirit when she'd thrust wee Mags back into his arms and slammed the chariot door in his face. During the war, he'd grown so accustomed to everyone scurrying to obey his commands that he'd been startled by an urge to applaud her defiance.
He should have followed his warrior's instincts and worn armor to their first meeting—a helm to shield him from her beauty and a breastplate to protect his heart.
He raked a hand through his hair. "I trusted you to find me a wife who would not tempt me to get her with child, and you bring me a woman who makes me think of nothing else. Just how long do you think 'twill be before her body begins to ripen with my seed? A fortnight? A sennight? A night?"
Hollis brightened. "Perhaps you should consider a vow of celibacy. I've no doubt God would find it a most impressive sacrifice, much more pleasing in His eyes than if you had wed some stout fishwife with a mustache."
Bannor planted both palms on the table, looming over his steward. "If you'd care to keep your tongue, perhaps you should consider a vow of silence."
Hollis snapped his mouth shut.
Bannor straightened, shaking his head. "I fear there's only one way to undo this wretched mischief you've done." He went to the door. But he did not open it until after he'd looked furtively out the window and determined that the children should be safely abed.
"Where are you going?" Hollis demanded.
"To inform my bride that a terrible mistake has been made. To tell her that we must petition Edward for an annulment before the union can be consummated."
Hollis rose to his feet, drawing himself up to his full five feet nine inches. "I cannot bear the thought of her returning to live in such squalor and neglect.
"Not a goddess—a Madonna," Hollis protested. "You should have seen her with her brothers and sisters. She was the very soul of tenderness and devotion. The moment I laid eyes on her, I knew she would welcome your own children with open arms."
"Aye, that she did." Bannor slapped at his chest through the thin linen of his shirt. "That's why I'm marching around the tower in naught but my shirt and hose while the maidservants scrub piss out of my finest doublet."
Hollis heaved a defeated sigh. "When I first saw her, she was wearing a cap. And apples."
Bannor swung around to blink at his steward, wondering if the man had well and truly lost his senses.
"By the time I got a clear look at her, 'twas too late. The bargain had been struck. She had defied her own father to plight her troth to you."
"So you chose to defy me by accepting her pledge."
It was a statement, not a question, and Hollis wisely held his silence. Until he muttered beneath his breath, "You would have done the same."
Bannor gave him a narrow look.
Hollis dared to meet that look. "If you had seen the heartless manner in which her family treated her while we were waiting for the banns to be read, you would have done the same. Her father ignored her. Her stepmother disdained her. Her brothers and sisters ordered her about as if she was no better than a slave. And her stepbrother ..." Hollis shook his head, his mouth thinning to a grim line. "I cared naught for the look in his eyes whenever they lingered upon her."
The thought of such a delicate treasure being ill used made Bannor want to slam his fist into the wall. Made him long to march upon this Rufus of Bedlington and burn his keep to the ground. Made him yearn to pound that lecherous stepbrother of hers until he begged for mercy.
"Did they beat her?"
"I think not. 'Twas her spirit that was bruised by their lack of kindness, not her flesh. Bruised, but not broken."
Bannor had caught a glimpse of that spirit when she'd thrust wee Mags back into his arms and slammed the chariot door in his face. During the war, he'd grown so accustomed to everyone scurrying to obey his commands that he'd been startled by an urge to applaud her defiance.
He should have followed his warrior's instincts and worn armor to their first meeting—a helm to shield him from her beauty and a breastplate to protect his heart.
He raked a hand through his hair. "I trusted you to find me a wife who would not tempt me to get her with child, and you bring me a woman who makes me think of nothing else. Just how long do you think 'twill be before her body begins to ripen with my seed? A fortnight? A sennight? A night?"
Hollis brightened. "Perhaps you should consider a vow of celibacy. I've no doubt God would find it a most impressive sacrifice, much more pleasing in His eyes than if you had wed some stout fishwife with a mustache."
Bannor planted both palms on the table, looming over his steward. "If you'd care to keep your tongue, perhaps you should consider a vow of silence."
Hollis snapped his mouth shut.
Bannor straightened, shaking his head. "I fear there's only one way to undo this wretched mischief you've done." He went to the door. But he did not open it until after he'd looked furtively out the window and determined that the children should be safely abed.
"Where are you going?" Hollis demanded.
"To inform my bride that a terrible mistake has been made. To tell her that we must petition Edward for an annulment before the union can be consummated."
Hollis rose to his feet, drawing himself up to his full five feet nine inches. "I cannot bear the thought of her returning to live in such squalor and neglect.
Similar Books
