much as she loved tripe. She sighed loudly and stomped her foot.
Suddenly the key in the door turned, and Esme entered the chamber. She was carrying a tray of food. Arabella pursed her lips. "Am I not even allowed down to the hall to eat?"
Esme shook her head. "Nay, milady. Lord John was most adamant on the matter."
"Well fie on him!"
"Milady, 'twill do thee no good to fret so. Take this time to think upon thy actions that made Lord John confine thee so. He is a fair man and must hath had good reason."
"I do not find him fair." Arabella spat. "He is a knave to keep me thus! I did naught wrong."
"I beg to differ."
Arabella jumped when she heard John's deep voice. He strode into the chamber and spoke to the maid. "Leave us!"
Esme set the tray down on the dresser, her eyes big in her face. "I will return later to collect it." She promptly left the room as she was bid.
Arabella stared at her husband. Part of her was still angry, the other wondering what her latest outburst would earn her. He folded his arms and walked over to her. "Tell me, milady, hast thou learnt anything from thy spanking yester eve, or do we hath to repeat it?"
Arabella's heart thumped loudly in her chest. Repeat it? Uh-uh! Her anger quickly disappeared, replaced with contrition. She swallowed hard before answering. "Nay, milord."
He stared hard at her, and she did her best to look humble. Her bottom was still sore, and the idea of receiving another spanking so soon was unthinkable! For a moment, she thought he was going to carry out his threat, but her face must have convinced him otherwise. Instead, he placed his hand on her chin and raised her face to his. "If thou dost as thee art told today, I will allow thee the freedom of the castle tomorrow. But mark my words, milady. Any sign of disobedience, and thee will be over my knee in a thrice! Dost thou understand?"
Arabella nodded mutely. His dominance thrilled her, yet at the same time, it irked her. She should detest him for the way he was treating her, but she didn't. More fool her, but she loved him. He dropped his hand away and pulled out a seat in front of the tray of food.
"Now, milady, sit and eat. I will return at dusk."
When the door closed behind him, and the key turned in the lock, Arabella's shoulders slumped. Would he ever come to love her and treat her with respect? At the moment, she couldn't see it. Usually time was a healer, but it seemed with John, his emotions had festered over the years. Perhaps, for him, it was too late. Apathetically, she began to chew on a piece of cheese, her thoughts muddled.
Chapter Five
Several days passed, and Arabella had resigned herself to captivity within the castle. Fendrel was present practically everywhere she went, and it irked her beyond reason. She had tried to outwit him, on a few occasions, and always failed. He would turn up along another corridor, or appear in a doorway, just when she thought she was free of him. She could see in his eyes a sparkle of triumph, when he caught up with her. Oh, how she'd like to wipe that smug look off his face!
As luck would have it, the occasion arose that very afternoon. Lord Justin and his wife, Lady Isabel, had come to visit. They lived in the next village and had known John for several years.
Arabella was introduced to them in the great hall. John placed his hand in the small of her back and pressed her forward. "My wife, Arabella of Arnscroft."
"I am so pleased to make thy acquaintance, milady," breathed Isabel. Arabella warmed to her immediately. She had kind eyes and a softly spoken voice. She judged her to be only a little older than herself. Lord Justin bowed politely. "Milady. We were delighted to hear that John had finally taken a wife."
She smiled, not quite knowing what to say. They were clearly oblivious to the true details about their marriage and seemed to think she was there by choice. Poor deluded fools.
Lord Justin slipped his arm around his wife and pulled her to him,
Suddenly the key in the door turned, and Esme entered the chamber. She was carrying a tray of food. Arabella pursed her lips. "Am I not even allowed down to the hall to eat?"
Esme shook her head. "Nay, milady. Lord John was most adamant on the matter."
"Well fie on him!"
"Milady, 'twill do thee no good to fret so. Take this time to think upon thy actions that made Lord John confine thee so. He is a fair man and must hath had good reason."
"I do not find him fair." Arabella spat. "He is a knave to keep me thus! I did naught wrong."
"I beg to differ."
Arabella jumped when she heard John's deep voice. He strode into the chamber and spoke to the maid. "Leave us!"
Esme set the tray down on the dresser, her eyes big in her face. "I will return later to collect it." She promptly left the room as she was bid.
Arabella stared at her husband. Part of her was still angry, the other wondering what her latest outburst would earn her. He folded his arms and walked over to her. "Tell me, milady, hast thou learnt anything from thy spanking yester eve, or do we hath to repeat it?"
Arabella's heart thumped loudly in her chest. Repeat it? Uh-uh! Her anger quickly disappeared, replaced with contrition. She swallowed hard before answering. "Nay, milord."
He stared hard at her, and she did her best to look humble. Her bottom was still sore, and the idea of receiving another spanking so soon was unthinkable! For a moment, she thought he was going to carry out his threat, but her face must have convinced him otherwise. Instead, he placed his hand on her chin and raised her face to his. "If thou dost as thee art told today, I will allow thee the freedom of the castle tomorrow. But mark my words, milady. Any sign of disobedience, and thee will be over my knee in a thrice! Dost thou understand?"
Arabella nodded mutely. His dominance thrilled her, yet at the same time, it irked her. She should detest him for the way he was treating her, but she didn't. More fool her, but she loved him. He dropped his hand away and pulled out a seat in front of the tray of food.
"Now, milady, sit and eat. I will return at dusk."
When the door closed behind him, and the key turned in the lock, Arabella's shoulders slumped. Would he ever come to love her and treat her with respect? At the moment, she couldn't see it. Usually time was a healer, but it seemed with John, his emotions had festered over the years. Perhaps, for him, it was too late. Apathetically, she began to chew on a piece of cheese, her thoughts muddled.
Chapter Five
Several days passed, and Arabella had resigned herself to captivity within the castle. Fendrel was present practically everywhere she went, and it irked her beyond reason. She had tried to outwit him, on a few occasions, and always failed. He would turn up along another corridor, or appear in a doorway, just when she thought she was free of him. She could see in his eyes a sparkle of triumph, when he caught up with her. Oh, how she'd like to wipe that smug look off his face!
As luck would have it, the occasion arose that very afternoon. Lord Justin and his wife, Lady Isabel, had come to visit. They lived in the next village and had known John for several years.
Arabella was introduced to them in the great hall. John placed his hand in the small of her back and pressed her forward. "My wife, Arabella of Arnscroft."
"I am so pleased to make thy acquaintance, milady," breathed Isabel. Arabella warmed to her immediately. She had kind eyes and a softly spoken voice. She judged her to be only a little older than herself. Lord Justin bowed politely. "Milady. We were delighted to hear that John had finally taken a wife."
She smiled, not quite knowing what to say. They were clearly oblivious to the true details about their marriage and seemed to think she was there by choice. Poor deluded fools.
Lord Justin slipped his arm around his wife and pulled her to him,
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