hard against the stonework, forcing a cry from her.
“Be silent, woman,” he snapped, “lest I assist you in the endeavor with my fist.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Catherine ground out, straightening to level a hate-filled glare at him. “Youno longer have the right now that I am another man’s wife.”
Anger flared hot in Eduard’s eyes, and for a moment, she thought he would follow through with his threat anyway. But he released her. “Aye, your correction is Camville’s pleasure now.” Stepping away, he growled, “Still you must needs answer me. What happened last night with him? What went awry?”
“Nothing was amiss.”
“Nay? Then why did your husband ride out so early this morn? He saddled his mount and set off as if the devil himself chased at his heels.” Eduard leaned in, digging his finger under her chin. “The mongrel learned you’d been used before, didn’t he, Catherine?”
She jerked her head from his touch. “He discovered nothing. The sheet was bloodied, and all was as it should be.”
“Then why the hell-bent ride at dawn?”
“Perhaps ’tis his habit to ride early.”
“The morn after his marriage?” Eduard scoffed. “’Tis more like you failed to keep him interested enough to remain abed with you.”
Catherine kept silent, unable to refute Eduard’s jibe and unwilling to add to his animosity by trying. Pushing herself away from the wall, she clenched her fingers and faced him. “Whether that be true or not, I do not know. But ’tis likely that you and I will be missed at table if we tarry longer. I’m going back to the hall.”
Eduard looked surprised for an instant. Then he smiled. “Ah, the titmouse has a bit of hawk in her.Marriage to Camville has added some backbone to you, foolhardy though it may be.” Gripping her tightly by the back of the neck, he hauled her close enough so that his mouth brushed against her ear. “Just be wary, sweet Catherine. I know two very precious ways to keep you groveling, and I’ll take great pleasure in using both of them against you if you force me to it.”
Yanking herself from his grip, Catherine pressed her lips together and pushed past him. She headed for the hall, but Eduard fell into step right next to her, mocking her with a whistling tune that sounded profane coming from his lips.
As they neared the building, he slipped a brotherly hand under her elbow, and though she wished to pull away, she knew such an obvious movement would be noticed by the many eyes that now witnessed their approach. Yet she couldn’t stop herself from muttering a curse against him under her breath, ordering him to release her.
Her oath had an effect opposite to what she’d hoped. Eduard let go of her elbow only to reach out and encompass her waist, pulling her tightly and painfully close to him as they walked.
And though she forced herself to endure his embrace without outward reaction, it was all she could do to shut her mind against the sound of his laughter, ringing soft and malicious in her ear.
Gray looked at the array of swords on the table before him, alternately lifting and swinging one and then another as he tested their weight and balancein his hand. The selection of practice blades should have been sufficient, but he found himself dissatisfied with every weapon. ’Twas an annoyance and not like him to allow himself to be so distracted. Yet the image of his wife kept coming to him, taking his thoughts away from his work.
He’d avoided her successfully so far this day. But in his mind’s eye he saw her as she’d been last night, pressed against his chamber door, her eyes beseeching, her skin golden honey in the firelight. She’d begged him not to hunt down her brother then, and he’d agreed. But no such constraints bound him today.
Pacing to a window of the nearly barren chamber, he glanced out of the open shutter. It was not yet midday and already the heat oppressed, undulating over the fields in waves. In less than
“Be silent, woman,” he snapped, “lest I assist you in the endeavor with my fist.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Catherine ground out, straightening to level a hate-filled glare at him. “Youno longer have the right now that I am another man’s wife.”
Anger flared hot in Eduard’s eyes, and for a moment, she thought he would follow through with his threat anyway. But he released her. “Aye, your correction is Camville’s pleasure now.” Stepping away, he growled, “Still you must needs answer me. What happened last night with him? What went awry?”
“Nothing was amiss.”
“Nay? Then why did your husband ride out so early this morn? He saddled his mount and set off as if the devil himself chased at his heels.” Eduard leaned in, digging his finger under her chin. “The mongrel learned you’d been used before, didn’t he, Catherine?”
She jerked her head from his touch. “He discovered nothing. The sheet was bloodied, and all was as it should be.”
“Then why the hell-bent ride at dawn?”
“Perhaps ’tis his habit to ride early.”
“The morn after his marriage?” Eduard scoffed. “’Tis more like you failed to keep him interested enough to remain abed with you.”
Catherine kept silent, unable to refute Eduard’s jibe and unwilling to add to his animosity by trying. Pushing herself away from the wall, she clenched her fingers and faced him. “Whether that be true or not, I do not know. But ’tis likely that you and I will be missed at table if we tarry longer. I’m going back to the hall.”
Eduard looked surprised for an instant. Then he smiled. “Ah, the titmouse has a bit of hawk in her.Marriage to Camville has added some backbone to you, foolhardy though it may be.” Gripping her tightly by the back of the neck, he hauled her close enough so that his mouth brushed against her ear. “Just be wary, sweet Catherine. I know two very precious ways to keep you groveling, and I’ll take great pleasure in using both of them against you if you force me to it.”
Yanking herself from his grip, Catherine pressed her lips together and pushed past him. She headed for the hall, but Eduard fell into step right next to her, mocking her with a whistling tune that sounded profane coming from his lips.
As they neared the building, he slipped a brotherly hand under her elbow, and though she wished to pull away, she knew such an obvious movement would be noticed by the many eyes that now witnessed their approach. Yet she couldn’t stop herself from muttering a curse against him under her breath, ordering him to release her.
Her oath had an effect opposite to what she’d hoped. Eduard let go of her elbow only to reach out and encompass her waist, pulling her tightly and painfully close to him as they walked.
And though she forced herself to endure his embrace without outward reaction, it was all she could do to shut her mind against the sound of his laughter, ringing soft and malicious in her ear.
Gray looked at the array of swords on the table before him, alternately lifting and swinging one and then another as he tested their weight and balancein his hand. The selection of practice blades should have been sufficient, but he found himself dissatisfied with every weapon. ’Twas an annoyance and not like him to allow himself to be so distracted. Yet the image of his wife kept coming to him, taking his thoughts away from his work.
He’d avoided her successfully so far this day. But in his mind’s eye he saw her as she’d been last night, pressed against his chamber door, her eyes beseeching, her skin golden honey in the firelight. She’d begged him not to hunt down her brother then, and he’d agreed. But no such constraints bound him today.
Pacing to a window of the nearly barren chamber, he glanced out of the open shutter. It was not yet midday and already the heat oppressed, undulating over the fields in waves. In less than
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