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Authors: My Gallant Enemy
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heir?” she finally blurted out in complete embarrassment.
He laughed out loud and advanced a step closer to her. “Begetting an heir will also be one of my duties—”
“Even if you are repulsed by your wife?” she interrupted in a tense voice.
“And even if she is repulsed by me.”
“No doubt she will be,” Lilliane retorted. But her words lacked the venom she’d intended, for she was suddenly overcome with emotions. He saw Orrick as a prize to be won. The wife he must take to get it was of no matter to him. No matter at all.
Abruptly she turned to leave. But Sir Corbett was quick to block her passage with one brawny arm across the door. “Where do you think you’re going, wench? I haven’t dismissed you yet.”
His words, spoken with such infuriating confidence, seemed to bring all her confusing emotions to a boil. Without even thinking about it she struck out at him.
It was very likely that the sharp crack of her palm against his cheek brought her more pain than it did him. Still, when he grabbed her wrist then pressed her roughly against the cold wall, her heart sank to her feet. His eyes were dark and threatening and his lips, which had curved in such a deceptive smile before, now were rigid with anger.
“You overstep your bounds,” he said with a growl. His face was lowered so that only inches separated them.
“Let me go,” she whispered in desperation. “Please just let me go.” Her amber eyes were wide upon him. There was no hiding from his scrutiny in such close circumstances.
“Would Lord Barton let a serving girl—even one he holds in such high esteem—go unpunished for striking him?” He lifted his scarred brow skeptically. “Somehow I cannot believe it.” His hand tightened on her wrist although he did not go so far as to hurt her. She was terribly aware that he wore only the damp linen toweling to cover his loins, and for that reason she did not lower her gaze. Yet his eyes boring into hers were equally disturbing.
Lilliane was frightened. She realized her plan to catch him in a dishonorable act had been quite mad, and she now saw how at his mercy she was. If he chose to act dishonorably there would be no way for her to stop him. In desperation she decided he might release her if he knew her true identity. But before she could speak, he moved even closer and she was shocked by the feel of his body pressing full length against hers.
“I have in mind a particular punishment,” he whispered in her ear.
“No … no, you mustn’t do this,” she pleaded in a quivering voice.
“Indeed. But I fear I must. Beneath that plain gown I suspect I might find quite a delectable morsel.” His lips moved closer to her ear until his breath heated against it. Frantically she tried to escape, but he would have none of it. “Let your hair free of that cloth you bind it in.”
“No!” She looked up at him, aghast at his boldness, and said the worst thing she could think of. “You are a man of no honor!”
For a moment he tensed and she feared the repercussions he must surely send down upon her. But to her complete surprise, he heaved himself away from her and took a step back. For a long tense moment their eyes remained locked. Hers were a flashing gold, vivid with emotions, while his were a smoky, opaque gray. And yet she knew emotion boiled within him by the way he stood so rigidly as he stared at her. Then a bitter smile lifted his lips.
“I would have this incident kept between us and no others.”
“What?” Lilliane stared at him incredulously.
“There is no need for Lady Lilliane to hear of this,” he said stiffly.
“It’s rather late to think of your betrothed, wouldn’t you say?” she jeered.
“To tell her of this can only cause her grief,” he explained with a frown.
“And perhaps give her cause to call this farce of a marriage off,” she taunted.
At that he smiled. “The marriage will go forth as planned. Never fear that.” His face grew more serious.
He laughed out loud and advanced a step closer to her. “Begetting an heir will also be one of my duties—”
“Even if you are repulsed by your wife?” she interrupted in a tense voice.
“And even if she is repulsed by me.”
“No doubt she will be,” Lilliane retorted. But her words lacked the venom she’d intended, for she was suddenly overcome with emotions. He saw Orrick as a prize to be won. The wife he must take to get it was of no matter to him. No matter at all.
Abruptly she turned to leave. But Sir Corbett was quick to block her passage with one brawny arm across the door. “Where do you think you’re going, wench? I haven’t dismissed you yet.”
His words, spoken with such infuriating confidence, seemed to bring all her confusing emotions to a boil. Without even thinking about it she struck out at him.
It was very likely that the sharp crack of her palm against his cheek brought her more pain than it did him. Still, when he grabbed her wrist then pressed her roughly against the cold wall, her heart sank to her feet. His eyes were dark and threatening and his lips, which had curved in such a deceptive smile before, now were rigid with anger.
“You overstep your bounds,” he said with a growl. His face was lowered so that only inches separated them.
“Let me go,” she whispered in desperation. “Please just let me go.” Her amber eyes were wide upon him. There was no hiding from his scrutiny in such close circumstances.
“Would Lord Barton let a serving girl—even one he holds in such high esteem—go unpunished for striking him?” He lifted his scarred brow skeptically. “Somehow I cannot believe it.” His hand tightened on her wrist although he did not go so far as to hurt her. She was terribly aware that he wore only the damp linen toweling to cover his loins, and for that reason she did not lower her gaze. Yet his eyes boring into hers were equally disturbing.
Lilliane was frightened. She realized her plan to catch him in a dishonorable act had been quite mad, and she now saw how at his mercy she was. If he chose to act dishonorably there would be no way for her to stop him. In desperation she decided he might release her if he knew her true identity. But before she could speak, he moved even closer and she was shocked by the feel of his body pressing full length against hers.
“I have in mind a particular punishment,” he whispered in her ear.
“No … no, you mustn’t do this,” she pleaded in a quivering voice.
“Indeed. But I fear I must. Beneath that plain gown I suspect I might find quite a delectable morsel.” His lips moved closer to her ear until his breath heated against it. Frantically she tried to escape, but he would have none of it. “Let your hair free of that cloth you bind it in.”
“No!” She looked up at him, aghast at his boldness, and said the worst thing she could think of. “You are a man of no honor!”
For a moment he tensed and she feared the repercussions he must surely send down upon her. But to her complete surprise, he heaved himself away from her and took a step back. For a long tense moment their eyes remained locked. Hers were a flashing gold, vivid with emotions, while his were a smoky, opaque gray. And yet she knew emotion boiled within him by the way he stood so rigidly as he stared at her. Then a bitter smile lifted his lips.
“I would have this incident kept between us and no others.”
“What?” Lilliane stared at him incredulously.
“There is no need for Lady Lilliane to hear of this,” he said stiffly.
“It’s rather late to think of your betrothed, wouldn’t you say?” she jeered.
“To tell her of this can only cause her grief,” he explained with a frown.
“And perhaps give her cause to call this farce of a marriage off,” she taunted.
At that he smiled. “The marriage will go forth as planned. Never fear that.” His face grew more serious.
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