That seemed to embolden her. “Very well,” she pursed her lips as the correct words came to her. “Will you swear something else to me?”
“Is this another item for the list?”
“Aye.”
“Then proceed.”
She looked at him, dead on, and he was swallowed by the intensity of her gray eyes. “I want you to swear that you will be faithful to me,” she whispered. “I realize that it may be a foolishrequest, but it is not foolish to me. I would never dream of shaming or betraying you, no matter what our differences are. I would like the same respect from you for the sheer fact that I am your wife, whether or not you wanted me.”
His hazel eyes glittered in the dim light as he gazed back at her. “What would prompt you to make such a request?”
She did not back down. “Your mother told me that you needed someone to show you that the true meaning of manhood comes from dedication to one woman, not the plaything of many. Did I misunderstand her?”
He watched her sweet face, the strength behind those amazing gray eyes, and felt himself relent. He could not lie to her. “Nay,” he said after a moment, suddenly having difficulty looking her in the eye. “You did not.”
“Do you wish to elaborate on what she has told me so I am neither surprised nor offended by gossip or truths I might hear?”
He sighed heavily, looking particularly miserable. He felt as if he was about to confess his most grievous sins and not at all happy about it. “I thought perhaps we could come to know each other better before we delved into that particular subject.”
“Why?”
He shrugged. “Because I am trying to establish something pleasant between us. Speaking on that particular subject might cause you to change your mind about me.”
“Does this concern you so?”
“Of course it does.”
She gazed steadily at him. He was still toying with her fingers and she suddenly squeezed his hand, forcing him to look at her. “If you wish to establish an honest and truthful marriage, then you must be honest and truthful with me. Tell me why your mother would say such a thing.”
He puckered his lips, appearing both regretful and frustrated. Given their rough beginning and that fact that shevirtually knew nothing about the man, Devereux was afraid that she might have overstepped her bounds. Men kept and took mistresses all of the time and it was not unusual. But she felt strongly that there needed to be honesty between them; it would be his choice to honor her request or not, which would largely determine the character of the man she had married. It would most certainly determine the wall of self-protection she would keep up around her when dealing with him and she held her breath as he regarded her.
Davyss suddenly pulled on her arm, strongly enough that it lifted her out of her seat. Reaching out, he wrapped his enormous arms around her torso and pulled her down onto his lap. Startled, Devereux was nonetheless a willing participant and she remembered well the feel of the man’s arms around her; he was big and powerful and manly, and the combination was enough to cause her head to swim. She’d never been held by a man until the event of Davyss de Winter. Everything about his embrace was enough to cause her to forget any resentment, bitterness or disgust she had ever felt for him.
Davyss held her tightly on his lap, his great head against her left shoulder. His eye level was at her collarbone and his gaze rested pensively on the rise of her breasts.
“It is true that I have not led a pious life,” he said softly. “I have experienced my share of women. But the day I married you is the day all of that ended. I have not as much as thought of another woman since that day.”
“How many women?” she asked, hoping the tremble of excitement at his touch wasn’t evident in her voice.
He shook his head. “It does not matter.”
“More than I can count on both hands?”
“Aye.”
He didn’t sound prideful about it at all; he was, in fact, rather subdued. Devereux watched the top of his lowered head as itrested against her shoulder. “Anyone special I should be aware of?”
“Nay.”
“Bastards?”
He grunted with hesitation. “Two that I am aware of. Twin girls.”
“How do you know they are yours?”
“Because they look just like me.”
She didn’t say anything for a moment and when the silence became excessive, he dared to look up at her. He was surprised to see a faint smile on her face, the gray eyes glittering. When their eyes met, her smile broadened.
