“You were from the start.”
He turned to her fully, his smile breaking through. “I’ve been waiting my entire life to hear that.”
“Then let it be said,” she said, but quickly grew serious. “But you know that I bring nothing to this marriage but a small dowry. No lands, no titles. I am very sorry for that, truly. I mustremind you because if you wish to change your mind, I would understand.”
He shook his head before she even finished. “You are worth more than any title or any lands,” he said. “I choose you for who you are, Mira, not for what you bring with you. And that’s how it should be.”
She was starting to flush again. “That is a sweet thing to say,” she said. “I shall try to always live up to it.”
Douglas reached out to take her hand with the intention of kissing it but caught sight of Isabel in his periphery and abandoned his plans. Until he was plain with Isabel about his intentions toward Mira—fully plain—he wasn’t going to initiate any more public displays of affection. The first one he did had backfired spectacularly on Mira, so he wasn’t going to risk it again.
Even if, this time, it was real.
“I know you will,” he said softly. The clamor in the hall was growing louder as more cleaning was attended to, so he knew he needed to let her get back to her task. “I’ll leave you to your work now. But I will see you tonight.”
He winked at her as he turned around, but she stopped him.
“Wait,” she said, grasping his arm to force him to pause. “There is something I must tell you about our visitors.”
“What of them?”
She seemed reluctant to continue. “One of them used to be a page here,” she said. “He was a young boy when he came and barely on the cusp of manhood when he left, but he used to be very… fond of me.”
He didn’t understand. “Fond?” he repeated. “He was your friend?”
She shook her head. “Nay,” she said firmly. “Never a friend. He was a young boy who fancied me, and when I ignored him, he took to pinching my arse to get my attention. He was punishedfor it, but it did not stop him. Then he grew into a young man bigger and stronger than I was and he took to not only pinching my arse, but cornering me and trying to steal kisses. Frankly, he terrified me, but when he was sent to Kenilworth, my worries were over.”
Douglas understood now, and that glimmer of warmth in his eye quickly changed to something hazardous. “And now he’s back,” he rumbled. “How long has he been gone?”
“About seven years. Time enough to mature, I hope.”
“Or not,” Douglas said. “Mayhap I should have a word with him.”
Mira shook her head. “Do not,” she said quietly. “Please. I am certain I mean nothing to him any longer and he has probably forgotten about everything, so let us leave it at that. But I wanted to tell you so you knew that I used to know him.”
He patted her hand, still gripping his arm. “And I appreciate your honesty,” he said. “But I will be keeping my eye on this man. What is his name?”
“Raymond de Honiton.”
“Lord de Honiton’s son?”
“Aye. Do you know them?”
Douglas shook his head. “I have only heard the name,” he said, taking her hand off his arm but still holding it. “Swear to me that if he resumes his bad behavior you will tell me. Please, Mira.”
“But—”
“It is important to me.”
After a moment’s hesitation, she nodded. “Very well,” she said. “If it is important.”
He nodded and, forgetting his pledge against public displays of affection, kissed her hand then quickly left the hall. Mira could sense something different in him, something tense and moody. Far different from the Douglas she had becomeacquainted with. But given that they had just declared their intent toward one another, she understood that he would be concerned with a man who used to harass her. If the situation were reversed, she would most certainly want to know.
Picking up the broom, she resumed her work.
*
Across the hall,Astoria had seen everything.
