Not unlikeRosalinde.
But in the wake of her confession, it was time to make her smile. Rolfe deliberately made his tone teasing. “I must confess that is a difficult image for me to conjure,” hesaid.
Annelise glanced up, a question in her magnificenteyes.
Rolfe smiled down at her. “You in a convent. Silent. Biddable. Spending hours at embroidery.” He rolled his eyes and she began tosmile.
“You should not have wed me if that was the kind of woman youwanted.”
“On the contrary.” Rolfe lifted her chin with a fingertip, compelling her to see the truth in his eyes. “I should find such a woman insufferably boring. I have no doubt that she would think me unworthy of rescue, and I know I would be unable to rely upon her aid in any matter of import. I like your passion and your impulsiveness, my Annelise, and I know I shall never desire you to beotherwise.”
She flushed scarlet but appeared to be pleased. “The nuns were glad enough to be rid of me when my father summoned me home. Their switch was worn out, afterall.”
Rolfe did not miss the fleeting reference to her father and felt his eyes narrow. “And why did he summon you? How could he have done as much? Or did your overlord forgetyou?”
“Tulley did not forget. Perhaps he thought my father had learned his lesson. As to why, my father was considering the possibility of recognizing a bastard son several years younger than me. Perhaps he wanted to see what kind of woman I hadbecome.”
“And whether you had forgotten what you had seen,” Rolfeguessed.
“In all likelihood.” Annelise pleated her kirtle between her fingers. “Tulley escorted me home to Sayerne and he stayed a week. When he rode out, he left two men behind, the tale being that my father had need of more warriors to defend his walls. I do not believe any of us were fooled.” Rolfe nodded approval of this Tulley and his schemes. “I tried to avoid my father, but once or twice in that year before he died, I flinched when he approached me. I fear he guessed the truth. He was unresolved as to what to do about Yves when hedied.”
“I hope your father died as befits a man of his deeds,” Rolfe said, and heard the thrum of anger in hiswords.
Annelise glanced up. “He died alone in his sleep, abandoned by his villeins, his property sliding into ruin about him. He had taken to abusing the holding and the tenants, for lack of any family to bear the brunt of his anger, and they had fled when they could. He was impoverished and the holding was no better than aruin.”
Rolfe felt satisfaction at this. A man who raised his hand against his wife deserved no less. “What happened to Yves? And your older brother?” He pretended to know nothing of Quinn, wanting to know more of what Annelise believed to be true of that man. “What was his name? Did he everreturn?”
Annelise held up a single finger, familiar fire in her eyes. “One tale. We agreed to trade tales, one for each, sir. I have not heard yours, yet you demand a second fromme.”
The lady’s opinion of that was more than clear, though Rolfe could not regret his own curiosity. He wanted to know all of her tales and learn her every secret. How many others could have approached marriage to a stranger with as little reticence as Annelise, after having lived the tale she had? Rolfe was astonished that she had not been more cruelly scarred by her father’sactions.
He met her gaze and saw an uncommon resilience in those eyes. He felt a glow of pride that this woman was his wife. The trust he had been so reluctant to grant now seemedinevitable.
“Forgive me, my Annelise. I want only to know what has made you the fascinating woman you havebecome.”
She blushed again. “Do not say what you do notmean.”
“I never say what I do notmean.”
Annelise stared at him as though she did not dare to believe him. Rolfe could not deny the impulse to press a kiss into her palm. “I have never met a woman like you.” As soon as the words had left his mouth, Rolfe recognized the resonance of truth withinthem.
“Not even Rosalinde?” sheasked.
Rolfe was shocked. “Rosalinde?”
How could Annelise know aboutRosalinde?
What did Annelise know aboutRosalinde?
“You call her name in your sleep,” Annelise said, her eyes narrowing as she watchedhim.
“Ido?”
Annelise nodded. “Who is she?” she asked, hurt in her tone. “Do you loveher?”
“I knew her long ago,” Rolfereplied.
Annelise folded her arms across her chest and her expression took on a familiar resolve. “You do not answer my question. Do you love herstill?”
